A Dalbeattie family will bring in the New Year with their special baby boy who fought for his life and won.
Little Niko McColl weighed the same as “a tub of spreadable butter” when he was born three months early.
Mum Stacey Kennedy needed an emergency Caesarian section at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow.
Niko was just 600 grammes – 1lb 5ozs – but has grown like a mushroom ever since.
Now Stacey, partner Graeme McColl and daughters Jamie-Leigh and Madison can’t wait for 2023 – and Niko’s first birthday on February 3.
Stacey said: “It will be an extra special New Year celebration and a new start for us all.
“I can’t thank the medical teams enough at DGRI and especially in Glasgow. They saved Niko’s life – without their care he would never have made it. They helped me and Graeme so much as well.
“They were absolutely amazing. Even in the scary and emergency times they were so calm.”
Stacey and Graeme planned for a May baby and were thrilled with the May 6 due date.
But at 20 weeks Niko was measuring small with diminished blood flow through the placenta.
Concerns over Stacey’s blood pressure grew and she was transferred to the Princess Royal on January 31.
But over the next two days her blood pressure would not stabilise and risks to mum and baby grew.
Stacey, herself a nurse at DGRI, said: “They took me down to theatre for an emergency Caesarian.
“They brought Niko out at 26 weeks and the nurse told me was wriggling and kicking but not breathing.
“They ventilated him manually and two nurses were holding him over with another inflating his wee lungs by squeezing a bag.
“She brought him round so I could see him and my heart melted.
“He was hardly bigger than the palm of the guy’s hand.”
Weeks of dedicated care followed at Glasgow Children’s Hospital with Nko encouraged to breathe unaided for longer and longer periods.
And all Stacey could do was pray her wee boy would pull through.
She said: “There were times I broke down – when all these doctors gathered round his bed I thought the worst.
“But Niko was definitely a wee fighter.
“At the beginning he made these wee squeaks – that was him trying to cry.
“His arms were like Kit Kat sticks but he would still try to push the nurses away when they were dealing with him.
“They said that was good because it showed he’d got fight and energy and the will to live.”
Niko was transferred to Dumfries on March 18 aged six weeks weighing one kilo – a bag of sugar.
Stacey said: “He was still in an incubator but he was making progress and putting weight on.
“We got him home from Dumfries on May 16 so fragile and neat and perfect. My mum said my face was absolutely glowing because I was so happy.
“He weighed six pounds which is a newborn baby’s weight.
“Folk would say aw, he’s so teeny. But he was three and a half months old and big in my eyes!”
Niko now weighs almost seven kilos – 15lbs – and is thriving.
Stacey said: “Looking back it’s scary because he was so small.
“He’s such a clever boy. Niko knows if he makes a noise people will come.
“He’s got his big sisters wrapped round his finger.
“And he’s got this cheeky smile – he knows he’ll get what he wants.
“My wee boy is absolutely incredible.”
