Baby Born Weighing Only 13 Ounces Is Expected To Survive

Ellonn Smartt of Iowa had a vision for the day she would give birth. Like any expectant mother, she was hopeful for a healthy baby born at full term without any complications. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what ended up happening. When Smartt was only 23 weeks pregnant, her water broke. Despite the fact that she knew it wasn’t even close to the time for her to go into labor, she remained as calm as she could and went to the hospital. Once she got to the hospital, the doctors informed her that she would be delivering her baby within the next day or two and that it wasn’t likely her little boy would survive. The news was absolutely crushing for her, according to Today.

There was nothing doctors could do to slow down Smartt’s labor. She gave birth to her baby on July 11, despite the fact that the baby wasn’t expected until this coming November. Despite the doctor’s expectations, the child did survive. Jaden Wesley Morrow was born through a C-section and came into the world ready to fight. He weighed only a shocking 13 ounces at birth. The average weight for a healthy male baby is around 7 pounds and 6 ounces.

It hasn’t been an easy journey for the little guy, but he’s still fighting and has begun to show signs of improvement. Although he remains on a ventilator, he is able to consume breast milk and is starting to gain weight. Smartt and her boyfriend Jordan Morrow are in love with their tiny bundle of joy and have high hopes for his future.

Smartt recalled knowing her son was a fighter as soon as she gave birth to him.

“His arms and toes were moving and he was trying to breathe on his own. He’s our little miracle. For most part, Jaden is stable. 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.”

Doctors told Ellonn Smartt her 13-ounce baby wouldn't survive. Now her son is in stable condition and has grown to over one pound. https://t.co/rbxFloAaJB

— Des Moines Register (@DMRegister) July 31, 2019

As for what can be expected of the baby’s health in the future, there are of course some concerns. Dr. Krista Haines explained some of these concerns.

“Long term we know that there are motor and cognitive delays as well as fine motor delays. We know too that some of these babies do really, really well and that they can function similar to their peers. Early intervention is the most important thing. It’s absolutely crucial.”

Nevertheless, this little boy has already shown his ability to beat the odds.