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11Nov2024
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For Rachael and Murray Tegart, the start of their parenting journey was marked by the unexpected early arrival of their children.
For Rachael and Murray Tegart, the start of their parenting journey was marked by the unexpected early arrival of both their children, Will and Rosie, who were born premature. Their experience is one of resilience and hope—highlighting not only the strength of preterm babies and their families, but also the incredible advances in neonatal care. Despite the challenges they faced, theirs is ultimately a happy story, with eleven-year-old Will and nine-year-old Rosie now thriving.
Will’s early arrival at just 24 weeks and three days gestation marked the beginning of a long and uncertain journey. Babies born before 28 weeks are considered extremely preterm, and survival can depend on swift, specialised medical care.
Rachael recalls the day vividly: her pregnancy had been routine until, at 24 weeks, she suddenly experienced bleeding and contractions. Murray began timing the contractions, and they quickly made their way to St John of God Hospital in Subiaco. After receiving a steroid injection to help strengthen their baby’s lungs, Rachael was rushed to King Edward Memorial Hospital for more specialised care.
“At that point I was three centimetres dilated, and the doctors told us our baby could arrive at any moment,” Rachael said.
Will held on for another three days, thanks to a second steroid injection, but his condition began to deteriorate. An emergency caesarean brought him into the world, weighing just 775 grams. For Rachael and Murray, the moment was filled with both fear and hope. The doctors explained the daunting statistics for babies born so early.
“What I heard was a 50% chance of survival, with one-third of surviving babies likely to face severe disabilities, another third with mild disabilities, and a third likely to develop without significant issues.
“It was incredibly confronting,” Rachael recalled, “but I had this feeling that Will was going to be strong.”
And strong he was. Though his first few weeks were relatively stable, a sudden downturn while Murray was at his first day back at work left the couple devastated.
“Will just suddenly crashed and had to be resuscitated several times,” Rachael said. A brain scan showed an abnormality, though it wasn’t in an area that typically caused concern. Still, everything felt like a waiting game. “No one can give you guarantees with a premature baby. You just have to wait and see.”
Will spent 120 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), undergoing three blood transfusions. One of Rachael’s most emotional moments came two weeks in when she held her son for the first time.
“I was terrified. I didn’t want to dislodge his ventilator tube, but when they put him on my chest, his heart rate and oxygen levels were perfect the whole time. It was just the most beautiful moment.”
Throughout their time in the NICU, Rachael found comfort in being close to her son, speaking with other NICU parents, and pumping breast milk for Will. “It was my way of giving him all the strength I could,” she said.
Despite the long and difficult journey, Will grew stronger. While he has faced challenges with his upper body strength, he blossomed into a creative, independent, and happy child. Now 11, Will loves Lego, drawing, music, and reading - Rachael describes him as her “magical boy”.
“The more we see him grow and develop these beautiful qualities, the prouder we become,” Rachael said.
When Rachael became pregnant with their daughter Rosie, she and Murray were better prepared for another potential premature birth. Rachael had a cervical stitch placed at 13 weeks to help prevent early labour, and the pregnancy progressed well, with weekly scans showing good results. However, at 30 weeks, Rachael once again began feeling contractions. Within an hour of arriving at the hospital, Rosie was born, weighing just 1,550 grams.
Rosie’s NICU stay lasted six weeks, significantly shorter than her brother’s. This time, Rachael felt more confident.
“We knew she was going to be OK,” she said. “Rosie was very strong from the start, but she did decline at 34 weeks, and we got quite stressed. She needed a blood transfusion, but from then on she continued to grow from strength to strength.”
One thing Rachael did differently with Rosie was reading and singing to her in the NICU. “I didn’t do that with Will, and I wish I had. I didn’t realise how important that connection was, but I was grateful to have learned this from my experience with Will and share those special moments with Rosie.”
Rosie, now nine, has grown into a strong and active girl with a love for sports. She excels in athletics, basketball, and footy.
"She’s a planner, an organiser, and physically strong—she’s not afraid to get stuck in with the boys on the footy field," Rachael said.
“We just feel so incredibly lucky with both of our children.”
Though the Tegart family’s story has a happy ending, Rachael is aware that this isn’t always the case for every premature birth. Approximately 15 million babies are born prematurely each year, with nearly 8% of babies in Australia born before 37 weeks. Babies born extremely preterm, like Will, face higher risks of complications, including respiratory distress syndrome, developmental delays, and cerebral palsy. However, medical advancements have dramatically improved the survival rates and outcomes for these tiny fighters.
Throughout their journey, Rachael became aware of the work of the Women and Infants Research Foundation, which made a lasting impact on her. Recently, she nominated the Foundation as her chosen charity through her workplace, Shaw and Partners.
“For me, the greatest gift in our life is having our healthy children. I can’t think of anything more important. In terms of an organisation that has helped to allow us that gift, the first place that comes to mind is the Women and Infants Research Foundation. That’s why I choose to support them.”
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