Lifelong Friendship: Two Mothers Bond Over Premature Babies
Joyce (left) poses with Monica (right) and their babies at FAME's Special Care Nursery.
"The babies are already friends!" says Monica
Hospitals the world over can be difficult and overwhelming for parents with premature babies. However, for two mothers, FAME’s Special Care Nursery (SCN) became the place where they found a lifelong friendship. Monica* and Joyce* met in FAME’s SCN because their babies had been born prematurely. Monica's baby was born at 27 weeks and Joyce’s at 28 weeks. Together, they have been navigating the ups and downs of having premature babies and have offered each other support and strength through this tough time.
While Joyce’s baby was born at FAME, Monica gave birth to her daughter in a local hospital that did not have the resources to care for her premature baby.
“After giving birth at 27 weeks, the baby was put in an incubator for a few days. Then the doctor asked me to stay with the baby in the ward, as many children needed the incubator. I stayed with the baby for 17 days in the ward until we were discharged to go home. The baby, born at 3.3 lbs, was now 2.2 lbs and looked very sick, so instead of going home, I came to FAME.”
Monica’s and Joyce’s babies required extensive medical care and support in the SCN and the mothers shared a room.
“This is my third baby. The other two were born full-term, which made having a preemie new to me. I was scared when they told me I would have to deliver the baby at 28 weeks because of my high blood pressure. Luckily, the FAME team is experienced in caring for these tiny babies.”
As Monica and Joyce spent more time together, they began to open up to each other and share their experiences, realizing they were not alone in their struggles. They found that they had a lot in common and bonded over their shared experiences of having premature babies. They shared tips and advice on coping with the stress of having a baby in the SCN and offered each other emotional support during the ups and downs of their babies' medical journeys. They continue to support each other as they navigate the challenges of parenthood.
““We have formed a powerful friendship! We are sisters! We have a strong bond that will continue long after we leave FAME. Monica lives 30 minutes from home, but I plan to visit her often. I am very grateful for this friendship. It has helped me through a difficult time. As much as FAME doctors have provided me with reassurance and guidance, I found more hope and comfort from Monica as we share a similar experience. The encouragement from this friendship has been very uplifting. I am happy that FAME recognizes the value of peer support in patient care and they have encouraged our friendship where we have found hope and strength to keep pushing forward.”
*The patients’ names have been changed to protect their privacy and permission was secured to share their stories. The quotes have been translated from Swahili to English.