This is an older thread but thought I would tell you all about my brother.

He was born 30 years ago so the technology wasn't like it is today.

Mum had something called placental insufficiency. He didn't grow properly in utero (Mum's story sounded a bit like yours Kathryn) and was born prematurely four weeks early. His weight at birth was 4 lbs, 4 ozs.

He and Mum were in hospital for four weeks then spent a further couple of weeks at a special care hospital for babies. My sister and I were only eight and six at the time and all we knew was that YAY we had a little brother but boy, we missed our Mum! It felt like she was gone for ages. We couldn't wait for them to get home.

I still remember the excitement of that day when David came home for the first time. He struggled a bit for the first year because he was still so tiny but I am pleased to say that you would never know today about the conditions of his birth. He is completely healthy.

I only realised later how serious things were. Mum and Dad never posted a birth notice for him because they thought he wouldn't survive. Mum said she thought Dad blamed her for it because he couldn't speak when he came up to the hospital (he just didn't know what to say). Matters were not helped by one of the doctors at the hospital who told my mother that she was too old to have babies (she was 32 mind you). My sister and I were not allowed to see or touch David until he came home. I can't imagine that happening today. Just shows how much things have changed - for the better I think!