"No mother should go through this pain. I cannot explain in words how broken I feel. Unfathomable guilt and fear is killing me every moment. I'm physically and emotionally exhausted. I haven't seen my baby yet.  I'm longing to hold my son in my arms. I look at the empty cradle and cry for hours. I sometimes imagine my son lying inside the cradle but reality hits me hard soon. I cannot bear this emptiness." - Padma.

Baby's lungs are underdeveloped and now in ventilator support

Padma's baby boy was born prematurely. To everyone's horror, he did not cry at birth. He was rushed to another hospital and ventilator support was needed to help him breathe. Padma was lying unconscious unaware of her son's condition. Her husband Govind who is mentally ill couldn't respond properly to the situation. 

"Doctors told that my baby has breathing trouble. I thought it was only temporary and I could take him back home soon. Fate turned very cruel. Within a week, he developed sepsis. Doctors said that my son's lungs were underdeveloped and has a blood infection. I begged everyone to take me to my baby but I could hardly get up from bed. I can bear any pain but not the loss of my son. I can't imagine the pain my baby is going through." - Padma.

Padma has not recovered from C-section, she hardly has any strength to even talk

Padma is emotionally devastated. She can't bear the fact that she is not next to see her son who is struggling for his life.  She hasn't recovered from the childbirth and she has lost all her strength. She refuses to eat and spends sleepless nights. Her brother-in-law Suresh is shuttling between hospitals to ensure Padma's recovery and the baby’s treatment would continue to be hurdle free.

"  owe a lot to my brother-in-law. Despite the pain and trauma, he is running from pillar to post to save my baby. My husband needs care too. We are all scattered in different places with no one to even console. I feel totally helpless. I don't know what I can do to save my baby."

The family is neck deep in debts and have nothing left to save the baby

While the life of the baby is at stake, the family is struggling for even 3 square meals. Adding to their sorrows, debt is wrecking their already sinking hope of saving their child. Padma's daughter Niharika, too, suffers from ill health because of constant fever and cold.

“I paint houses and earn Rs 300 per day. I could hardly manage to be regular at work. There is no one to look after the baby. Govind is just not in a situation to care for his son or even understand what is happening. I don't know whom to turn to help. All our pain and efforts will go in vain if we fail to save the baby. Our lives will never be the same without him." - Suresh, brother-in-law of Padma.

 

How you can help

Life support has kept death away from this newborn baby. The treatment needs to go on for at least 3 weeks for the baby to survive. The baby's father has a mental disability and he is unemployed. This mother is desperately looking for a help. She needs 4.8 lakhs to fund prolonged ICU stay and save his son’s life.