A “miracle” baby born at just 24 weeks - who spent almost a year in hospital - is now thriving, say his proud parents.
Under UK guidelines if little Aiden McLaughlin, born weighing 680g - less than 1.5lbs, had been born days earlier doctors may have decided not to provide lifesaving care.
In the UK, 24 weeks into pregnancy is the legal abortion limit and in between 23 and 24 weeks the decision to provide support to the baby if born early is down to clinicians.
Aiden’s dad Sean, who lives with wife Kelly and Aiden, now 18 months old, in West Lane, Middlesbrough, said: “Everything had been going fine during Kelly’s pregnancy.
“On Friday 13, in July 2012 she started bleeding and lost a clot and we actually thought it was the baby.”
The panic-stricken pair called an ambulance which took them to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital.
It wasn’t until they were at the hospital that they were told the baby was still safe.
Kelly was given two lots of steroid injections to help develop Aiden’s lungs in case he made an early arrival.
“It was a massive relief to find out that the baby was OK,” said Sean.
“We actually also found out that Kelly was 2cm dilated.”
Aiden was born on July 16, 2012, at just 24 weeks and three days - full term being 40 weeks - as doctors couldn’t halt Kelly’s labour.
Sean said: “They said to us that the baby would be out in 24 hours. They also said that the baby might not make it through.
“They had to give him oxygen to try and make him breathe.
“Three minutes into doing it we heard a little cry.
“It was just overwhelming as everything had been quiet up until that point.
“It was like looking at Tom Thumb. It was just a little miracle that he was there.”
Aiden was rushed for neonatal care and spent 15 weeks there before being dischared but was back within days due to a chest infection.
Investigations also found he had a hole in the heart and required an operation at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital in December before returning to James Cook.
“Our life was in the hospital with our baby just trying to get him home,” said Sean, who along with Kelly cares for Aiden full time.
And in February, while still in the hospital, Aiden was struck with bronchitis.
“We were actually told to prepare ourselves for the worst,” said Sean.
“They did say to us that we might have to make a choice to leave the machine on or turn it off.
“But we thought ‘it’s a life and we’re in it for the long term.’”
Thankfully Aiden responded well to treatment and by March baby hospice Zoe’s Place, in Normanby, started having him stay overnight in preparation for respite care after his release from hospital on July 3 last year.
The pair are now fundraising for the lifeline service, a special darts match at North Ormesby Working Men’s Club raising £1,650.
Kelly said: “To look at him you wouldn’t know the problems he has had. You would think he was a ‘normal’ 18-month-old.
“He’s crawling and he can hold himself up on his feet.
“He’ll say ‘mum’ and ‘dad’. We are just so proud of him.”
Under UK guidelines if little Aiden McLaughlin, born weighing 680g - less than 1.5lbs, had been born days earlier doctors may have decided not to provide lifesaving care.
In the UK, 24 weeks into pregnancy is the legal abortion limit and in between 23 and 24 weeks the decision to provide support to the baby if born early is down to clinicians.
Aiden’s dad Sean, who lives with wife Kelly and Aiden, now 18 months old, in West Lane, Middlesbrough, said: “Everything had been going fine during Kelly’s pregnancy.
“On Friday 13, in July 2012 she started bleeding and lost a clot and we actually thought it was the baby.”
The panic-stricken pair called an ambulance which took them to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital.
It wasn’t until they were at the hospital that they were told the baby was still safe.
Kelly was given two lots of steroid injections to help develop Aiden’s lungs in case he made an early arrival.
“It was a massive relief to find out that the baby was OK,” said Sean.
“We actually also found out that Kelly was 2cm dilated.”
Aiden was born on July 16, 2012, at just 24 weeks and three days - full term being 40 weeks - as doctors couldn’t halt Kelly’s labour.
Sean said: “They said to us that the baby would be out in 24 hours. They also said that the baby might not make it through.
“They had to give him oxygen to try and make him breathe.
“Three minutes into doing it we heard a little cry.
“It was just overwhelming as everything had been quiet up until that point.
“It was like looking at Tom Thumb. It was just a little miracle that he was there.”
Aiden was rushed for neonatal care and spent 15 weeks there before being dischared but was back within days due to a chest infection.
Investigations also found he had a hole in the heart and required an operation at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital in December before returning to James Cook.
“Our life was in the hospital with our baby just trying to get him home,” said Sean, who along with Kelly cares for Aiden full time.
And in February, while still in the hospital, Aiden was struck with bronchitis.
“We were actually told to prepare ourselves for the worst,” said Sean.
“They did say to us that we might have to make a choice to leave the machine on or turn it off.
“But we thought ‘it’s a life and we’re in it for the long term.’”
Thankfully Aiden responded well to treatment and by March baby hospice Zoe’s Place, in Normanby, started having him stay overnight in preparation for respite care after his release from hospital on July 3 last year.
The pair are now fundraising for the lifeline service, a special darts match at North Ormesby Working Men’s Club raising £1,650.
Kelly said: “To look at him you wouldn’t know the problems he has had. You would think he was a ‘normal’ 18-month-old.
“He’s crawling and he can hold himself up on his feet.
“He’ll say ‘mum’ and ‘dad’. We are just so proud of him.”
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