Miracle Baby

Hey guys. I just wanted to share this story with you guys that I read on the news this morning. Its so nice seeing wonderful stories on the news instead of horrible stories. This is the second one in the last 2 weeks that I've seen that I just had to share. The last one was about a girl who had a 1 percent chance of survival and they took her off life support and she continued to breath...for 6 hours...then everything regulated and now shes fine. Amazing! Hope you guys believe in miracles. After these stories I sure do. Hugs MonicaBaby Born at 23 Weeks Doing Well Six Months Laterby Brett Singer Jun 29th 2009 8:00PMCategories: Newborns, Pregnancy & birth, In the newsJessica Hawkins was born at 23 weeks, weighing less than a pound and a half. Photo: Getty ImagesJessica Hawkins was born on December 29, 2008, after only 23 weeks in the womb. She weighed 1 pound, 7 ounces. For comparison, that's less than a Priority Mail package.Now she is 6 months old and weighs in at 9 pounds, 11 ounces. That's still very small for her age -- some children are born at or close to that weight. But she is healthy and alive. She has passed all her vision and hearing screenings, and came home from the hospital without an oxygen tank, which is huge for very premature babies.Her parents, Pete and Sam Hawkins, are overjoyed, of course, but their joy is even more poignant than that of most parents of preemies: Mrs. Hawkins has had five miscarriages; one occurred at 19 weeks, and one at 20 weeks, which is halfway through a typical pregnancy. She had also gone through two cycles of IVF and was told it was "very unlikely" she would have children. When baby Jessica was born at 23 weeks, doctors thought the mother had again miscarried, "but a scan showed [Jessica's] heart was beating."Her parents were stunned. "We couldn't take our eyes off her and are still in disbelief every day that she's actually ours," says Sam Hawkins.Unbelievable Birthscrashmattb on flickr13 photos Every baby's arrival is different -- but some are more remarkable than others. Read on for some truly bizarre birth stories.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)Bizarre BirthsMom, Unaware She Was Pregnant, Has Surprise Baby -- on Christmas!She never felt kicking, didn't notice weight gain, and even kept menstruating!Read Morebuzzybee on sxcBaby Born on London UndergroundUpon exciting the train, this woman promptly went into labor.Read MoreSuserl on sxcWoman Gives Birth to Triplet GranddaughtersThis 56-year-old certainly went the extra mile for her family.Read Morecrashmattb on flickrIVF Used to Beat Breast Cancer GeneIn a controversial procedure, this couple employed genetic screening to make sure breast cancer wouldn't be passed onto their offspring.Read Moreclix on sxcTicketed on the Way to the Delivery RoomThey weren't only stopped and ticketed, the officer made the couple wait while he ticketed someone else.Read Morewoodsy on sxcTwins Born From Cancer Survivor's 13-Year-Old SpermHe froze his sperm while fighting cancer, so that one day he might be a father.Read Moreclix on sxcWoman Goes Into Labor During Obama's Acceptance SpeechSix days past her due date, this mom-to-be really wanted to attend the President-elect's acceptance speech in Chicago.Read MoreGetty ImagesWoman Conceives Triplets While on the PillThe contraceptive didn't just fail, it really, really failed. But fortunately it was a pleasant surprise for the mom-to-be.Read Morethesaint on sxc59-Year-Old Gives Birth to TripletsAt an age when many women are preparing to be grandmothers, fertility treatment gave this woman three babies of her own.Read Morebiewoef on sxcJapan's Oldest Surrogate Mother Carries Her Own GrandchildAt 61, this woman's age alone makes her story miraculous -- not to mention that she was giving birth to her granddaughter, and taking part in a procedure banned by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology's. Read Morejeinny on sxc While Jessica does not appear to have any long-term health issues, premature babies are at higher risk for a variety of things, including higher risk of sudden death in childhood and possible fertility issues as adults. Not so long ago, a baby born at 23 weeks would not have survived; now, neonatal intensive care units are able to stage dramatic interventions to help these tiny preemies live. But is it for the best? Jessica's story comes at the same time as the British Parliament reconsiders the issue of late term abortion. "Last May MPs voted against cutting the upper limit for abortion from 24 weeks to 20 weeks," says the paper. Baby Jessica was born at 23 weeks and survived, which raises questions about when a fetus becomes a baby and what rights the mother has to terminate her pregnancy.Regardless of your beliefs about medical intervention and abortion rights, Jessica Hawkins is a miracle baby. But her story raises all sorts of issues -- about choice and intervention and the proper use of medical technology. We're just glad everything worked out well for the Hawkins family, and we wish them all the best.Brett Singer is the editor-in-chief of DaddyTips.com. You can follow his tweets at Twitter.com/brettsinger.