A premature baby boy, born at only 22 weeks gestation, has finally gone home from the hospital after a gruelling 257 days.
John Delancey III, known as JJ to his family, weighed just over a pound when he was born, approximately the weight of a can of soup.
He was born extremely prematurely, at only 22 weeks gestation, as his mother did not have any amniotic fluid. Immediately after his birth, JJ was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and kept in an incubator.
Incubators are temperature-controlled, and the babies are wrapped in a sterile plastic bag that mimics the warmth and security that the babies would experience in the womb.
JJ’s sister, Stephanie Daniels, said, “He was very fragile”.
“The first two weeks, the doctors were not sure whether he was going to make it”, she added.
Finally, after 257 days in the NICU, a record for the hospital, baby JJ has finally been able to go home with his family at a very healthy 17lbs. JJ still requires a feeding tube and supplemental oxygen, but improvements will come with time.
Dr Kiran Dwarakanath, the unit’s medical director, said, “It takes extraordinary teamwork to care for a baby born this early, and John reminded us every day why this work matters”.
“Micropremies face incredible challenges from the moment they arrive, yet John showed us time and again what a fighter he is”, Dr Dwarakanath added.
“Our team poured their hearts into helping him grow stronger and it has been a privilege to watch him reach this milestone”.
JJ’s sister, Stephanie, said seeing her brother finally able to leave the NICU was “so rewarding”.
On the day JJ graduated from hospital, he wore his gown and cap, a tradition for babies who spend long periods in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“It was pure excitement, pure joy”, Daniels said of bringing her brother home. “We finally made it”.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Stories like JJ’s remind us of the strength and resilience of even the tiniest babies. His life is a powerful witness to the humanity and value of children born at the very edge of viability”.
