WHEN her son was born four months early, Danielle McCormack waited by his side as he clung to life in intensive care.
Little Matthew was 16 weeks off full gestation when he was delivered at Wishaw General Hospital in 2015.
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The newborn was so small and fragile that he needed specialist care to ensure his survival, with wires and tubes used to deliver essential fluids and nutrients and to monitor vital signs.
Despite this medical staff feared he would not make it and even had to tell Danielle and partner Michael to rush to the ward to say goodbye to their child.
After the new mum was discharged the pair, who lived two buses away from the hospital, had to take taxis after receiving emergency calls. They estimate that they spent an average of £180 a week while Matthew was in the neonatal unit.
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With self-employed Danielle unable to earn and Michael on statutory sick pay, their funds soon dwindled and they had to turn to family to pay their bills.
Thankfully the South Lanarkshire boy is now thriving, and the experience of welcoming her very premature son saw the couple turn campaigners to ease the financial strain on other families facing the challenging circumstances.
The pair joined forces with baby charity Bliss to urge Holyrood to help couples cope with the extra costs.
Their plea was answered earlier this year when the Scottish Government confirmed the launch of the Neonatal Expenses Fund.
The initiative went live on Sunday and Danielle has now come forward to praise ministers for the move.
She said: “I’m really pleased that parents and families with children in neonatal care are finally getting more support.
“I honestly believe this will make such a big difference to those families that really struggle with the extra costs that arise from this already stressful situation. Any help is a step in the right direction.”
According to Bliss, one in 10 babies born in Scotland requires lifesaving neonatal care. The charity works to ensure the best care for youngsters, empower their parents and support life-changing research.
Its research suggests that most parents with premature babies spend more than the £180 a week laid out by the McCormacks before Matthew left hospital. The average weekly cost is estimated at £218.
The £1.5 million nation-wide fund aims to cut this by covering the cost of food and travel for those with babies in neonatal care.
Parents and guardians with premature or sick youngsters can claim mileage for car journeys, car parking costs and public transport charges. Families from outlying islands can also claim up to two return flights per week to visit children in mainland hospitals.
Caroline Lee-Davey, chief executive of Bliss Scotland, said: “Bliss Scotland is thrilled to support the Scottish Government’s launch of this much-needed financial scheme to help families with a baby in neonatal care pay for travel and food costs.
“The fund will help more parents spend as much time as possible with their baby and play a more hands-on role in their care, which we know is best for babies.”
She went on: “Bliss Scotland began campaigning on this issue after our own research found that the average weekly cost of having a baby in neonatal care is £218 across Scotland. This financial strain, at what can be a very emotionally difficult time for parents, makes it challenging for some parents to spend time with their babies whilst on the neonatal unit.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Scottish Government to promote this scheme to families, and our Bliss Champion volunteers – who support parents on neonatal units – will be at the forefront of ensuring that all parents with a baby in neonatal care are aware of the fund.”
On her family’s experience, Danielle said: “Because Matthew was very premature, there were numerous occasions when we thought we might lose him.
“At the darkest times, we were called up to the hospital to say goodbye.
“When it was an emergency, we had to take taxis to see him. This was obviously very expensive although finances are the least of your worries when your child is sick.
“I am self-employed and my husband had to go on sick leave whilst Matthew was unwell. This meant we only had £140 of statutory sick pay coming in per week which was soon swallowed up by the cost of food and drink at the hospital and travel expenses.
“We had to borrow money from my mum in order to cover our bills. If we didn’t have the support of our family, we don’t know how we would have managed.”
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