In Mumbai’s Rajawadi hospital, an abandoned baby is nursed to health: Khushi, their bundle of joy

Khushi had been rescued that morning after a passerby spotted her inside a dustbin and informed the Powai Police. The newborn, her umbilical cord intact, had weakened breathing and her body had started turning blue when she was brought to Rajawadi.

“After examination, we realised that the child must have been in the dustbin for at least 2-3 hours. We first rushed her to the infant warmer machine and later put her on oxygen,” said Dr Vatkar, who heads the hospital’s paediatric department.

Dr Vatkar said that given Khushi’s prolonged exposure to an unhygienic environment, his team had to ensure that the baby didn’t contract an infection. “Our main challenge was to save her from any possible infection and development of sepsis,” he added.

The quick response paid off. A little over a month since Khushi was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Rajawadi — around 31 weeks old and weighing all of 1.4 kg — doctors are happy at the turnaround. She now weighs 2.2 kg, is active, has a healthy appetite and the most winning grunts, gurgles and coos.

“The first thing I do when I come to work every day is to check on Khushi. She has such a beautiful smile,” said Sadna Patil, one of the nurses who has been attending to the baby. “She is like my daughter. I prayed for days for her recovery.”

Patil recalls that five days after she was brought in, Khushi opened her eyes and smiled. “It was a moment of celebration for all of us who have been attending to her. We have photos of that smile. We were so thrilled to know that she is recovering,” said Patil.

Khushi’s crib at the NICU ward is now the centre of attraction, as doctors, nurses and police officers stop to play with her.

Besides the doctors and the nursing staff, Archana Pawar, a woman police constable attached to the Powai Police Nirbhaya Squad, has been stationed at the hospital.

Doctors said Khushi is being fed breast milk from the human milk bank at the hospital. Dr Swati Eknath, administrative officer of the milk bank, said, “Breast milk helps to increase immunity. It is compulsory for newborn babies, especially those born underweight. Every day, we made sure that we kept some milk aside for Khushi,” Dr Eknath said.

Doctors said that with Khushi having recovered, the process of putting her up for adoption will soon begin. “She will be handed over to the police, who will contact the Child Welfare Committee, which will send her to an orphanage. Our hospital staff came up with the name Khushi. I hope the orphanage retains that name when they get her birth certificate done. We also hope she is adopted by a family that gives Khushi the love and care she deserves,” said Dr Vatkar.