In a truly miraculous turn of events, a baby weighing less than a bag of sugar not only survived, but thrived, despite doctors’ bleak predictions. Erin Stones, a tiny bundle weighing just 1lb 10oz, faced numerous challenges at birth, including a hole in her heart and an inability to breathe on her own. Her mother, Claire, was informed by medical professionals that she was likely to have a miscarriage when she sought treatment for what she believed to be a urine infection.
Fortunately, Erin did not arrive within the expected 48 hours, and Claire was transferred to another hospital. There, she received a glimmer of hope – the longer Erin stayed in the womb, the greater her chances of survival. Two weeks later, Erin made her entrance into the world, leaving Claire in awe of the unexpected circumstances. She recounts the moment, “When she was born… they put a tube in so she was ventilated then she was brought over to me to hold her… before they whisked her away to have all the wires put in.”
Erin faced a challenging journey ahead. Her underdeveloped organs required life support for the first month of her life. In addition, she fought off an astounding 13 infections. Claire shared, “Even when we got her off the ventilator we were unable to bring her breathing support down.” Erin’s fragile health mandated various screenings for infections and constant monitoring. Additionally, she had a hole in her heart that did not close naturally. After an operation at just nine weeks old, Erin was on the path to recovery.
Despite the uncertain early weeks, Erin grew stronger by the day. Eventually, she was weaned off life support and transferred to a special care baby unit. It would be three more months until she was discharged from the hospital, but the time finally came. Claire vividly recalls the heartwarming moment her two daughters met for the first time. Seeing Norah hold Erin’s hand in the car seat was a joyous sight.
Erin, now 11 months old, still relies on oxygen support at night, but her heart is perfectly healthy. Claire bravely shared their story to raise awareness for World Prematurity Day on November 17th. Claire reflects on Erin’s incredible resilience, remarking, “She’s such a little trooper. Even when she’s not well she has a smile on her face. She’s the easiest baby ever – she’s happy and easy-going.”
This heartwarming tale reminds us of the indomitable spirit of babies and the unwavering dedication of healthcare professionals. They go above and beyond their roles, becoming not just skilled medics, but also counselors, teachers, and friends during the most frightening times in our lives.
