A record-breaking ‘premmie’ born at just 22 weeks and six days is celebrating her first Christmas at home with her parents.
Daisy Hart, who weighed just 499g at birth—less than a tub of butter—is the first baby born under 23 weeks at Mater Mother’s Hospital to survive and be sent home.
Her incredible journey home has been nothing short and a source of joy for her parents, Ebony Goddard, 20, and Jeromy Hart, 22, from Crestmead.
“When my water broke, I rushed to the hospital. The doctors told me Daisy would be born soon,” Ms Goddard said.
“I had no idea what to expect, but we were told she had little chance of survival.
“From that moment, we prayed for her survival every single day.”
At birth, Daisy was rushed to Mater’s Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU), where a team of specialists worked tirelessly to keep her alive.
“We were told she was in for a tough battle, but we had hope,” Ms Goddard said.
“There were moments when I thought I would lose her, but the care she received gave us the strength to keep going.”
After two weeks in the NCCU, Daisy was transferred to Queensland Children’s Hospital for critical surgeries on her bowel and brain.
“Daisy had to undergo four surgeries during her time in hospital,” Ms Goddard said.
“The first surgery was when she was just 10 days old, and watching her go through that was heartbreaking.”
Despite the ongoing challenges, Daisy fought on, supported by her parents and medical teams.
“The first time we got to hold Daisy was when she was four days old and it was overwhelming because she was so tiny, and there were so many machines attached to her,” Ms Goddard said.
“But holding her in my arms for the first time was a feeling I’ll never forget.”
Mater Director of Neonatology, Dr. Pita Birch, praised Daisy’s survival as an incredible achievement.
“Daisy’s story is nothing short of miraculous,” he said.
“Advances in neonatal technology and the expertise of our team played a crucial role in her survival.”
Though Daisy is now home, her journey isn’t over.
She may face long-term challenges with development, including potential learning and movement difficulties.
After spending more than five months in hospitals, Daisy was able to go home in November, just in time for Christmas.
“The day we brought Daisy home was the happiest day of my life,” Ms Goddard said.
“She is our little miracle and every day she teaches us what true strength is. We’re so thankful to have her home for Christmas.”
