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So 5 and a half years ago I was finally induced with my first born. I'd had a very difficult pregnancy right from the beginning with sickness and many hospital stays and visits. My labour was pretty normal, I spent a lot of time throwing up but was so excited to finally meet our baby boy Joshua Leigh. After 1 hour of pushing I could tell it just wasn't working, no matter how hard I pushed he wasn't budging. Finally I delivered Josh's head. But then everything changed, suddenly the room filled with dozens of people and panic kicked in. Josh was stuck, he had taken a breath and I was quickly crushing his chest. Midwives, doctors and consultants worked hard to get him out and they finally did. He was placed, for a second, on my stomach whilst they cut his cord. I remember asking why he wasn't crying, he was blue and grey from top to toe and wasn't breathing. He was taken away to be worked on.

Josh was born at 9.17pm on 6th January 2011 unresponsive and not breathing. At 9.21pm Josh finally started to breath again but was unable to do this on his own. Our difficult journey was far from over. I spent most of that night unconscious and was under constant observations with a midwife having to stay by my side 100% of the time. I had bled heavily and was vey very poorly.

I finally got to meet Joshua at approx. 4am the next morning, he had been taken to neonatal and was covered in tubes with machines all around beeping and a broken arm from where the consultant had pulled him out. He was so big and yet looked so small and helpless. To begin with Doctors couldn't give us an outcome for Josh as they weren't sure if he was strong enough to fight. Once they were sure he would live they were unsure of the kind of life he would be able to live. They had warned us that Josh would probably have difficulty reaching his normal milestones and that he may not be walking and talking at age 5. He would need to spend the next few years having appointments in neo natal to check on his progress. Josh spent time on a cooling mat to try and decrease the difficulties that would come with oxygen deprivation.

Josh started crawling aged 9months, walking aged 12months, he babbled as a baby and talked none stop from the perfect age, he was potty trained day and night by 18months, he could count to 10 by 13months, he started nursery and started reading aged 3! He has just finished his first year in school and has finished that year ahead of what Is expected of him! Joshua has gone above and beyond expectations that anyone had of him, he has fought so hard and become an amazingly bright, helpful and loving young boy. He does taekwondo, football and can play piano.

These problems arose during labour because of Josh's sheer size, shoulder dystocia was the cause of him becoming stuck as he was born at an amazing 12lbs 11oz's. At age 5 he is a very tall young man and we as a family couldn't be prouder of his journey!

Just 15months after Josh was born I found myself in labour again, this time throughout my pregnancy I was monitored closely but was induced at 37 weeks as our 2nd baby boy, William, was showing worrying signs. Labour and birth this time was a piece of cake and William was delivered after just 10minutes of pushing, this time I got to hold my baby and cuddle him straight away. But again, doctors couldn't stop me from bleeding, they took William from me and gave him to his dad. I was then wheeled off to theatre. Half way through surgery I remember the staff telling me that William had had to be taken to neo natal as he was having difficulty breathing. My heart shattered, I felt so helpless lying there. Once I was in high dependency recovery one of the neo natal nurses came to see me. she had finished her shift and had remembered me from when she looked after Josh. I cannot explain to her just how much it meant to me that she took the time out (after work) to come and see me and explain what was going on with William. Williams stay in neo natal was much calmer, he had suffered a collapsed lung (which had to be drained on more than one occasion) and also was jaundice.

My family and I are eternally grateful for the amazing support that our boys and ourselves received during their stay in neo natal. William to this day still has issues with his chest and is quite often in hospital to deal with that, but again he is a bright, loving young boy! We want to raise as much money and recognition for this amazing unit who we owe our lives to.

I want to give personal thanks to my consultant, the consultant who cried after Josh's birth as she had broken his arm, the consultant who saved not only Josh's life but mine! The consultant who stood by me during the birth of William on her day off (when she was supposed to be preparing for a dinner party). I want to thank the staff who took the time to entertain Joshua whilst we spent time in neo natal with William. Raising money will never be enough to say thank you, but it is a start.