Vicki Cockerill - NICU MUM Blog

Last week saw me launching the NICU Mum medical files where I was honoured to share Carly and Isla's NICU story click here to read part one , and part two . I wanted to create a platform for others to share their stories, it might not be a NICU story but you could have had a difficult birth, faced a difficult illness or like Elijah suffer from a CHD. It is where we can relate, educate, support and raise awareness. From going through our journey with Elijah I took comfort from reading others stories. These are all honest parenting stories from the front lines.   Lisa has been writing over at mrssavageangel.com for nearly three years. She is a stay at home mama to her 4 year old son Oscar. She lives with Oscar and her husband Ben in leafy Surrey. She writes about parenting, Oscar’s Autism diagnosis and weight loss.   Lisa 'Mrs Savage Angel'. Note:  Autism (according to the National Autistic Society website) is a lifelong, developmental disability tha...

I have to say I am becoming more and more shocked about how so called grown adults are acting now a days. Following on from my post from the other week, (click here to read what sort of world have I brought my son into?) I feel like as this is the honest confessions that I should be truthful with how I am feeling, especially as a mother of a small child. It is something that worries me. It worries me that people are not thinking about their actions, how they are treating one another and I keep asking myself is there now less and less good in the world? Are we all really this nasty now? Have we always been like this? Or is it now I am older, now I am a mother and responsible for setting an example to my son that I am just picking up on this a lot more, and it has always been there? If we are being really honest I voted once when I was 18, just because I could and then until 2 years ago hadn’t bothered. I am very sorry to all of the suffragettes that I wasted this, and their famili...

Yesterday, I published Carly and Isla's birth story, please click here to read if you haven't already! Below is what happened after Carly gave birth prematurely at just 31 weeks. Isla was taken into NICU, and how Carly coped as a NICU parent. This is something I am all to familiar with, please click here to read Elijah's admission to NICU. As mentioned yesterday, I wanted to start a series of guest blog posts from others who have gone through similar things, a platform for others to share their feelings, experiences and to help and provide comfort to others going through the same thing. So we can all support one another, educate and raise awareness. These are the NICU MUM medical files. Carly's NICU story The next day we spent the whole day in the NICU and were able to hold Isla for the first time, learning the importance of skin to skin and spending hours studying everything about her. Each day the staff in the NICU had a half hour changeover at 8pm so we used...

When we were in NICU, and waiting for Elijah's surgery, I felt so alone. Like no one else was going through this and I took comfort in going online and reading others stories. I repeatedly Googled success stories and just prayed we would be one of them. Since starting my blog, I have had lots of people come to me to say they are so happy, I shared my story. I wanted to start a series of guest blog posts from others who have gone through similar things, a platform for others to share their feelings, experiences and to help and provide comfort to others going through the same thing. We can all support one another, educate and raise awareness. One thing they all have common, these are the honest and raw stories of people's real experiences of parenthood. These are the NICU MUM medical files. I first connected with Carly via Instagram, and she kindly agreed to share her NICU story after telling me she had Isla prematurely at 31 weeks. This is part one of her journey, he...

I think when we first found out about Elijah's condition when we were still in the NICU ( click here to read Elijah's admission to NICU ), his life hanging in the balance we never thought we would be a normal family. We didn't know if we would get to take our baby home, or what kind of life he would live even if we did. But, against it all; 9 days in NICU, open heart surgery, 5 days in Great Ormond Street, a PTSD diagnosis, 50+ hours weeks and everything life throws at you, we did become a normal family. Elijah is healthy and happy ( click here to read his recent discharge from the development clinic ). When your week becomes the routine of, work, childcare, nursery and Bad Girl re runs (were on series 4 people). You sometimes take each other for granted, I am most certainly am so guilty of this. Greg as my Nan says is a 'good egg', he dotes on both me and Elijah, he gives us what ever we want. If he can't, he some how makes it happen anyway. Being so ...

Here is my second guest post for the amazing Mummy and Little Me site ! Click here to view! My name is Vicki and I am a recovering judgey mum. Currently have been judgement free for 4 days! Instead I try and say one good thing to one parent that I may or may not know every day! In hope that maybe we can turn this culture around and set a good example to our children. As if not where will it end? click here to read full post!

Please have a little gander at my first piece for the great Mummy and Little Me blog! It is a very soppy post about why I want to be my son's best friend, like forever. A bit like Leonardo Dicaprio taking his mum to the BAFTAS. I have a secret, one that makes me a bit of a loser mum. I really want to be my son’s best friend. For as long as I can. I also want us to start wearing matching clothes, but that is a whole other story! We have spent 21 months together and do you know what I am realising? He is growing up. Fast Click Here to Read Full Post

A few weeks ago now I announced that I had become an Up All Hours Resident Imperfect Parent! My first post is live! Why blogging helped me cope with PTSD. I was very hesitant to admit this, in the event others judged me mainly as a mother. However, strangely it wasn't the medication or the counselling that helped me overcome it. It was in fact this little ol' blog and the amazing people I have connected with along the way! Click here to view the Up All Hours Blog!!

I, by in no means regret the birth of my child, in fact although we went through a traumatic journey he is by far the best thing in my life ( click here to read Elijah's admission to NICU ). He makes me smile, laugh and has made me realise that I really can love something so unconditionally I think my heart will burst! With the intense mother-son bond we have, I am also very protective of him. It is a parents’ job to protect their child from harm, from any danger and to support and encourage him to be the best person he can be. To teach him that he can be open minded, accepting, and kind to everyone. To not judge others for what they look like, what they believe in or where they are from. However, nowadays I am finding it harder and harder to feel as a mother that I can keep my son safe. As a result, I wonder what sort of world is he really going to grow up in? You envisage your child becoming president, fixing the world’s problems with his Nobel prize worthy ideas and philosop...