Today marks a poignant moment as we bid farewell to the beautiful baby Audrey, who is heading home after a four-week stay in our Special Care Unit.

Audrey's journey has touched the hearts of our entire maternity, neonatal, paediatric and obstetric teams, as they have become deeply attached to Audrey and her devoted family throughout their complex pregnancy experience.

Audrey's mother, Melinda, has courageously faced the challenges of a medical condition known as an incompetent cervix, where the cervical tissue is unusually weak, elevating the risk of premature delivery.

This condition has influenced Melinda's pregnancies, affecting all three of her children including the premature delivery and tragic passing of her first child Ollie.

Melinda’s second baby Oska, was born at the Wesley Hospital in June of 2021, arriving at 35 weeks and five days.

Fortunately, Oska spent only three days under the care of our Special Care Unit before thriving independently.

Due to the complexities surrounding her pregnancy, Melinda opted for a surgical stitch at ten weeks of gestation while pregnant with baby Audrey.

At 32 weeks, she experienced high blood pressure along with concerns of a threatened delivery, and was subsequently placed on bed rest until she ultimately delivered Audrey at 35 weeks and 3 days.

While Melinda's delivery was relatively smooth Audrey was out in three pushes, Melinda encountered a rupture of the umbilical cord and blood clots.

Throughout this critical period, midwives Emma and Lesley upheld remarkable care for both Melinda and Audrey.

Melinda also expresses her gratitude towards Dr Graham Tronc, Dr Gino Pecoraro, and the numerous obstetricians who supported her throughout this journey.

Weighing a mere 2450 grams, Audrey required the assistance of our Special Care Unit to address feeding challenges and a suspected narrowing of the gut, potentially caused by difficulties in processing cow's milk.

Over the course of four weeks, Audrey received excellent care from our nursing team, which included Zamira, Jo, Toni, and Bev and all the other nursing and midwifery team members.

Melinda, now filled with a blend of excitement and nostalgia, eagerly looks forward to bringing Audrey home.

While grateful for the opportunity to reunite as a family, Melinda acknowledges the support, care, and compassion provided by the Special Care Unit staff, who created a nurturing and exceptional environment for both Audrey and herself.

We wish Melinda, Audrey, and their family all the joy and happiness as they begin this new chapter of their lives at home.

Their remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to us all, symbolising the incredible strength and dedication of our medical professionals in providing exceptional care to our patients.