On January 13th, 2023, Susan’s life changed forever when her son, Elliot, was born via emergency C-section, over two months before his due date. What began as a seemingly ordinary pregnancy quickly became a journey filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and ultimately, hope.
From the beginning, Susan had a feeling that something wasn’t right. “The day before I went to the hospital, I hadn’t felt much movement,” she recalls. “My obstetrician did an ultrasound and reassured me that everything looked fine, but deep down, I knew something didn’t feel right.” Susan tried to calm her nerves, but as the day wore on, her anxiety grew. “The next day, it had been 24 hours without any movement, and I knew I had to do something.”
Susan called the maternity unit and was immediately asked to come in for monitoring. “I was put on a Doppler to check Elliot’s heartbeat, and every 20 minutes or so, it would drop very low,” she says. Alarmed, the doctors sent her for an emergency ultrasound. The results confirmed her worst fear—Elliot wasn’t moving as he should be. “The doctors didn’t waste any time and proceeded with the C-section right away,” she explains. “It all happened so fast. I was terrified, but I knew it was the right thing to do.”
When Elliot was born, he was rushed to the NICU at Dubbo Base Hospital, where a team of paediatricians worked tirelessly to stabilise him. Susan was left in shock as she waited for any news about her son. “Elliot was incredibly pale, and I could tell something was seriously wrong. I was terrified, but I had to trust that the doctors and nurses would do everything they could for him.”
Blood tests and tests on Susan’s placenta revealed the shocking cause of Elliot’s distress—a feto-maternal haemorrhage. “It turns out I had been losing blood throughout the pregnancy, and Elliot had been adjusting to the lack of blood,” Susan says. “His haemoglobin level was 25, which is far below the normal range of 140-240 for a baby.” As a result, Elliot needed two blood transfusions to help stabilise him.
Elliot’s lungs were also underdeveloped, and he had to be resuscitated at birth. “It was heartbreaking to watch him being put on a ventilator to help him breathe,” Susan remembers. “I felt so helpless, but I knew he was in the best possible hands.” After stabilising him over the first eight hours, the doctors and nurses from NETS (Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service) transferred Elliot to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, where he would spend the next nine days.
During his time in the NICU at John Hunter, Elliot’s condition remained critical. “He was on and off the ventilator and the CPAP machine multiple times,” Susan recalls. “They also had to put him under the blue lights for jaundice twice, and there were so many tubes and cables connecting him to the machines. It was overwhelming, but we knew he was a fighter.” The NICU team worked tirelessly to support him, and gradually, Elliot began to show signs of improvement. “He was finally able to breathe on his own and didn’t need as much vital support,” Susan says with relief.
After nine days at John Hunter, Elliot was transferred back to Dubbo Base Hospital, where he spent just under four weeks in the Special Care Nursery. “He had to establish his feeding and start putting on weight,” Susan explains. “It felt like a long road, but each day he got a little stronger.” On February 16th, Susan and her partner, along with their family, were finally able to bring Elliot home. “It felt like a miracle,” Susan says, her voice filled with emotion. “We had been through so much, but we were finally taking our baby home.”
Elliot’s due date was on March 15th, and he continues to thrive. “He’s now just over 3kg, and although he’s only just started fitting into ‘newborn’ size clothes and nappies, he’s doing great!” Susan says proudly. “He continues to grow stronger every day, and we’re so thankful for the care he received from the doctors and nurses who helped him along the way.”
Looking back on the journey, Susan is filled with gratitude. “The NICU journey was incredibly difficult, but we were lucky to have such a dedicated team of medical professionals who cared for Elliot like he was their own,” she says. “We’ll forever be grateful for them.” Susan also thanks her family and friends for their support during the hardest days. “Having a support system was crucial. They kept us going, and we couldn’t have made it through without them.”
Although the journey wasn’t easy, Susan believes that Elliot’s story is one of hope and resilience. “There were so many times when I didn’t know if we would make it,” she says, tears welling in her eyes. “But Elliot proved that even the smallest fighter can overcome the biggest obstacles. He’s a true miracle, and every day with him is a blessing.”
Susan’s story serves as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope. “We’re incredibly lucky to have Elliot,” she says. “He’s brought so much joy to our lives, and I’ll forever be thankful for the medical team, our family, and the strength we found along the way.”
For other parents going through similar experiences, Susan offers words of encouragement. “Don’t lose hope,” she says. “The NICU journey is tough, but it’s also filled with small victories. Cherish those moments, lean on your support system, and know that you are not alone. Miracles happen, and your baby is a fighter.”
As Susan watches her son grow and thrive, she is reminded every day of the strength, love, and perseverance that helped him through his early struggles. “Elliot’s journey is not over,” she says with a smile. “But with each passing day, he’s proving just how resilient he is. And that’s something we can all be proud of.”
Elliot’s story is one of hope, love, and determination. It’s a testament to the power of the human spirit and the incredible bond between a mother and her child. Susan’s journey with Elliot may have started in uncertainty, but it is now filled with joy, gratitude, and an overwhelming sense of love.