Julia and David Owens, of Burnie, with 20-month-old son Lucas, who was induced at 34 weeks in order to overcome pregnancy complications.Picture: GEOFF ROBSON
MEET 20-month-old Lucas Owens, of Burnie, who was a planned premature baby.
Lucas's parents, Julia and David Owens, decided to have their son five weeks earlier than expected after their first child, Anabelle, died a few days before she was due to be born.
Mrs Owens said they did not want to take the risk of losing another child.
Lucas was born at 34 weeks and spent 14 days in the humidicrib.
Mrs Owens said his birth was induced due to obstetric cholestasis - a liver condition in pregnant women where there is a reduced flow of bile from ducts in the liver, leading bile to pollute the bloodstream.
"We planned for him to come early because of the complications that we had with Anabelle," she said.
North and North-West families whose babies are prematurely born before the age of 32 weeks must be cared for at the Royal Hobart Hospital in Tasmania's only neonatal intensive care unit.
The Miracle Babies Foundation is rallying volunteers for its Nurture Program, to provide support to parents of premature babies.
Bruce's Cafe at Wynyard donated $500 to the Miracle Babies Foundation from the sale of babycinos.
Mrs Owens said there needed to be one known central location of support.
"Funds raised through places like Bruce's are invaluable and can be used for raising public awareness and getting the message out there that support exists," she said.
"When babies are born early they have so many complications ... the first phase is waiting to see if the baby lives, the second phase is worrying about what sort of complications there would be with the gut and mental health, and then you have the last phase of seeing whether they are catching up with the development of other kids their age."
