After Spending Months In The Hospital, The World’s Smallest Surviving Premature Baby Has Been Finally Sent Home
The toughest guys aren’t always the biggest ones. In fact, sometimes, it’s the contrary. Five months ago, a preemie baby boy was born in a Tokyo hospital. But not only was this baby born prematurely at the 24th week, which is 16 weeks earlier than a regular pregnancy period lasts… But he weighed a record-breaking 9.45 oz (268g). The baby was so small and light, that he could have easily fit into a pair of hands. The chances of survival were little, but after months of intensive care, the ‘mini miracle’ proved that he’s born a champion and giving up is not on the menu. He had grown to weigh 7 lbs (3.2 kg) and finally was released home.
9.45oz (268g) was how much this baby boy weighed on the day of his birth
Image credits: Reuters
The tiny baby was born in the 24th week of pregnancy in a Tokyo hospital. Because of complications, an emergency C-section was performed and thus the possibly ‘world’s smallest baby boy’ was born.
Baby was so tiny and fragile, that people dubbed him ‘mini miracle’ and his size was compared to an onion.
Image credits: Reuters
Because of the infant’s state, he was taken to intensive care, where he spent 5 months. Chances of survival for someone this tiny were as small as the baby itself, and even the boy’s mother was unsure if he was gonna make it. But thankfully, the little champion showed his character from the early days and after gaining weight and his health, he was released to his home with his mother.
After months of intensive care, the baby gained enough weight and on the day of leaving the hospital, the baby weighed 7 lbs (3.2 kg)
Image credits: Reuters
An average newborn weighs from 5 to 8 lbs (2,5-4kg), therefore the ‘mini miracle’ baby, his mother and the doctors of the Keio University Hospital can finally relax. The world’s smallest baby boy to be born and survive… Has survived!
The previous record-holding tiny babies, both a boy and a girl, were from Germany
Image credits: fdecomite
The boy weighed 9.6 oz (274g) and the girl 8.9oz (252g), thus still remaining the record-holder for being tiniest baby girl to be born and survive.
People shared their own experiences
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Share on FacebookSo amazingly pleased for you. My son was born at 26 weeks and weighed 1kg. He died twice and was resuscitated twice, got hydrocephalus because of his prematurity at 3 months and had his first brain op then. I was told he was so brain damaged he would probably never walk, talk or be able to feed himself. He went on to have 5 major brain surgeries, at Great Ormond St hospital, as he developed a rare complication of hydrocephalus. Yet today you would never know he'd been through any of this if you didn't know. He's tall for his age, bright, creative and doing really well at school. Keep faith, your little one is amazing and so are you.
That's great news. I'm so glad for you and your family, and especially your son.
Load More Replies...Whoah. I would've been a giant compared to this guy at 11 pounds!
I was born at 27 weeks 37 years ago. I have had so many health issues and skeletal problems related to that. Yes preemies do survive but some do not grow up healthy and happy.
Amazing what science can do with human life. Advancement in medicine has come far and this is proof. I wish this baby and the parents luck with some of the issues premature babies face while growing up. Congrats on your miracle baby.
He is not the smallest surviving permature baby actually, but the smallest surviving premature boy. Record holder is a girl who weighed less than him.
I'm pregnant 36 wks and getting ready, only thing is my baby was diagnosed with trisomy 18, with severe heart defect. He is currently only weighing 3 pounds 4 oz. He was not expected to make it this far, now medical staff don't think he'll make through birth, if he does make it there won't be any intervention only make him comfortable because they expect him to die. They said there is no cardio surgeon that would work on him because he will be so tiny and especially because he was diagnosed with trisomy 18. That he won't live long so there's no point in making him go through pain. I pray and put my baby in God's hands, I don't know what else to do when doctors tell me nothing can be done, feels like I'm letting him die, all I have is God to trust.
My grandfather was born when my great grandmother was 6 months pregnant. This was in June, in Houston Texas. She used handkerchiefs for diapers and expressed her milk and used an eye dropper to feed him. His bed was a shoebox that she put on the door of her wood stove. He was the length of a butter knife and had no eyelashes, fingernails or toenails. When his heartbeat hit weak she gave him drops of coffee. Funny thing is that, after telling this story I've had people ask me if he lived.
Feel so happy for the little trooper. I wish you a healthy and happy life ahead!
All of those resources for a child that was not meant to survive, but we as a nation (in the US) can't seem to find the money to foot the bill to make sure every kid can get a $75 yearly checkup with the dentist or asthma medicine when they need it. It's so irrational.
