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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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Neonatal nurse and baby reconnect after 28 years
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…
Chelsea – Our little miracle
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…
Jason's unexpected beginning
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…
Harrison's love for water helps overcome challenges
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…
Eliza – A full term journey
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…
Wade's journey
As written by mum Michelle Wade was classed as being full term as he was only 2 weeks early, he was born at 38 weeks and he spent 6 days in NICU due to having wet lungs. It all started on the 3rd October, 2017 at 7:00am when I was being induced. They managed to…
Heart attack survivor wakes, says 'I love you'
Kate Meldrum gave birth to her daughter Ruby on 6 May at just 26 weeks gestation. In our previous article we mentioned she'd suddenly sufferered a heart attack while visiting her daughter in hospital on 21st May and remained in intensive care following surgery after a ruptured heart valve. In a heart warming moment, Kate mouthed "I…
Mum of premature baby has heart attack
A young mum who recently gave birth to her premature daughter is now fighting for her life after suffering a heart attack while visiting her baby in hospital. Kate Meldrum (29) gave birth to Ruby on May 6 after 26 weeks, five days gestation, she weighed just 530 grams. While visiting Ruby in Auckland City Hospital's newborn intensive…
Seven kids under 7 years old
On April 3 Esme Moala had Israel, Emmanuel and Eliana. This made the household 7 kids under 7 years of age! The triplets arrived via a booked in C-section at MIddlemore Hospital at 34 weeks. They weighed 2.6kg, 2.9kg and little Eliana was 1.9kg. "They said they are not going to kick us out until…
The very early arrival of Gabrielle
Gabrielle’s story As told by Mum Regina My husband Anton and I were both thrilled and terrified at the news that we were expecting our third child. Having already lost two extremely premature little boys, the probability of delivering another premmie was high, with no clear medical explanation as to why. After weekly medical monitoring…
Postpartum depression and anxiety
A Christchurch postnatal depression survivor and psychologist have teamed up to write a book on postnatal depression which is due to be released this month. Postpartum depression and anxiety: The definitive survival and recovery approach, will be sold in NZ, the UK and the US. In it, Sonya Watson shares her struggles, while Kathryn Whitehead provides information…
Sam's life by numbers
As told by his mum Andrea It seems the minute you become parents of a prem baby your life is determined by numbers. Sam was born at 25+3 weeks gestation, weighing 890gm and 33cm long. It had been a stressful pregnancy right from the beginning, and many times we thought I might be miscarrying, so…