In January, Chloe and Nicholas Kirwan welcomed their son, George, in an emergency delivery at just 28 weeks gestation. He was only 1 lb 7 oz when he was born, but has grown to a healthy 11 lbs. 5 oz., and is doing great.
Little George is a miracle in many ways. His parents tried for three years to get pregnant before successfully conceiving their son. Chloe and Nicholas live in England, so they sought fertility treatments from the National Health Service (NHS). One procedure they tried was “laparoscopic ovarian drilling, a surgical technique of puncturing the membranes surrounding the ovary with a laser beam or a surgical needle.”
When nothing worked, they were preparing to start IVF treatment. But before that was initiated, Chloe discovered she was already pregnant. She took several pregnancy tests because she couldn’t believe the good news.
With the hurdle of getting pregnant overcome, the couple knew that complications were likely, and watched the development of their baby closely and anxiously. Everything seemed fine… until Chloe began to bleed at 18 weeks, so they rushed to the hospital. The bleeding stopped, and there didn’t seem to be any problems, but Chloe was advised to rest as much as possible. Then, 20 weeks into her pregnancy, Chloe discovered that she had COVID-19. Due to the effects of this illness, the doctors informed Chloe and Nicholas that their baby would most likely need to be delivered early.
She was able to make it until 28 weeks, when it was discovered that the baby had stopped growing. He was delivered via c-section. Knowing that it was still possible that George wouldn’t make it, his parents were hopeful when they heard his first cry.
READ: Doctors give premature baby a tiny pacemaker in a groundbreaking surgery
Since George was delivered premature, he hadn’t finished developing. After being held by his parents, he was placed in an incubator for two months, and special machines helped him breathe while his lungs developed.
One heartwarming photo showed George in a sleepsuit, which engulfed his tiny body when he was first born; months later, the sleepsuit finally fits.
During their time at the hospital, Chloe’s experience inspired her to help other parents of premature babies. She and her husband were spending money every day to get coffee and food. There was a small kitchen for the parents, but it wasn’t sufficiently stocked. She raised money to fill the kitchen with essentials, so parents could save some money during their lengthy stays. Chloe also donated ‘Tiny But Mighty’ care packages and emergency overnight bags to the hospital for parents.
George is a testament to the survivability of premature children, and that complications during pregnancy are not a sure death sentence. Other parents in Chloe and Nicholas’s situation might have chosen abortion, and in England, they would have been able to do so legally. But, they fought for their child for whom they had waited so long, and now have a healthy baby boy.
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