A baby boy who has become Australia’s most premature baby, being born four and a half months early, is now “thriving”.
Jake and Bree, from Perth, Australia, were on a flight to Queensland for a family holiday when things took a dramatic turn.
Bree had unknowingly caught an infection that had caused her to go into labour early. Baby Stevie was going to be born at just 22 weeks and 2 days gestation, becoming the youngest premature baby ever in Australia.
“Trying to hold her in just meant crossing my legs and holding on for dear life and nothing was going to happen”, Bree said.
Despite being told to prepare for the worst, baby Stevie was a little fighter, and although she weighed only 500g when born, she was determined to make it through.
The family spent three months at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Townsville, Queensland, before finally being given permission to board a flight to return back home to Perth.
Now, baby Stevie is being cared for close to home at a local hospital. She has made it through surgery, sepsis, a bowel perforation, and two collapsed lungs – but now, she’s thriving.
“It’s just crazy, crazy how lucky we are”, Stevie’s mother, Bree, said.
“I really feel like she’s got the strength of two in her, knowing that she can do whatever she sets her mind to, because she’s already done that in many, many ways”, she stated.
“We’ve been through the ups and downs, and good days and bad days and bad weeks but we’ve got a result at the end and she’s pretty special”, Stevie’s father, Jake, added.
Mary Sharp, the medical co-director for neonatal services, said, “You can really see the difference that you can make for parents and their babies”.
“And they’re very precious babies”, she added.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Baby Stevie certainly is a little fighter! It is heartwarming to hear how she is thriving after such a premature birth”.
“Babies like Stevie, born so prematurely, are a constant reminder of the humanity of unborn children, and we hope his story encourages others to protect and support the lives of our most vulnerable children”.
