SECUNDA – Little Mateo Martin’s parents, Mr Tshepo Legodi and Ms Courtney Martin, are thankful that he is alive and well and believe he is a miracle baby.
Mateo was born on 14 November last year when Ms Martin was only 25 weeks pregnant with him.
He weighed 846g at birth and had to spent the first nine months of his life in hospital.
During this time, his heart stopped beating and he was not breathing, but doctors managed to revive him each time.
“It must have been at least 10 or 20 times that he was dead,” said Ms Martin.
Doctors told Ms Martin the lining of her womb was too thin and could not carry the weight of the baby and thus Mateo was born so early.
Ms Martin already experienced problems when she was only six weeks pregnant.
She had three near-miscarriages and thought Mateo was coming.
However when she was 22 weeks pregnant, doctors performed a McDonald stitch on her to prevent her cervix from opening further.
Ms Marin and her fiancé, Mr Legodi, were filled with joy on 9 August this year when the doctors finally said Mateo could go home.
“We waited for him for such a long time and he died so many times, God must really have a plan with his life,” said Ms Martin.
Little Mateo’s lungs did not develop fully, because he was born so early and although he is now at home, he must still use an oxygen machine to help him breathe.
“Hopefully he will be off the oxygen machine soon,” said Ms Martin.
Mateo currently only uses the oxygen machine at night.
During the day he can breath on his own.
“The doctor said when I think he is strong enough to breathe on his own, I must call him and then we can check if Mateo can come off from the oxygen machine.
“He was sick the past two weeks and had to take antibiotics, so I just want to wait a few more weeks before I call the doctor.”
While Mateo was in hospital, the doctors inserted a trachea into his throat while he was on the oscillator.
They later upgraded him to the ventilator and then to the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device to help keep his lungs open.
However, now his lungs are strong enough to cope without this device.
Ms Martin is currently waiting for her medical aid for feedback on rehabilitation for Mateo to catch up on reaching all his milestones.
He celebrated his first birthday on 14 November and began to roll over now and sit up straight on his own.
The couple planned to get married in June this year, but with Mateo and all the complications during her pregnancy, Ms Martin postponed the wedding to June next year.
“I am happy that Mateo is getting stronger each day, it has been a long journey.
“We have to take the concentrator breathing machine or an oxygen cylinder with everywhere we go with him and it is difficult sometimes.”
The couple looks forward to the day when Mateo will not need any breathing support and be on the same level as other babies of his age.
