Evie’s Story
World Prematurity Day is coming up on November 17th and the theme this year is ‘a strong start for a hopeful future’. At PKC, we are sharing stories from our community in the lead up including preemie babies, our wonderful knitters and supporters.
This is Evie at one month old at Middlemore NICU, back in June 2018. Born at 30 weeks and 1.33kg, she spent 50 days in NICU. She's now 7 years old ☺️
What does World Prematurity Day mean to you and your family?
For our family, World Prematurity Day is a day we reflect on how incredibly fortunate we have been in the level of care and support we received during the preterm birth journey of our first baby, Evie. We benefitted from past medical research, a phenomenal team of health professionals, and support from all those who assist in fundraising for these areas. It is impossible for us to reflect on this without acknowledging that not every family is so fortunate in their journey, or their outcome. There is so much work ongoing to both reduce the occurrence of preterm birth, and improve the outcomes for those born preterm. Continued awareness and support of this is vital.
Did you receive any knitting and what are your memories of this?
We were lucky to be inundated with knitting while Evie was in NICU — both from those fabulous volunteers who donate their knitting to the unit, and from our extended family and friends. There is something so special about receiving something hand made (especially these days!), and even more so when you have a teeny prem who doesn’t fit anything from a shop floor..! We joked that Evie had a different hat for every day of the month. We were able to pass on many hats, booties and vests to the unit and to other families over the years. But I have kept a few special pieces for Evie’s memory box too.
What message would you like to share with other parents currently going through a NICU journey?
To parents currently going through a NICU journey – it is a strange bubble to be in isn’t it. The world keeps turning outside, but your whole world is in limbo inside that unit. Don’t be afraid to ask questions - even though there isn’t always a black or white answer. Get involved in any cares you can as soon as you feel comfortable - it can be hard to feel like a parent when there are so many other people taking care of your baby. Don’t forget to take care of yourself - don’t skip breakfast rushing out the door in the morning; take a break to walk outside and get some fresh air – your baby could not be more safe and well cared for while in NICU. And finally, celebrate any and every milestone, no matter how small. The small things truly do become the big things while in NICU. One day at a time ❤
