Meet tiny tot Vinnie O’Rourke, who was smaller than his dad’s watch when he was born.
The babe weighed less than 2lb when he arrived at just 24 weeks in December.
He was so premature that his skin was transparent and his feet were the size of a 50p coin.
Katie Stanley, 30, and Jonathan O’Rourke, 28, had been trying for a baby for six years but were told to “prepare for the worst” after tests showed their boy had a hole in his heart.
Katie admits she was frightened.
She said: “After he was born it was very scary but we knew he was a fighter even then and we couldn’t give up on him.
“He was a hero in our eyes from day one.
“A few days later I was well enough to go and look at him. I was heartbroken. He only weighed 1lb 10oz.
“Everything about him was so small. He was so tiny compared to his dad’s watch. We took a picture of his footprint next to a Paddington Bear 50p coin, they were the same size.”
It was two weeks later before Vinnie’s parents could have skin-to-skin contact with him.
But Katie had been right, her beloved son was a battler and would overcome all the scares on the way.
After more than 14 weeks in two Leeds hospitals – St James and the General Infirmary – the incredible little boy beat the odds and was discharged.
Vinnie, now four months old, is finally enjoying life outside hospital with his family in lockdown at Osmondthorpe, Leeds.
Katie said: “We took him home on March 4.
After what we’ve been through it’s amazing to have him home and relax with him, the best feeling in the world.”
Vinnie is now a healthier weight and piling on the pounds.Katie, a former claims adviser, said: “He’s absolutely thriving and going from strength to strength.”
The couple been trying for a baby for over six years.
They had decided to go for IVF but just before their first appointment Katie discovered she was expecting naturally.
The first trimester of the pregnancy was plain sailing.
But at 18 weeks Katie started bleeding.
She said: “I was taken to the maternity ward at our local hospital and after tests they said the baby was fine and that it was ‘just one of those things’.”
Katie began experiencing regular bleeds and at 19 weeks lost 4.5 pints
of blood.
After an emergency transfusion, medics told her she had “most likely” miscarried due to the volume of blood lost. Thankfully a heartbeat was found and Katie was discharged.
But in yet another scare for the couple Katie began to bleed again at 23 weeks and was taken into the delivery ward at St James.
Katie said: “The doctor told me that all the blood was weakening my cervix even further meaning that I was likely to go into very premature labour.
“I felt helpless. I just wanted to meet my little boy and be his mum.”
After ten hours being monitored at St James she was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary, where they specialise in very premature births.
Just as she was due to be discharged, Katie’s waters broke.
Medics hoped they could delay the birth in order to give the baby a better chance of survival.
But when she developed sepsis they were forced to induce labour her to save her life. She said: “I knew it was too early for him to be born.
“I knew how dangerous it was but tried to stay as positive as possible.
“They gave me lots of injections to help strengthen his lungs and brain.’’
Vinnie was born at 11.44am on December 6 weighing just 1lb 10oz.
He was taken away while Katie was rushed into emergency surgery due to complications with her placenta.
The new mum said: “They put him in a clear plastic bag with a little hat on to keep him warm and then he was gone.
Jonathan went with Vinnie and I was rushed to surgery as my placenta wouldn’t come out. I was bleeding loads and thought that might be the last time I ever saw them both.
“When I saw Vinnie properly two days later, he didn’t look at all like a normal baby as his skin was sticky and see-through but I still loved him so much.’’
Vinnie was a day old when he was diagnosed with two bleeds on his brain and a hole in his heart.
The family were offered a medical trial to address his heart issues, which they accepted.
Finally, after a fortnight, Katie and Jonathan, a self-employed blind fitter, could have skin-on-skin contact with their son.
Katie said his medication seems to have helped and the brain bleeds have gone over time.
“After months on ventilators and breathing machines Vinnie was finally weaned off the help and managed to breathe on his own.”
As he became stronger, Vinnie was transferred to St James Hospital where he even progressed into sleeping in a normal cot and learnt how to feed from a bottle, before being discharged.
Katie said: “He’s not on any oxygen at all now. He feeds normally without any help or tubes.
“We’ve got so much time to talk to him and be with him all day, every day and just be his parents. Even just being able to put a little outfit on him feels so special.
“His feet are no longer 50p size either and he’s much bigger than his dad’s watch now.
“He’s getting chunkier by the day and now weighs 6lb 12oz. We’re so proud of how far he’s come.’
