Kimberley – The “miracle” baby who weighed just 525g when she was born in an ambulance rushing her mom to a Kakamas hospital and has never been on life support, has astounded doctors.
Lee-Anne Adonis now weighs 625g, Netwerk24 reported.
Lee-Ann was born prematurely between 22 and 25 weeks in an ambulance on January 12 with the aid of a midwife. She was airlifted to the Bloemfontein Mediclinic, where Dr Jaco Neser treated her.
Neser said everything was perfect: her lungs were amazing, the heart fine, her sugar levels normal and her blood count like that of an adult.
She had been breathing on her own since birth. Neser said he had treated many premature babies, but never one who did not need life support.
‘A small miracle’
“I’ve never seen anything like this. Everything about her is special. A small miracle. She will develop just like any other premature baby.”
There was no indication that Lee-Anne sustained permanent damage.
Lee-Anne’s mother, Antoinette, a housewife from Nababeep in Namaqualand, only found out she was pregnant about two weeks before the infant’s birth.
Lee-Anne’s sudden arrival was a shock for her and her husband John, but also a pleasant surprise, she said.
“I wasn’t prepared at all. We hadn’t even bought her clothes yet.”
All she wants now, is to hold her baby in her arms.
“I am sad. She is thousands of kilometres from me, but as soon as I have enough money, I will buy a bus ticket to visit her.”
Hospital spokesperson Barbara Steenkamp said Lee-Anne was being treated in an incubator in the ICU for premature babies and being tube-fed.
“She is a special child who has crept into our hearts.”
