Bodhi's Story

I was admitted at 8 pm, and less than 24 hours following an emergency C-section, Baby Bodhi was born at 12:00 pm on 27th December at 36+1 gestation.

Bodhi was born blue with low saturation and needed medical intervention. Following his birth, Bodhi was displaying signs of RDS (Respiratory Distress Syndrome), and on day two of life, he was intubated on high-flow O2 until day six, when he was extubated.

There are no words to explain what it feels like lying in a hospital bed on a ward with newborn babies crying whilst your son has been taken to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), having to leave a theatre whilst nurses are working on your baby. It felt like a lifetime, but after over 8 hours, I finally managed to get in a wheelchair and head up to see my son. All I can remember is the emotions hitting me from all the machines and noises whilst my little boy lay there surrounded by tubes and monitors. No one could have ever prepared me for that moment.

Because Bodhi was in incubation, all I could do was hold his tiny hand with my finger, and although he was tiny, I just knew he had an enormous fight in him to get better.

Bodhi was screened and treated for Sepsis during his stay alongside phototherapy for Jaundice. I count us very lucky, and even the doctors caring for Bodhi were shocked that our admission was only 13 days long. Our stay was five days in ICU (Intensive Care Unit), four days in High Dependency, where I was finally able to hold him and hear his cry and then the final journey of four days in Special Care.

Throughout our stay, Bodhi received care from multiple medical items donated thanks to Ickle Pickles. These items included the Incubator, Vapotherm machine, Kangaroo Chairs and Privacy Screen.

I also had the pleasure of being able to hire a breast pump that had been donated to express at home; it gave me a sense of purpose like I was able to be Bodhi’s mum, to be able to provide for my son whilst he was being cared for by the nurses. Every morning, I had such pride bringing my milk in, and the nurses were proud of how much I was expressing – this really boosted my mental health.

You always see and read things and think “that could never happen to me”, but it did to us and although I missed a lot of his ‘firsts’, I am so thankful that I get to see my little boy grow up – thanks to the Lewisham NICU team.

Without the amazing support and dedication alongside donations from ICKLE PICKLES, our little boy may not have made it, and I thank my lucky stars each and every day.