Fiona adored this walker! It made such
a difference to her freedom! No more crawling and wearing out the knees
of her all in one suits!

Fiona loves her food but boy what a
mess she leaves! She can't chew normally so most of her food is mashed.
Drinks come out of her nose due to a reflux problem and tongue thrust!

I love this pic of Fiona with Father
Christmas on her table!

I have always loved this pic of Fiona in this chair!

With my first pregnancy, I miscarried
at 16 weeks. I was told it was a boy and perfectly
formed so why did I miscarry? These things happen for
a reason. He may have had a hidden disability who knows but I
grieve for what might have been had he been born.

My next pregnancy was uneventful except
for the last month when I had to go into hospital because the placenta
was not getting enough nourishment and they needed to monitor me. I remember
it being Christmas and I was very tearful but I was allowed out for Christmas
dinner at my in-laws with orders that I return straight after. Finally
on 21st January the doctors decided to induce Fiona. She was born at midnight
and very tiny only 4lb 12oz. so was whisked away to a humid crib because
during the birth she had shown signs of stress. I believe I should have
asked that she be born by caesarian but you only come to this conclusion
in hindsight. Fiona had to spend three weeks in hospital when I would go
to her every day and express my milk to be fed through a tube in her
nose.

At 3 months I was in bed early as I
had a severe migraine. My husband said he would feed her
the bottle. She had very poor suction so you had to hold both
cheeks with one hand as well as the bottle. I heard a shout and
was out of bed and down to the lounge as fast as lightning.
My husband was trying to resusitate Fiona by hanging her upside down.
We rushed her to the nearest hospital and banged on the
door frantically as a nurse came to open it and she sharply
told us off for waking the whole hospital!
Fiona spent three months in hospital and I was eventually told
she may have cerebal palsy and that it would be best to send her
to an institution! I was shocked!

We went to a home where they taught you how to look
after babies who had trouble feeding etc. We were shown how to massage
the baby and how to stimulate the baby. It was generally a time to
get to know your baby who had problems. After that I was told
by the pediatrician that she was a "wait and see child"