Baby born at 25 weeks celebrates one year out of the hospital

Nichola and Andrew Burns had been trying to have a baby for years, and had already suffered one miscarriage when they were finally having the baby they had been dreaming of. But then, the unthinkable happened. Their baby girl, Kiera-Drew, came early – very early. At just 25 weeks gestation, Mrs. Burns’ water broke.

“[…] our world was turned upside down,” she told the Daily Mail. “They told us there was a high risk of infection if the baby was born this early and that her lungs weren’t developed enough to breathe on her own – it was so scary.”

Doctors gave Mrs. Burns glucocorticoids, a steroid which mimics cortisol and would help the premature baby’s lungs develop. This would help reduce the risk of future lung issues and help Keira-Drew survive.

Their miracle baby was still in trouble though. The baby they had been trying for, the baby, whom Mr. Burns’ father had died with an ultrasound picture of after a battle with cancer, still had some health battles to face. Her late grandfather, Donald, had wanted a grandchild as much as the couple had wanted to give him one.

Keira-Drew was born weighing just 1 pound 10 ounces. Doctors said she had a heart murmur and the tiny baby went through vision tests, brain scans and heart scans to check for other health issues from being born so young. But after two and a half months in the hospital, Keira-Drew was sent home.

One year later she is doing well. She is close to the average weight for her age and has started learning to walk. Her parents credit the medical staff at St. Mary’s hospital and the Countess of Chester Hospital with saving Keira-Drew. But they also believe her grandfather is helping her from above.

“We couldn’t be more relieved that she’s here, it’s really changed our outlook on life – those steroid injections literally saved her life,” said Mrs. Burns, “and we couldn’t be more grateful.”