Little Rhia Nina Youse weighed just one kilogram when she was born 10 weeks early.
The first daughter of Andergrove couple Melina Mifsud and Madison Youse, Rhia was born by caesarean section in Townsville on 18 December. She wasn’t actually due until 27 February 2025.
New mum Melina had a “perfect pregnancy” until she began suffering high blood pressure at 28 weeks. She was monitored in Mackay for two weeks before finally being flown to Townsville Hospital where her tiny daughter had to be delivered very prematurely due to pre-eclampsia.
“It was an experience no new mother ever wants to go through,” Melina said.
Rhia is one in 10 babies who are born prematurely in Queensland. It’s often an unexpected, stressful and challenging start to their lives which is why expert care, support and guidance of nursery staff through early problems is so important.
Babies born before 32 weeks and weighing 2.5kg or less, are cared for by a team of specialists in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Townsville until they have developed enough to survive independently.
Rhia spent just under a month in Townsville and then was transferred back to the Mackay Base Hospital’s Special Care Nursery (SCN) for another two weeks where she “learned to grow and feed”.
It’s also where parents get to have lots of hands-on contact with their baby.
Staff in the Mackay SCN had “done an amazing job with Rhia and loved her like their own” Melina said.
“The special care nursery is an amazing place, from the doctors right through to the whole nursery staff,” Melina said.
“We felt very welcomed by Linda, Jo and Elise and they made our whole experience so much more comfortable and relaxing.
“It was a very stressful time for us but the staff always had full faith in our little girl and knew she would go home well before her due date.
“Elise would tell us that Rhia was a ‘warrior princess’.”
Melina said they were visiting their daughter in the SCN two to three times a day, but it was always difficult leaving her behind when it was time to go home.
After 48 days in hospital, Rhia was finally able to go home with her parents, one month before her actual due date.
She is now thriving and weighs an impressive three kilograms despite her tough start.
“Those ladies in the SCN made Madison and I feel so much more comfortable about leaving the hospital at night,” she said.
“Those cuddles from Aunty Linda and Aunty Jo Jo in the nursery were so very special.
“They would play her music, sing, cuddle and just love our baby and that’s something that I will always remember and be grateful for,” Melina said.
Thank you to the incredible staff in the Mackay Base Hospital Special Care Nursery. 💐
