Your Stories, Support Resources & More

A wonderful story of a neonatal nurse reconnecting with a baby she cared for 28 years earlier! Twenty-eight years ago, neonatal intensive care nurse Vilma Wong cared for a premature baby, Brandon Seminatore, who weighed only 2 lbs., and 6 oz. Since then, she’s seen tens of thousands of babies come through the unit, The Mercury…

On Sunday 2nd September, we delivered hundreds of 'Pick-me-up' packs to neonatal dads on Father's Day.  The delivery of these packs provides a good case study into the organisation of our support activities - a number of which benefit from the philosophy 'Many hands make light work'.  Like a lot of our support, this is a regular activity.  By…

EVERYWHERE! For hundreds of families on Fathers Day (Sunday 2nd September), their memories were different to others - with their precious baby (or babies, in the case of multiples) in a neonatal unit. With the great support of some wonderful people and organisations, we organised a 'Pick-me-up' package for each and every Dad with a baby in…

As told by mum Lisa Chelsea is our little miracle. After 4 years and 3 rounds of IVF we were lucky to finally get pregnant.  I had a very eventful pregnancy with multiple stays in hospital with hyperemesis gravidarum (severe nausea and vomiting). At 29 weeks I went into preterm labour on a Friday afternoon…

Father's day is a special day for many.  For hundreds of families on Sunday 2nd September, their memories will be different to most.    There are over 360 incubators and cots in neonatal units across New Zealand. While the unit is the best place for the care of their baby (or babies, in the case of multiples) they…

As told by mum Megan Like many other first time expectant mothers, I had visions of a calm, smooth 12-14 hour drug-free water birth where I would spend the next several hours doing skin to skin. What I got was an 8 day overdue, 31 hour drug-induced labour that ended with an extra bit of…

As told by mum Nicola At 27 weeks gestation, after 4 hours of complications and many, many, phone calls we were advised to come to the hospital . . .    “YOUR BABY IS COMING TODAY” were the only words we heard.  David and I looked at each other and our hearts sank.  We were instantly…

As told by mum Amanda Eliza was born at almost 42 weeks, after a reasonably stressful labour. She was resuscitated, then placed on my chest for her first skin to skin. My husband and I were instantly in love with our healthy, alert baby girl. I had never met a newborn before, so it was…

The answer to why premature babies have a greater risk of becoming obese could be in the gut.   Researchers from Auckland University have found that bacteria behaved differently in children who were born at fewer than 32 weeks.  They were more likely to develop obesity and diabetes, Associate Professor Dr Justin O'Sullivan said. In the recent, yet-to-be-published study, the research…

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, Dr Max Berry, has been awarded $180,120 by the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand to investigate the use of neurosteroid analogue therapy which could potentially prevent behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders developing in children and adolescents who are born prematurely. Dr…

There's a range of activity happening in our regions in August. We've pulled this together into one page as an overall update. . . AUCKLAND NICU Mums Morning Tea – 7th & 21st August 10.30am, Mums Kitchen This is a morning tea for Mums who currently have a baby or babies in the NICU at Auckland…

6yo does skin-to-skin cuddles with his baby brother We LOVE, and advocate strongly for, kangaroo cuddles. . .      check out this great story of a 6yo doing skin-to-skin cuddles with his premature baby brother (includes some beautiful photos). "We told him what every tube and wire meant — every beep and alarm," Marotta…