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Last year, Sarah faced the heartbreak of a miscarriage and feared for the survival of her newborn son, Charlie. Her medical history added to her worries, as she battles epilepsy and Type 1 diabetes, conditions that can compromise placental health and result in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
“After spending two weeks in the hospital, doctors warned me that my placenta was on the verge of failing,” Sarah recounted. “I was taken in for a c-section, filled with anxiety. The medical team was concerned that Charlie might be too small for the life-supporting equipment.”
When Charlie was delivered via c-section, the initial prognosis was daunting. Doctors estimated his weight to be a mere 400 grams, underscoring the precariousness of his situation.
“I was extremely nervous. The doctors had said they were concerned about whether Charlie would be too small for the equipment needed to keep him alive.”
Charlie was delivered via c-section and doctors initially estimated he would weigh around 400 grams.
But his first weigh-in revealed the tiny tot has likely broken a record.
He is only slightly heavier than Australia’s smallest newborn Elora De Bondi, who was just 319 grams when she was born in 2007.
“We have had babies born at similar or smaller sizes to Charlie before, but tragically they have not survived,” Mater’s Director of Neonatology Dr Pita Birch said.
“Charlie’s story is the result of many advances in the way we care for very small babies and their mothers – thanks to research, enhanced technology and learning from other units around the world.
“But it’s also down to Charlie too. He’s a tough little guy.”
Two months on, Charlie is now a healthier 1.4 kilograms.
Sarah and her husband Nick will spend Christmas with their son in hospital.
Charlie is expected to remain in a critical care neonatal unit until at least January.