#BornTooSoon Story – Bojidar

When Bulgarian mum, Nedka, gave birth to her baby too soon, she knew that she would call him – Bojidar (A gift from God). The baby boy was born at 24 weeks, weighing only 790 grams. He was whisked away after birth while she was attended to. Nedka was not able to hold her son or stay with him skin-to-skin.

When Nedka was finally able to see Bojidar, she was afraid to look at him "I wasn't sure what I would see, but I remember that he sounded like a kitten. He was not crying but making little mewing sounds, just like a kitten!"

Since Bojidar was born during the COVID pandemic, there were a number of restrictions in place. The hospital only allowed parents to visit once a week for an hour, with a COVID test ahead of each visit. They staggered parental visitation allowing only one family to visit the NICU per day. So Nedka would call the hospital each day to check on his health.

When she could visit, Nedka would read to Bojidar from the "The Little Prince". She would talk and sing to him as well, with her husband sitting next to her. But it would sadly be a month before Nedka and her husband were allowed to touch their baby for the first time and take pictures. 

"The first time we touched him he grabbed our finger and it felt so wonderful!"

Thankfully, the whole hospital staff was very supportive.  "The NICU doctors were great. They held the babies' hands, caressed them, talked to them, told them what the parents had said on the phone, and loved them." A psychoanalyst working at the NICU unit was especially helpful and told her how important it was for her son to hear her voice.

It was fourth months before Nedka and her husband could hold their baby for the first time. While Bojidar was still at the hospital, Nedka joined a mom support group organized by the Bulgarian non-profit organization "Our Premature Babies."  Nedka believes a similar group should be established for the fathers of premature babies as her husband was similarly going through a hard time, but he had no support built around him.

Bojidar was discharged home after five months in NICU.

Nedka appreciates that there were restrictions from seeing and holding her baby due to the COVID pandemic. But she also learned it was different in other places. A friend of hers had a preemie baby in Germany around the same time and was with her baby for 8 hours a day. 

"I want this to change! We were only able to visit once a week." says Nedka.