32-year-old police officer Mahmud Talib made the decision to give up his car so that his premature son could have a normal upbringing. His son, Mikail Anaqi, was born on Jan 15, 2020 to Mahmud and his wife, Suraya Mohd Ismail. Mahmud, who works at the General Operations Force camp in Ulu Kinta, decided to sell his car in order to cover the expenses of his son’s medical treatments and milk after facing financial difficulties in the first three months.
World Prematurity Day is observed on Nov 17 every year to raise awareness about preterm birth and the issues faced by preterm babies and their families globally. Mahmud mentioned that although there were numerous challenges in raising his son, it brought him closer to Allah. On the other hand, Suraya, who is also in the police force, recounted giving birth to a premature baby three years ago, weighing only one kilogram and the size of two adult palms. Due to her high blood pressure, she had to give birth prematurely at 27 weeks gestation. Despite a smooth delivery, her baby had water in his lungs and bleeding in the brain.
“Sometimes, I asked the doctor for permission to do the kangaroo care method with my son, who was placed in an incubator. This means skin-to-skin contact between infant and parent, which helps to ensure the child’s heartbeat and breathing always remain normal,” she said. Suraya added that Mikail is now three years and 11 months old and is active like other children his age. – Bernama
