Mum's three prem babies take the cake

Megan Pitchforth, left, voluntarily baked her 'Meganlicious' cakes for staff and parents at the Northland District Health Board SCBU, including Cameron Ashford who is holding baby Ella Wilkins who was born at 33 weeks, Olivia Wilkins and Merophy Brown. Photo / John Stone

When Mellissa Greeff's second daughter was born prematurely it was a terrifying experience.

But the Northland mum did not think she would have to go through it two more times.

Yesterday was World Prematurity Day - a day to raise awareness about the millions of babies born prematurely, earlier than 37 weeks of gestation, around the world each year. It's a service Mrs Greeff knows well - she has four daughters, three who were born early.

The Greeff sisters Maiya, 2, left, who was born at 32 weeks, Chloe, 3, who was born at 34 weeks, and Tamzyn who is holding Anneke who is now 6 months old and was born at 34 weeks and five days.

Chloe, Mrs Greeff's second daughter, was born at 34 weeks - five or six weeks early.

"It was very scary, you don't expect it. My first born was full term so I thought this one would go smoothly and then it didn't. She came out crying so I got to hold her for two minutes then they whisked her away to go to the SCBU [Special Care Baby Unit]. My biggest concern was if she would be okay."

Chloe was 1.98kg when she was born and spent 10 days in the SCBU before coming home. When Mrs Greeff was pregnant with daughter number three, Maiya, she thought she would be full term. But Maiya was born at 32 weeks and, although Mrs Greeff had already had one premature baby, it did not make it easier. "It was even more scary because she was two weeks earlier [than Chloe]. I know it doesn't sound like a lot but for a premature baby it's a lot because they haven't learnt how to breathe."

Maiya was silent when she was born and was immediately taken to SCBU where she remained for 10 days. Mrs Greeff had to wait two days before she saw her and five hours before she got to hold her.

"She was placed on a CPAP machine to help her breath. It's scary you have all these nurses working on them and you don't know what's happening. I wouldn't wish it upon anybody."

But Maiya wasn't the last of Mrs Greeff's children to be born early. Baby number four, Anneke, was born at 34 weeks and five days, this time it was not as scary and Anneke spent only five days in the SCBU. "They're all doing amazingly and growing up very fast," she said.

Mrs Greeff said staff at Northland District Health Board's SCBU unit were amazing.

In honour of World Prematurity Day, a morning tea was held in the SCBU with cakes voluntarily made by Megan Pitchforth of Meganlicious Cakes.

SCBU associate clinical nurse Merophy Brown said it was important to raise awareness about the number of premature babies born every year.

"More premature babies are surviving today. Some generally have a long stay in [SCBU], we have one mum who has been here over a month."