Premature baby born at 22 weeks saved by a sandwich bag

When baby Eris entered the world unexpectedly at 22 weeks, she weighed the same as a small can of soup (1lb 1oz).

The premature baby was placed straight into a plastic sandwich bag to keep her vital organs warm.

But she soon developed a series of health problems – including a staph infection caused by bacteria, pneumonia and sepsis – and was placed on a life support machine, as she was unable to breathe on her own.

Over the following weeks, new parents 37-year-old Cayce and 35-year-old Dennis were told to say goodbye to little Eris on more than one occasion.

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Cayce Lee, from North Carolina, said: ‘Eris had pneumonia four times, and we’d be getting calls at 6:30am to come to see her as the hospital was so concerned about her condition.

‘There were so many times when we didn’t think she’d make it.

‘But she pulled through every single time.

‘Her lungs were the main problem, as she really struggled to breathe alone.

‘She was pretty much on all the maxed-out settings on the ventilator.’

The premature arrival of Eris was particularly difficult for Cayce, who had previously had a stillbirth.

She said: ‘The doctor’s stitched my cervix shut to prevent an early breach, and I was having progesterone injections from about 16 weeks.

‘At 19 weeks, the doctor’s found that I was already dilated by two centimetres.

‘I managed to last another three weeks, which helped us to get Eris over the threshold where medical staff could intervene to save her life.’

After going into labour at 22 weeks, Cayce was put under anaesthetic as a surgical team performed an emergency c-section.

In total, Eris spent 254 days in the neonatal intensive care unit and it was a week and a half after she was born that Cayce got to hold her for the first time.

While her husband Dennis was only able to hold Eris after seven weeks – due to her fragile state, along with Covid restrictions.

For the first two months, Eris couldn’t be dressed in normal baby clothes, instead she had to wear special premature clothing.

Even now, at over a year old, she only fits into 9-12-month-old clothes.

Nevertheless, Cayce and Dennis are thrilled with her progress.

The 37-year-old mum said: ‘It’s amazing how much she does, a proper little warrior.

‘There were times when I was terrified that she wouldn’t make it this far, but she proves me wrong every day.

‘She still has a trach and spends most of the day and night on a ventilator, but she’s stable and a happy little girl.

‘But now her lungs are maturing and she is making progress with every passing day.

‘We wouldn’t have her any other way, she’s our little miracle.’

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