Our daughter, Rose, was born at 08:39 on a Friday morning in March 2013 by emergency caesarian. I went into labour 10 weeks early. Rose had a cervical teratoma which was preventing her swallowing, causing the build up of my amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios).

We spent the first few days recovering from c-section (just me), learning lots about teratomas and trying not to fall apart in the face of being told we should prepare ourselves that she would not live long after birth.

Rose did pretty well for all that she had ups and downs. Our first goal was for her lungs to mature sufficiently that the tubes helping her breath could be removed allowing for an MRI on the teratoma.

Rose – a couple of hours after birth and intubation

Rose’s proud brother.