Baby born at 23 weeks now a ‘bubbly and happy’ 3 year old

A Canadian woman whose baby girl was born at 23 weeks and four days is sharing her experience to help other families with premature babies.

Evee was born in May 2022 weighing a little over a pound at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, and was there for 130 days with a series of health issues before she was able to go home. She is now “a bubbly and happy three-year-old”.

In Great Britain, 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.

Hope and resilience

Mum Lauren Helstrom explained: “Despite multiple visits to the hospital, my placenta abruption went undetected, and I was misdiagnosed with kidney stones. I gave birth without being placed on a labor monitor, without an IV, and without pain relief. It was terrifying — chaotic — and traumatic.”

She said that, while in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), she had to ask the staff whether she was meant to be “setting up a nursery” or “planning a funeral”.

Lauren added: “But in those critical moments, the maternity staff and the NICU team rose with incredible grace and skill. They saved my daughter’s life. Their dedication and quick action are something I will be forever thankful for. They held up our world when it was falling apart.”

She shared: “Today, Evee is thriving. She is a shining example of resilience and hope. We are so proud of her and everything she has overcome. She’s faced more in her short life than many ever will — and she continues to amaze us every day.”

@cbcsasknews 'Am I a mother?' That's what Lauren Helstrom kept asking herself during the first few days of her daughter's life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It's also the title of her upcoming memoir about motherhood, survival and hope. Helstrom's daughter, Evee, was born at 23 weeks and four days after gestation, weighing 561 grams, about the size of a bag of candy. She spent the next 130 days in the NICU unit at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatoon. Helstrom says she wants to raise awareness about premature birth and the long shadows of medical trauma, as it can be an isolating experience for many parents.  Even with the struggles that Evee continues to face, Helstrom says she is a bubbly and happy three-year-old, who dances barefoot in the kitchen with great love for Lady Gaga. (Video: Priya Bhat/CBC; Photos submitted by Lauren Helstrom) | #Pregnancy #ChildBirth #NICU #Laboranddelivery #Momsoftiktok #Sask #Canada #CBCNews ♬ original sound – CBC Saskatchewan

Powerful witness

Lauren explained how Evee leaving the hospital was just the start: “NICU staff told me that this was going to be a rollercoaster, and it most certainly was”.

She said: “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my parents, and the NICU staff, especially the NICU nurses… They are angels in scrubs”.

Lauren is now speaking out on social media to raise awareness and support for other families going through similar journeys: “I’m a writer, sharing our story — Am I A Mother? — to make space for the grief, love, and silence too many mothers carry alone. My goal is to speak about NICU survival, maternal trauma, and the strength it takes to hold on.”

Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Stories like Evee’s remind us of the strength and resilience of even the tiniest babies. Her life is a powerful witness to the humanity and value of children born at the very edge of viability”.