A baby who was so small when she was born that she could fit into her mother’s hand is finally home in Stornoway.
Born on Father’s Day at 24 weeks, and weighing just 580g (1.28lbs), tiny Hafsa was dangerously premature.
Proud parents, Zerqua and Mansha Mohammed Shahid, are delighted to have their beautiful daughter home, and last night paid tribute to the NHS staff who looked after them, both in Stornoway and Glasgow.
At 24 weeks, Zerqua was less than two-thirds of the way through what would be classed as a normal pregnancy when she went into labour.
Zerqua first became aware that Hafsa’s arrival could be imminent on June 9.
She attended the Maternity Department at Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway, and was flown by air ambulance that day to the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow, accompanied by Head of Midwifery, Catherine Macdonald.
Hafsa was born at 3.52pm on June 19 and, as her mum describes, was “around the size of my hand” with translucent skin.
They were kept in different intensive care units, but were linked up by web-cam so that they could always see each other.
It was a number of weeks before Hafsa was well enough to be held.
After 134 days of specialist care in Glasgow, Hafsa – which aptly means “humble baby lioness” – was strong enough to come back home to Stornoway.
Zerqua said: “The staff were absolutely amazing. They just all made you feel so welcome and stress free. It was clearly a difficult time, but you just got on with it. Gillian Sinclair was the first nurse to give Hafsa a loving touch, and I’d also like to thank consultant neonatologists, Dr Kerry Kasem and Dr Helen McTear, for their great work.
“Hafsa has grown really well and has had to learn everything – like how to breathe, suck and swallow. That was down to massage and speech and language therapy techniques.”
She added: “I was looked after really well by the staff in Stornoway. I’d like to thank them for the support they have given me.”
Zerqua is now raising money for reclining chairs for mothers to be able to have “skin to skin” time with premature babies at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.
People can give through the Just Giving site at www.justgiving.com/PRMBF or you can text a £10 donation directly to the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital Baby Fund by texting “BABY33 Chairs” to 70070.