"The amniotic fluid becomes thick depending on the amount of stool and the amount of amniotic fluid. The thicker the stool the more dangerous it is as baby can inhale it. If that happens it enters the lungs and cause issues for baby to breathe after birth," she says
Dr Saudah adds that post term babies might pass stool before birth and that is a normal occurrence because they have matured and not because the baby is under distress.
Psychological help
Referring to the family's first born daughter, counseling psychologist Jacque Gathu says that children notice things happening in homes. They do feel when things aren't going on right.
Gathu says the child is traumatised and in her own way, she is going through the cycle of loss and grief. She is experiencing trauma as well, knowing her mum is in hospital, having the idea that her sibling is hospitalised and seeing the strain in the parents.
"She is mourning the loss of her mum's affection and presence in her life. She is also mourning the loss of not having her sibling around as anticipated. Her childhood is also lost in the stage because everyone is just going around, trying to find a solution so this child is forced to grow up. There is a huge probability that this girl will be a parentified child because she has to snap out of this and take care of herself, "says Gathu
Gathu adds that you can see the traumatic experience she went through, such that noise startles her which means she has anxiety and panic attacks. Looking deeper, she has poor sleeping habits, low appetite and has probably regressed developmentally.
"It would not be a wonder if she started bed wetting or behaving like an infant who needs constant attention," she says
To help this child, play therapy is needed.
"This is where we use therapeutic toys, engage the child to give her story and her interpretation of what is happening as she plays. At 3, she is not fully eloquent and because play is the language of a child, it would be easier for her to open up," she says
On the parents' trauma Gathu says that there's denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
"The reason am mentioning this is because, the whole family at large is going through these painful changes. They could all do with seeing a loss and grief therapist to help them transition," she says
In a normal set up, an expectant woman goes to hospital, has the baby and comes back home. In this case, this didn't happen. The baby was unhealthy, numerous hospital visit, admissions and the trauma of being detained because of bills.
"It's a lot for a person to absorb. Getting someone to hold their hand is key here. Because they need psychosocial support to make them feel comforted and assured," she adds.
The man also is undergoing a tough moment trying to make ends meet and must have feelings of insufficiency and low self-esteem. He needs to have his morale boosted and encouragement to remain hopeful even in the midst of the storm.