My girlfriend has given birth prematurely in Dubai, and i'm in the UK

[NicB82]

Hi all,

So yeah, we have a very tiny, (1.6kg) but beautiful boy who was born at 29-30 weeks on March 18th, without either of us knowing my partner was even pregnant, in Dubai. I'm in Norwich for lockdown with family, but live in London.

He's ready to be discharged from hospital as of today, so we'll need to get premature formula for him, however the one's the doctors have recommended don't seem to be available in the UK, do any of you have any recommendations from experience you could point me toward?

He may not be able to leave for a little while as we are currently having the British Embassy dealing with aggressive Emirati police, and the looming threat of impossible medical bills is very apparent. The last four weeks have been frankly terrifying, and it's not like I can just fly out there to be with her because oh yeah, the global pandemic :(

Thank you for any help,

Nic

Congrats on your little boy. I would speak to NHS when your child arrives back in UK. My premmie was on nutiprem plus different vitamins and Iron but were prescribed by the hospital. I would hold off until you get medical advice on the equivalent. Best of luck though 😁

Wow that must have been a shock. Did she go into labour not knowing she was pregnant?
Congratulations!

Flipping Nora! Wow! Sorry, I don’t have any advice on the formula (although I’m sure someone will be along any moment who can help) but I just wanted to say congratulations and hugs to you and your girlfriend! That must be so awful but also amazing. What a whirlwind!

Hope you get to meet your precious baby boy soon

You’ll need to be referred to the peadiatric team as a baby that prem will need some ongoing care. Can you call your GP to see what the process will be? Might be worth contacting the health visitors in your (normal) area too?

And congratulations!

Speak to your GP - might be worth doing in advance of them arriving. I think due to coronavirus you can now register a baby without showing birth certificate? So you may be able to register the baby and get advice from paeds remotely and have prescriptions ready etc

Well, medical bills and, depending on where she gave birth and the current ‘climate’, some problems caused by giving birth while unmarried, which is technically illegal...

UK formula isn't a big concern when he's in Dubai. I'd focus on the other issues first. If he gets to come to the UK, the GP/midwife/health visitor will advise on the best formula.

Thanks everyone for kind wishes and responses, very much appreciated :)

I wouldn't worry about UK stuff for now. Gosh how scary for her and Dubai is quite a scary place as an unmarried woman without then having a newborn premie.

Does she have family support out there?

Hi there!

Welcome. I had 2 prem babies. 1 was 1kg and 1 was 1.3kgs.

We had nurtiprem for my first

Can I ask was he IUGR?