Witbank Provincial Hospital celebrated its annual Prematurity Awareness Day
The event allowed nurses, mothers, and doctors to provide education on their role in working with premature babies.
World Prematurity Day is dedicated to babies who are born prematurely, and to recognise and celebrate the resilience of the families who have to adapt to having a baby born early.
This year’s theme was, ‘Small actions, big impact – Immediate skin-to-skin care for every baby everywhere.’
The day was attended by the mothers who currently have babies in the NICU or neonatal intensive care unit, high care and baby room as well as hospital matrons, Miss Charity Witbank, and the multidisciplinary team consisting of pediatric doctors, neurosurgeons, nurses, speech-language therapists, dieticians, audiologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and counsellors all working at the hospital.
Carrie de Waal, a nurse who has been working at the prematurity ward for 15 years mentioned that one in 10 babies are born premature worldwide, and Witbank Hospital has witnessed this over the many years.
“It has also witnessed the big impact of skin-to-skin care, multidisciplinary teamwork and faith in watching these tiny fighters grow and develop within and outside the hospital once they are ready to go home,” Carrie outlined.
During the event, nurses, mothers, and doctors had an opportunity to provide education on their role in working with premature babies.
“A previous prem mother came to the event and spoke to current mothers at the hospital about her experience, and was a beacon of hope for life beyond prematurity!
All who heard the story of her and her baby’s journey were in awe, and could see what the big impact multiple small actions have had on the life of her and her baby,” said Carrie.
Nurse Carrie ended by thanking the donors and sponsors who made the day a success.
She went on to recognise the breastmilk donors for donating their breastmilk to the breastmilk bank.
“The bank is the only one in the entire Mpumalanga province, which has been used to save multiple babies’ lives. If you would like to be a private milk donor, please contact the team on 011 653 5561.
Your breastmilk could save a premature baby’s life,” Carrie concluded.
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