Melissa Lines

Melissa is a mother of four beautiful children, with three earthside with her today. All four of her pregnancies required induction due to complications, and her first two children both experienced jaundice and needed light therapy after birth.

Her third baby, Zachary, was born at 37 weeks. At almost 24 hours old, she noticed something wasn’t quite right with him. Although the nurses were not initially too concerned, they suggested Zachary be taken to NICU for monitoring.

After a short time in NICU, Zachary was suddenly taken to the other side of the room as staff rushed in from everywhere. She was told to call her husband to come immediately. Soon after, they received the devastating news that their son had the most severe heart condition a baby can have. HLHS.

The family was transferred from FMC to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and within 15 hours of Zachary being admitted to NICU at FMC, they were on a plane to Melbourne to the Royal Children’s Hospital. His heart condition had been completely missed during the 20-week pregnancy scans. Zachary spent his final days in NICU at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

When her fourth baby was born at 35 weeks, with low fluid levels and concerns about her wellbeing, she was terrified. Through her own experiences, she understands the loneliness, fear and uncertainty families face when things do not go to plan.

She never received the kind of support that Miracle Babies Foundation now provides to families, which is why she is so grateful to now be able to support others through their own NICU journey.