The day Zandrie Vasagie arrived changed the life of her mother, Magda Bouwer, forever; however, the day did not go according to plan.
Zandrie was born on March 4, but, instead of being born in a hospital’s delivery room, she was born in the bathroom of her mother’s Elsburg flat, with the help of Bettie Zulu, the domestic working on the property.
The day started like any other, until 4.30pm, when Magda felt a sharp pain.
Her water hadn’t broken, so she was taken completely by surprise when she went into labour in her own bathroom.
She screamed for help and was joined in the bathroom by Bettie, who heard her shouts.
Magda caught Zandrie and with Bettie’s help the women cut the baby’s umbilical cord.
It was then the pair realised that the baby wasn’t breathing.
Bettie took the baby out of the bathroom and tried desperately to get her to breathe.
The ambulance, which had been called by police who were at the property, then arrived.
Paramedics took the baby from Bettie and within moments had her breathing.
“We were told that there was amniotic fluid in her throat,” explained Magda.
Mother and baby were transported to the Bertha Gxowa Hospital, in Germiston, where doctors examined Zandrie, to confirm no damage had been caused during her abnormal birth.
“The doctors were impressed that everything had gone so smoothly, given the circumstances,” Magda said.
Magda told the GCN that the whole ordeal seemed to take a lifetime.
The two were discharged from hospital on Thursday, March 5, and are settling into their everyday routine, which includes visits from Bettie.
“Bettie was amazing,” Magda said.
Zandrie is now two weeks old and doing well.
