When Jade gave birth to her baby Rohan Morris he cried. Nothing unusual in that you might think. But Rohan was three months early and weighed less than a carton of milk - so a burst of noise from his young lungs was a surprise and a good sign, and his mum needed some of those.
She was just 23 weeks pregnant and it was New Year's Eve, 2022, when her waters broke. She and her partner Nathan had been looking forward to the arrival of a sibling to Noah aged seven, and Aneira, aged three, in the early part of the new year, but definitely not that soon.
“Glangwili [Hospital] only takes prematures from 32 weeks gestation, and I was 23 weeks when my waters broke,” said Jade. "There was a lot of back and forth with appointments just to come up with a plan of action and what was going to happen. I was informed I was likely to have a premature baby but hopefully not and we were going to take it day by day.
“I was sent home and put on bed rest. I woke up one morning a few weeks later in pain and I was rushed to Singleton [Hospital]. The doctors decided it would be in mine and the baby’s best interests to deliver. I was quite frightened because I was very early, but the consultant talked to me and my husband throughout the procedure.
“He was explaining things and the nurse too. They said there would be a bit of a fuss when the baby was delivered. When he did arrive, Rohan cried, which was a shock – I wasn’t expecting that." Get the best user experience with WalesOnline’s Premium app on Apple or Android
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Rohan, who was not due until April 25, had arrived instead by emergency caesarean on January 22, weighing 860g, or 1lb 8oz. He was taken to Singleton's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). His parents were offered accommodation NICU has for families who live a distance away - but they had to decline because of Nathan’s work commitments and because it would have meant Jade having to spend too much time away from her two other children.
“It just wouldn’t have been convenient,” Jade said. “It’s great for those people who can make use of it, but it wasn’t suitable for us. Instead I visited every day, although I couldn’t stay. But the nurses were brilliant. No matter what time we got here, they told us what was going on and took photos and videos for us, which we found really comforting.”
Rohan stayed in Singleton Hospital for seven weeks and was then transferred to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, where he remained for a further five weeks before finally being able to go home in April. “He has exceeded all expectations,” said Jade. “The doctors didn’t think he would come along as quickly as he has. He put on weight really well. He came off the ventilator really soon. They were surprised at how well he did. He came home on oxygen, which was a new experience for us, but he was off that last July. He’s doing brilliantly. He’s a very happy, very smiley baby.”
Rohan has just celebrated his first birthday, he is now a "very happy, very smiley baby" and weighs a healthy 18lb 6oz.
The couple sent a message to NICU staff at Singleton Hospital thanking them. “They were undoubtedly amazing, and we will forever be thankful for them looking after him. Again, thank you.”
NICU matron Helen James said: “We are delighted as a team to know that Rohan is doing so well and thriving. The journey that parents experience whilst their babies are on the neonatal unit is often described as a rollercoaster of emotions and events. Supporting parents like Jade and Nathan is a large part of the neonatal team’s role. We are always grateful to receive feedback from our families. It helps us to develop our service further to meet their needs.”
