One family’s journey: seven weeks from news of pregnancy to birth at 26 weeks gestation

Dad Richard tells the story.

“The last thing my partner Tasmin expected was to find out she was 19-weeks pregnant. We didn’t have anything for a baby. Our kids are 8 and 9 years old, so we had to start all over again. We thought we’d have time.” Unfortunately they didn’t. Richard often works night shift at the ports and he was at work when Tasmin went into labour. “She phoned me to say she had severe cramps and had started bleeding. I literally ran out of work. Maria, our midwife, came over examined her and sent us to hospital. When we got there they ran blood tests and did an ultrasound and we stayed in overnight and waited for the results.”

Those results showed a uterine infection. Tasmin was given steroids to assist in the baby’s development and antibodies for RH negative, and things moved pretty fast after that. Richard was at home when he was told that Tasmin was in actual labour and by the time he got there she was already in the delivery room. It took only 30 minutes for their son, Loki, to be born. Richard is not new to being a dad, but he says this was very different. “I won’t lie; it was rough and sometimes overwhelming. We don’t have family here, so I was moving between work, home and hospital, organising care for the kids and on top of that we were in lockdown. Some days were better than others. There were a lot of complications: from bacterial infections to jaundice, blood transfusions and severe bi-lateral pneumonia. At one point we were sitting in the lounge having breakfast when the alarm went off. It was Loki. We ran down to see about 20 medical staff around our boy. His little heart had stopped. I thought mine would too. But after two doses of adrenaline, he was okay.” Loki is home now, growing and doing well. The family has settled into a routine and Richard and Tasmin are grateful for the exceptional work of the Middlemore team. Richard says his purpose has strengthened since the birth of Loki: being a dad is what it’s all about. “Being a dad means putting your family first, being there to guide, protect and support them. My greatest joy is coming home after a 12-hour shift and seeing them excited to see me. Tasmin and I are fortunate that this little life fought so hard to be here, and we owe it to him to make it a good one.”

“My greatest moment was getting to hold Loki for the first time; even though my heart hurt for my boy and my wife, and it was hard trying to hold him with all the drips and oxygen pipes. Our boy was so little, I was terrified that we would lose him, but he’s a fighter.”