Providing Information on Premature Babies

Estelle Matthews: Tommy’s baby beliefs every baby deserves the best start in life. Tommy’s is committed to funding medical search and providing information to help more moms and dads through a healthy pregnancy and birth. With me in the studio is Jane Brewin, Chief Executive of Tommy’s and joining her is Debbie Lawson whose baby Jamie was actually born 16 week premature. Well, welcome to you both and thank you for bringing in Jamie. Hope he stays happy on there so far. Can I ask you first of all about Tommy’s, just generally for those who don’t know about it? What’s the charity all about? Jane Brewin: Well, Tommy’s is really interested in pregnancy and we will set up because unfortunately some people do have problems in pregnancy, so specifically, we’re interested in trying to prevent miscarriage, premature birth, and still birth. In other words, to try to give us many moms and dads the best answer of having a healthy baby. Estelle Matthews: And we’ll go into more details in just a minute, but that’s need to be -- and did you know anything about the charity when you were about to have Jamie? Debbie Lawson: No. Obviously, I would had the name, but I think -- 75 and just self in that situation, you’re not really exposed to all the different charities that’s available, but of course, we hear about it very quickly. Estelle Matthews: Have you actually used the charity? Have you been helped to told by the work that Tommy’s had offered? Debbie Lawson: I’ve gone into their websites a lot and read up a lot where Jamie was born in some area obviously, to lot of backup from there as well, so I think I’m aware of the work that they’re doing. Estelle Matthews: No many people are very much aware of them how well -- nerve rocking the route is when you’ve had a premature baby and just that everyone can see, I mean this was the size of little Jamie’s foot when he was first, so he was born four months early and there is a picture of Jamie; see the size of the hand and that is amazing, he was just tiny. How much did he weight? Debbie Lawson: He weighted one pound eleven that is 950 grams more or less. So, he was really tiny. Estelle Matthews: Very, very light -- well, looking at him now, he absolutely -- does he have any developmental problem. He seems to be absolutely suited. Debbie Lawson: As far as we know at the moments that nothing has come to light. He seems to be developing really well, we’ve been very fortunate, he’s been very fortunate. Estelle Matthews: He is actually a miracle baby because there are that many that a -- of 24 weeks, I mean you may step in here and if he really is truly a miracle. Isn’t it? Jane Brewin: Yes, 24 weeks is really very, very early and the statics are that only 50% of babies born at 24 weeks after they survive. And those that do have usually have some problem or another, so Jamie really is a miracle. And also, I think he gives everyone hope that just because haven’t early baby, it doesn’t mean to say that it necessarily has to end badly and in fact he is so greatly bundle of fun in energy. Estelle Matthews: Now, you’ve done many research projects and what’s your latest? Jane Brewin: Well, we’re concentrating in lots and lots of different research projects and we’re looking at everything from the pure science because until you understand how pregnancy works in detail and we’ve called to decide, in a sense how to actually treat it, and then -- Estelle Matthews: Jamie is actually looking for his -- far end to another moment, he might take a while to find this so, do sorry about that. Jane Brewin: We’ve done lots of work looking at also some potential treatments. And probably, one of the most high profiles that is we doing is looking at a disease -- which affects quite a lot of pregnancies and it’s really, really, really serious problem. We’re busy, I’m just finishing of a trail and I’m looking at giving women doses of Vitamin C and E and hoping to prevent the onset of -- by just giving those simple vitamins and that’s looking really, really promising and potentially, it could be treatment quite soon. Estelle Matthews: And on a practical level, you also offer help line and so, if some does have a very what they may think is a minor worry or it might be something more important, you can just get on to that further and say, help, I’ve got a problem. Jane Brewin: Yes. I mean we know that women are anxious during pregnancy and sometimes think that some of the questions that they’ve got might be silly or that the mid wife is very busy and we provide an information service and we got books, you can have a look on the website, or just give us a call and any questions we’ve got and we’ll try to answer and we think that something does need a bit more investigation will advice you just go and do that, so -- Estelle Matthews: Debbie, would have like -- by especially when Jamie was just born. Do you feel that had you know about Tommy’s exactly, you know when you had -- so early; he would have benefited from that. Debbie Lawson: I think so, yes it is. it’s really hard to say because when I first born, I think you’re just in such a complete state of panic, you really don’t know what don’t and what to do, I was sick myself, he was sick and you know it’s really the first few weeks of Uterus surving literally he was and I was lose just you’re going from one moment to the next during the best you can. But certainly, I think had things being sort of put in my lap a bit more where to go for advice and how as well as the