Big help with small treasures
WHEN Lena Phillips was 28 weeks pregnant she was told she could not possibly carry her baby to full term.
The fit, healthy Corio woman was suddenly filled with anxiety as she learned she had developed intra-uterine growth restriction — meaning the placenta was not fully functioning.
Ms Phillips and her partner Steve Moxon went to hospital when the mumto-be “suddenly felt different”.
“So from that point on further tests showed IUGR ... it was one of those things where they don’t really know what the outcome will be,” Ms Phillips said.
Doctors started constantly monitoring the pregnancy and Ms Phillips spent four days in hospital aware that she might have to undergo an emergency caesarean at any moment.
“The pregnancy was textbook, until it wasn’t,” Ms Phillips said.
“It was just completely overwhelming, it was day by day and very frightening. I didn’t know anyone else who had been in that position.”
It was then Ms Phillips and Mr Moxon became engaged with premature birth help group the Life’s Little Treasures Foundation.
The foundation had fact sheets and staff on hand to help the couple decipher complex medical language.
Baby Tyson was born at 36 weeks and while he weighed just 1.9 kilograms he was otherwise healthy.
“Now, he is hitting all the milestones ... he is just a big bundle of energy. Giggle guts is what we call him,” Ms Phillips said.
Tomorrow the young family will join thousands of parents and newborns in the Walk for Prems fundraiser. Find out more at walkforprems.org.au