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MAMA-KANGAROO 098
It was an ideal pregnancy of healthy mother carrying healthy baby, but upon moment of very childbirth some minor complications occurred, it was at maternity ward 'Betanija', city of Novi Sad, In year 2008. Attending birthing classes, teacher Tanja was available up to childbirth, and she instructed mother in ways of painless childbirth. She contacted mother after delivery, to check mothers and new babies health. Delivery started at home, although it look like it will take at least another week, teacher suggested checking in to the hospital. At hospital it was determined that mother is one inch dilated and that her water broke. Nurses started helping mother prepare for delivery, following Tanja's advices, to avoid drugs and injections, mother stayed at pre-delivery quarters, went to toilet and shower, repetitively, to aid delivery, at one point she felt very cold and called nurse in fear of complications. They told her to take of her robe and they will tuck her into bed. Absurd it was, they covered her with thin cloth sheet, since it was mid summer with temperatures of 40 C, and she felt like it was hearth of winter... Mother asked if she was allowed to sleep, and was informed that she could, as soon they get baby's hearth rate and other tests,and when she was told that she could sleep, mother had to call staff, because she was ready for delivery... They took her to surgery, delivery started, but did that exhaustion have to overpower mother so quickly, did she not have strength anymore, pushing at wrong pace, umbilical cord seamed too short, and mother, like any other mother, fearing it will wrap around baby's neck. Now who is to say what final outcome would have been, if all available staff didn't rush in, among them Stajic,md. Mother heard stories about him, 10th hand stories of bad experiences some people had. Now she got even more scared, she tried to move doctor's hand from her belly, but he was persistent, and while others held her, Stajic told her 'Don't whine, push'. All mother could think of was 'If I 'm to leave my life here, so be it' and pushed as hard as she could, with help of staff baby came out, but it was not breathing, baby was promptly reanimated and given to mother, only long enough to provoke tears, then baby was put back to incubator. Pediatricians asked Stajic, 'What 's next?', he replied them '8ml/min in incubator, no panic and baby will be out in two days'. Mother remembers it all too well, that umbilical cord was cut so close to her, and after that baby was put in incubator . She remembered advice from birthing classes 'What ever happens if you and baby get separated, don't ask too much, you 'll make it only worse, and don't let your self lose milk by any chance, milk is the best cure for your baby'. But mother had to ask if everything was going to be ok with the baby, midwife answered her 'Generally this kind of cases go without any consequences, usually baby gets better like nothing happened, but we still have to wait and see...' Mother wept for her baby, but when asked how was she, she always replied that she was fine, hiding her tears from doctors. After three to four hours, she was taken to department were mothers with babies were admitted. There she started to receive messages of congratulations and best wishes from her relatives who were celebrating new babies birth, mother didn't tell them anything about uncertain outcome, hoping that they are having party for a reason, and that baby will be one of those 'in general' cases as midwife B. said. And when she closed her eyes there was image of her baby in moment they touched for the first time,( mother got to see her baby in incubator only after 24h , and night before nurse said to her that babies in incubators are mostly fine except for couple of 'risky ones'. And when mother asked about her baby, answer was 'Is that one reanimated? i can't tell you anything about her. Doctor will tell you in hour or two...' Mother never got that answer, maternity ward was crowded that night. 'Did every woman had to give birth same day as me??' thought mother.) Nightgown she gave birth in, mother didn't want to wash until she gets news about her baby, that nightgown was only thing she had that connected her to baby. She wore other nightgowns, but that special one she would only look at or touch from time to time. First night she tried to lay on her front, but pain she felt made her lift her robes and see large swelling on chest just beneath her breast, it came from aiding baby come out, day after she tried extracting her milk... When she finally went to see her baby, tears overpowered her. And as if baby heard her, although she was silent, baby started crying too. Mother asked nurse why is her baby crying, nurse replied ' She wants to tell you something. If she could speak, she wouldn't be crying'... Right words at right time... Mother hardly managed to extract 5ml of milk, and then she would take it to baby, where she would see bottles filled with 40-70 or more ml, which other mothers would bring for their babies, then she would leave and hit her breasts, so they yield some milk, that's the way her late grandfather dealt with cows in country when they didn't yield milk, and probably that created some swellings, all that physical pain mother didn't even notice in her aching for baby. And while other moms played with babies, this mom had to close her eyes to see image carved in her memory , her baby in incubator... She needed so much strength to remain rational, do right thing without tears, to speak with psychotherapist who was monitoring her. Two days later baby was missing from incubator, she thought her world is crushing, she started asking nurses about her baby.Those moments seamed like eternity, but then staff showed her baby, and it was just like doctor Stajic said, baby just needed two days in incubator. And only one thing mattered 'Baby lives..' On baby's fifth day mother brought over 100ml of milk, and on that same day in afternoon, staff brought baby for breastfeeding. It was glorious moment, mother could finally fondle and kiss her baby... 'Come on, baby, eat, we need to get well, to show them that we are getting fat, so they let us go to daddy to take care of us'. When they brought her baby that evening they said '41', and mother said 'Looky this, baby, we are like convicts' from that moment on staff referred to them by their last name... Mother had all tenant rights at maternity ward, and everyone was really polite, but as nothing can be perfect, one blond nurse, on day of my release, got paycheck and bragged to her colleague how is she going o spend it, so nurse forgot her politeness and made mess of release form, changed sheets on mothers bed so they can admit new woman in labor in that bed, one that haven't arrived yet, and mother was with all her stuff on her back waiting in hall for her baby, and for family to come and sign for release. Pediatric nurse was in surprise to see mother there, and when she asked her why is she in the hall and not in her bed waiting, mother said that she let nurse make bed. Then they went looking for nurse who did that, but she was long gone shopping somewhere. Nurse was in rush to spend money, and she ruined that last day... Today baby is three months old, gained 2200gr and grown 12cm, beautiful and growing nicely. Now days nobody believes what she gone trough, and doctors ask, what did those people at maternity ward scribble on your record, they also cant believe, but it's how it was... When family found out, they asked mother if medical staff made mistake, did they ask for money, are they to blame, should family sue them, and mother only said 'May my child be well, none made mistake, it just happened' Now after everything that has happened, mother will only say 'Thank you everyone, especially,mr Stajic for reacting on time and saving my baby...' Believe it or not mother's baby was one of those 'in general' cases, believe it or not it happened in Serbia: medical staff didn't ask for money, and although they didn't have personal relations with patient they did their job professionally.
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STORIES FROM MATERNITY WARDS Mama-Kangaroo 002
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