BDx13
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Youngest surviving preemie to go home with parents
Tiny Baby to Leave Florida Hospital
By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press Writer
MIAMI - A premature baby that doctors say spent less time in the womb than any other surviving infant is to be released from a Florida hospital
Tuesday.
Amillia Sonja Taylor was just 9 1/2 inches long and weighed less than 10 ounces when she was born Oct. 24. She was delivered 21 weeks and six days
after conception. Full-term births come after 37 to 40 weeks.
"We weren't too optimistic," Dr. William Smalling said Monday. "But she proved us all wrong."
Neonatologists who cared for Amillia say she is the first baby known to survive after a gestation period of fewer than 23 weeks. A database run by the
University of Iowa's Department of Pediatrics lists seven babies born at 23 weeks between 1994 and 2003.
Amillia has experienced respiratory problems, a very mild brain hemorrhage and some digestive problems, but none of the health concerns are expected
to pose long-term problems, her doctors said.
"We can deal with lungs and things like that but, of course, the brain is the most important," Dr. Paul Fassbach said Monday. "But her prognosis is
excellent."
Amillia has been in an incubator since birth and has been receiving oxygen. She will continue getting a small amount of oxygen, and her breathing will
be monitored once she leaves Baptist Children's Hospital. She now is between 25 and 26 inches long and weighs 4 1/2 pounds.
"She's going to be in a normal crib, she's going to have normal feedings, she's taking all her feedings from a bottle," Smalling said.
Amillia is the first child for Eddie and Sonja Taylor of Homestead. She was conceived by in vitro fertilization, which made it possible to pinpoint
her exact time in the womb, and was delivered by Caesarean section.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
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JawnDiablo
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good god that has to be a frightening experience.
sometimes i take for granted my son's being born healthy and normal...minus the parents.
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Voodoobillyman
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I saw this on CNN this morning, good news indeed. It's nice to see when they beat "the odds" given by doctors. I know this hits close to home for you
Big D. Nice to hear.
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BDx13
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no doubt, voodoo. for comparison, my kid was born at 25 weeks, 24oz, 12.5".
during the three months we were in the hospital - one of the best in the country, mind you - none of the 23 weekers brought to the NICU survived.
just a few years later, two of my daughter's therapists are working with kids born at 23 weeks, and this one is going home more or less fine having
been born at 21 weeks.
that's absolutly astonishing when you consider babies are supposed to be in the womb for 40 weeks.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
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Muttley
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Hey BD glad that worked out well for you.... I had a few scares with my twins but they held out until 35 weeks.
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BDx13
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twins! congratulations!
35 weeks is pretty good for twins, isn't it? don't they often come pretty early?
did they have to stay in the hospital long after they were born?
we were at columbia presbyterian up in washington heights. amazing hospital.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
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Gooch
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BD
twins! congratulations!
35 weeks is pretty good for twins, isn't it? don't they often come pretty early?
did they have to stay in the hospital long after they were born?
we were at columbia presbyterian up in washington heights. amazing hospital. |
Weird, my twins were born at 35 weeks as well. I was totally freaked out, but they had no problems what so ever. They were both a little over 5
pounds and spent no time in the NICU at all.
On the other hand, my son who was born a few days late and was like 8 1/2 pounds somehow ended up in the NICU for about 10 hours.
My mind is Clear, Free from hurt. My mind is Clear, Value its worth!
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