A MIDDLEWICH dad who devoted himself to his wife and baby when they were close to death has won a Fantastic Father of the year Award.

James Nugent, 28, travelled to the Dorchester Hotel to receive his accolade at the Mother & Baby Big Heart Awards 2014.

The award recognised the support James displayed to his wife Andrea when she had a near fatal seizure from eclampsia and prematurely gave birth to 2lb 7oz baby Dylan last October.

Andrea, 29, said: “I nominated James because he was so supportive and constantly stuck by me from the very start.

'James stayed by his side'

“I didn't know at the time, but James was told Dylan may not live through the night as his frail body too weak to cope, but James stayed by his side and held his tiny hand while bloods were taken and medications given.”

Andrea was given an emergency C section when she regained consciousness from the seizure and only saw Dylan once before he was taken to the neo natal unit.

Having to stay in intensive care for 24 hours, Andrea was urged to extract breast milk through a pump which ended up saving Dylan’s life.

'I hadn't bonded with him'

Andrea, who works for Barclays, added: “I only saw Dylan very briefly and I really didn’t understand why I had to do it, I was tired and I hadn’t bonded with him.

“When it’s with your baby for the first time that’s different, but when someone is wheeling a big plastic machine in, it was just horrible.”

In an attempt to help his wife bond with their baby, James organised for a letter to be written to her from Dylan.

James, a car engineer, said: “I asked the nurse to write the letter saying what he needs and why as well as what’s wrong, what breast milk can do to help and a picture of him to put up in Andrea’s room to try and help her breastfeed. 

“It was her breast milk in the end that helped save Dylan. It gave him everything his little body needed.”

'I felt guilty and ashamed'

When Andrea said she saw Dylan for the second time she felt guilty and blamed herself.

Andrea added: “All I did was cry.  I just wanted to be taken away.  I felt it was my fault he was so tiny and I felt guilty and ashamed to think I had done this, that I was giving him this start to life. He looked awful. Everything was there but he was just like bone.”

To help instigate a bond between mum and baby, James took a different approach.

“In the end I had to be quite forceful with her,” James said.

“We’re best friends so I know what works and made sure that she was given the time she needed with Dylan on her own to build up the bond with him.”

“I would take her in to see him and then leave her there on her own. There was the Kangaroo care charity there to help mothers with premature babies.

“They showed Andrea how to hold him by putting him inside her top to keep him warm and every time she did it she would receive a sticker. It all helped.”

'It really puts your life into perspective'

Six months later Dylan is a healthy looking baby and has no problem telling his mum and dad what he wants.

“He’s such a happy boy,” Andrea said. “His little character is starting to shine through.”

James added: “It really puts your life in perspective. I used to get stressed about a fence panel blowing down a year ago but now I treasure every moment just sitting in the house with him.

"It’s great to have your own family and I can’t wait until he’s a bit older and I can play football with him.”

To raise funds for premature baby charity Bliss, Andrea is holding a buggy push on April 13. To donate visit her fundraising page.