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The Little Miracles Trust is Aotearoa New Zealand’s national neonatal charity. We’re here to help
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Turning Hardship into Hope
Jack was born a micro preemie, a term used to describe babies weighing less than two pounds or born at less than 28 weeks gestation. He’s never going to walk. Hes never going to talk. He will not be able to see or hear. “They told us he probably wouldn’t survive, the doctor said,…
Life in NICU – a mother's letter
I'm a member of a few special clubs. I have battled infertility, and I'm the mum of four angel-babies and one living miracle. My beautiful son was born at 26 weeks and five days, weighing 860 grams - and despite all the odds, he survived. This is a letter to myself and to all the…
Mum calls for support for tube-fed kids
Eli and Ben were born prematurely at 26 weeks' gestation, then spent four months at Wellington Hospitals’ neonatal unit. They're among 6000 babies born prematurely in New Zealand each year. Some leave hospital feeding normally. Others, such as Ben and Eli, go home with nasogastric tubes. The twins are two of an estimated hundreds of…
Dr Vaughan Richardson – his job is a labour of love
In quarter of a century practising as a neonatal paediatrician, head of Wellington's neonatal intensive care unit Vaughan Richardson has looked after well over 25,000 babies and, despite their critical needs and at times dire condition, he still takes time to cherish every one of his tiny patients. "They're like mushrooms, they grow," says Dr…
'My baby won't eat' – Inara's story
If little Inara Herdman needs to eat, it’s not her mother she turns to – it’s a tube feeding machine she’s been hooked up to since the day she was born. Inara spent so long in intensive care she became psychologically dependent on being fed goats’ milk through a feeding tube, even though there is…
Deanna and Ben Sigmund
Deanna and Ben are strong supporters of The Little Miracles Trust. However, they also understand that the support they received came from a range of organisations. Check out their interview on Campbell Live: http://www.3news.co.nz/The-gift-of-life/tabid/817/articleID/257932/Default.aspx
Born out of struggle
A tenth birthday is not ordinarily a special feat, except in the case of Chrystal Henson, given she weighed less than a can of baked beans at birth. Check out her story on this TVNZ Close Up clip aired on Monday 9th July 2012. http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/monday-july-9-4961899/video?vid=4961985
Hospital a lifesaver after early birth
A tiny baby who at one point weighed less than a can of baked beans is preparing to mark a special milestone this month - her 10th birthday. Chrystal Henson was born on July 9, 2002, in Waikato Hospital and was one of New Zealand's smallest premature infants. Delivered by emergency caesarean section, 18 weeks…
Samuel's story
23 weeks 3 days, 668 grams My partner and I had just moved from Melbourne over to Wellington. A big step for us but one we were looking forward to. About a month after our arrival I found out I was pregnant with our first child. We were a little shocked but also excited, we…
Harrison's story
41 weeks Harrison was born at 9:01pm on 26 April by emergency caesarean at 41 weeks. He was struggling to breath and at one stage he had to be revived. After being transferred to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Hutt Hospital, a team from the Wellington Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were called…
Lucy's story
37 weeks, 2500 grams Lucy was an unexpected natural conception following prior infertility. After a trouble free pregnancy Lucy was born by caesarean section on her due date (a breech baby). At birth she was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 (or Edwards Syndrome). “She was noted to have some unusual facial features, including a wide anterior…
Emma's story
25 weeks 5 days, 490 grams. During what was an uneventful pregnancy I suddenly got very sick with severe PET (pre-eclampsia toxaemia) and developed HELLP syndrome, which in essence means I had high blood pressure, liver failure and my blood wasn’t clotting. As a result I was flown by Lifeflight Air Ambulance from my home…