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Hetasvi gave birth to premature twin baby girls at just 31 weeks, and they were rushed to the ICU right after they were born. Now, this new mother can only see them a few times a day, and when she holds them, even though it is just for a few minutes, she feels happiness.
But the moments of joy do not last long, as they are soon taken away from her and placed back in the little glass boxes. Watching her little ones in the incubator, she experiences separation anxiety and worries about them - they cannot even suckle on breastmilk like healthy newborns; they are fed milk through tubes.
Hetasvi’s babies Anaya and Anayra were born weighing just 1 kg and 1.5 kg respectively. Their lungs are underdeveloped and as a result, they cannot breathe without the support of a non-invasive ventilator that supplies oxygen to them throughout. They are placed in an incubator as their tiny bodies cannot regulate body temperature on their own, like normal babies outside the womb. Without continued NICU support for the next few weeks, they will not be able to grow normally.
Without continued NICU support for the next few weeks, the twin babies will not be able to grow properly and well enough to survive outside the incubator on their own. But these parents, do not have the funds to continue their babies’ treatment.
But the moments of joy do not last long, as they are soon taken away from her and placed back in the little glass boxes. Watching her little ones in the incubator, she experiences separation anxiety and worries about them - they cannot even suckle on breastmilk like healthy newborns; they are fed milk through tubes.
“I had an emergency C-section and the stitches have still not come off. It is very uncomfortable and causes me a lot of pain. But I do not worry about my health. All I want is for my babies to be alright.” - Hetasvi, mother
Hetasvi’s babies Anaya and Anayra were born weighing just 1 kg and 1.5 kg respectively. Their lungs are underdeveloped and as a result, they cannot breathe without the support of a non-invasive ventilator that supplies oxygen to them throughout. They are placed in an incubator as their tiny bodies cannot regulate body temperature on their own, like normal babies outside the womb. Without continued NICU support for the next few weeks, they will not be able to grow normally.
‘We had been preparing for their arrival, but things did not go as planned’
When Hetasvi and her husband, Montu, found out they were going to be parents for the first time, they had been excited; and they were beyond thrilled when they learned that they were having twins. They visited the doctor regularly, and Hetasvi made sure to eat healthy and have her prenatal medicines without fail. But nothing could have prepared them for what would happen.“We got to know that one baby was not growing as well as the other. We went to many hospitals in our hometown in Gujarat to get this sorted before their birth, and finally consulted a good doctor in Bengaluru. The treatment was going well until one day, I experienced contractions and had to deliver them immediately via C-section.” - Hetasvi.
‘Our babies need more time in the ICU, but we cannot afford to keep them there’
Montu has a normal 9-5 job in a private company in Gujarat, and makes almost Rs.15,000 per month. Hetasvi is a housewife. They had saved up and made enough preparations to welcome their babies, anticipating a normal, complication-free birth. But now things have gotten completely out of hand for this couple.Without continued NICU support for the next few weeks, the twin babies will not be able to grow properly and well enough to survive outside the incubator on their own. But these parents, do not have the funds to continue their babies’ treatment.
“We have spent almost 5 lakhs till now. That is more than 30 times what my husband earns in a month. We cannot afford to keep them in the NICU any longer, though they need the treatment to survive. Please help us.” - Hetasvi, tearfully.
