Philip March's story

Both my wife and I were primary school teachers and, while I had been granted five days of paternity leave when the twins were born, by the time they became ill it was very much back to work as usual. On the morning that Polly started showing symptoms, I was already up and ready for work, heading off to Battersea to begin my classes. However, by the time I arrived – before even the pupils had begun trickling through the school gates – I received a message from the school secretary saying that my wife had called and I needed to go home immediately. The doctor had been.

Rushing home in a panic

Without even calling her back, I got on my bike and rushed home. I bundled everyone into the car and drove straight to St George’s Hospital. My wife ran into the waiting room with both twins while I found somewhere to park. By the time I joined them, the doctor was holding Polly. In a moment of either light humour or desperate optimism, I said, “Look, she seems better already!” I still remember the doctor looking at me solemnly and replying, “I’m afraid your daughter is very, very ill.”

After that, much of the following weeks were a blur. Polly was taken to the intensive care unit, while my wife and Felicity were moved to another room several stories up. My wife didn’t come home for two weeks.

Two weeks in survival mode

During that time, I went into autopilot. At work, I tried to shut off my emotions and just get through my classes as best I could. Every afternoon, I would cycle to the hospital to visit my wife and the babies. At the same time, I was the sole carer for Sophia, our three-year-old daughter. Life didn’t stop – I was still on “dad duty,” even making her fancy dress costumes for nursery while everything felt so uncertain.

Our neighbours were incredible, helping with nursery pick-ups and drop-offs. Sometimes I would arrive late to work or leave early, and my pupils would be told, “Mr March may be late today as his children are unwell.” Years later, I even bumped into a former pupil who asked how my daughters were – it clearly stayed with them too.

Sophia enjoyed the extra daddy-daughter time, but it was also confusing for her. One day, she suddenly burst into tears and said, “I just want to see my mummy.” Although my wife wanted to shield her from the hospital, I did take her to visit, and afterwards she was much calmer and happier.

Finally going home

Thankfully, after the incredible care of the doctors and nurses, both babies recovered. After two of the most tense and frightening weeks of our lives, we were finally allowed to go home. My wife felt overwhelming relief to be leaving the hospital. I, on the other hand, felt scared. It all felt so soon – they were still so small. As a father of three little girls, the thought of bringing them all home like that was both hopeful and daunting.

Philip’s wife, Sue, has also shared her experience. Read Sue’s story.

Read Polly and Felicity’s story.

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