IPOH: Mahmud Talib had to give up his car so his premature son could grow up like a normal baby.
The 32-year-old police officer, who works at the General Operations Force camp in Ulu Kinta, said he decided to take this drastic step as he was struggling financially in the first three months after his wife, Suraya Mohd Ismail, 32, gave birth to their first child, Mikail Anaqi, on Jan 15, 2020.
"The first three months were a real challenge for me. I had to commute to Hospital Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) daily, besides preparing the expenses for milk, medical treatments, and so on.
"That's why I was determined to sell the car to cover the expenses for my son," he said when met by Bernama at the state-level World Prematurity Day celebration on Sunday (Nov 26).
World Prematurity Day is observed on Nov 17 each year to raise awareness of preterm birth and the concerns of preterm babies and their families worldwide.
Meanwhile, Mahmud explained that while he recognised the various challenges he faced in raising his son, it was a lesson that brought him closer to Allah.
Suraya, on the other hand, said sometimes she had to remind herself that three years ago, she gave birth to a premature baby the size of two adult palms weighing one kilogramme.
Suraya, who is also in the police force, said she was only 27 weeks pregnant at the time, but due to her high blood pressure, she had to give birth to Mikail Anaqi prematurely.
She said the delivery went smoothly but was told that her baby had water in his lungs and was 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.
She added that Mikail is now three years and 11 months old and active, like other children his age. – Bernama
