For Fatima*, now a mother of three children, her third pregnancy seemed just as smooth and uneventful as her previous two, until one unexpected night changed everything.
“It was the middle of the night when my water broke," she recalls. “I was rushed to the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and admitted for nearly a week before doctors decided they had to operate. It all happened so suddenly."
Fatima's baby arrived prematurely, much earlier than her other full-term births. “It was a huge shock for me," she shares. “I didn't even get to see my daughter after delivery. She was immediately taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I was recovering from surgery, and she was fighting for her life, away from me. I cried all the time."
But even in those dark and uncertain hours, there was light — in the form of the nurses at the Aga Khan University Hospital's NICU.
“I don't have words for the support I received from the nurses," Fatima says. “They reminded me gently every day that I needed to take care of myself, so that I could take care of my baby when she came home. They treated her like their own. Every time I visited the NICU and saw how lovingly they looked after her, my heart filled with gratitude."
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“If I was able to sleep and breathe during those days, it was because of them."
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One moment that stood out was when Fatima witnessed the arrival of another premature baby. “All the nurses gathered to welcome the baby with such care and concern," she remembers. “It felt like a royal reception. That's how much love they give; as if each baby is their own."
She fondly remembers one of our nurses, Ms. Faryal, who accompanied her for her baby's tests. “The way she carried my baby from unit to unit, not letting anyone else touch her – it felt like a mother protecting her child."
Fatima smiles as she names the many nurses who became her pillars of strength. “Kanwal and Arwa gave me so much courage. They made me feel seen. Reema and Nashwa were always professional, always concerned. Every single nurse in the NICU was kind, humble, and so cooperative. I never felt alone."
In those early days, the emotional toll was immense. “I was struggling with postpartum pain, fear, and exhaustion," Fatima shares. “There were moments I didn't think I could make it. But the nurses were my support system. They helped me believe in myself again."
After 50 long days in the NICU, Fatima finally brought her daughter home. Today, she is doing well — healthy, strong, and loved. “Alhamdulillah, she's thriving now. And it's all thanks to the AKUH NICU team."
When asked what she would say to the nurses who cared for her daughter, Fatima becomes emotional.
“If I was able to sleep and breathe during those days, it was because of them," she says. “Thank you for taking care of my baby and every baby. Thank you for treating our children like your own, for calling them 'mera bacha', for giving us hope when we had none. You are all gems, each one of you."
*Name has been changed for anonymity.