OMG I can't believe how tiny that baby is... How to you intubate a baby that small?? I can't even imagine the ET Tube, or vent settings, IV's just holy mackerel...
My nephew was born @ 25 weeks, 6 most. after surfactant had been approved by the FDA. Without this miracle substance, these kids would not have survived- at least, the majority of them. Surfactant is what keeps the little air sacs in the lungs from collapsing and prevents the lungs from turning into liver. I worked NICU and before this drug came into use, the horrible chronic lung diseases these babies developed was heartbreaking. It's very stressful working in NICU, but of all the nursing jobs I've had in >45 yrs, it was the most rewarding.
It's amazing what modern technology can do to save lives. I'm glad this baby boy is happy and healthy!
That’s a whole different thing. There have been cases of survival. A post about people with the condition who have lived past infancy could be cool, although maybe hold off on the photos of the babies right after they are born.
Load More Replies...My nephew was born 30 yrs ago at 27 weeks, weighing less than 2lb. He had many bowel ruptures and brain haemorrhages, and had his oxygen level dipped one more time, they were going to let him go. However, he fought through, and is now almost 30; sadly he is severely disabled, and unable to work or communicate properly. I wish every story had a happy ending, but unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way. I love him to bits, I just wish things could have been different for him.
My mom works in the NICU (where the premature babies go). It really is amazing every time I see them grow from the tiny, fragile babies into the strong healthy kids they are now. Also that boy is adorable, send help I'm dying.
These stories are why abortion should be illegal UNLESS the mother and / or baby's health or life is at risk.
Medical technology has gone too far that fetus should not have survived. I’m sure it will not have a very delightful life. And have many troubles in the future. This makes me sad.
Emma McPherson, all life is spiritual. All life begins with God. This is my belief. He was born with a will to live and survive. He will have much to teach the medical field about premie babies and their care. He already has! All life is a gift, and he so far, has made the most of this gift.
Nothing but Love for the strongest little soul alive & to his mommy....try not to worry...he made it this far so God has a purpose for him. He'll be just fine...he's in good hands...after all...God gave him to you <3 xo
My friends baby was born at 22 weeks at just over 8.5 pounds. Shes 11 months old now and weighs 9.6 pounds. They should do better research before making such a statement.
It's impossible for a baby to weigh 8.5 pounds at 22 weeks. That is full term weight.
Load More Replies...This is why abortion shouldn't be performed after the 12th week. So, is this a baby? Yes. It's always a baby. Sweet baby.
Yes, this is a sweet little baby. 12 weeks is very different from 22 weeks though. The earliest survival was 21 weeks.
Load More Replies...Holy s**t ! As I had my 22 weeks ultrasound, i've been told my baby was already almost 500g and this one was only 268g two weeks later ! Don't japanese women EAT when they are pregnant ??!
Perhaps she was ill, which necessitated the C-section in the first place.
Load More Replies...this is why I dont understand why abortion is legal. This child is what most pro choice people would consider just a jumble of cells, yet its finally coming home from the hospital. God bless
not quite - this baby would have been illegal to abort. (Too far along into pregnancy to abort)
Load More Replies...Any thoughts on BP stopping INCELS like yourself from holding accounts? And I don't say this because of your anti-abortion status. I've been reading your hate and bile-filled posts. You HATE women.
Load More Replies...f off with your crooked agenda. this is something completely different.
Load More Replies...So amazingly pleased for you. My son was born at 26 weeks and weighed 1kg. He died twice and was resuscitated twice, got hydrocephalus because of his prematurity at 3 months and had his first brain op then. I was told he was so brain damaged he would probably never walk, talk or be able to feed himself. He went on to have 5 major brain surgeries, at Great Ormond St hospital, as he developed a rare complication of hydrocephalus. Yet today you would never know he'd been through any of this if you didn't know. He's tall for his age, bright, creative and doing really well at school. Keep faith, your little one is amazing and so are you.
That's great news. I'm so glad for you and your family, and especially your son.
Load More Replies...Whoah. I would've been a giant compared to this guy at 11 pounds!
I was born at 27 weeks 37 years ago. I have had so many health issues and skeletal problems related to that. Yes preemies do survive but some do not grow up healthy and happy.
Amazing what science can do with human life. Advancement in medicine has come far and this is proof. I wish this baby and the parents luck with some of the issues premature babies face while growing up. Congrats on your miracle baby.
He is not the smallest surviving permature baby actually, but the smallest surviving premature boy. Record holder is a girl who weighed less than him.
