"It was a whirlwind experience when we had our first child.

My wife was admitted to hospital at 28 weeks over concerns that our baby would be born early.

I remember spending the day with her in the high care area of the hospital, leaving Randwick at 10 pm, driving home to Liverpool, eating and showering, then getting into bed only to get a phone call 10 minutes later to get back to the hospital. This happened on a number of occasions.

Elijah was then born at 29 weeks, and as first-time parents, we didn't know what to expect in general, let alone having a premature baby.

The staff in the NICU at Randwick were absolutely amazing, making us feel as comfortable and reassured as we could be. I still remember the roller coaster ride of the doctors' daily visits, giving us updates on Elijah's progress, sometimes feeling like you took a step forward one day, only to go two steps back the next.

Premature babies fight like no one else, and I saw that in Elijah from the very start. Thankfully he pulled through with no major concerns, and we were able to leave the hospital three months later, approximately at his due date.

Once we were at home, the roller coaster continued with the many follow up Doctor's appointments and constant stresses of potential challenges that can present themselves in the first four years of Elijah's life.

Thankfully our little man was given the all-clear and is now a perfectly normal and healthy five year old who just started school this year.

I want to send a shout out to all the dads of sick or premature children as it is extremely challenging to continue running the household, working, and taking care of a wife and child in hospital”.