Miracle of Baby Aaliyah (12 OUNCES at Birth!)

Sky News ^ | 6-20-03

[cgk]

MIRACLE OF BABY AALIYAH

The mother of what is believed to be Britain's smallest baby today hailed her "miracle" daughter for defying doctors' expectations that she would not survive.

Aaliyah Hart was born at City Hospital, Birmingham, three months prematurely and weighing just 12oz.

She is small enough for her mother Lorraine to hold her in the palm of her hand.

Prior to Aaliyah's birth on May 27, Britain's smallest surviving baby was 15oz Dylan Coles, born in Liverpool in 2001.

Mrs Hart, a 37-year-old social worker, said doctors warned her that Aaliyah had only a 10% chance of pulling through.

Describing the moment when she gave birth, Mrs Hart - herself only 5ft, 1in - said: "I literally just cried and cried.

"I could not believe that something so small could survive.

"She was so tiny but she was so active. Her hands were going, she was her own little person and I cried for a long time.

	Proud Mum: Delighted Mrs Hart

"She was surviving - that was my main concern."

Mrs Hart had been trying for a baby for 15 years without success.

She and husband Ricardo, 30, decided to continue with the pregnancy despite predictions that the baby may not survived beyond birth.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Jeff Bissenden said: "I have been a consultant paediatrician since 1980 and I've never seen a baby that size survive.

"Usually, they are miscarriages but she (Mrs Hart) pushed out this little girl who wriggled around, waved her legs and said 'I want to live'."

Dr Bissenden said hospital staff were also amazed at how little care Aaliyah needed, having come off a life support machine two days after her birth.

[cgk]

"She was so tiny but she was so active. Her hands were going, she was her own little person and I cried for a long time."

Baby born 3 months early (24 weeks gestation) ping!

[cgk]

[cgk]

God Bless this baby and this "mum"... praying the baby pulls through...

[Mears]

Does anyone know how little Dylan Coles is doing?

I can't even imagine a baby under 1 lb.What are it's chances to be without severe problems,even if it lives?

[therut]

I want to know how many weeks gestation this baby was. Babies have survived at 22 weeks gestation. To say in months is misleading. A term baby is anywhere from 38 to 42 weeks gestation. The due date is the 40 week mark. Counting is months is misleading. In Arkansas a miscarriage is below 20 weeks. 20 weeks and greater is a still born birth and a birth certificate is required. Parents also bury or cremate the babies. They are not put in the medical waste like a gallbladder would be.

[jocon307]

"I can't even imagine a baby under 1 lb.What are it's chances to be without severe problems[?]"

I don't know much about this, but of course, we were all that small once. My understanding is that it is the lungs that develop last, and this baby doesn't even seem to be on breath support. She appears to be perfectly formed, and by the report is quite lively. So maybe she will be fine. She is just living these next few months of her life in an unexpected place. I imagine one would have to guard against infection, but other than that she should be expected to do ok. She is really a very cute baby girl, and even cynical my hubby is impressed!

There is nothing like a baby, they possess great power, I just really like babies.

[Ruth A.]

I know a miracle baby similar to this. Over 18 years ago he was born extrememly early and under 1 pound. The doctors didn't expect him to live. Through many prayers and a blessing he did--much to the amazement of the nurses and doctors. They braced the parents and said he would probably suffer brain damage or other problems. No problem ever surfaced.

[VeritatisSplendor]

I'd say this baby's chances are pretty darn good - off life-support after two days - the life support itself can cause problems. she's a tough one.

Mrs VS

[VeritatisSplendor]

It's funny, a baby that is small for its gestational age, as this one is, may well have a better chance at survival. If growth is inhibited in the womb, the lungs mature faster . (maybe other digestion and other systems too?) A basis for the old wives' tale going back to the Greeks, that a 7 month baby is more likely to survive than an 8 month baby.

Mrs VS

[JonathansMommie]

My Son was 4lbs 31/2 oz at birth.he had to be on oxygen and a heart monitor for about 5 months after birth but today he is a healthy 30lb 20 month old and the joy of my life.

