A boy who miraculously survived his premature birth and was once as small as a cookie has celebrated his first Christmas outside of intensive care.
Paige Hurd, 28, of Indiana, gave birth to twins Ezra and Wells on November 5, 2021, but Ezra tragically passed away at just 25 weeks old.
Their other son, Wells, who was also a micropremature — a baby born before 26 weeks gestation — spent the first 115 days of his life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) fighting for his life.
Although Wells was born in an ambulance where paramedics didn’t have the resources to care for such a small baby, the boy has celebrated his first Christmas a year later and is happy and healthy.
A boy who miraculously survived his premature birth and was once as small as a ‘cookie’ has celebrated his first Christmas outside of intensive care
Paige Hurd, 28, of Indiana, gave birth to twins Ezra and Wells on November 5, 2021, but Ezra tragically passed away at just 25 weeks old
Her other son, Wells, who was also a micropremature — a baby born before 26 weeks gestation — and as small as a cookie, spent 115 days in the NICU
How Wells Miraculously Beat the Odds: Health Implications of a Micro-Premature Baby
A micro preemie is a baby born before 26 weeks gestation or weighing less than 28 ounces.
According to Very Well Family – a website that offers advice on pregnancy and health – there are many short-term and long-term effects that a micropreterm baby can experience.
Short-term effects include:
- Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH): IVH bleeds into parts of the brain. Micro-premature babies have fragile blood vessels in their brains, and these vessels can rupture easily
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC): Because the organs of micro-premature babies have not developed properly, their intestines are vulnerable to infection. In NEC, the intestinal mucosa become infected and begin to die
- Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS): Most micro-premature babies have difficulty breathing after birth because they are so small
- Sepsis: a life-threatening condition caused by bacteria entering the body. Micro-premature babies have an immature immune system and are exposed to many invasive procedures in the NICU, making them more susceptible to infections
Long-term effects include:
- cerebral palsy
- Chronic lung disease
- cognitive problems
- digestive problems
- vision and hearing loss.
- There is only a 75 to 85 percent chance that a baby born at 25 weeks will survive
When he was born, Wells weighed just one pound and 8 ounces, making him a micro-premature baby.
A micro preemie is a baby born before 26 weeks gestation or weighing less than 28 ounces.
In an interview with Newsweek, Paige described the traumatic day Wells was born.
“Being pregnant with twins, I had more scans than usual — all of which were normal,” she said.
“But I just knew something was going to go wrong. I went to two different doctors and they said everything was fine but my maternal instincts were different.
“The day I was born, I felt good as I rocked my then 11-month-old daughter, Hazel, to sleep.
“But then I felt a random pain but it wasn’t very strong, I put Hazel in her cot as the pain got worse.
“I quickly realized it was labor, and between calling my husband and calling 911, I gave birth to Ezra just 15 minutes after I first noticed pain.”
She added that she and her husband Zachary, 28, were “prepared for the worst” and feared losing another child just hours after Ezra’s death.
“Doctors said Wells probably had a cerebral hemorrhage and could have cerebral palsy.” Paige told Newsweek.
She said doctors warned her he might not have a normal life and within the first week his lungs collapsed.
But Paige said she knew he would be fine, even though “the odds weren’t in his favor.”
According to Very Well Family – a website that offers advice on pregnancy and health – there are many short-term and long-term effects that a micropreterm baby can experience.
Short-term effects include:
- Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH): IVH bleeds into parts of the brain. Micro-premature babies have fragile blood vessels in their brains, and these vessels can rupture easily
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC): Because the organs of micro-premature babies have not developed properly, their intestines are vulnerable to infection. In NEC, the intestinal mucosa become infected and begin to die
- Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS): Most micro-premature babies have difficulty breathing after birth because they are so small
- Sepsis: a life-threatening condition caused by bacteria entering the body. Micro-premature babies have an immature immune system and are exposed to many invasive procedures in the NICU, making them more susceptible to infections
A year later, Wells, one, has celebrated his first Christmas with his family and is happy and healthy
In an interview with Newsweek, Paige detailed the traumatic day Wells was born, adding that he is doing very well now
She added that she and her husband Zachary, 28, – who have a toddler named Hazel – are “prepared for the worst” and fear losing another child
Long-term effects include:
- cerebral palsy
- Chronic lung disease
- cognitive problems
- digestive problems
- vision and hearing loss
Adding to the health concerns, there is only a 75 to 85 percent chance that a baby born at 25 weeks will survive.
As the days went by, Zachary and Paige grew concerned about Wells, especially when Paige contracted both COVID and a sinus infection and was unable to visit him.
Paige went on to explain that she can’t “see” him due to her illness, adding that she feels “terrible” not being by his side.
And while she wasn’t able to bring the holiday cheer to NICU, she revealed the nurses put up decorations for Wells to give him some cheer ahead of Christmas.
As Wells fought for his life in the ICU, Paige admitted she felt “helpless,” especially with the nurses responsible for changing and feeding him.
As Wells fought for his life in the ICU, Paige admitted she felt “helpless,” especially with the nurses responsible for changing and feeding him
After 115 days, Paige and Zachary were finally able to bring Wells home
After 115 days, Paige and Zachary were finally able to take Wells home and the mom finally felt like she could take a deep breath.
She added, “I didn’t feel like a mom until he came home on February 28, 2022.”
And although parents were told Wells could have many health issues, Paige revealed he’s doing very well.
Paige said she’s often shocked by her son’s growth, adding that he’s so “muscular” despite once being the size of a “Christmas cookie.”
She stated, “He uses every muscle in his body to do what he wants, he hits milestones faster than Hazel.”
Paige said Wells was able to stand on his own two feet by August, describing him as “a wild little boy” who was “a joy to be around.”
She added, “I didn’t feel like a mom until he came home on February 28, 2022.”
Paige added that she always carries Ezra in her heart and even reminds her kids that they have a different sibling every day
And since the family missed out on spending Christmas all together last year, they made sure to make this year extra special.
Ahead of the holidays, she revealed that the family was putting up their Christmas tree in November, adding that they planned to read Christmas-themed books to the children every night.
At Christmas, Paige, Zachary, Wells and Hazel spent the day surrounded by family after being visited by Santa and were over the moon that they could finally have everyone in the “same room”.
Paige added that she always keeps Ezra in her heart and even reminds her kids that they had a different sibling by reading them a book about the loss of a twin and waving them to the urn containing Ezra’s ashes.
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