My name is Alimasia Keren, and I come from Koboko. I developed a condition, likely polyhydramnios, at 18 weeks pregnant, where I had too much amniotic fluid. My baby was high up, and it became difficult to breathe. Even sitting and sleeping were a struggle.
I came to Lacor Hospital, and they referred me to the gynaecologist. After an examination, they gave me medication and told me to return. At the follow-up, they said the baby was still too small to operate on or deliver. They advised me to wait, giving me a two-week timeframe.
I returned for a check-up. They gave me more medicine and advice, then sent me home on complete bed rest. I tried to manage at home, but then, on February 16th, after eating, I went to bed, and suddenly, fluid started gushing out.
I rushed back to Lacor Hospital. They started managing me, giving me injections and putting me on strict bed rest. The doctor told me I couldn’t walk around. They gave me a wheelchair, and I used it whenever I needed to move.
The fluid continued to leak, but slowly. Then, there was a period when it completely stopped. It seemed there was no way to keep the amniotic fluid inside. The only option was to give me medicine to mature the baby’s lungs.
They gave me this medication for two days. On the third day, they did another scan. The scan revealed that the fluid was completely gone. The only option was a Cesarean section.
The C-section was performed on February 22nd, although I had come to the hospital on February 16th. The surgery was successful, and they delivered my baby. The baby cried, and when they told me it was a girl, they took her to the neonatal unit because she was so small. Before the surgery, I asked the doctor, “The baby is very small, the scan shows just one kilo. Will she survive?” The doctor replied, “I am not 100% sure, and I am not God. But leave everything in God’s hands. Yes, the baby will survive.”
After the surgery, I stayed in the maternity ward for five days. My baby was in the neonatal unit, where I couldn’t stay. My sister came to visit and check on the baby, then left. Eventually, they removed my catheter, and I felt well enough to walk. That’s when the real challenge began. My baby, who had weighed one kilo, had lost weight, dropping to 700 grams.
I breastfed, but she wasn’t gaining weight. Two doctors worked tirelessly. They encouraged me to feed her, love her, and assured me she would be okay. They managed her condition. At one point, they said they had a plan B. They could refer her to Malago National Referral Hospital or I could remain. They decided to see me for another week.
They returned my child to the incubator, put back the feeding tube, and I began feeding her. They told me to feed her frequently. They changed from every two hours to every hour. While other mothers were outside, I was inside breastfeeding. I tried, but there was no improvement.
They thought maybe my breast milk wasn’t good enough. They asked about my diet. I said, “I’m eating everything I can. If it could feed the baby, I would eat even more.” They thought I was stressed and told me to relax.
She still wasn’t gaining weight. They called in a nutritionist who advised me on what and when to eat, and the baby’s weight increased to around 800 grams. They put her on a special formula, F100, and I fed her. I fed her 25 mls after every three hours and breastfed her every hour.
Eventually, the baby gained weight and reached one kilo. I had been in the hospital for two months. They then stopped the formula and encouraged breast milk every hour. When the baby reached 1.2 kilos, they discharged us home.
At home, she gained some weight, but her skin color became darker. They introduced me to a minor acid, and the price was a challenge. I was completely frustrated, but I managed to buy the medicine. I fed her the minor acid every two hours. Another challenge was that the yellow cannula was still too big for her hand. I looked for a purple cannula.
The nurses were friendly. They talked to me, gave me advice, and encouraged me to keep fighting. I did, and they kept saying, “Be hopeful. Your baby will be okay.” I am grateful to Lacor hospital staff for saving my life and that of my baby girl.