help I was getting from the hospital. It would have been invaluable. Estelle Matthews: Well, he of exploring the set now, so if you hear a lot crash in a minute and you will know these are very -- would it -- does it help you when you hear experiences like if you just have from Debbie, I mean obviously this helps you bring buildup your portfolio of knowledge. So, will you ask parents like Debbie to come back to you when -- experience is over? Jane Brewin: We meet -- they decide Debbie eat the whole time and you know I just delighted that Jamie is well and happy and certainly very active. Tommy’s -- is all about really preventing and the experience that Debbie went through and that’s really where we’re focusing most of our attention, although we do produce some information because premature babies have lots of needs certainly, in the early months and we provide some information about some of the things that you would need to know -- premature baby. Estelle Matthews: Obviously, you do your marketing well as a charity, and then having celebrities involved to it’s health and recently many people remembered that they saw -- wearing this top, she is actually had a baby a few weeks ago, hasn’t she? Jane Brewin: Yes. Estelle Matthews: This is amazing and she could just really sums up the charity doesn’t it. So, it’s a lot preconceptual care right up to the birth and there is a logo on the back of the charity so this one is well worth looking out for. So, how did you get -- involved in this? Jane Brewin: We obviously knew she was pregnant from looking at the magazine and things and we simply -- out themselves and would do some big favor modular t-shirt; and recently teacher and she really love this. And she was absolutely great and spent a good half day doing lots of lots of modeling for us in the t-shirt and has been really, really kind to us -- Estelle Matthews: Certainly, raised awareness. Didn’t they? Jane Brewin: Yeah, really, really helpful and very nice one to do it. Estelle Matthews: I’m sure Jamie is desperately trying to have -- There is a good teddy bear up on this shelf up there, he will go and have a look at that. Yes. Will you now be interested to get involved? Debbie Lawson: Yes, absolutely always. When you go through something like that yourself will realize how important is to provide support for the people who might find themselves in that situation and any personal first hand experience that you can pass on or any advice, I think it would really help us certainly -- from talking to other people that had been in my position that’s what kept me going; the people who with that bit in front of me or who had already come out the other side if you like they whether people that you really want to be talking to the people who understand what it feels like and you can kind of as a shining light that you can surely look towards. Estelle Matthews: And even when there are no problems, I mean you always hungry for information when you’re pregnant, and you’ve come up with some really good guides, I mean this one is working pregnancy, which is a program really to take you all the way through, isn’t so? Not only worries, but just the natural science what happens to your home owns, really how you’re going to feel at every stage and there is a number of others that the working pregnancy because of course, we don’t also sit up on our sofa is a neat -- until they end of turn. Tommy’s guide to being pregnant, now what does that deal with actually? Jane Brewin: About taking through all the different stages of pregnancy and it gives you lots and lots of tips advice on just how to stay healthy. Estelle Matthews: And pre-pregnant to -- we often forget that the ways of pre pregnants UK, you obviously don’t just 12 on folic acid and it’s better for it, but actually have to get to fit and prepared for pregnancy. Jane Brewin: Absolutely. Really, really important to do that before thinking about the coming pregnant and continuing that’s kind of lifestyle through the whole of your pregnancy, it’s very important. Estelle Mattehws: And do your search, obviously shows that adds to not only a health pregnancy, but saved a lot of the problems that can occur in along the way. Jane Brewin: Yeah, and we’re beginning to understand that it’s incredibly important. the environment, in which the baby develops or so specifically what you eat the stress, and then you put yourself in and also in the amount of micro nutrient. So, you know the folic acid is really important and not just before pregnancy, but also in the first stages and also -- pregnancy, but all the other micro nutrients and vitamins too. So, people say, you know it’s really important to have a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and we couldn’t trust that more. Estelle Matthews: Now, before Jamie decides to completely rearrange the studio, just one final questions where can people get this information that looks very into that books, there is obviously a website, so just point people in the right direction? Jane Brewin: Yeah, you can give us a call on our information line or simply have a look on our website, which is www.tommys.org. Estelle Matthews: And if they wanted to donate money to this valuable territory. Jane Brewin: They can do that on the website to or again just give us a call and we would very happy to hear from you. Estelle Matthews: Well, thank you Jamie for coming in and allowing your mummy to talk to us. Thank you very much Debbie, we’ve got a lot -- thank you. Jane Brewin: Thank you very much.