I'm pregnant 36 wks and getting ready, only thing is my baby was diagnosed with trisomy 18, with severe heart defect. He is currently only weighing 3 pounds 4 oz. He was not expected to make it this far, now medical staff don't think he'll make through birth, if he does make it there won't be any intervention only make him comfortable because they expect him to die. They said there is no cardio surgeon that would work on him because he will be so tiny and especially because he was diagnosed with trisomy 18. That he won't live long so there's no point in making him go through pain. I pray and put my baby in God's hands, I don't know what else to do when doctors tell me nothing can be done, feels like I'm letting him die, all I have is God to trust.
My grandfather was born when my great grandmother was 6 months pregnant. This was in June, in Houston Texas. She used handkerchiefs for diapers and expressed her milk and used an eye dropper to feed him. His bed was a shoebox that she put on the door of her wood stove. He was the length of a butter knife and had no eyelashes, fingernails or toenails. When his heartbeat hit weak she gave him drops of coffee. Funny thing is that, after telling this story I've had people ask me if he lived.
Feel so happy for the little trooper. I wish you a healthy and happy life ahead!
All of those resources for a child that was not meant to survive, but we as a nation (in the US) can't seem to find the money to foot the bill to make sure every kid can get a $75 yearly checkup with the dentist or asthma medicine when they need it. It's so irrational.
OMG I can't believe how tiny that baby is... How to you intubate a baby that small?? I can't even imagine the ET Tube, or vent settings, IV's just holy mackerel...
My nephew was born @ 25 weeks, 6 most. after surfactant had been approved by the FDA. Without this miracle substance, these kids would not have survived- at least, the majority of them. Surfactant is what keeps the little air sacs in the lungs from collapsing and prevents the lungs from turning into liver. I worked NICU and before this drug came into use, the horrible chronic lung diseases these babies developed was heartbreaking. It's very stressful working in NICU, but of all the nursing jobs I've had in >45 yrs, it was the most rewarding.
It's amazing what modern technology can do to save lives. I'm glad this baby boy is happy and healthy!
That’s a whole different thing. There have been cases of survival. A post about people with the condition who have lived past infancy could be cool, although maybe hold off on the photos of the babies right after they are born.
Load More Replies...My nephew was born 30 yrs ago at 27 weeks, weighing less than 2lb. He had many bowel ruptures and brain haemorrhages, and had his oxygen level dipped one more time, they were going to let him go. However, he fought through, and is now almost 30; sadly he is severely disabled, and unable to work or communicate properly. I wish every story had a happy ending, but unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way. I love him to bits, I just wish things could have been different for him.
My mom works in the NICU (where the premature babies go). It really is amazing every time I see them grow from the tiny, fragile babies into the strong healthy kids they are now. Also that boy is adorable, send help I'm dying.
These stories are why abortion should be illegal UNLESS the mother and / or baby's health or life is at risk.
Medical technology has gone too far that fetus should not have survived. I’m sure it will not have a very delightful life. And have many troubles in the future. This makes me sad.
Emma McPherson, all life is spiritual. All life begins with God. This is my belief. He was born with a will to live and survive. He will have much to teach the medical field about premie babies and their care. He already has! All life is a gift, and he so far, has made the most of this gift.
Nothing but Love for the strongest little soul alive & to his mommy....try not to worry...he made it this far so God has a purpose for him. He'll be just fine...he's in good hands...after all...God gave him to you <3 xo
My friends baby was born at 22 weeks at just over 8.5 pounds. Shes 11 months old now and weighs 9.6 pounds. They should do better research before making such a statement.
It's impossible for a baby to weigh 8.5 pounds at 22 weeks. That is full term weight.
Load More Replies...This is why abortion shouldn't be performed after the 12th week. So, is this a baby? Yes. It's always a baby. Sweet baby.
Yes, this is a sweet little baby. 12 weeks is very different from 22 weeks though. The earliest survival was 21 weeks.
Load More Replies...Holy s**t ! As I had my 22 weeks ultrasound, i've been told my baby was already almost 500g and this one was only 268g two weeks later ! Don't japanese women EAT when they are pregnant ??!
Perhaps she was ill, which necessitated the C-section in the first place.
Load More Replies...this is why I dont understand why abortion is legal. This child is what most pro choice people would consider just a jumble of cells, yet its finally coming home from the hospital. God bless
not quite - this baby would have been illegal to abort. (Too far along into pregnancy to abort)
Load More Replies...Any thoughts on BP stopping INCELS like yourself from holding accounts? And I don't say this because of your anti-abortion status. I've been reading your hate and bile-filled posts. You HATE women.
Load More Replies...f off with your crooked agenda. this is something completely different.
Load More Replies...
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