Otto

Otto’s birth looked nothing like his parents had imagined.

When Otto arrived, his mum, Paula, was only six months into her pregnancy, far from home and frightened for her baby’s future.

But thanks to the community they found at St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Cots for Tots House, Otto’s family felt safe and supported during the hardest month of their lives.

PAULA: “Otto was born at just 26 weeks and four days. His birth was painful and lonely. Despite all the fears and anguish, St Michael’s NICU helped me to heal the traumas that I went through in childbirth.

Otto fought from the moment he was born, and he had the care and affection of all the doctors and nurses to help him every step of the way.

Babies who are born very early often need a lot of support with breathing because their lungs haven’t fully developed yet. Otto never needed to be intubated, but he spent long time on a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine.

This extra support sometimes irritates a baby’s lungs while they’re growing. Otto developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), scarring on the lungs, which meant that he still needed oxygen even after we eventually left NICU.

Because he was so tiny, his growth was also monitored very closely – particularly his head. I think the hardest moment on NICU for me and my husband was when the doctors mentioned that Otto’s head might have a condition called microcephaly. This is when a baby’s head is smaller than expected, which could have significantly affected Otto’s development.

My husband and I were devastated. I remember standing beside Otto’s incubator, unable to stop crying, while the nurses comforted me. They constantly reminded us how special Otto was and celebrated every small milestone alongside us. After further tests, microcephaly was ruled out, and over time Otto developed normally.

As frightening as the NICU can be, the kindness and compassion we experienced there gave me the strength to keep going, one day at a time, fighting alongside my son.

Today, I actually find myself missing the people we met there. They were such an important part of my very first month as a mother that they will never be forgotten.

Paula, Otto’s mum

Cots for Tots House was incredibly special to our family. Being able to stay so close to Otto and spend every day with him, without worrying about visiting hours or travelling from Cheltenham, made an enormous difference. It helped us build our bond with him, be actively involved in his care and get some much-needed rest after long days in NICU.

I also met other mothers there and found comfort in the quiet support of people who truly understood what we were going through. The wall of thank-you cards at the entrance of Cots for Tots House became a source of hope at the beginning and end of every day.

We also used one of the NICU diaries provided by Cots for Tots, and it is one of our most treasured keepsakes.

It tells the story of Otto’s first days, his achievements, and, most importantly, of the incredible people who surrounded him with love and care.

Paula, Otto’s mum

We came home in June 2024. Although we were overjoyed to finally be together as a family, bringing Otto home on oxygen meant we were still constantly on alert. Thankfully, the team supporting us were wonderful. They were always there to answer our questions and monitor Otto’s progress.

Otto stayed on oxygen until December 2024. He was discharged from all his follow-up appointments at the beginning of 2025.

Today, Otto is doing amazingly well. He is an active, happy little boy who loves books, Brazilian music and being outdoors. He fills our days with laughter and love.

In April 2025, we travelled to Brazil so he could finally meet the family who had been cheering him on from afar. He played in the sea, spent time with his uncles and cousins and made beautiful memories.

Now, whenever we visit Bristol, we feel a very special affection for the city. It was Otto’s first home.

Even though it was the most challenging time of our lives, it was also where we welcomed our son into the world and experienced extraordinary love and care from the teams at the NICU and Cots for Tots.

Paula, Otto’s mum

We would like to thank every single person who works so hard to save babies like Otto and to care for families like ours. Your kindness, dedication, and compassion will never be forgotten. You have become part of our family’s story. Every time Otto reaches a new milestone, we remember that without you, our lives might look very different today.”