One of Britain’s tiniest babies, who weighed just 1lb 4oz when he was born, survived after he was placed in a plastic bag to keep warm. Pace Galbraith was born at 25 weeks – a staggering 101 days early – and was so tiny he was too frail to even hold or cuddle.
Doctors placed the new-born in a plastic drawstring neonatal bag moments after he was delivered on March 11 to maintain his temperature. The tiny tot has spent the first weeks of his life in intensive care at Bristol Children’s Hospital while his lungs are developing.
His parents Bella and Paul, from Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, now face a 150-mile round-trip to visit their son. Bella, 33, who has three other children, said: “He was actually trying to be born at 24 weeks but we had some drugs to try to delay it. When he was at 25 weeks, he decided he had enough.
“When he was born the doctors worked on him to get him breathing for five minutes. They then they popped him in a neonatal bag, which is basically a drawstring bag type thing that is used to keep him warm because Pace couldn't regulate his temperature."
Bella, a receptionist, was rushed to Worcestershire Royal Hospital after her waters broke on March 7. She was transferred 72 miles away to Bristol where doctors tried to delay labour but were forced to perform an emergency caesarean four days later.
Despite his tiny size, Bella and Paul are now able to hold Pace. Bella said: “You can see how much he’s developing into a normal looking baby. He was minute and his skin is quite delicate so you could not touch him.
“Progress is slow, the lungs aren’t developed until 32 weeks. So he was on a ventilator at first and now he’s on a different breathing machine."
Bella and Paul have now set up a GoFundMe page for donations to help with the cost of travelling to visit Pace. Paul, 42, a prison officer, said: “It's a lot of stress and fuel. Financially we’re struggling because Bella is struggling with her maternity as she started her job at the wrong time as she fell pregnant.
“I was ready to start my prison officer job on March 7 and that was the day she woke me up half past two in the morning and said the baby’s coming. That was quite a stressful moment."
Pace is fighting a presumed sepsis infection and has had to be moved onto a higher capability breathing machine. Mum Isabella commented on the fund-raising page: "He is a fighter and we continue to be amazed and proud of his determination and strength and tell him people other than us are waiting and wishing him a fast and safe return home."
The couple hope Pace will be well enough to leave hospital by June 22 – his original due date.
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