A miracle baby who was born a week before the legal abortion limit of 24 weeks is believed to be one of Britain’s youngest ever premature children to survive.
Flynn Parry, now 15 months old, arrived 17 weeks early weighing just 1lb 1oz when his mother Hoda Ali was just 23 weeks pregnant.
Photos of the newborn in hospital show he was barely as big as his proud mother’s hand at just 11 in long, half the size of the average newborn which measures around 20 inches.
Swaddled in bubble wrap after birth, to recreate the cosy warmth of his mother’s womb, Flynn, from Willesden Green, north London, faced a harrowing battle to survive.
His mother Hoda, 36, recalled: ‘A doctor told me, “He’s a fighter – all premature babies are”. It was true. He fought every day.
Miracle baby: Flynn Parry (pictured in hospital at four weeks old in March 2016) is believed to be one of Britain’s youngest ever premature children to survive
Proud: Mother Hoda has her first cuddle with Flynn, after initially struggling to bond with him. Recalling the emotional moment, Hoda said: ‘I just loved it. He was wonderful’
‘I didn’t connect to him for about 10 days after he arrived, though. He was just so, so small. I thought he looked like an alien or a baby bird.’
Customer services executive Hoda and marketing executive Owen Parry, 25, were told at birth their son was unlikely to survive.
‘Doctors said only one in six babies survived the night at his age,’ Hoda explained. ‘Even the one that lived only had a 50 per cent chance of surviving any further.’
Defying all odds, Flynn not only lived, he flourished – becoming a lively toddler, who now runs rings around his doting parents and has not experienced any developmental delays.
Flynn, who was originally due on 6 June 2016, was finally allowed home from hospital on June 16 – still small, but healthy (pictured here on 8 June, to days after his due date)
Tiny: Swaddled in bubble wrap after birth, to recreate the cosy warmth of his mother’s womb, Flynn, from Willesden Green, north London, faced a harrowing battle to survive
The only lasting effect of his premature birth has been some damage to his eyes, because of the time he spent on a ventilator as a newborn, which might mean him needing little spectacles in the future.
‘It’s amazing to see him now,’ said his proud mother. ‘He’s come so, so far.’
Early arrival: Hoda’s waters break at just 22 weeks
Hoda was preparing for a role in an amateur production of the play Dangerous Corner, by JD Priestly, when her waters broke at 22 weeks.
Days earlier she had returned home from a trip to the Philippines with Owen and received the all-clear at her 20-week scan at University of Central London Hospital (UCLH), with the couple told they were having a boy.
Small but strong: Photos of the newborn in hospital show he was barely as big as his proud mother’s hand at just 11 in long, half the size of the average newborn which measures around 20 inches
Miracle: Flynn, now 15 months old, arrived 17 weeks early weighing just 1lb 1oz when his mother Hoda, 36, was just 23 weeks pregnant – and defied all expecations
Hoda said of her tiny arrival: ‘I didn’t connect to him for about 10 days after he arrived, though. He was just so, so small. I thought he looked like an alien or a baby bird’
‘I was driving to rehearsals when I realised I’d forgotten my costume,’ Hoda said. ‘So, I returned home, but arriving at the door, something happened.
‘I thought I’d wet myself, but it wasn’t that. My mum, Soodi, 60, said it was my waters breaking and called 999.’
After being rushed by ambulance to UCLH, Hoda was fed steroids to strengthen her cervix and given magnesium sulphate to halt the labour.
Special delivery: Hoda’s baby weighed just 1lb 1oz
But, on February 13, 2016, after a 30-minute labour, the little boy she and Owen had been so excited about arrived.
Hoda, who is still not sure what caused Flynn’s premature birth, watched her newborn battle sepsis – a potentially deadly form of blood poisoning – and had two brain bleeds caused by his early arrival into the world.
Thriving: The only lasting effect of Flynn’s premature birth has been some damage to his eyes, because of the time he spent on a ventilator as a newborn (seen here with doting parents Owen and Huda in hospital, March 2016)
Early arrival: Hoda had returned home from a trip to the Philippines with Owen and received the all-clear at her 20-week scan at University of Central London Hospital (UCLH), with the couple told they were having a boy – but just two weeks later Flynn arrived
Terrifying ordeal: Hoda watched her newborn battle sepsis – a potentially deadly form of blood poisoning – and had two brain bleeds caused by his early arrival into the world
He also had suspected necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious disease that occurs when the intestinal tissue becomes damaged and begins to die, which is most common in premature babies.
‘Luckily, Flynn didn’t have it,’ said Hoda. ‘But we still had plenty to worry about.’
Health concerns: Brave baby had laser eye surgery at just 13 weeks
After being taken into neo-natal intensive care after his birth, the youngster was put on a ventilator.
But he developed a common premature baby illness, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) where the retinas detach from the back of the eye.
Love: Although Hoda found it hard to bond with Flynn at first, she gradually fell in love with him – especially when she was finally able to cuddle him at a week old
At eight weeks, he was transferred to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, as he began to improve. Then, at just 13 weeks he had laser surgery on his eyes.
He also needed other gruelling operations, including one to remove a hernia at 17 weeks.
‘He really is amazing’: How Hoda eventually bonded with her baby
Although Hoda found it hard to bond with Flynn at first, she gradually fell in love with him – especially when she was finally able to cuddle him at a week old.
Progress: Flynn, who was originally due on 6 June 2016, was finally allowed home from hospital on June 16 – still small, but healthy
‘Walking out of hospital, we were so proud of our boy and everything he’d battled,’ said Hoda, remembering the momentous occasion. ‘He really is amazing’ (Flynn is seen here in January 2017)
Gradual recovery: At eight weeks, Flynn was transferred to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, as he began to improve. Then, at just 13 weeks he had laser surgery on his eyes
Recalling the emotional moment, Hoda said: ‘I just loved it. He was wonderful.’
Flynn, who was originally due on 6 June 2016, was finally allowed home from hospital on June 16 – still small, but healthy.
‘Walking out of hospital, we were so proud of our boy and everything he’d battled,’ said Hoda. ‘He really is amazing.
‘It’s still not clear exactly why I gave birth so early, but if I fall pregnant again I will be monitored for early labour.
‘Flynn brings hope to everyone with premature babies, currently in hospital. You can get through it.’