FOR most women, their last trimester during pregnancy is a joyous experience.
It is a time when their baby is developing and growing and putting on those vital pounds.
But for Rayana Betlazar what should have been the most wonderful experience turned into a living nightmare – not once but twice.
At 15 weeks pregnant, the Hillside resident was told by doctors that her blood pressure was high, but it wasn’t something she should be concerned about.
However by 28 weeks and at the beginning of the final stages of gestation, Rayana’s blood pressure had escalated dramatically and she was diagnosed with the life-threatening condition of preeclampsia.
Her baby had stopped growing and was receiving limited oxygen supply.
Preeclampsia is most often characterised by a rapid rise in blood pressure that can lead to the death of the mother and baby.
Rayana admitted that being a first-time mother she didn’t realise how serious the diagnosis was and continued her daily duties as normal.
“I cut down my hours but I still worked. Then I started getting blurry vision, I started seeing spots… I had severe heartburn and headaches,” she told Star.
She visited Mercy Hospital in Heidelberg and was rushed straight to the emergency department. Two days later little Ezekiel was born at only 33 weeks.
The tiny newborn weighed less than two kilograms and was taken straight to the neonatal unit.
“When he was born he was tiny. I didn’t expect him to be breathing, but he came out screaming.
“It’s scary not knowing about the world of prematurity, he had no nails, no eyelashes.”
After that first precious hold, Rayana’s conditioned worsened and she was unable to see Ezekiel for five days.
“From having your baby with you all the time, when they’re inside you, to giving birth and then not having him… it was just horrible.
“It hit me that people were telling me about my baby and I couldn’t see him.”
After Ezekiel was born, Rayana began looking for answers on how to care for a premature baby.
It was then that she stumbled across the Miracle Babies Foundation, a leading not-for-profit organisation supporting premature and sick newborns, their families and the hospitals that care for them.
Rayana began posting questions anonymously on the foundation’s Facebook page.
“I realised I’m not the only one out there. I felt so isolated at the beginning, like I was a viewing person.
“But then I got support from other people who have gone through the same thing.”
Just over 12 months later Rayana, feeling more confident thanks to having the help of Miracle Babies Foundation, had her second son Nathaniel.
Born at 32 weeks and even smaller than his brother, Rayana and her husband Roma relived the nightmare. But at least this time they knew what to do.
Now the two boys, Ezekiel, 15 months, and Nathaniel, 10 weeks, are enjoying life at home and while their development may be slightly delayed due to their prematurity, their mother knows she always has somewhere to turn when times get tough.
The Miracle Babies Foundation has launched a new campaign called Hands Up For Miracles asking for people to donate $5 per month. For more information visit www.miraclebabies.org.au or contact 1300 773 664
