Businesses are being encouraged to tweak their parental leave policies, to ease the burden of families with premature babies.

27,000 babies are born premature in Australia each year, and eight in 10 families say it has additional financial impacts.

Miracle Babies CEO Kylie Pussell told Deborah Knight special leave should be brought in for families.

“If your baby’s in hospital for three or four months you’ve almost used up your paid parental leave.”

Running for Premature Babies have raised $250,00 as part of their Premmie Marathon challenge.

Founder Sophie Smith created the charity after she lost her triplets who were born prematurely. Her husband, Ash, died from cancer a few years later.

“On a personal level, this charity helped me honour my three little boys and also Ash,” she told Deborah.

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Image: Getty