Meet Reid, Queensland’s micro first-responder. He may be tiny enough to fit into his QAS teddy bear’s outfit, but his size doesn’t determine his fight, something that runs in his blood.
Born at just 30 weeks and weighing slightly more than a kilogram (1.1kg), he has already faced numerous obstacles in his first few weeks of life, but he continues to overcome the challenges just like his paramedic dad, Mitch, does nearly every day.
“It’s been a rollercoaster,” said Mitch.
“There are highs and lows, scary moments and really nice moments - overall we’re just really happy that he’s doing well and we get to be with him every day.
“It’s given me a whole new appreciation for what some of my patients and their loved ones go through.”
Baby Reid is tiny enough to fit into the same outfit as his QAS teddy.
Reid has been in Mater Mothers’ Hospital South Brisbane’s NCCU for more than 50 days - recently moving to the special care nursery.
His first-time parents have been by his side every day, developing a deep appreciation for the healthcare system he may one day become part of, following in the lifesaving footsteps of his dad.
“I think Jo (mum) would be ecstatic if he grew up to work in healthcare just so I have someone else to talk to and I can spare her all the details of my day at work,” said Mitch.
“But we will be stoked no matter what he grows up to become, we just want him to be happy, healthy and to love whatever he ends up doing.”
Reid’s arrival caught his parents by surprise.
“It was all a complete shock,” said Mitch.
“We went to Mater’s pregnancy assessment unit with some seemingly very benign symptoms and things quickly progressed from there when they noted Jo had developed pre-eclampsia.
It became a little bit of a balancing act between being a clinician and being his dad, but the neonatology team and NCCU nurses have kept me involved in his care and decision making
which makes things a lot easier to navigate.”
The first-time parents are hoping to have their new recruit home in the coming weeks.
“The first few days and weeks were all encompassing with different levels of fear and uncertainty – I couldn’t think about being back at work,” said Mitch.
“Now, knowing the care he’s getting from his team in hospital gives me confidence in getting back out to help others.
“Being a NCCU parent can be incredibly tough no matter the length of your stay, we are so grateful for the support from the Mater team, our family and friends, especially the other parents who have been on a similar journey here with us.”
