E-mail addr

1355-1841/$ -doi:10.1016/j.

Journal of Neonatal Nursing (2011) 17, 139

www.elsevier.com/jneo

PARENTS’ REFLECTIONS

Caroline and James’ story

Kellie Stewart

Available online 25 September 2010

Caroline experienced a really bad pregnancy.She suffered with severe heartburn causing her tovomit, extreme exhaustion, swollen hands, feetand puffy face throughout but thought theseconditions were normal.

On the morning of August 6, Caroline woke upfeeling particularly ill but proceeded to get readyfor work. After an appointment with her midwifeshe was informed her blood pressure was high andwas told she would have to stay for several hoursfor further checks but expected to be at work bylunchtime.

However, within a couple of hours Caroline wasadmitted to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford,Kent with severe pre-eclampsia and told shewouldn’t go home until she’d had the baby. Theaim was to get her to 36 weeks. Caroline neverimagined within 36 h when her heartburn wasparticularly bad that it was in fact epigastric pain;a sign her organs were failing.

At 6 AM on Monday August 10, Caroline was toldshe would have to deliver the baby. Carolinedoesn’t have much memory of the birth as she hadOlivia Grace Cook under general aesthetic. Oliviawas born at 32 weeks gestation, weighing 3 lbs9 oz. Olivia was sent to special care, given anti-biotics as a preventive until they had taken blood

ess: kellies@bliss.org.uk.

see front matterjnn.2010.08.007

and given her oxygen. Caroline had been givensteroids for her lungs which had made a significantdifference to Olivia’s health.

It was while Caroline remained in intensive carethat she first heard of Bliss. Her husband Jameshad been given Bliss leaflets for her to read. Whenshe was better she read them cover to cover andover and over again.

Caroline says: ‘Not only was I a first time mum, Ifelt isolated and had no idea what to expect. I wasterrified and my initial reassurance was from theBliss pack. I went over the ‘what to expect’booklet until I could almost recite it. Then my firstreal wave of tears came and a wonderful midwifesat and comforted me.’

From that day Caroline has used Bliss as herreference point.

She adds: ‘About two weeks after Olivia wasborn, I began to look on the Bliss website andforum. I couldn’t say what I felt and the forum wasthe only place that made what I felt seem normal.When I read other stories I could relate to them.The forum kept me sane, it was my outlet.Whenever I needed a question answered I used thebliss forum.’

The family will be celebrating Olivia’s firstbirthday last August (2010).

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com