Influencer Melissa Koh welcomes second baby but it was a 'bittersweet moment'

Every new mum looks forward to holding her newborn in her arms as soon as they’re brought into the world. But sometimes fate has a different plan and unexpected complications happen, as was the case with lifestyle blogger Melissa Koh.

Koh welcomed her second child on June 17, and was over the moon to meet her newborn baby Asher. But right after his birth, the new mum’s time with him was cut short as he was immediately placed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

'It was a bittersweet moment,' says second-time mum Melissa Koh

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On Thursday (June 24), Melissa Koh broke the news of her newborn son’s condition.

She took to Instagram and in her recent post shared that shortly after giving birth to baby Asher, she was faced with a “daunting reality”.

“I had a natural delivery without epidural, it was smooth but definitely painful. Yet it was nothing compared to the emotional ordeal that was to come,” she wrote.

She still had the chance to have skin-to-skin contact with baby Asher, and he was then brought back to the nursery for what was meant to only be a quick check-up. Koh was even informed that her son was “all feisty and good”,

But at around 9.30pm, a nurse updated Melissa that her son’s oxygen levels were dropping and was advised that he be put in NICU for “better one-to-one care”. His lower oxygen levels were suspected to be due to a “wet lung” or “infection.”

Koh took to IG stories to further explain the situation

In her Instagram story, Koh shared that baby Asher’s little fingers were gripping hers “so tightly” when he was brought to NICU around midnight.

An X-ray was then conducted which revealed that he has a heart condition that requires immediate surgery.

Baby Asher transfers hospitals for surgery

As a result, Melissa Koh and her husband made arrangements to transfer their son from Mount Alvernia Hospital to Gleneagles Hospital.

Melissa also asked for an early discharge from the hospital to tend to her baby.

She shared that during the whole ordeal, she didn’t “really feel much pain or discomfort post-birth”, adding that she “didn’t need painkillers or any drugs".

"Just needed my baby by my side so that we could kickstart our breastfeeding journey.”

The open-heart surgery was performed on June 18.

Talking about the night of the procedure, Koh revealed, “It was a sleepless night for James and I as the surgery took place until sunrise the next morning. We were heartbroken to see our two-day-old baby with so many tubes going through him, fighting for his life.”

The couple has since then been holding tightly to each update from nurses and doctors. Koh has even mentioned in her post that baby Asher has made positive progress so far. 

“He’ll be home soon and we can’t wait to welcome him when that time comes,” Koh wrote.

We wish baby Asher a speedy recovery. 

This article was first published in theAsianparent.