When Karen Bartlett went to the hospital at 33 weeks pregnant concerned for her unborn baby, she hoped the doctors would tell her she was over-reacting and send her home.
They didn’t. Instead, they told her that her first child was having problems with its heart rate – and they needed to deliver him quickly.
“I was thinking, it’s too early, is he going to survive? How will his breathing be? How big is he going to be? You instantly think of the worst,” the Truganina resident said.
“It was such a shock – you think you’re on the countdown with weeks to go, and then being told you’re about to have a baby.”
Elijah was born soon after. He spent 23 days in the Special Care Nursery at Werribee Mercy, where he received antibiotic therapy, phototherapy for jaundice and nasogastric feeds as he learnt how to feed. The team at the nursery helped Ms Bartlett adjust, reassuring her and teaching her.
“They were amazing,” Ms Bartlett said.
“They were so helpful in every aspect of becoming a mother.”
Elijah, almost a year old, is these days happy and healthy.
To repay the nursery and the hospital for all they did to assist her in her time of need, Ms Bartlett is taking on the Pram Jam.
The Pram Jam is a week-long community walkathon that raises funds and awareness to help prevent stillbirth and complications from babies being born prematurely. Participants will push their prams as they walk or run any distance, and seek sponsorship or donations from friends and family.
To donate to Ms Bartlett’s fundraising efforts: pramjam.everydayhero.com/au/karen.
More on the Pram Jam: mercypramjam.org.au
