Born at 780g, family didn't think she would make it

Jebet* sat on the wooden bench looking forlorn. She had learnt to be very patient. When she boarded the motherhood train, nobody prepared her for the roller-coaster ride that followed.

Two years back, Jebet was the centre of attention at her Koito, a traditional marriage ceremony. She was excited to become a wife and make a home of her own.

Her husband was an only son and Jebet settled in well with her mother-in-law. They had an easy relationship that slowly blossomed into a great friendship. The old lady was keen to have grandchildren before she left this world and Jebet was happy to indulge her. When she got pregnant, she was treated like royalty.

The pregnancy was kind to Jebet and she progressed well. But, this calm was rudely interrupted one night. She woke up soaked in a pool of fluid. She thought she had wet her bed. But the fluid did not smell like urine. She woke up her husband and as she tried to get out of bed, she realised she had no control over this flow.

As the two of them sat there confused, the contractions started coming in gentle but menacing waves. Jebet got out of bed and yelled at her husband to take her to the hospital. This sure felt like labour.

Her husband hurriedly called a taxi. The commotion woke up her mother-in-law and together, they all headed out. She worried her baby would not survive.

At the hospital she was quickly whisked off to the labour ward and an experienced midwife took her straight to the delivery couch. The examination revealed she was quite advanced in labour and the midwife did not waste time. She summoned the gynaecologist and the neonatologist on phone and started delivery.

Struggled to express milk

Baby Jepkemoi checked into this world at a measly 780g, with translucent skin and little muscle padding her delicate bones. She had no fat to speak of. She was whisked off to the newborn unit and had to be put on oxygen support and intravenous fluids. Jebet was not able to see her until several hours later when had rested.

The nurse in the newborn unit took a minute to prepare her on what to expect of her baby’s appearance. Jebet was shocked. The baby was in the incubator, splayed out with her eyes padded. She could only look at her through the glass.

The journey was long and hard for both mother and baby. Little Jepkemoi fought for dear life even when everyone had given up.

The baby struggled with everything, difficulty in breathing, infection, difficulty feeding, swinging weight and temperature control.
Jebet had her own struggles. The emotional seesaw of hope against despair, joy against fear. She rode these waves with unwavering belief that every day her baby held on was a sign she was here to stay. She struggled to express milk but the trickle dried out eventually.

It took two months for Jebet to hold her baby. She shed tears when little Jepkemoi was laid on her bossom. She was so tiny that Jebet was scared of dropping her. She spent hours seated on the hard bench holding her baby skin to skin, wrapped in layers of cloth, sweating in the heat of the newborn unit. But she would not trade that for the world. She knew how important this bonding was for her baby’s development.

Premature babies

Finally, little Jepkemoi hit the 1900g mark and stayed there for a week. She could drink milk by cup and spoon and her skin was now a lovely brown complexion. She was ready to go home.

Kangaroo care remains an integral part of management for our premature babies. We must aspire to make this journey easy for our mothers and fathers who have to provide this delicate nurture.

Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital has shown us the way. Let us do away with the benches and plastic chairs and provide beds within the nursery unit for the kangaroo parent. This support is not a privilege, it is an absolute necessity.