"Fighting spirit": Tiny premature baby defies odds to go home to Newmilns
Hannah Stibbles was born at just 25 weeks and 1 day gestation, weighing only 325 grams
Last updated 30th May 2022
A miracle baby - thought to be the smallest baby to survive in the UK after being born nearly 20 weeks prematurely - has finally been taken home to Newmilns.
Little Hannah Stibbles was discharged home with her parents last week after five months of being treated in hospital.
Staff at Ayrshire Maternity's Neonatal Unit say they are over the moon.
Mid-wife Caroline Blake told West News she will never forget the feeling.
She said: "It never ceases to amaze me how good you feel when you get to support families ringing that wee bell and taking their baby home.
"That is so rewarding and so satisfying, you couldn't begin to put a price on how lovely that feels for the team."
Beating the odds
Hannah was born at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow on 30 December 2021 at just 25 weeks and 1 day gestation, weighing only 325 grams.
She was transferred to Ayrshire Maternity Unit’s NNU on 28 February this year, when she was 61 days old.
Her parents were told she only had a twenty percent chance of survival, but after months of treatment and monitoring, her parents, Ellie and Brandon, finally got to take Hannah home.
Hannah’s mum, Ellie Paton, said: “I had Hannah prematurely due to preeclampsia. She was born with chronic lung disease and her lungs kept collapsing because of this and how tiny she was.
“Hannah had to be on a ventilator from birth but has gradually been stepped down and now only requires a low flow of oxygen which she can receive while at home.
"She got her feeding tube out and is doing great with demand feeds – she’s now a little chunky monkey at 5 pounds, 15 ounces!
“She has defied all the odds and we are so delighted that we now get to take her home. We’d like to say a massive thank you to the teams involved in Hannah’s care in both Ayrshire and Glasgow – they have been truly wonderful.”
A "wee fighting spirit"
Ms Blake said it's a privilege to help support parents like Hannah's.
She told West News: "It's amazing for Hannah, but it's amazing for every baby that we discharge home, because it's a challenge for all our parents. A lot of our families are not expecting to have a baby that needs neo-natal care.
"I'm just delighted that we were able to be part of that journey. She's absolutely a wee fighting spirit, she's amazing."