A baby who doctors had planned to medically terminate to give his twin brother a fighting chance has defied odds after making a surprise arrival in the toilet.
Corinne Rose was 32 weeks pregnant when she went into labour in the middle of the night - and had to scoop Grayson and Neo Cattanach out of the loo, the Mirror reports. On the day of their birth, Corinne was due to have Neo terminated to help ensure his brother survived, as his amniotic sack burst early and doctors said he was unlikely to make it.
But in nothing short of a miracle, the little fighter - who weighed just 2lb 14oz - is now home with his family after 13 weeks in hospital. Corinne said: “I think it was his big bro, Grayson, bringing him into the world.
“He was like, ‘not today – Neo is coming out with me.’ The poor kid has been through the wringer but he’s such a fighter.”
Due to health issues, the 30-year-old feared she wouldn't be able to have children, and so was overjoyed when she and partner Will Cattanach found out they were pregnant with twins. However, at her 14-week scan, medics found that her waters had broken prematurely, meaning Neo was losing fluid vital for healthy foetal development.
The unborn baby also had his liver growing in his chest cavity and his lungs weren't functioning correctly. At this point, Corinne and Will were told that their baby was unlikely to survive.
Corinne, from Southampton, explained: “We weighed up all the options and decided that a medical termination was the best course of action. Also, it was the best thing for his twin, Grayson, who wasn’t getting nutrients or developing as well because of him.”
After making the difficult decision, the expecting mother was booked in for a medical termination on January 19.
However, on the day of the procedure, she woke up at 2.30am with severe cramps. She managed to make it to the bathroom where she suddenly felt the urge to push - and realised she was in labour.
Corinne said: “Grayson was born first, and he came headfirst into the toilet. I scooped him up and five minutes later, his brother came flying out. It was mad – I had a baby in each hand.”
Corrine and the two boys were immediately rushed to Princess Ann Hospital, in Southampton.
She said: “Neo was placed on my chest in the ambulance, I thought he would just drift off to sleep. But he was moving and squeaking, and trying to open his eyes.”
Grayson, who weighed 4lb 6oz, had a blood transfusion and spent three weeks in hospital. His brother Neo also began to make progress and despite still needing medical assistance, is a 'happy little boy'.
Corinne said: “Neo needs a breathing machine and high flow oxygen. But his liver flipped back to where it’s supposed to be. Apart from his lung development, he’s a happy little boy.
“Grayson is doing well, too. I still can’t believe they’re both here together.”
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