Cody, 26 weeks

I have always wanted to be a mum, not meeting the right partner to share a baby with I decided to go the single mum route and seemed donor sperm to fall pregnant. The second month of trying I was blessed with a positive pregnancy test in May 2025 and a due date of 16th January 2026. There were hurdles throughout my pregnancy which included my mental health and then finding out I had gestational diabetes which I was on insulin for. When I was 16 weeks pregnant, I decided to do a 3D scan and hoped to find out the gender of the baby, it was difficult to tell but the sonographer thought it looked like a boy, I was looking forward to my 20 week scan to confirm it even more. I decided to go for my scan when I was 19 weeks plus 6 because I was very excited to see my bundle of joy again. The day was a Thursday, 1st September 2025 and during my scan I found out I had a very short cervix of 10mm, from my ultrasound I was told to go to Rockingham hospital immediately and upon arriving I was prescribed with progesterone to try and strengthen my cervix. The next day on the Friday I received a call from Fiona Stanley telling me they have read my report and I need to go there immediately. After arriving, I was tested again and found out that just in a day my cervix had shortened even more to 7mm. So I stayed overnight and on the Saturday I had a cervical stitch put in and stayed an extra couple nights for observation. When be g discharged home I made sure to take it easy in hopes to keep bubs inside for as long as possible. On the 6th of October 2025 around 8:30pm, I was sitting on the couch watching tv. I moved slightly and felt a little dribble, I first thought it made have been wee because of my weak bladder during pregnancy. As soon as I stood up, I realised it was my waters because I gashed out and it wouldn’t stop. I called Fiona Stanley being my care was there from being on insulin. They told me to go to Rockingham hospital because it’s closer and they would call them to let them know I was coming. When I got to Rockingham hospital, I was tested to confirm it was my waters, then taken by ambulance to King Edward Hospital. While there I was given steroid shots to help mature bubs lungs and on the 8th October, my cervical stitch was removed. On the 10th October I started having slight pains and after being tested, I found out I had an infection called chorio so I had to be induced. I was taken to the birth suit where they started the process and at 3:11am on the 11th October 2025, my beautiful boy Cody was born 895g and 34.5cm long. Being born at 26 plus 2, he needed immediate care and was taken to the NICU. At the beginning of Cody’s NICU Journey he was under the blue lights for his jaundice and CPAP for his breathing. Cody progressed through the different nurseries at King Edward and when he was first trialed off breathing support, he was working too hard so needed to go back on for another week where he was off it again. Through Cody and I NICU journey we met the lovely Megan from Miracle babies who was a huge support during Miracle Time. Engaging in this made the NICU journey easier, I knowing there was regular support and someone to talk to up until we were discharged which was about two weeks before Cody’s due on the 31st December 2025. I am beyond blessed for my miracle baby and will be forever grateful that I was too excited to wait any longer for my 20 week scan, I hate to think if I left it any longer how much shorter my cervix would have got or if I would of had a cervix left.
During Miracle time at King Edward, I was informed about the Miracle Babies NurtureGroup held in Rockingham for babies born premature or unwell. I was excited for this group and put it in my calendar to attend. Since it has started, I have been attending the Rockingham Miracle Baby NurtureGroup every second Friday. NurtureGroup is an amazing opportunity to meet other families who have had a unique journey with their miracles. It’s a great group to share stories and receive further support knowing we are not alone in our continued journey of raising a baby born early and/or unwell.