Knysna Hospital commemorates the lives of its preterm babies

KNYSNA NEWS - An emotional Lauren Hartnick shared her son's story with guests at Knysna Provincial Hospital's celebration of World Prematurity Day on 17 November.

Mpilo was born at only 25 weeks weighing 945g.

"It was a roller-coaster and emotional journey with lots of ups and downs. He lost weight during the first month and dropped to only 700g. He survived lung infection and several other setbacks," said Hartnick.

Mpilo, who at the time had been home for only four days, is doing well and is now two months and three weeks old.

"We came home on Sunday 13 November and even though we have been home for only a couple of days I wanted to come back to the hospital and thank the staff for what they have done and meant to me during our 74-day stay," Hartnick said.

Another mother who was a guest at the event was Logan Moos with her husband and twin boys, Miles and Dexter. The twins were born three months premature and are now healthy and busy toddlers of one year and three months.

"In the beginning it was extremely difficult with two premature babies, but I got used to it. The support I received from staff helped me a lot," she said.

Defining 'premature'

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that every year, 15 million infants worldwide are born preterm. Sadly, the complications of preterm birth are among the leading causes of death in children under five.

All infants born preterm require immediate and significant medical care that pose unexpected challenges - emotional and financial - to their parents and family system.

A premature birth occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks pregnancy. In humans, a normal gestation period is from 38 to 42 weeks. Ideally, babies remain in the womb until they are full term, but for various reasons this does not always happen.

The causes of preterm birth vary, but in most cases the exact cause is unknown.

Nursing staff

Nurse Mandi Gogwana, who works in the maternity ward, said, "To be a nurse in maternity working with the babies is a gift. It is also interesting and challenging as we get first-time mothers, some very young, so you are a counsellor and mother who has to deal with the anxiety experienced by mothers. It is still one of the most rewarding things to see them go home".

Nurse Ntombizanele Nomnganga also enjoys working in the maternity unit despite the pressures of working with premature babies.

"It can be stressful at times to work with anxious mothers and small babies, but we are here to support them and give them hope," she said.

Support from health department

Western Cape Government Health and Wellness walks a journey with mothers in every stage of their pregnancy. It starts with the antenatal visits during which chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes can be picked up and managed accordingly.

It is important for mothers to go to all their antenatal classes, to speak to a healthcare worker when they are unsure or worried about their health or the babies'.

This also forms part of the first 1 000 days in a child's development, starting from conception, moving through pregnancy, birth, and after the first two years of life, which are crucial for securing a child's bright future.

Your child's health is most vulnerable during the first 1 000 days of their life. The right care and nutrition during this time helps to develop their brains, fuel their physical growth, build up a strong immune system, improve their school readiness and educational achievement, and reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease later in life.

"Knysna Provincial Hospital would like to thank all our guests for attending this special day in honour of their babies and families as well as our staff. We would also like to thank the sponsors who made this day extra special," said Western Cape Department of Health spokesperson Nadia Ferreira.

Honoured guests and staff at the Prem Day event.