A premmie from Georgia who defied all expectations after being born at just 22 weeks and one day gestation has just celebrated his second birthday.
Baby Tuff Born had been in his mother’s womb barely 22 weeks when he was born at a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. According to reports, doctors typically do not provide resuscitation for extremely premature babies at 22 weeks, but that one extra day meant baby Tuff was given a fighting chance.
At first, his mum, Michela Born did not think he would survive saying “At one moment, we were preparing for funeral arrangements”.
But Baby Tuff had other ideas and refused to give up. Instead, he recently celebrated his second birthday at the very same neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that saved his life.
Registered nurse Dixie Bonds, who cared for baby Tuff when he was a premmie in the NICU, said baby Tuff was the youngest baby to ever survive and be discharged from the NICU.
“Tuff is a kid that just inspires everyone”, she said. “I think about him and his tiny self when he came out, and then the kid he is today, it reminds me we can do hard things when we have the right support around us”.
Dr Shae Evans, based in Georgia, said the state has one of the highest preterm birth rates in the US, with one in nine babies born prematurely.
“A NICU stay is really like nothing else in medicine”, she said. “And families across Georgia are facing that reality more and more”.
Jake Born, Tuff’s father, said how much of “a fighter he truly is”.
“He’s a wild man now! The epitome of a wild toddler”.
“We are just so blessed”, his mum, Michela Born, said. “That’s all I can say”.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Baby Tuff certainly has an appropriate name. He, and babies like him, 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”.
