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When first time mother Carla Hyde went into labour 23 years ago, she was terrified because she was only 33 weeks pregnant.
Her daughter Lillyana was born seven weeks early at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in 2002, weighing just 2.3 kilograms.
“It was really scary, she was in the special care nursery for five weeks, and it was heartbreaking when I had to check out of the hospital and leave her behind,” Ms Hyde said.
“There are so many unknowns when you have a premature baby, you’re worried about their health, if they will have ongoing issues, and how that will affect their future.”
Being parents of a premature baby also involves long weeks and often months in hospital trying to enjoy quality time with your newborn, with many hooked up to oxygen and feeding tubes.
“My husband Brad would bring me up to hospital every morning before he went to work and I’d have the breast milk that I’d pumped overnight with me and I would sit with my baby all day, feeding her and cuddling her,” Ms Hyde said.
“My daughter and I both received great care at Mater, and I was so thankful to the specialists and midwives who looked after her, especially overnight when I couldn’t be there.
“I was also grateful to the cuddle carers who looked after Lillyana when I got something to eat or had to go home in the evening.”
Finally, after five long weeks in special care, Ms Hyde was able to take her daughter Lillyana home. Now 23 and a speech pathologist Lillyana has had no lasting health effects from being pre-term.
Impressed with her experience at Mater, Ms Hyde vowed to one day give back to other premmie parents, and two years ago she started volunteering one day a week as a cuddle carer.
“I absolutely love doing it, I enjoy being there for the babies, and for the parents. “Most people don’t know what it’s like to have a premmie baby, it can be quite a long and scary journey, and you definitely need lots of support.”
Mater Mothers’ Hospital Director of Neonatology Dr Pita Birch said Cuddle Carers play a vital role in the Special Care Nursery and Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU) at Mater Mothers’ Hospital.
“They not only help care for sick and premature babies, but they also provide support to nursing staff and families,” Dr Birch said.
“Cuddling is important for a baby’s wellbeing, it helps settle their metabolism, calms their heart rate and helps them grow and develop.”
Marked annually on 17 November, World Prematurity Day aims to raise awareness of the impact of preterm birth and advocate for quality care for every baby who is born early.
Every year more than 1,800 very ill and premature babies receive round-the-clock specialist care from the team at Mater Mothers' Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU).
At Mater, every baby born and cared for is affectionately known as a ‘Mater little miracle’.
The birth of a newborn is one of the happiest and most beautiful moments in life for mothers and their families, but sadly not all pregnancies are without complications.
These families turn to Mater—Australia’s largest maternity care provider –a leader in neonatal critical care with integrated services that extend from pre-pregnancy to the first 1,000 days of a baby’s life.
With the help of donations from the community, Mater clinicians and researchers continue to improve outcomes for our tiniest and most vulnerable patients.
