A mother stunned doctors when she reportedly woke up from a 23-day coma the moment her newborn son was placed in her arms. Amanda da Silva, 28, who suffers from epilepsy, had a seizure while 37 weeks pregnant, which she claims was triggered by a heated argument with her husband.
Concerned the seizure could kill both the mother-of-three and her unborn baby, doctors sedated Mrs da Silva and delivered her son Victor via an emergency C-section last February.
Complications set in immediately, forcing medics to place Mrs da Silva in a medically-induced coma to stabilise her, while 4.6lbs (2.1kg) Victor was taken to intensive care.
After spending weeks unable to move or communicate, nurse Fabíola Sá suggested placing Victor on Mrs da Silva’s chest, which immediately caused her heart rate to quicken and tears to cascade down her face.
Mrs da Silva, from Fortaleza, North East Brazil, slowly started to improve until, 20 days after she first held her son, the pair were finally able to go home.
‘We don’t have a scientific answer to what happened but it’s evident we should never underestimate the importance of skin-to-skin contact between mother and child,’ Ms Sá said.
Mrs da Silva, who has no memory of giving birth, said: ‘The first thing I remember was having Victor in my arms, seeing his little head and smelling his lovely scent.
‘It was an amazing situation but at the same time confusing. ‘I asked my dad if the baby was mine. I put my hand on my belly and realised I was no longer pregnant.’
Ms Sá, an intensive care nurse at Ceara’s Assis Chateubriand Maternity Hospital, where Victor was born, said: ‘Her response was immediate. ‘After 23 days in a coma her reaction was inexplicable.’ ‘We never expected such a quick change and everyone in the medical team wept with happiness and relief.’