"We had just had our big anatomy scan where the ultrasound technician told us everything looked great and said he’s a very healthy baby and growing well. That same night around midnight I woke up to a big gush of fluid, it was my first pregnancy I really didn’t know much at all and assumed I had just wet the bed and this must be a normal pregnancy thing.

Throughout the night I started to get back pain and just continued leaking liquid, I did start to get concerned so I texted my midwife who advised me to go straight to emergency as it sounds like my water broke. I didn’t think it was a thing or possible to break your waters at only 19 weeks pregnant, my partner and I were pretty calm for the drive as we still didn’t believe what was happening and thought I’d just be sent home straight away and that everything was going to be okay.

We were taken straight through and seen right away by the emergency OBGYN who confirmed right away with a swab and bed side ultrasound that I had fully ruptured my waters, looking at the screen they could not see any fluid but to our relief Riley’s heartbeat was still strong.

This is when the hard conversations began and we were seen by every different pregnancy specialist and baby doctor the hospital had to explain why this would no longer be a viable pregnancy and that I would most likely naturally go into labour by the end of the week and there would be nothing they could do to stop it as I was only 19 weeks. I was admitted onto the antenatal ward to wait out my body going into labour or if an infection started to develop I would need to be induced right away.

A week had passed and nothing happened, throughout the week we were continuously visited by doctors and specialists who gave us statistics that weren’t the greatest and suggested it would be in our best interest to no longer continue the pregnancy. Each ultrasound and Doppler Riley’s heartbeat was strong and we knew we had to fight for him, needing a break from it all I discharged myself from the hospital and agreed to come in daily for blood tests and check ups, we were in and out of hospitals for 9 weeks.

During this 9 weeks I had only 1-2cm’s of amniotic fluid and some weeks there was no measurable which worried the doctors as they had never seen this before and me having gestational diabetes added more risks to myself and Riley. After some cramping and bleeding I was admitted again at 28 weeks pregnant, things settled after a day but we agreed it was safest for me to stay until I delivered which was only 3 days from then.

I woke up to this feeling of pressure and to all of our surprises when the doctor did a quick spec Riley was trying to sneakily make his way into this world on his own so I was rushed downstairs where they prepared me for an emergency C-section as Riley was breech this was the safest method of delivery.

As he was so close to making his own entrance I was put straight to sleep and my partner was unable to make it to the hospital in time, I spent 12 hours in recovery before being able to see Riley for the first time.

The first time going into the nicu is definitely daunting and seeing him for the first time so tiny and fragile covered in tubes and wires in his incubator but we could tell straight away what a fighter he was. In the beginning we were told he was a very sick baby and they were unsure if he would make it, they struggled to get his lungs to open and they suspected he may be becoming septic as when they cut me open they realised I was beginning to develop chorioamnioitis an infection that can be deadly for me and baby.

After only a few days Riley started to improve and get stronger and stronger, each daily update with the doctors they would list off all the improvements Riley made.

Riley had an 105 day nicu stay which was definitely a roller coaster, he overcame a collapsed lung, a brain bleed, multiple infections , multiple blood transfusions and hernia surgery. He amazes us everyday and we still can’t believe he is here, we have had him home for 2 months now and he is thriving. He come home on O2 but we are already making plans with his respiratory therapist to wean him off it."