Mila was born on the 5 September 2015 at 29 weeks gestation in the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson wing of UCL Hospital. She weighed just 1.3kg (2lb 14oz). 

Mila was an absolute fighter from the beginning and showed off the strength of her lungs by breathing in air after just 24 hours in the world (go girl!!!) - I guess that explains the strength behind those loud cries at 3am! 

However, little Mila had many battles over her 11 weeks in hospital, most notably the right-sided grade IV intraventricular haemorrhage, which we learned of in those first few days and was accompanied by an accumulation of fluid on her brain, all of which was closely monitored on a daily basis for the first few weeks. Luckily, the fluid that was accumulating came to a halt following a drain via a spinal tap and now we just had to await that all important MRI once Mila reached term (37-40 weeks gestation). 

We had been warned that the damage to Mila's brain from the haemorrhage would have some impact to the gross motor function of the limbs on the left side of her body,  the full extent of this damage would not be realised until she was older, however, the MRI could give us a better idea of the severity. That all important day came and I arrived at the hospital to find Mila in a hospital gown - yes they make them that small! - and ready to be transported across the hospital (her first trip out of the ward) in what I can only describe as a spaceship. A wave of emotion hit me that I didn't realise I had been storing up inside. Today we are going to find out if Mila has a good chance of being able to walk with ease!

The next day one of the consultants came to deliver the news of her MRI...it was the best result we could have hoped for. Mila's haemorrhage had bled up to her corticospinal tract and so was just touching it, rather than having full interference with it. She will definitely walk, there might be stiffness, there might be a limp, she might get tired but our little girl will be able to walk everyday! 

Thanks to all the wonderful care Mila received during her time at UCLH, today she is a beautiful little girl who is progressing brilliantly. Mila has regular physiotherapy and she's doing great - I'm sure she will be toddling round before we know it.

A brain injury of any kind in your baby is scary to say the least. It is such a complex organ with so many different parts (which all have very long and complicated names!), each of which control/affect a different part of the body and person, whether that's behaviour, movement, cognitive ability, personality etc. etc. It's just one big, scary unknown. 

I am very grateful for any money you can help me raise on Mila's behalf, all of which will be put towards some new specialised equipment to assess brain function in premature babies on the neonatal unit of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson wing.