Lorna Tallowin’s journey as a mother began on an emotional note when her son was born prematurely. Faced with the challenges of caring for a premature infant, Lorna found herself in uncharted territory and struggled to find the support and resources she needed.
But her love for her baby, her determination to help others in similar situations and a blossoming friendship with a NICU nurse drove her to later create a product that would make life easier for premature babies and their parents.
For some families, the only lights this Christmas will be those of the NICU. Jingle bells will be replaced by alarm bells.
Indeed, for those that celebrate Christmas, a festive spell on a neonatal ward can be memorable, but often only because of the hardship it brings. While many families are celebrating together in the comfort of their homes, those parents with sick or premature children are out of their comfort zones and often out of others’ minds.
Tayla Esgate-Menear was one of those parents in 2019. Here, she shares her experience of Christmas in NICU.
Natasha Borton is a Welsh poet and spoken word artist. She also happens to be a mum to a little boy who was born 11 weeks premature.
After a bumpy road through the SCBU (special care baby unit) which took its toll mentally and physically, she used her creativity to help others who’d lived similar experiences.
I caught up with Natasha to discuss all things preemie, and to hear more about the neonatal project she spearheaded.