Dad’s push for paid leave after heartbreak of premature baby son’s death

A Queensland father is speaking out to push for extra paid leave entitlements for other parents of premature babies after his tiny son’s “unimaginable” death at just one day old.

Chris Wood is advocating for better leave for parents of premature babies after he lost his son Liam last year. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Precious little Liam Wood fought hard to survive but lived for just one day – and now his heartbroken family is bravely speaking up to bring change to paid parental leave entitlements for other parents of premature babies.

Chris Wood said the loss of Liam was “unimaginable” but he and wife Beth wanted leave extended from two to 14 weeks to support people whose newborns needed prolonged time in hospital.

“Liam was born with a severe lung condition and had to be brought back (to life) four times in his first hour, and though he started to come good, he died 22 hours later,” said Mr Wood, 35, of Kedron in Brisbane’s north.

Brisbane father Chris Wood pictured with his wife Beth and son Liam before he passed away.

Liam – so named because it means strong-willed warrior in Gaelic – was born at 30 weeks with pulmonary hypoplasia. His twin died in utero at nine weeks.

“We knew Liam was going to have issues but we didn’t know how bad,” Mr Wood said.

“The best case scenario, he was going to spend significant time in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and when did come home be on an oxygen machine for his first year or two of life. The worst case was that he died.”

Sixteen months after Liam’s passing on June 12 last year, Mr Wood said he and Beth, who is 37, still had “very dark days”.

“There is a big gap between those who have a textbook birth and go on to live their happy lives and those that don’t,” he said.

Chris Wood. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

The Woods, who have no other children, are among many Australians who have signed a petition by the Miracle Babies Foundation calling on the Federal Government to fund additional leave for parents with a newborn requiring specialised care beyond two weeks.

The petition, to be presented on November 16, comes after shared total leave between parents was extended to 20 weeks in July.

However, Alicia Spittle, associate professor from the Centre of Research Excellence for Newborn Medicine at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, said the change did not factor in time babies spent in hospital.

“Parents are often forced to return to work while their baby is still in hospital or face leave without pay or even resignation,” Prof Spittle said.

“This places a massive financial burden on families already in a traumatic and overwhelming situation.”

In Australia every year, more than 48,000 newborns require extended specialised medical care, with many premature bubs spending more than 14 weeks in hospital.

Prof Spittle said parents then faced the choice of seeking childcare, placing already vulnerable children at risk of getting life-threatening illnesses, or returning to work early, risking their own health at risk due to less post-natal recovery time.