Parent's of Britain's smallest premature baby finally able to hold her
THE parents of Britain's smallest premature baby have finally been allowed to hold her - six weeks after her birth.
Hannah Stibbles was born on December 30 by emergency C-section at 25 weeks, weighing just 11oz. She is thought to be the smallest baby to survive in the UK, having been given just a 20 per cent chance of pulling through by doctors.
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Parents Ellie Paton, 17, and Brandon Stibbles, 21, have now finally been able to hold her.
The couple, from Newmilns, Ayrshire, were warned by medics "babies that small don't survive". But Hannah was strong enough to breath by herself.
Brandon said: "We have both got to hold her a couple of times.
"It's a completely different feeling. You can either pick her up from the incubator or they can bring her over.
"We prefer that. She's really small. Her eyes have opened and she's pretty aware now.
"She was waving at us, and we wave back. We are there all day, every day."
Ellie added: "It's not just good for her, it's good for us as well.
"We get to change her nappies quite often as well now. She's done amazingly well."
During a rollercoaster month, Hannah's lungs both collapsed, but have since reinflated.
She will stay in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, in Glasgow, until she is big enough to go home.
The couple were stunned when a kind-hearted stranger set up a fundraising page to help them out financially. So far, £320 has been raised.
