Ten ounces of determination: Amillia was little longer than this pen
Prayers for this little one's continued strength and success in her fight to live!
Posted on 02/19/2007 8:09:50 PM PST by ZULU
MIAMI (AP) - A premature baby that doctors say spent less time in the womb than any other surviving infant is to be released from a Florida hospital Tuesday.
Amillia Sonja Taylor was just 9 1/2 inches long and weighed less than 10 ounces when she was born Oct. 24. She was delivered 21 weeks and six days after conception. Full-term births come after 37 to 40 weeks.
"We weren't too optimistic," Dr. William Smalling said Monday. "But she proved us all wrong."
Neonatologists who cared for Amillia say she is the first baby known to survive after a gestation period of fewer than 23 weeks. A database run by the University of Iowa's Department of Pediatrics lists seven babies born at 23 weeks between 1994 and 2003.
Amillia has experienced respiratory problems, a very mild brain hemorrhage and some digestive problems, but none of the health concerns are expected to pose long-term problems, her doctors said.
"We can deal with lungs and things like that but, of course, the brain is the most important," Dr. Paul Fassbach said Monday. "But her prognosis is excellent."
Amillia has been in an incubator since birth and has been receiving oxygen. She will continue getting a small amount of oxygen, and her breathing will be monitored once she leaves Baptist Children's Hospital. She now is between 25 and 26 inches long and weighs 4 1/2 pounds.
"She's going to be in a normal crib, she's going to have normal feedings, she's taking all her feedings from a bottle," Smalling said.
Amillia is the first child for Eddie and Sonja Taylor of Homestead. She was conceived by in vitro fertilization, which made it possible to pinpoint her exact time in the womb, and was delivered by Caesarean section.
Ten ounces of determination: Amillia was little longer than this pen
Prayers for this little one's continued strength and success in her fight to live!
The parents seem rather vague in this article.
Dear Lord, please grant this beautiful little girl a long, happy, healthy life.
As technology gets better, they will be saved earlier and earlier. Kind of throws a wrench in one of the pro-death arguments.
What a wonderful ending to this story. A beautiful life that will touch so many!!
I can't get over how tiny her feet are. What an angel.
This little one proves in glowing color that the child in the womb is not only alive, he or she is building the body for life in the air world ... even outside of mother's sheltering womb, little Amelia worked on her building project assignment from God. She made it too! Interestingly, at her very premature age, her skin was so sentitive that even touching her was painful, yet she battled through even that to grow strong. Praise God, she's going home with Mom and Dad! Bless you, little Lady!
My spelling is atrocious! Make that Amillia!
Willy, tiny as he was, was TWICE this big!
Thank you for that moving story.
I hope indeed that this changes the minds and hearts of many.
Life begins at the moment of conception.
May God continue to bless this precious child, Amillia.
"She now is between 25 and 26 inches long and weighs 4 1/2 pounds."
Does that sound right? It's awfully long for a 4 1/2 pound infant.
HUH?
I am often mistaken and would like this to be another time...
Speed reading will do that to ya! :>)
What did I miss?
Saw this up on Drudge and was hoping I would find it here. What a great testimonial for the pro-life cause.
My little sister was 3'11" when she was born. Even though she was physically and mentally handicapped, she was an absolute angel and cute as all get out! When she passed away at age 25, the church was jam packed for her funeral. She made such an impact on so many people. Her life on this earth had more meaning than alot of "normal" people. Thinking about her now has got me really missing her.
Anyway, my prayers for that little girl and her parents. May God continue to bless them.
God bless this little miracle! I was a premie and I love hearing stories about those who are born early and make it. I wonder, though, isn't 4 1/2 pounds still too small to take home?
Thanks for posting this!
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