AIDA AMANI, my miracle baby...

This is a true, amazing story about my baby girl, Aida Amani. She was born on Friday, 29th December 2006 at Az-Zahrah Islamic Medical Centre in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. The way she entered the new world was really puzzling. I had never thought she would survive the ordeal, but that's just what happened with God's will.

I was eight months pregnant and was visiting the doctor for my weekly check-up when suddenly the doctor said she detected some pattern of contraction of the muscle. Well, I've had this false alarm for almost everyday now in the past three weeks, therefore I did not suspect that this morning's contraction is stronger than the usual ones. As a result, I was warded. 10.00 a.m. in the morning, I was asked to change my clothes and replace them with the hospital gown, pushed on a wheel chair into the labour room, transferred to a bed and asked to lie down and relax.

At 11.00 a.m. my doctor came to visit me, checked my contraction again and told me that she expected delivery by 6.00 p.m. I told her about my harrowing experience when I gave birth to my second child and wished not to go through the same painful moment of being induced again this time. The doctor then suggested me to take epidural so that I will not feel the labour pain. I agreed. She made the necessary preparation and gave me the injection.

"I will come again and check on you at 4.oo p.m. In the mean time, you can do what ever you like, you can read, eat or watch tv, but dont get off the bed, okay?" the doctor smiled and left me to make her routine rounding at the ward.

About half an hour later, I feel some painful contraction that made me uneasy. My husband called the doctor. She wondered why I still feel the pain after taking epidural shot because rightfully, I should have not felt anything by this hour. After thorough inspection, she made a conclusion that the dose given to me was insufficient. Again, I received another shot of epidural. Strange....

My husband was with me all the time, but he had to leave me for a while for Friday Prayer at 1.10 p.m. He kissed me on the forehead and promised he will be back as soon as the prayer is over. I read some magazines provided in the labour room, then feel bored and closed my eyes. I must have dozed off quite a while because I didnt realise that my husband was with me again not long after that. He bought me a bar of chocolate. Cadbury Hazelnut. My favourite. Hmmm... yummy!

I was enjoying the chocolate when suddenly I vomitted. I didnt know what's the cause, but I kept vomitting untill there was nothing left to throw out. It was such a painful process that it took all my energy and made me flat in bed. The nurses there have been very helpful. My husband asked me to get some rest. He took the Quran, pulled a chair, sat close to me and started to recite some versus in the Quran. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

After some times, both of us heard a soft squeaking sound. My husband stopped reading the Quran and looked at me.

"Did you hear what I heard?" I asked him.

"Yes, but what was that and where did it come from?" My husband asked back.

"Maybe there's a bird perching at the window sill" I answered and closed my eyes again.

My husband continued reading the Quran.

Suddenly the same squeaking sound emerged again. This time it was louder and clearer.

"What was that? It's scarying me!" I held my husband's hand tightly.

"I don't know. I think I'd better get the nurse to come and check. You wait here." with that he disappeared behind the door.

A nurse came rushing in to check on me, followed by my husband. at first she stared blankly at me, then pulled the blanket that was covering both my legs.

Astagfirullah hal'azhim! To our surprise, there lied in between my legs, a small figure covered with white flakes and blood all over. It stirred weakly when the blanket was lifted. My baby!!! It was my baby!!! She was born into the world without anybody noticing, not even me!!!! I fainted! I was in total blackness for a while. When I recovered, there was not only one but two doctors in the labour room, together with several nurses. My husband was watching one of the nurses cleaning my baby while the gynaecologist was mending my stiches.

I could see the pale faces of the doctors. I saw clearly sweats running down their foreheads while they worked.

"I am sorry Ati. This had never happened before in my life as a gynaecologist." The doctor was trembling. Her hands were as cold as ice when she touched me.

"How's my baby? Is she alright?" I asked.

"She'll be alright for now. But we need to send her for detailed examination with the paeditrician because she had swallowed a lot of the blood and liquid from your waterbag. Her lungs flooded"

I closed my eyes and prayed God will not to take away my baby from me. Warm tears streamed from my cheeks.

"I need my husband".

The doctor went to get him for me and we ended up hugging each other. I could not control myself this time and cried on his shoulder. He didn't say anything at all.

Later I was sent to the ward. The double shot of epidural started to take effect on me. I felt drowsy, couldn't open my eyes at all. I didn't know for how long I have slept, but when I woke up I saw the anaesthetist was observing me. My husband told me I had breathing difficulty while sleeping.

"Where is the baby?" that was the first thing that came into my mind.

"She's in the intensive care unit." my husband held my hands tightly when he told me this.

Aida Amani was born at about 2.30p.m. on Friday. She was administered at the ICU and then transferred to incubator for almost ten days due to her breathing difficulty. The paeditrician had sucked all the water out of her lungs but she still failed to breath on her own. She had to rely on the breathing apparatus to help her. On the third day, she got jaundice and had to be "tanned" under the light 24/7 with her eyes closed. I was discharged on the second day, but repeatedly visited my baby at the hospital to breastfeed her.

No mother could have managed to see her baby's condition like this at every visit. I cried everytime I held her in my arms. I whispered to her ears that I love her so much and I wanted her to get well soon so that I could take her home. She responded by clasping my thumb with her tiny fingers.

The doctor repeatedly came to apologise to me for what happened. I didn't blame her at all. What happened was something that nobody would have expected.

"I've delivered thousands of babies, but never before in my life I encountered such a case like this. This is truly a miracle" the doctor told me.

"Normally the mother will need to push her baby out or the baby would be stucked at its neck while exiting. This is because the shoulder bone is not easy to get through the exit and a strong push from the mother is needed to help the baby out. In your case, when you took up epidural, you'll not know when you have the contraction, so we have to guide you and tell you the right moment to push. I believe it was with the help of the Angels that your baby managed to come out wholely without injury. That was amazing. The baby is a miracle baby. She is blessed"

And for the next few months after Aida was discharged, the medical centre still talked about the miracle baby. Everytime I took her for a follow-up with her paeditrician, everybody at the medical centre would greet her, gathered around her and touched her and some of them will related the story of the miracle baby to some of the patients. Even the patients took the opportunity to hold her and kiss her.

I took her to see the paeditrician at least once a month. I have been doing this for almost two years of her life. I needed to make sure she has really, really recovered. I don't want any complication to emerge in future.

Aida is a healthy girl. She brings joy to the family ever since she came home from the medical centre. Last December when we celebrated her 2nd birthday, my tears was streaming down my cheek as I recall the frightening moment of her birth. I could have lost her then. I might not have the chance of holding her and kissing her now.

Alhamdulillah, Thank you, Allah.

I believe when we do good deeds, we will be paid back with good deeds as well. God has arranged everything in order, for He knows everything. I am so blessed in life, what more with this miracle baby who makes me laugh always. I am one blessed mother in this world.

Lailaha illa anta. Subhanaka inni kuntu minazzhalimin.