What causes premature birth?

Approximately 40,000 babies are admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) or Special Care Nurseries (SCNs) each year for a variety of reasons. Approximately 21,000 of these babies are born prematurely. About 6000 babies require critical and intensive life support each year. So what causes premature birth and what are the major risk factors for […]

Understanding NICU and SCN terminology

If you’ve given birth to a premature baby, you’ve probably heard of some of these terms. Maybe you have a friend who had a premmie, and noticed some of these terms, but don’t want to ask them exactly what everything means. Understanding Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Special Care Nursery (SCN) terminology can help […]

Sleep tips for parents of multiples

Sleep is a big important issue for new parents. And if you’re expecting twins then there are some extra challenges and specific tips you should know. Here’s some sleep advice for parents expecting multiples from sleep consultant Cheryl Fingleson. Remember that twins tend to arrive between 36 and 38 weeks or even earlier. If your twins are born […]

Premature labour signs and treatment

A pregnancy is considered full-term anywhere from 37 – 42 weeks. But what happens if you think you are going into labour well before 37 weeks? How do you know for sure – what are the signs you should be looking out for? Labour before 37 weeks is called premature labour or pre-term labour and […]

Mum to 4, endo, surrogate to twins and a hysterectomy all before 27!

I’d had heavy and painful periods since I was 16 so, at 19 when I was referred to a gynaecologist and had a laparoscopy, I wasn’t surprised to hear I had advanced endometriosis. At my follow-up appointment my doctor informed me that if I wanted to have children, I had better think about having them […]

Being the parent of a NICU/SCN baby

Parents of premature babies often feel a sense of guilt, regret and distress about how their baby arrived. Read tips for coping at this difficult time.