Steve and Nicola are a remarkable couple, at least by civilian standards. Nicola joined the Navy when she was just sixteen, and a year later she met Steve, a Chief Petty Officer. After a year of friendship, Nicola and Steve became a couple, and when they returned home from deployment in the North Arabian Gulf, Steve asked Nicola to move in with him.

Four years later Steve sold his house in Gosport, and he and Nicola bought a place together in Fareham. “We knew that this would be the house where we’d one day start our family.” Says Nicola. However, the couple were taken by surprise when, just after moving into their new house, they discovered that Nicola was pregnant. “It was a shock. We’d always planned to get married before we had children. I was thrilled and nervous all at the same time.”

For five months of Nicola’s pregnancy, Steve was on deployment in America. Many expectant mums might have found it difficult to be on their own at this time, but Nicola, accustomed to the Navy life, took it in her stride. “I was able to think just about myself, and it stood me in good stead for being on my own with a newborn baby – we knew that Steve would be going on deployment again soon after the baby was born.”

Steve returned from America when Nicola was 37 weeks pregnant. “He couldn't believe the size of my belly, and how much the baby wriggled and kicked. I would lie with my bump pressed against his back when the baby had hiccups – it was hilarious! And it made us realise that in just a few short weeks we would become a family.”

While Steve was away, Nicola had a scare, when she realised that she hadn’t felt her baby move for a while. “I started to get very anxious. I prodded and poked at my bump to try and get the baby to move but to no avail. I phoned my midwife straight away and was referred to the hospital. A friend drove me in, and all the while my baby didn't move. When I arrived at the hospital and sat down to wait, my belly wriggled. I was so relieved! The midwife monitored the baby and thankfully all was well – she had just been asleep.”

Fortunately, when Nicola went into labour Steve was on hand to help out. He and Nicola went into the Queen Alexandra Hospital, and Nicola got into the birthing pool. “It was heaven feeling weightless in the warm water. Steve busied himself by going to get food and drinks, but mostly sat beside me while I went into a world of my own.”

After a few hours, Nicola was forced to leave the birthing pool, because of meconium in her waters, and was transferred to the labour ward. “I was so disappointed, and extremely tired. I just wanted to sleep and I was ignoring my contractions, but Steve was with me every step of the way and kept encouraging me to carry on.” Eventually, after nearly two hours of pushing, Nicola was thrilled to give birth to a baby girl, who she and Steve named Isabella, after Nicola’s maternal grandmother.

Unfortunately, when Isabella took her first breath she swallowed a large amount of meconium, and had to be taken into intensive care. “She had a tiny oxygen mask placed over her mouth and nose while doctors worked to help her. She was paralysed by the doctors and put on a ventilator. We were so worried. The meconium was in her stomach and lungs so her system had to be flushed out, and she was given antibiotics via a canula.”

It was the following morning before Steve and Nicola were able to see their new daughter. “She was hooked up to machines and there were wires and tubes coming in and out of her tiny little body. We weren't allowed to hold her, we were only allowed to place our hands lightly on her head and feet. This wasn't the start to parenthood that we’d expected.”

After three days, Isabella was moved out of intensive care, and Nicola was finally able to start breastfeeding. “It was amazing to hold my beautiful, tiny daughter in my arms – a feeling that I had dreamed of for so long.”

When Isabella was five days old, she and Nicola were allowed to go home to Fareham. “We settled into family life very nicely. There were some hard times -   stressful and tearful for both the baby and me, but mostly there was happiness and love in our home. It was the most wonderful time.”

Two weeks before Christmas, when Isabella was nearly two months old, Steve had to go back to sea. “It was extremely difficult coping with a newborn on my own at first.” Says Nicola. “But Isabella was in a good routine, and slept well, so I always got a good night’s sleep and I could cope with anything through the day.”

Nicola is also due to return to work, but as Steve has volunteered to do 27 months of her sea time, she will initially be working on shore. “It means that Steve will be away an awful lot. When he goes to sea he can be away for weeks or months at a time. It's very unpredictable and ships’ programmes change all the time. We can never plan anything – even a weekend away is out of the question in case plans change, and if we're trying to book a holiday we have to take out very good travel insurance in case we get called back to work at a moment’s notice.”

Although Steve volunteering for extra sea time means that Nicola will not have to go back to sea until Isabella is three, it will mean a lot of separation for the fledgling family. “The Navy are very good, and always try their best to keep one parent shore based whilst the other is at sea, but Steve and I being at home together with our child will be very rare.”

To civilian parents this might seem like a high price to pay, but Nicola is quick to point out that, although it’s tough, she and Steve are not the only ones making this kind of sacrifice. “People in the forces have to be very strong to leave their children at home while they work away for weeks and months on end. We will just be one of the many forces families out there who have to do this to provide for their children.”

“Our first priority, now and always, is our beautiful, happy, contented baby daughter who we love more than words could ever describe.”