{"id":294206,"date":"2023-07-05T16:32:37","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T21:32:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=294206"},"modified":"2023-11-06T15:38:18","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T21:38:18","slug":"premature-baby-fit-fathers-hands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/premature-baby-fit-fathers-hands\/","title":{"rendered":"Premature baby born so small he could fit in his father’s hands"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Right to Life UK<\/a>) A premature baby born just 4 weeks after the abortion limit and weighing less than 2lbs was so small he could fit in his dad\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

Baby William was born at just 28 weeks gestation in January this year after his mum, Sam Dudgeon, 42, went into premature labour.<\/p>\n

Sam and her husband, Chris, had been trying for a baby for 4 years until in July 2022, Sam became pregnant. Everything seemed to be going as it should until doctors discovered a complication that meant baby William was not getting enough blood flow from the placenta. This meant he had to be born early or Sam and Chris risked losing their baby.<\/p>\n

Baby William was born prematurely on 3 January this year at St. Thomas\u2019 Hospital in Central London, and despite his small size, he didn\u2019t need a ventilator to help him breathe and only required basic oxygen support.<\/p>\n

Dad could hold his whole body in his hands<\/strong><\/p>\n

His mum\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0\u201cMy husband, Chris, could hold his entire body in his hands. He looked so fragile, when he breathed you could see his ribs\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe needed and still needs the support because his lungs are small and can\u2019t provide the requirements he needs but when they grow, he will need it less. The first two weeks were the hardest as we knew if he got through those first two weeks then we would be out of the danger zone\u201d, she added.<\/p>\n

Baby William overcame an infection and an open valve in his heart closed before he was moved to a high-dependency unit.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe doctors were very happy and said he was doing really well, had no issues and just needed time to grow\u201d, Sam said.<\/p>\n

The couple were initially concerned about how they were going to get back and forth from the hospital to see their son, but help was at hand.<\/p>\n

Sam\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0\u201cLuckily for us, we were offered a place at the Ronald McDonald house where we could live close by to the hospital and that was amazing\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout that I would have hardly seen him, and we would have spent loads of money on hotels and travel. Staying there meant I was a 10-minute walk away and I could see him every day\u201d.<\/p>\n

Baby William is now at home and his parents say they feel \u201cblessed\u201d due to all the help they received in looking after him for his first three months of life.<\/p>\n