Baby born at 22 weeks celebrates first birthday at home

A baby born at 22 weeks celebrated his first birthday at home in Mississippi after 350 days in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Gabriel Golden weighed just seventeen ounces when born, and was put on immediate breathing support due to underdeveloped lungs. His parents were told he was not expected to survive the night. Now he is home, mum Caroline said it is “overwhelming but in all of the best ways”.

In the UK, abortion is currently permitted for most reasons up to 24 weeks, and up to birth if the unborn child is deemed to have a disability or severe health condition.

Strength

Caroline was diagnosed with a subchorionic haematoma during her pregnancy, a condition where there is bleeding between the amniotic sac and the uterine wall. This complication led to hospitalisation and the premature birth of baby Gabriel. She remembered thinking: “I’m not going to get to meet my baby before he passes away.”

After surviving the first few days, Gabriel continued to have issues with low oxygen levels. He was diagnosed with chronic lung disease and given a tracheotomy to help him breathe.

Caroline and husband Garreth moved from Tennessee to Mississippi to be closer to medical facilities. She wrote: “The emotional roller coaster of being micro preemie parents to a baby that we were told probably wouldn’t survive on multiple occasions is HARD.”

However, sharing the meaning behind her son’s name, she explained: “Gabriel is a warrior. His name means ‘God is my strength’ and we see that as he continues to fight every single day.”

Hope

Now that Gabriel is home, Caroline noted: “It’s the stuff you dream of — the little things. Waking up, making your coffee and then cuddling your baby. Things that most people just take for granted.”

Dr Meaghan Ransom, who treated Gabriel, explained: “Taking care of babies like Gabriel, who have developed chronic lung disease from their extreme prematurity, is one of the greatest challenges and one of the greatest joys in medicine”.

She added: “We have a lot of hope that babies born early can grow and thrive, with lung development continuing through childhood”.

Catherine Robinson, spokeswoman for Right To Life UK, commented: “It is inspiring to hear what a little fighter baby Gabriel is. It is great that he is continuing to improve at home, and that both his family and doctor are hopeful that he will continue to get better over time”.