[homeschool mama]

A baby born to friends of ours weighed 15 oz. He'll be 13 in November, is doing *very* well in school, ski's, fishes and hikes. :o)

[MHGinTN]

According to some at FR, these cllular masses were excellent sources for tissue to treat older human beings, that is, until they messed things up by surviving outside their Mother's body. Selfish things! Aren't the older humans more valuable?... what could these hospitals and doctors be thinking? How could they condemn sick people to disease when such rich cell masses can provide so much useful tissue? ... Yes, that's how some here at FR would characterize this little one and her struggle to survive (survive meaning she is already alive and surviving before birth).

[Bush2000]

What a beautiful little girl! Horray!!!!

[kayak]

Praise the Lord!

[jocon307]

Here's another heart-warmer for you. Super cute baby.

[cgk]

Here's an article that has more information. Apparently mum went into labor 12 weeks early a MONTH AGO!!. The baby is the same size she was at 20 weeks gestation as she had stopped growing in the womb. Truly amazing. Guess the babies are taking it upon themselves to show people they are viable. ;)

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Small enough to fit in mother's hand - but alive
By Catriona Davies
(Filed: 21/06/2003)

Aaliyah Hart is not a month old but has already astounded doctors. Born at 12oz, she is one of Britain's smallest surviving babies.

Doctors had given Aaliyah a one per cent chance of survival, but she has now almost doubled in weight since being born 12 weeks premature.

Her mother, Lorraine, 37, who had been trying for a baby for more than 10 years with her husband Ricardo, spoke of her delight at Aaliyah's progress.

"She's a miracle, so beautiful," she said yesterday. "There's a way to go yet but we can't wait to get her home.

"She was so tiny but she was so active. Her hands were going, she was her own little person and I cried for a long time. She was surviving - that was my main concern."

When Aaliyah was born at Birmingham City Hospital on May 27, she was small enough to fit in the palm of her mother's hand. She had stopped growing in the womb at 20 weeks.

Mrs Hart, a social worker, said the first sign of a problem came after a scan at 18 weeks. "They doubted she would survive. The prognosis wasn't good. They said she was unlikely to survive and that there was a risk of stillbirth, but we were not going to give up on her.

"They offered me a termination, but while her heart was still beating I was not giving up hope.

"I spent the next 10 weeks terrified my baby was going to die. I couldn't believe this was happening to me."

She went into labour at 28 weeks, with Aaliyah still the same size she had been at 20 weeks. "It was a perfectly natural birth and I was only in labour for 40 minutes."

Jeff Bissenden, divisional director at the hospital, said: "I'm amazed the baby did not die in the womb. I think this baby's survival is down to the intrinsic toughness of the child, not down to anything we have done."

Dr Bissenden said it was a mystery why Aaliyah was so small, although it could be linked to her mother, who is 5ft 1in. Rose Reeve, the clinical manager, said: "She is having a little oxygen and we are weaning her off a feeding line, but she is perfectly fine and is even having mum's milk."

Aaliyah is expected to remain in hospital for three months, as she will not be allowed home until she weighs 4lb 8oz and can feed independently.

The only smaller British baby to have survived was Marian Chapman, born at 10oz in Tyne and Wear in 1938. She died at the age of 44.

Before Aaliyah, the smallest baby still alive was Dylan Coles, who was 15oz at birth in Liverpool in 2001.

[cgk]

Words to live by:

"They offered me a termination, but while her heart was still beating I was not giving up hope."

The heart starts beating around day 21 or so of gestation, well before a woman finds out she is pregnant, and starts to consider flushing out that inconvenience. Again, God Bless this mom and her baby girl!

[Ronaldus Magnus]

"They doubted she would survive. The prognosis wasn't good. They said she was unlikely to survive and that there was a risk of stillbirth, but we were not going to give up on her. "They offered me a termination, but while her heart was still beating I was not giving up hope.

Truly an exceptional baby and an exceptional mother.

[Prodigal Son]

Good quote.