WRAPPING up Premature Awareness Month, Jubilee District Hospital in Hammanskraal, Tshwane hosted a session where new mums shared their frustrations about giving birth early and how they overcome those challenges.
Speaking to Daily Sun, operational manager in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Ramathabathe Muroa stressed the need for such awareness initiatives, recognising that many mothers struggle to cope with the realities of premature births.
She said as health workers, it gives them joy when they see their patients being discharged.
“Each day has its own difficulties, especially for the mothers but we do our best to give them hope and help them understand and accept the situation. Some of them faint when you tell them the baby came early and they find it difficult to even look at the baby,” she said.
Muroa stressed the need for education and counseling in such situations.
“This is why today we invited those who were discharged to give hope to those who are starting this journey. We also have pastors who come to give them a word of encouragement,” she said.
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Nurse Dipuo Mapaya, who is a living testament to the challenges of premature births, shared her unique story.
She said she grew up and studied to become a nurse and today and she is dealing with kids that were born prematurely.
Antoinette Maphosa, who is a mum to a set of twins, said the journey was not easy but she thanks the nurses and doctors that helped her pull through.
“At some point I didn’t think one of them will survive, but here he is today. He is still small, but I have learnt to understand that he's different from other kids and accept him the way he is,” she said.
Another mum, Mpho Lekokoane said her previous pregnancies were not easy and she lost all the babies.
“I'm grateful that this one survived even though she came early, and I've now accepted the way she is. Yes, they are scary at birth but my advice to other mothers is that they should have hope and believe that the challenges will pass. When handling these kids, one just has to be cautious. Hygiene plays a huge role,” Mpho said.
