Trent Richardson, a 25-year-old musician from Central Queensland, wrote a song about his experience having a baby in Brisbane's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after his son Archie was born prematurely and had to stay there for two months. The song, "Promise You Now", aims to connect with other parents who have gone through similar experiences. According to Brisbane obstetrician Alka Kothari, about one-third of pregnancies result in unexpected complications, affecting the mental health of fathers and partners, and she is urging healthcare professionals to improve support for non-birthing parents. Dr Kothari has developed four best practice principles to help care for families experiencing birth trauma.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Trent Richardson, a 25-year-old musician from central Queensland, wrote a song about his son Archie, who spent two months in Brisbane's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after being born via emergency caesarean in August 2025. Archie was diagnosed with the rare condition septo-optic dysplasia, which has caused him to have issues with his brain, vision, and coordination. Richardson wrote the song to connect with other parents who have gone through similar traumatic experiences. His partner, Gabby Nielsen, praised Richardson for managing fatherhood during this challenging time. Brisbane obstetrician Alka Kothari is calling for improved support for non-birthing parents, as complications arise in one third of all pregnancies.
Written for “Father Copes with Child's Health Stru…” on 2026-09-07,
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The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but none of the 1 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
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Leaning score withheld for article 5046: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-06
In short:
Central Queensland artist Trent Richardson has released a heartfelt song about his son Archie, after spending months in Brisbane's neonatal intensive care unit.
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Richardson → release → unit
Mr Richardson says he wrote the song to connect to other parents navigating the traumatic experience.
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he → say → experience
Brisbane obstetrician Alka Kothari is urging healthcare professionals to improve support to non-birthing parents, as complications arise in one third of all pregnancies.
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complications → urge → pregnancies
His baby boy Archie was delivered via emergency caesarean, separated from his mother shortly after birth and flown to Brisbane, where he spent more than two months in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
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he → deliver → unit
"I was freaking out, to see the little fella wrapped up in cords and [I was] so scared," Mr Richardson said.
"
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Richardson → freak → cords
It was a bit of a bombshell dropped on us …
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It → drop → us
You sort of go, 'Why me?'"
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You → go → ?
The August 2025 birth of his firstborn inspired the central Queensland musician, now aged 25, to pen a heartfelt ballad about his experience in a bid to connect to other parents navigating the NICU.
"Other dads take their babies on home.
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dads → inspire → babies
I sit by your bed not sure how it's going to go," he sings on his single Promise You Now.
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he → sit → You
Mr Richardson said since the song's recent release, he'd had "a lot of love" from other families who had experienced the NICU.
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who → say → NICU
"I got told to go and do a bit of therapy … but I'm lucky enough to be able to write songs and sing," he said.
"
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he → tell → songs
I just knew that a lot of other people out there will be able to relate."
Archie, now one, was diagnosed in the NICU with the rare condition septo-optic dysplasia, which Mr Richardson said has caused him to have issues with his brain, vision and co-ordination.
His partner Gabby Nielsen said the NICU was overwhelming and she was proud of how Mr Richardson had managed fatherhood so far.
"Once he showed me [the song] it was tears, instant tears,"Ms Nielsen said.
"
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Nielsen → know → song
I could not ask for a better dad for our little boy."
uncertain
I → ask → boy
One in five babies need special care
Brisbane obstetrician, gynaecologist and University of Queensland researcher Alka Kothari has been researching fathers and partners who have experienced birth trauma.
Dr Alka said nationally, about one in five babies need to be admitted to special care or neonatal intensive care nurseries, while there were unexpected complications in about one third of pregnancies.
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babies → need → pregnancies
"These events have a significant impact on the mental health of fathers and partners," she said, noting even normal births can be traumatic.
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births → have → fathers
Dr Kothari said peer support was extremely important.
"Nothing is more powerful than another dad saying to you, 'Hey, I went through the same thing.
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I → say → thing
You'll get through this,'" she said.
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she → get → this
Dr Kothari said while having a baby was a family event, fathers often had limited support from the medical system.
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fathers → say → system
In partnership with fathers and non-birthing parents with birth trauma, she has designed four best practice principles to improve their care.
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she → design → care
They included better engagement with healthcare professionals, recognition that partners were also users of perinatal services, providing educational opportunities to help advocate for their partner and baby, as well as mental health screening and support.
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partners → include → partner
"The answer is not to shift attention away from mothers, it is actually to care for the whole family holistically,"Dr Kothari said.
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Kothari → shift → family
"This is what our consumers [families] are wanting from us [health professionals], and this really needs to happen if we're going to take care of our mums and their babies.
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we → want → mums
As Mr Richardson celebrates Father's Day, he reflected on how far his family had come.
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family → celebrate → Day
"My partner and I were looking through photos and seeing just how unwell he was …
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he → look → photos
he'll still have these challenges," he said.
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he → have → challenges
He can find his spoon and his dummy and he zips around."
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he → find → spoon
Mr Richardson said he was extremely grateful for his partner Gabby and the healthcare staff who cared for Archie in the NICU.
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who → say → NICU
"I remember those faces … without those people, my little fella wouldn't be here," he said.
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he → remember → people
"If it was 50 years ago, he wouldn't have made it.
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he → make → it