In November 2008 my pregnancy had been going well but I had been getting crazy cravings for all sorts of food.

 

One night I had a major craving for a Big Mac burger from McDonalds.

 

So I decided to go for a little drive with my partner down to McDonalds to fetch the snack my body was crying out for.

 

On the drive home I found myself licking my lips in anticipation as I could smell the food through the bag.

 

When we got home I sat down to watch Hollyoaks and started tucking into my burger –having first removed the gherkin - when I felt this this weird shooting pain in my stomach.

 

‘Are you OK?’ my partner asked. ‘I’m fine,’ I replied as the pain disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

 

By the time I had taken a couple more bites the pain had got stronger and lasted longer.

 

‘Ouch,’ I screamed, collapsing to my knees on the TV room floor.

 

‘I think I’m in labour,’ I yelled to my partner Imran, 25, feeling sick with fear.

 

He helped me into the bedroom so I could find my pregnancy notes. I collapsed to my knees again as the pain got stronger.

 

I phoned my family in London as I was in so much pain and felt I needed my mum and  dad with me.

 

I was scared. I was 20-years old and having my 2nd baby at 26wks gestation. I had lost my first baby ten days after birth due to extreme prematurity.

 

‘This can’t be real,’ I thought. I was panicking and worrying if my baby would be OK.

 

I felt I wouldn’t be able to make it to the hospital in time so we went to the day surgery in Rugby which was 5mins from where we lived.

 

They put a drip in my right hand. A few minutes later an ambulance crew arrived and they lifted me into the back where I was given gas and air.

 

Nothing seemed to be easing the pain. The contractions had become unbearable by this time.

 

Fifteen minutes later I arrived at the hospital in Coventry. Everything seemed a blur as I was drifting in and out of consciousness. The contractions were burning through my body.

 

I was placed onto a delivery table in the labour ward and felt ready to push within five minutes.

 

My baby boy was born weighing only 815grams (1lb&13oz) less than a bag of sugar.

 

He was so pink and tiny it didn’t seem real.

 

‘Have you any names for him,’ a nurse had asked. ‘Yes,’ I replied. Cameron.’

 

‘Cameron, baby Cameron…lovely,’ the nurse said.

 

‘We will have to take him straight to the intensive care baby unit where he will be looked after as he is very small and vulnerable,’ she added.

 

‘I understand,’ I replied.

 

An hour later when I was well enough I went to the unit to see my baby boy.

 

He was surrounded by doctors and nurses who reassured me they were only there as it was changeover time and the other nurses have to catch up with information about new babies on the unit.

 

Cameron was had so many wires and tubes covering his little face.

 

The weeks passed in a blur, not knowing when he was able to come off the machines.

 

But one day I was delighted when a nurse asked me if I wanted to have a cuddle with Cameron as he was progressing really well.

 

‘Yes,’ I replied without hesitation. He was so small and light it was difficult to even feel him in my arms as he was covered in so many blankets.

 

‘Hello Cameron,’ I whispered to him. ‘I’m your mummy,’ I said, feeling full of emotion for my little boy.

 

I was looking forward to the weekend as my parents and my sister were coming to meet Cameron.

 

Every day I told Cameron about his two guardian angels watching over him.

 

His big brother Scott-Ryan, born at 24wks gestation in 2007 had not survived and his great-grandmother, Jean, had died in October 2008 from leukaemia.

 

Weeks later we got some bad news. Cameron had an open duct near his heart which needed operating almost immediately. He was transferred to Birmingham childrens’ hospital for the day while they operated on the duct.

 

I’m happy to say it was a success,’ said one of the nurses.

 

‘Thank God,’ me and my partner sighed. We then all went back to the hospital in Coventry where Cameron had stayed throughout the Christmas period.

 

Christmas was a big blur for all the family as we just wanted him home. Christmas is all about kids.

 

We visited Cameron as much as we could over Christmas. We also had relatives over to visit Cameron.

 

Although he was not yet home with us he still got loads of presents from his nanna Jan, auntie Michelle, grandad Ricky, great uncle Mickey and many of our friends.

 

Then in January we had phone call one evening.

 

‘Hello, is that Laura,’ a voice said from the other end.

 

‘Yes,’ I replied.

 

‘Hi there, it’s one of the nurses from the unit.

 

‘Is everything OK,’ I stuttered,

 

‘Yes, everything is fine Laura. We just wanted to inform you that Cameron is doing a lot better and we have decided to move him into special care which means he is at no risk of getting unwell.’

 

‘Great,’ I replied, as relief washed over me.

 

I told my partner the news and it put an amazing smile on his face.

 

We put on our jackets and went straight up to see Cameron in his new bed in the special care unit.

 

We were allowed to feed him and cuddle him as much as we wanted which was amazing.

 

Another week had passed and he was able to go into the end room where they get babies ready for home.

 

They teach you how to make up bottles and bathe your baby. We now knew our baby boy was getting ready to come home.

 

On February 18th 2008 we had a phone call asking us if we were ready to collect Cameron and bring him home.

 

‘Of course,’ I replied. A massive smile had spread across my face as I got the baby car seat out of the box and set up the pushchair.

 

A arriving at the Coventry hospital me and my partner ran inside with the car seat. We were full of excitement as we had now been waiting for this day for three whole months.

 

Bringing Cameron home was incredible. I finally felt like a mum, cuddling him non stop and thanking my nanna Jean (RIP).

 

He’s such an amazing baby. A year has passed so quickly. This time last year me and my partner were in pieces worrying about our beautiful baby boy surviving.

 

Now he’s finally a year old and Cameron had a big birthday party. We invited many friends and members of our family.

 

Cameron is a handsome young boy, amazingly brave and strong in himself.

 

Looking back at photos from when he was born it just amazes people how far he has actually come.

 

He is now babbling, shouting and crawling. I don’t think it will be long until he starts walking.

 

We are very proud of Cameron and i know his nanna, grandad and aunty are also proud of him.

 

We have also added to our family and given Cameron a baby sister called Amani who he absolutely adores.......plus he loves her swing...