Mary ondeche B., 1

Baby Mary Twin 1 is the firstborn child in her family. She lives with her mother, grandparents, her twin sibling, and cousins in a three-roomed mud-walled house. Her mother is currently unemployed because she is still a secondary school student in Form Three. As a result, she relies on her parents, who earn a living by selling charcoal at the local market. Baby Mary’s mother explains that she was initially unaware that she was pregnant. She often experienced morning sickness, but it was her teachers who first noticed the signs and suggested she might be expectant. At first, she dismissed their concerns, but after taking a pregnancy test, it was confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. Her teachers counselled and supported her, encouraging her to remain in school until she was due to deliver and assuring her that she would be welcomed back to continue her education after childbirth. During her pregnancy, Baby Mary’s mother attended antenatal clinic (ANC) visits at a health facility near her school. However, during the school holidays, while visiting her sister, she continued her ANC visits at a nearby health facility. It was during one of these visits that healthcare providers discovered that the baby’s fetal position was not ideal, and she was referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital for further assessment and management. Later, she developed abdominal pains during the night. The following day she went to Siaya County Referral Hospital, where she went into labour and successfully delivered her first twin. Baby Mary Ondeche twin 1, the first of the twins, was born prematurely, arriving earlier than expected. Because of her premature birth, she had a low birth weight and experienced mild birth asphyxia, meaning she initially had difficulty establishing normal breathing immediately after delivery. Due to her fragile condition, Baby Mary Twin 1 was promptly admitted to the Newborn Unit for specialized care, close monitoring, and supportive treatment to help stabilize her condition and support her growth. Prematurity and low birth weight make newborns more susceptible to infections and other complications, which is why careful medical attention and monitoring were necessary. The child has not yet been given a name in accordance with cultural traditions, as the mother is awaiting the appropriate naming process. In the meantime, the baby is referred to as “the baby of (mother’s name).” Since the child is a twin, the term “Twin 1” is used to distinguish them from the other twin.

Baby Mary was admitted to the new born unit for management after being born prematurely of low birth weight. She was fed via nasal gastric tube on EBM which she retained. Later she was able to be introduced to breast milk and was able to breastfeed well. She was also administered antibiotics which she retained. She was eventually discharged on orals having put on weight upto 1600 grams

Following delivery, Baby Mary Twin 1 was appropriately admitted to the Newborn Unit (NBU) for close monitoring and supportive care. She received specialized management aimed at stabilizing her breathing, maintaining body temperature, supporting feeding, and preventing infections. Early admission to the newborn unit was important to ensure that any complications related to prematurity and low birth weight were promptly addressed. With continued medical care, proper feeding, and regular follow-up at the health facility, Baby Mary has a good chance of gradual recovery and healthy growth. However, because she was born prematurely and with low birth weight, she will require close monitoring during infancy to ensure proper weight gain, development, and prevention of infections.