Families of premature babies cared for on the neonatal units at St Richard’s and Worthing hospitals came together this month for a special festive celebration, marking a joyful milestone as they prepare to spend their first Christmas at home.
This year, the neonatal service launched a monthly community clinic, offering families a welcoming space for specialist advice as well as invaluable peer‑to‑peer support. The clinic forms part of Family Integrated Care, which promotes a culture of partnership between families and staff that empowers parents to become confident, knowledgeable, and independent primary caregivers to their baby.
Katie Jones, Family Integrated Care Lead Nurse, explains: “Lots of families tell us it’s their first group that they feel they can go to because they know parents have shared a similar journey and it helps them feel less lonely in their experiences. They know their baby won’t be perhaps the smallest or the only one that’s had that experience, so they feel less self-conscious and safer.”
Leaving hospital with a pre‑term baby can feel overwhelming, and many parents find comfort in connecting with others who can relate to their experience. The clinic gives families the chance to talk openly about their experiences, share advice, and support one another. Alongside this, they can access specialist support from nurses, dietitians, and speech and language therapists (SALTs), who are on hand to help with feeding, development, and ongoing care.
One of the babies attending the festive session was Stevie, born at just 24 weeks and weighing 520 grams — about the same as a bag of sugar. After a challenging start, including heart and eye surgery at other hospitals, Stevie spent a month on St Richard’s neonatal unit.
Mum Sam Baird, said: “When we were at St Richard’s that was probably the icing on the cake being there with all the nurses. Hands down they were amazing, I wouldn’t have gotten through it without any of them. Everyone was just so caring. I feel like they look after your baby just as if they were their own.”
Sam stayed the whole month at Stevie’s side whilst she was in hospital until she was given the all clear to go home.
Sam said: “I’ve still stayed in contact with everyone. It’s really lovely. They helped myself and my partner grow in confidence with what we were doing with her with her medication and her oxygen.”
Now nearly 10 months old (6 months corrected), Stevie has recently come off daytime oxygen and is getting ready to enjoy her very first Christmas. Sam said: “It’s really exciting. The best thing about going home was being able to have a cup of tea and hold her at the same time.”
Another parent, Domini Van Der Klugt, attended with her daughter Raphaela, born at 31 weeks after Domini developed pre‑eclampsia. Raphaela spent two months in hospital.
Domini said: “She had great care. Being transferred to St Richard’s, it was a very family feel. Being in the hospital for so long, I definitely got to know all the nurses and doctors quite well and they were very supportive.”
This month’s festive clinic featured adorable Christmas attire, mistletoe baby feet keepsake prints and a magical visit from Father Christmas, who brought gifts for every baby. The presents were kindly funded by the Ickle Pickles Children’s Charity, which raises money for life‑saving intensive care equipment supporting premature and sick babies.
Fiona Stubbs, Head of Nursing for Neonates said: “There’s nothing more joyful than knowing our little ones are doing so well and spending their very first Christmas where they belong, at home with their families. Seeing them reach this milestone is incredible and we wish them a very special Christmas.”