Charlie's NICU Fundraiser

Our daughter Charlie entered the world with a bang at 10.48am on 9th June 2022.

A routine 32 week scan at Wexford General showed that her heart rate wasn't where it should be and I was sent to the labour ward for further monitoring. A decision was made very quickly here to put me under general anaesthetic and undergo an emergency C section.

Luckily, Mark was with me for the appointment so was by my side until I was brought to theatre.

Charlie came out kicking and screaming and weighing a healthy 4lbs 10oz. She was brought to the Special Care Baby Unit and put on Cpap for breathing support.

When I woke from the anaesthetic, the wonderful nurses had printed out photos of our little girl and stuck them up around my bed until I was well enough to go down to meet her that evening.

A decision was made to transfer her to University Hospital Waterford NICU. An ambulance team came from the Coombe to bring her on Friday 10th June. I was transferred to Waterford the following day. She thrived over the coming weeks, moving from Cpap to High flow oxygen, and eventually to no breathing support at all. We also worked to get her feeding established, from an IV and NG tube, to gradually beginning to feed independently. 

We celebrated the small wins, the day she graduated from incubator to cot, her first time wearing a babygro, and as each of the tubes and wires gradually were removed. Our motto was 'Slow and Steady' but she exceeded our expectations at every step.

On Wednesday 22nd June, she was stable enough to be transferred back to Wexford SCBU. Here, she met some of her grandparents for the first time, and I was allowed to room in and spend a night with her later in the month.

She was discharged from Wexford General on Sunday 3rd July, her Granny Lena's birthday. A birthday present we will find hard to beat in the coming years!

Between both Waterford and Wexford Neonatal units, both Charlie and us, as her parents, received such support and care during her 24 day hospital stay. To have the support and help of doctors, nurses and midwifes as we found our feet as new parents, but also around how best to support and care for Charlie as a premature baby and the medical complications that can go hand in hand with that. The patience they showed as we asked all the questions was greatly appreciated. We will forever be indebted to both WGH SCBU and UHW NICU and SCBU for everything they did for us and Charlie during one of the toughest and craziest months of our lives!

As we celebrate Charlie's due date today, 1st August, she is tipping the scales at 8lbs 8oz and 53 days old . A happy healthy baby girl.

We hope to raise some funds for the above units, to buy equipment to help and support babies and their parents who may spend some time there in the future. While we had the unwavering support of our two families and our fantastic friends and neighbours, it is still a journey unlike any other for those who do experience it.

We are organising a walk in our local Carrigbyrne Hill on Saturday 27th August at 11am.

For anyone who can attend, we will walk a short loop on the hill, followed by tea and sweet treats in the picnic area afterwards with bucket donations.

If anyone can't attend, but would like to support the fundraiser, we have set up this GoFundMe. Equally, a donation in lieu of a baby present might be something to consider.

All donations, no matter how small will be greatly appreciated.

We will update this page with details of amounts raised, as well as further details of what these funds were used to purchase following the event.

Thank you,

Bríd, Mark and Charlie Hamilton.