A new Senate inquiry into Australia's stillbirth rate has been welcomed by grieving mothers who hope it can address the devastating issue that claims six babies every day.
The Federal Government is currently calling for submissions and will look at research and funding, noting that "despite significant technological and medical advances, the rate of stillborn babies in Australia has not declined in two decades".
For mum Sarah Jade, the news provides some comfort after a traumatic pregnancy that robbed her of son Aksel earlier this year.
"When something happens like this, all of a sudden your world is changed," she said.
"It's just not a natural order, and it completely throws your capacity of what's right and what's wrong out the window."
Ms. Jade was 20 weeks pregnant and looking forward to bringing home a little brother for her first son, Arthur when scans suggested there was an issue.
Doctors downplayed the concern, but Sarah felt uneasy and at 31 weeks an MRI scan confirmed the worst: Aksel had severe complications with his brain development and wouldn't survive.
"We were faced with having to have his heart stopped, which is a pretty horrible process and very daunting and something that I never want anyone to have to go through, ever," Ms. Jade said.
The decision was made to induce Ms. Jade the following Monday, giving her one last weekend with Aksel, but it wasn't to be.
She went into labor on Saturday night.
"With the birth, I just remember crying a lot and I was quite upset because I wasn't prepared. I was prepared for another day and a half," she said.
"Even though I knew that he'd passed, I could kind of hold onto him that little bit longer.
"The reality of the end was there. That broke me."
Ms. Jade chose not to have any drugs during birth so she could remember every detail.
She hired a birth photographer to document it and when Aksel was born she cuddled him in bed.
"It was very important because it was the only time we were going to be able to do that,"
she said. "I still had those maternal instincts of holding and nurturing, and holding him in that space has imprinted a lot of memories."
Ms. Jade said birthing classes do not prepare parents for the worst, and being bombarded with information after a loss can be hard.
She is hoping the inquiry will empower women who feel like something is wrong during pregnancy to speak out.
By: abc.net.au
 |
The Federal Government is currently calling for submissions and will look at research and funding, noting that "despite significant technological and medical advances, the rate of stillborn babies in Australia has not declined in two decades".
For mum Sarah Jade, the news provides some comfort after a traumatic pregnancy that robbed her of son Aksel earlier this year.
"When something happens like this, all of a sudden your world is changed," she said.
"It's just not a natural order, and it completely throws your capacity of what's right and what's wrong out the window."
Ms. Jade was 20 weeks pregnant and looking forward to bringing home a little brother for her first son, Arthur when scans suggested there was an issue.
Doctors downplayed the concern, but Sarah felt uneasy and at 31 weeks an MRI scan confirmed the worst: Aksel had severe complications with his brain development and wouldn't survive.
"We were faced with having to have his heart stopped, which is a pretty horrible process and very daunting and something that I never want anyone to have to go through, ever," Ms. Jade said.
The decision was made to induce Ms. Jade the following Monday, giving her one last weekend with Aksel, but it wasn't to be.
She went into labor on Saturday night.
"With the birth, I just remember crying a lot and I was quite upset because I wasn't prepared. I was prepared for another day and a half," she said.
"Even though I knew that he'd passed, I could kind of hold onto him that little bit longer.
"The reality of the end was there. That broke me."
Ms. Jade chose not to have any drugs during birth so she could remember every detail.
She hired a birth photographer to document it and when Aksel was born she cuddled him in bed.
"It was very important because it was the only time we were going to be able to do that,"
she said. "I still had those maternal instincts of holding and nurturing, and holding him in that space has imprinted a lot of memories."
Ms. Jade said birthing classes do not prepare parents for the worst, and being bombarded with information after a loss can be hard.
She is hoping the inquiry will empower women who feel like something is wrong during pregnancy to speak out.
By: abc.net.au
No comments:
Post a Comment