GEORGE NEWS - Approximately one in ten babies around the world spend their first few days, often even weeks or months, fighting for survival in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu) as they are born prematurely.
On World Prematurity Day, 17 November, the lives of these babies are celebrated and awareness is raised on how to prevent premature births.
'Nicu-fighter' is the word that comes to mind when Tara Balie, the mother of Quinn (4), thinks back to his 67 days spent in the George Hospital's Nicu. Quinn was born at 27 weeks and five days with a birth weight of 860g. Now an energetic four-year-old, he has an amazing fascination with ambulances and at his tender age already knows that he wants to become a paramedic.
When asked where his love for ambulances comes from, this quiet little man blurts out, "I want to help people".
Thinking back to her experience in the Nicu as a young mother, Balie recalls that being there by his side the entire time helped her to get through that difficult time. "It is only in hindsight that I realised how anxious and worried I was. I think being able to spend every day with Quinn in the Nicu, holding him and being skin-to-skin was a lifesaver for me."
She says the fact that she had adequate emotional support provided a source of comfort to her during all the difficult and terrifying moments. "I benefitted from having people around me to hold my hand, give me a hug or offer kind and supportive words when I needed it."
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. A nurse who was actively involved in nursing Quinn, Senior Nurse Wendy Uithaler, said that it was a privilege to take care of him - as it is with every premature baby in Ward B3 Neonatal.
"It is a challenge as you never know what the outcome will be, but to see this child now running around, climbing, talking and doing everything else is really amazing and it makes it all worth it - all the long hours that we spend nursing these little babies in the warm ICU environment," said Uithaler.
Balie's message to new "prem" mothers is to keep the faith throughout their journey and to remember that it is okay "to not always be okay", but to keep going.
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