Mothers share their premature baby experiences
Reports state there are 15 million babies born prematurely worldwide every year, and eight out of 100 of these are born in South Africa.
As the world celebrated World Prematurity Day on November 17, it was also a time for mothers who gave birth to premature babies to reflect on their journeys with their children who are now older and healthy.
According to a press release by Sabio Communications, giving birth to a child is one of the paramount, most positive experiences in life.
Having a baby born too soon is a significant trauma for families.
Pre-term birth also represents a severe financial burden for many families due to medical expenses and our often-struggling public healthcare system.
This hits home for Charease Oliver who 19 years ago gave birth to Marthjé Brenda Oliver when she was just 27 weeks pregnant.
Marthjé’s amazing story was published in the Advertiser on July 7, 2000, with the headline “Miracle baby”.
She was born on June 4, 2000, but was due on September 9.
According to the report, Marthjé, who weighed 1km, lost weight after three days and then weighed 800g.
Her first battle for survival started a mere two weeks later when she contracted a lung infection and stopped breathing and she was forced to be put on a ventilator.
She also received physiotheraphy to remove phlegm from her lungs. Marthjé also had two blood transfusions and was treated for jaundice.
After some time she gained weight and was finally released from hospital.
The Advertiser recently spoke to Charease who still recalls what she went through when she gave birth to a premature child.
“We were very scared when Marthjé was born. We didn’t know what to expect from a micro preemie baby. In those days with a premature baby you took one step forward and five steps back.
“There are so many things that can go wrong with having a premature baby. Marthjé had about five laser operations in the first four years of her life. But thank God she has been healthy. It’s only through God that she is still alive,” she said.
Marthjé is now a beautiful 19-year-old studying early childhood development through an online course.
Her mother said she currently wears glasses, but her eyesight has improved over the years.
“We still call her babe because she loved food. We asked her the other day about when she gets married one day do we have to stop calling her babe. She responded by saying that her future husband would have to adapt to the name,” Charease said.
Cindy Visser from Ravenswood also gave birth to her second child, Jacques, at just 27 weeks.
“My baby was so tiny. He was the size of the palm of my hand. I didn’t even know how to hold him or how to feed him as he was so fragile. He looked like he would break at any time,”
Jacques was fed through a tube for a very long time due to an open palate.
“I used to cry when my baby had a setback, but the nurses would encourage me to be strong for the baby.”
Jacques is now a healthy two-year-old little man.
ALSO READ: Show your support for World Prematurity Day on Sunday
