The scariest, most unprepared day of my life!

Today my life changed forever!

As some of my followers and friends know, my girlfriend has been carrying our first child for almost 31 weeks. Yesterday, we went in to hospital for one of the final health check scans to find our little boy was very small, in fact about 5 weeks behind where he should be. The hospital decided that steroid injections would benefit his lung development should he have to be born prematurely.

We left the hospital 4 hours later after Jades first of two steroid injections, not feeling too concerned about the news we had been given.

Today, I woke up ill, Jade had the hospital at 1.30pm for her second injection but her sister had come to take her as I was feeling 10x worse by lunch time, than when I had woke up.

By 2.30pm I began to think that they had been gone longer than they should when my phone began ring... It was Jade's sister, Sammi. She told me that Oscar (baby) was "being a little buggar and not moving enough" and I had to get down to the hospital ASAP as they were going to deliver Oscar today via an emergency C section.

It didnt set in immediately, I was shocked. Then the panic flooded over me. Not thinking about anything, I jumped in my car with a flat tyre and ran 2 red lights as I sped to the hospital.

I entered the labour suite where Jade was being prepared for surgery. 4 or 5 nurses in the room all around her fitting a catheter and various drips and pads to her. I was so unprepared, mentally and physically, reality still not with me.

Within the next hour we were ready to go into surgery, I had my gown on and this shit really was happening! I suddenly became full of fear. As the surgeon read the risks of the consent forms, my mind began racing, he's coming way too early, what if he dies, what about Jade? A million and one questions scurrying around my head. I wasnt prepared to lose either of them today. Yet I was so unprepared to end the day as a dad!

At 4.07pm on Friday 13th April, my son was delivered by C section and sent away to the neonatal unit for further care. His heart rate was normal but his lungs not ready to go solo. He entered the world silent and I cannot describe the awful feeling of that.

I honestly don't know how Jade has managed to stay so strong today, what started as a check up ended as a birth. She is honestly 10x the person that I am. I've never felt so much pride in my life from how she has dealt with the sudden transfer into surgery to deliver our baby she had carried for almost 31 weeks.

5 hours after the birth, we finally got to go and visit our little boy. He is incredibly small, he weighs just 1lb 15oz but he is a little warrior and the nurses say he's doing the best as could be possible. Reality finally hit home, emotions exploding. He is my mini me and my love for that boy came in an instant.

We are currently set for being in hospital for a week or so with Jade, and Oscar is looking to be in here for his remaining 9 or 10 weeks until his actual due date. The hospital, nurses, doctors, surgeons and all the staff here at Kings Mill Hospital have been absolutely fantastic, second to none care and they've paid attention to every detail.

I end today thankful, exhausted and a father. I will update as and when I can, but it is likely that I will be posting less over the next week or so as we try to get our baby to catch up with his early arrival.

P.S I apologise for the grammar/spelling mistakes, I wrote this from a chair in the corner of our ward suite, from my phone with blurry eyes. I just had to get this written and off my chest before reality comes and knocks me for another six in morning! I will update with progress if anybody would like know :)

Fingers and toes crossed.