"sign here..."

Signing for a delivery will never be quite the same.

"This is female infant of HS, born at 30+5 weeks, maternal pre-eclampsia, IUGR, RDS, ventilated for 9 days. On Day 16 of life became septic, blood cultures and CSF cultures grew staph aureus, so is on flucloxacillin. 2-day history of abdominal distension and non-bilious vomiting. Chest x-rays show a cystic structure above the level of the diaphragm, possibly a diaphragmatic hernia, possibly a staph pneumatocoele. She's currently self-ventilating in 1 litre of oxygen, cardiovascularly stable, nil by mouth, on 120ml/kg/day 10% dextrose with additives, antibiotics - cef, met and fluclox. There you go, sign here," said the transport team doctor. He offered me the Neonatal Transport Team notes and a black ballpoint pen, in the same way a DHL deliveryman might.

I squiggled my 'work' signature on the dotted line, signifying that our unit had accepted the transfer. I've been at 'handovers' like this before, but am not usually the most senior person there, so this was the first time I've signed for a baby. It was a rather odd feeling.