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“Each time we learned we were going to have a baby, there were many complications. Three of my babies never made it past a few months before I suffered miscarriages. The fourth time, halfway through the pregnancy we learned that our baby had died in the womb and we had no other option but to abort. I lost my babies before I could even give birth to them. All I really wanted was to be a mother and have a healthy baby, and I thought my dream was finally going to come true…” - Jyoti, giving a pained smile as her barely 1-month-old baby boy wraps his tiny hand around her finger.
Jyoti and her husband, Nitin, tied the knot back in 2014 and had been trying for a baby for years. Over the past 7 years, Jyoti suffered 3 miscarriages and had to abort her fourth child. They were ecstatic with the news of Jyoti's most recent pregnancy, but fate had other plans for the couple. Their baby was born prematurely and has spent every moment since his birth in the NICU, fighting for his life.
Jyoti unexpectedly went into labour in her 5th month of pregnancy
“He was so small and weak when he was born. His skin had barely formed, and it broke my heart to see him this way. I only wish that he can grow stronger and recover quickly, so I can take him back home with us.” - Jyoti, mother
Jyoti had always dreamed of being a mother, no matter how challenging a job it would be, and felt blessed to be carrying new life within her. Her husband, Nitin, has stood by her, helping her through all her pregnancy milestones, even the not-so-great moments. He was looking forward to being a father, the best that he could be for his child.
Jyoti had a relatively smooth pregnancy and was due to have her baby in July 2021 until her water broke unexpectedly in March when she was only 5 months pregnant. Nitin immediately hailed a rickshaw and took his wife to the hospital, where she gave birth to their baby boy through normal delivery.
“We were shocked and terrified; our baby was not due for a few more months! But Jyoti had been in a lot of pain that evening and when her water broke, there was nothing else to be done. We rushed to the hospital and in the next hour or so our baby boy was born. But he was extremely small, only 510 grams, and needed to be taken to the NICU immediately. The doctor even told us that had he been smaller than he was, at 23 weeks, he wouldn’t have survived...” - Nitin, father
The lockdown hasn’t allowed them to spend much time with their baby
Nitin and Jyoti were asked to shift their baby boy to a bigger hospital with better equipment, some 45 kilometres away from where they live on the outskirts of Mumbai. But amid the pandemic-led lockdown, they have been struggling to be with their baby while he has been in the NICU. It is also hard for the new parents to see their newborn hooked to the various machines that are keeping him alive.“It has been very difficult for us to stay by his side because of the lockdown. We are only allowed to go to the hospital twice a week and on other days the hospital gets back to me with daily reports of how he is doing. It kills me to have to see him through a glass window when all I want to do is to hold my baby in my arms.” - Nitin
Without a stable job, Nitin is struggling to pay for his baby’s treatment
Nitin was employed as a mechanic at a vehicle showroom but lost his job during the lockdown, while Jyoti is a housewife. Nitin has done all he can to save his baby boy, but he’s now at the end of his tether. He’s used up all his savings and even borrowed from friends, relatives and colleagues to pay for his little boy’s treatment.Their son is showing signs of improvement and his weight has increased to 750 grams over the past month. But he still has a long way to go before he can be given a clean bill of health. He has to stay in the NICU for at least 4 more months, depending on his rate of recovery. Nitin needs about INR 22 lakh rupees to pay for his son’s hospital expenses and future treatments.
Nitin and Jyoti need your help. They just want their baby to recover quickly so they can take him home and be a happy family of 3. Your contribution, no matter how big or small the amount, will support their baby boy’s treatment. Click here to donate.
