At only 23 weeks pregnant, Ellonn Smart gave birth to her tiny baby boy, Jaden Wesley Morrow, who weighed only 13 ounces.
“His arms and toes were moving and he was trying to breathe on his own,” Smartt said, according to Faithwire. “He’s our little miracle.”
The 25-year-old mother was not due until November, but her boyfriend, Jordan Morrow, has supported her throughout the entire scare.
“I know that God chose us specifically for Jaden,” Smartt wrote in a Facebook post to her boyfriend. “You are so strong and I am so, so proud of you. You are our protector and have never left my side. This will be a long road for us, but that’s okay. We are going to rock it out for our boys!”
Smartt had attempted to remain calm throughout her entire pregnancy, but when doctors at Iowa Methodist Medical Center explained the severity of her situation, she broke down.
“They said I was going to have to deliver in the next day or two and there was a good chance he wouldn’t survive,” she said. “That was the moment when I fell apart. I was heartbroken.”
But Jaden has beaten the odds. After an emergency C-section, he survived.
“For most part, Jaden is stable,” his mom shared. “He’s on a ventilator and had a small infection, but his doctors think he looks great. He’s getting breast milk and gaining weight.”
Though the couple hasn’t yet been able to hold their son, they still visit him every day to cheer him on.
According to Dr. Krista Haines, a neonatologist at DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the little one has a long journey in front of him. Babies born prematurely are at high risk for developing disease and infections, although not all little fighters suffer these outcomes, as reported by Today Parents.
“We know too that some of these babies do really, really well and that they can function similar to their peers,” Dr. Haines said. “Early intervention is the most important thing. It’s absolutely crucial.”
Smartt’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for Jaden’s recovery, according to People. Writing in his voice, Smartt wrote on the page, “Weighing in at a whopping 13 ounces, I’m already wowing the Doctors. I’ve heard them use terms like ‘amazing’ and ‘remarkable’ to describe me so far – not bad for someone under 1 pound, huh?”
Photo courtesy: Rawpixels/Pexels
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