A premature baby, smaller than his mother’s palm, fought for his life.
A premature baby in the United Kingdom successfully fought for his life after being born at only 22 weeks gestation. Austin Douglas was born 18 weeks earlier than expected, on March 31. Doctors told his parents, Helen and Rhys, that his chances of survival were very slim.
Austin’s skin was so thin that his organs could be seen through it, and his ear openings had not yet formed.
After weeks of specialized care at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, the baby is recovering, and his parents will be able to take him home on his due date next month.
When Helen arrived at the hospital in March, she was told that her dilation was complete and there was no way to stop the labor. Helen shared, “He has been fighting since day one. I told the doctors that if he is born healthy and alive, I want them to do everything possible to save his life.”
