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   The things medical science will never replace

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Topic: The things medical science will never replace (Read 736 times)

Rhune
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The things medical science will never replace
« on: Dec 11^th, 2007, 8:05pm »

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article _id=500430&in_page_id=1770

It was to be the one and only cuddle Carolyn Isbister would have with her tiny, premature daughter.

Rachael had been born minutes before - weighing a mere 20oz - and had only minutes to live. Her heart was beating once every ten seconds and she was not breathing.

As doctors gave up, Miss Isbister lifted her baby out of her hospital blanket and placed her on her chest.

She said: "I didn't want her to die being cold. So I lifted her out of her blanket and put her against my skin to warm her up. Her feet were so cold.

"It was the only cuddle I was going to have with her, so I wanted to remember the moment." Then something remarkable happened. The warmth of her mother's skin kickstarted Rachael's heart into beating properly, which allowed her to take little breaths of her own.

Miss Isbister said: "We couldn't believe it - and neither could the doctors. She let out a tiny cry.

"The doctors came in and said there was still no hope - but I wasn't letting go of her. We had her blessed by the hospital chaplain, and waited for her to slip away.

"But she still hung on. And then amazingly the pink colour began to return to her cheeks.

"She literally was turning from grey to pink before our eyes, and she began to warm up too."

Four months later, Rachael was allowed home weighing 8lb - the same as a newborn baby - and she has a healthy appetite.

Miss Isbister, a 36-year- old chemist from West Lothian, said: "Rachael has been such a little fighter - it is a miracle that she is here at all. When she was born the doctors told us that she would die within 20 minutes. But that one precious cuddle saved her life. I'll never forget it."

Miss Isbister and her partner David Elliott, 35, an electronics engineer, were thrilled when she became pregnant.

At the 20-week scan at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, doctors told them she was carrying a girl and they decided to name her Rachael.

But at 24 weeks a womb infection led to premature labour.

Miss Isbister, who also has two children Samuel, 10, and Kirsten, eight, from a previous marriage, said: "We were terrified we were going to lose her. I had suffered three miscarriages before, so we didn't think there was much hope." When Rachael was born she was grey and lifeless.

"The doctor just took one look at her and said no," said Miss Isbister.

"They didn't even try to help her with her breathing as they said it would just prolong her dying. Everyone just gave up on her."

Ian Laing, a consultant neonatologist at the hospital, said: "All the signs were that the little one was not going to make it and we took the decision to let mum have a cuddle as it was all we could do.

"Two hours later the wee thing was crying. This is indeed a miracle baby and I have seen nothing like it in my 27 years of practice. I have not the slightest doubt that mother's love saved her daughter."

Rachael was moved on to a ventilator where she continued to make steady progress.

Miss Isbister said: "The doctors said that she had proved she was a fighter and that she now deserved some intensive care as there was some hope.

"She had done it all on her own - without any medical intervention or drugs.

"She had clung on to life - and it was all because of that cuddle. It had warmed up her body enough for her to start fighting." Because Rachel had suffered from a lack of oxygen doctors said there was a high risk of damage to her brain. But a scan showed no evidence of any problems.

As the days passed, Rachael began to gain in strength and put on weight. She had laser treatment to save her sight because the blood vessels had not had a chance to develop properly in the womb. And she also had six blood transfusions.

"We couldn't believe that she was doing so well," her mother said.

"Her heart rate and breathing would suddenly sometimes drop without warning, but she just got stronger and stronger."

After five weeks she was taken off a ventilator and Miss Isbister was able to breastfeed her.

Then, after four months, the couple were allowed to take her home - a day they thought they would never see.

Miss Isbister said: "She is doing so well. When we finally brought her home, the doctors told us that she was a remarkable little girl.

"And most of all, she just loves her cuddles. She will sleep for hours, just curled into my chest.

"It was that first cuddle which saved her life - and I'm just so glad I trusted my instinct and picked her up when I did.

"Otherwise she wouldn't be here today."

« Last Edit: Dec 11^th, 2007, 8:07pm by Rhune »

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Pocket
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Re: The things medical science will never replace
« Reply #1 on: Dec 12^th, 2007, 8:04am »

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This is a very touching story and qualifies for the "good news" news.

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Rhune
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Re: The things medical science will never replace
« Reply #2 on: Dec 12^th, 2007, 1:16pm »

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I thought so too..it's the kind of story that can bring a tear to your eye, but also the warm fuzzies to your heart.

I can't help but feel it was more than just the warmth of her skin, that did it...the smell of her mother and the sense of nurturing and love associated with being held by her...a machine could have made her warmer, but nothing can replace the feeling of being hugged and held by your mother.

« Last Edit: Dec 12^th, 2007, 1:19pm by Rhune »

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AmberJ
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Re: The things medical science will never replace
« Reply #3 on: Dec 12^th, 2007, 1:53pm »

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That is amazing.

I'm pregnant with my first child, due at the beginning of May, and I've had a difficult pregnancy so far and it definitely scares me that my baby will be born too early or too small.

I'd like to believe it was the mother. A lot of premature babies never get to be held by their mothers, babies need their mother, nothing like the connection a mother has with her child.

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Pocket
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Re: The things medical science will never replace
« Reply #4 on: Dec 12^th, 2007, 6:42pm »

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I think the story illustrates the NEED for parent/baby contact. I know some parents spend a lot of time with their babies in pediatric wards, but it's difficult when they're attached with tubes and wires so they basically can only pat them or touch their hands. This is evidence skin to skin cuddling is extrememly important to help a little one fight and begin to thrive. I wonder too, about the "heart to heart" contact? A fetus hears it's mother's heartbeat all through gestation
after all.

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Rhune
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Re: The things medical science will never replace
« Reply #5 on: Dec 12^th, 2007, 7:41pm »

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Yes, all the sensations of being connected to the mother again, perhaps.

I never got to hold my newly borns on my chest, at least not till they were several hours old already. My first born was taking too many breaths per minute and they whisked him away for observation as soon as they had him washed. My middle boy had too many heartbeats per minute...same thing. I didn't get to see him for like 8 hours, although in both cases my husband was allowed to follow down and stay with them while they were being observed. My last, I had a c-section and had an allergic reaction to the morphine they gave me, and I literally threw up every time I moved my head...I didn't get to hold him until the following day, but my mom was there and stayed overnight in the hospital with me while my husband watched my two oldest. She had him in the room and took care of him and held him and did all the cooing and nurturing until I was well enough to do it myself.

In the end, I don't think it hurt the bonding process with me at all to be delayed, but it did cause a very strong bond to form between my mom and my youngest. I have to wonder, if they had been placed on my chest immediately, if some of those things would have sorted themselves out...There's nothing that can be done about how sick I was with the last, but faster heart rate and breathing seem like things of stress and separation and I have to wonder if contact would have dropped the stress levels and brought the heart rate and breathing back to a normal state quickly. Either way I'm glad they were taken care of well until I could take over.

Most babies aren't born early like this one, thankfully. I'm sure you will have a healthy baby. My pregnancies were all rough...pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, etc., but in the end my boys were all born healthy and strong. You'll do good, Amber.

« Last Edit: Dec 12^th, 2007, 7:57pm by Rhune »

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