Sweet memories of a bitter experience: a parent's view

Having an extremely preterm baby is the most difficult time for parents. It becomes even more stressful if the preterm birth was unexpected. This article reflects the personal experiences of a paediatric trainee on having his first baby as unexpectedly very preterm. He shares his feelings of joy and uncertainty, which a parent can experience during these difficult times. A paediatric trainee, on the one hand, and the new parent of a sick baby on the other, this was an eye opener and gave him real insight into parents' feelings in similar circumstances during his own clinical practice. This has motivated him to write this article to empathise with parents and share his learning points with other health professionals.