A baby girl who was born prematurely at only 23 weeks gestation is thriving a year after her 146-day hospital stay.
When Mary Barthell was pregnant with her fourth child, the pregnancy seemed mostly normal. However, at the 23-week mark, that changed.
While she was at home, Mary’s water unexpectedly broke, prompting her to go to the medical centre. From there, she was transferred to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, where she began bleeding uncontrollably, prompting doctors to take her for an emergency cesarean section.
Mary subsequently gave birth to baby Loyal Milani, born prematurely on 30 December, weighing just over one pound.
Due to baby Loyal being born so prematurely, she had to remain in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for a long time – over 20 weeks in her case. During this time, she had to undergo several medical procedures, including laser eye surgery.
Baby Loyal’s mother, Mary, described this time in the NICU as “devastating” due to having to take so much time away from her other children to visit baby Loyal. “A lot of stays, travels and long nights. I actually felt like a bad mother at times because I couldn’t be in two places at once”, she said.
“Even though I had a total of four kids and they all [needed] me at the time, one needed me the most”, Mary added. “So many thoughts [were] racing through your mind. [I was] wondering if the baby is going to be okay, [if I] am okay, [if] my other kids [were] okay. It was a lot and still is, actually”.
Mary’s baby suffered from several health issues during her time in the NICU, including chronic lung disease, pneumonia, and rhinovirus; however, as time went on, her general development and health kept improving.
After so many weeks in the hospital, baby Loyal was finally allowed to leave the NICU, which Mary described as the “best gift ever”.
Mary said it had been “joyful to see her grow and overcome most of what they thought she wouldn’t”, describing her baby as a “tough little cookie, but just her being home means the world”.
Baby Loyal has made a lot of progress in the last year
One year after being allowed to go home from the NICU, baby Loyal has made a lot of progress, though she still requires supplemental oxygen and a feeding tube.
“We [were] hoping she would’ve been off by her 1st birthday, but it’s okay [as] long as she’s getting the things she needs to get better”, Mary said about her daughter.
“She’s currently 12 pounds, and we will be doing speech and any other therapy she may need”, she added.
“It’s a lot of driving and stays, [but] just to be heard is worth more than anything”, Mary stated.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Every life is precious, and Loyal’s journey is a powerful reminder of the inherent dignity of all human beings, regardless of their stage of development. Her fight for survival highlights why we must continue to advocate for the protection of all unborn children, recognising their right to life from the moment of conception”.
