Normally, a pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. Rachel Stonehouse’s baby, on the other hand, was born just over half that time – already in the 22nd week of pregnancy. Little Imogen was born in Wales last September and weighed just 515 grams at birth.
The doctors only predicted a ten percent chance of survival for her. But the girl proved to be a true fighter. Despite all medical predictions, she is still alive and getting stronger for her six months after birth. After 132 days in the hospital, the premature baby has now been allowed to leave the hospital, reports the BBC.
But until then it was a long way, for the parents as well as for the child. Just days after the baby shower, Rachel Stonehouse’s water broke. “The pain was terrible. I was just in survival mode for myself and my child,” the 28-year-old told the BBC. Shortly after her arrival at the hospital, the child was already there – far too early and therefore with very little chance of survival.
An ordeal of medical treatments for the little creature followed. It was sometimes difficult for the mother to watch: “Every day she was stung and pricked, but I couldn’t forget that it was about making her healthy.” She often thought: “This baby should be in my womb, but it’s not. The fetus is my baby in front of me now and I have to trust all these people around me now.”
The child had to spend 98 days in the neonatal intensive care unit. This was followed by another 34 days in a special station. The girl was struggling with cerebral hemorrhage, heart murmurs and sepsis, and blood transfusions were necessary several times. But the difficult times were worth it, little Imogen is getting better and better. Rahel Stonehouse would like to thank the medical staff who took care of her daughter and fought for her life: “It was the worst time of my life, but the staff and my family were great. They always trusted my instincts as a mother. “
Source: BBC / Rachel Stonehouse on Facebook
