When mom Christie Leigh Malik gave birth to baby Ayah 17 weeks earlier than her due date, who weighed only 1 lb, doctors feared the worst. They told her it was unlikely for the baby to survive. The 28-year-old mom had already given birth to a stillborn daughter in 2013 and thought it was going to be another horrific experience all over again.
But baby Ayah, means ‘Miracle’ in Arabic defied all odds and the doctors to go home without any oxygen or feeding tubes.
Earlier after a stress-free development scan at 20 weeks, everything seemed perfect. But Christie realised something wasn’t right when she suffered bleeding at 22 weeks. The days leading up to the birth was traumatic, but the brave mom is happy now.
Christie told, “I phoned my midwife and she said go down to the labor ward and see what they say. I went and they did tests, and then they did an internal one. They said I was four centimetres dilated and in labor.
“I was in shock and thinking if I was to give birth now, what would happen – it was way too early. I was given the statistics, and told if baby comes now there’s not a very good chance.
“My consultant said what would I like to do. I lost a baby, another little girl who was stillborn, so I was like at the end of the day, this is my baby. I want my baby. You do whatever you’ve got to do, because this baby was so very wanted.
“I thought I can’t do this again. I’m not strong enough. You can’t imagine losing one, never mind losing another.
“I thought I was being punished. I thought is it me, is my body failing? I’m not a religious person, but I would pray.
“When you go through something, you grasp onto any bit of hope or faith just to get you through it. If she was fighting, I was going to fight with her. No doubt about that. She is my world.”
There was another problem waiting for christie.
She didn’t have any cots to give birth in the hospital. Eventually after waiting for three hours, she found a cot at Singleton Hospital in swansea. The drive to the hospital took forever feels Christie.
“In the ambulance, a midwife came with me and said if you were to go into labor now, there’s nothing I can do to help the baby. I’ve just got to concentrate on you. It took forever to get there, but we did.
“It was just a waiting game really. I was in Singleton for two days before my waters broke. At that, I was 23 weeks and one day pregnant. Every day counted so much then.”
Chances were slim when Ayah was born prematurely.
The mom said, “They said to me if baby comes out with signs of life, then we will do everything we can to help baby. But if baby comes out with no signs of life, then we’re sorry but we can’t do anything. I’ve already lost a baby, so I know the feeling, and I didn’t want to go through all that again. With the statistics they had given me, it wasn’t looking very good. But I had to have hope.”
Little Ayah was rushed to neonatal care after birth.
Christie said, “I went to see her one or two hours after and she was so tiny. Her skin was transparent. I was looking at her and thinking how something so small, so tiny, with everything so perfect, is fighting for her life. How can something like this survive? But she looked so small. Her skin was tacky, so when I touched her, my fingers were sticking to her skin.
“Everyday, you just don’t know what’s going to happen. I would not leave her side. I was talking to her, singing to her, telling her about her big sister, and saying I’m so proud of you, you’re so strong, mummy loves you so much. I was encouraging her to keep on fighting.
“It was an emotional time, but it was such a massive roller coaster. One day you could have a really good day, the next minute things can switch.
“It felt like you were on the top of a roller coaster – one minute you’re on a high and then the minute you’re at the bottom where you feel like your heart’s in your mouth.
“You don’t hear of 23-weekers being born and surviving. She was so small she could fit in the palm of my hand.”
Christie cannot believe her luck. Little baby Ayah is a happy, bouncy baby now.
She said, “She’s doing absolutely amazing. She gives you the biggest smiles and tries to talk back when you’re speaking to her. She’s such a good baby. She feeds every five hours, she’s so laid back and lets me sleep. It’s a perfect baby. After everything we’ve been through, it’s like nothing phases her anymore.”
This is the miracle of life and so is Baby Ayah who defied all odds!
