Baby Rosa, the second daughter of Labour MSP Mark Griffin and wife Stephanie, is finally home after doctors gave her little chance of survival
Miracle Of Baby Born Weighing Just 1lb And So Small Ger Dad Could Hold Her In One Hand
Labour MSP Mark Griffin and his wife Stephanie amazed after miracle daughter Rosa defied all the odds to survive
Born 12 weeks premature and weighing just over 1lb, baby Rosa Griffin was given barely any chance of survival.
But the miracle daughter of Labour MSP Mark Griffin and his wife Stephanie is now back home after a turbulent year for the young family.
In April, the couple were told their unborn daughter was almost certain to die due to an infection Stephanie suffered during her pregnancy which left her close to death.
As they prepared to say goodbye to their baby when she was born three months early, a miracle happened and Rosa clung on to life.
The couple told the Daily Record about the trials they have endured as they finally returned home as a family.
Weighing just over 1lb – the same as a guinea pig – Rosa was rushed to intensive care in hospital near Motherwell.
Over the course of the next five months, she defied all odds to overcome every obstacle in her way.
Now, 22 weeks after she came into the world, and after four blood transfusions and an operation, she has finally been allowed home to her family.
Central Scotland MSP Mark, Stephanie and Rosa’s 21-month-old big sister Eva are on top of the world.
Stephanie, 30, said: “I thank God every day that she came out with her heart still beating and with a chance at life.
“All babies are wonderful but Rosa really defied the odds. She’s our miracle.
“Bringing her into the house, the four of us altogether finally, was the nicest feeling. It was a beautiful sunny night.
“I sat her on the couch in her car seat and she was looking around the place. We took her to each room, showing her around.
“It was the best feeling realising that this was us now. I felt so happy.”
The couple first thought something was wrong when Stephanie became unwell at 23 weeks pregnant.
One night, she felt as though her waters had broken and feared she was about to go into early labour.
Tests at Wishaw General Hospital showed it was unlikely to be amniotic fluid and she was sent home.
Two weeks later, medics phoned to say the tests had flagged up that Stephanie had an infection.
But when she was seen again, she was again told that her waters had not broken.
Days later, at a pre-organised growth scan, they got the news they had been dreading.
Stephanie said: “The consultant told us that there wasn’t a lot of fluid around the baby and that she hadn’t grown at all.
“We were taken into a little side room and he said he was sorry but there wasn’t really much hope for the baby – she only weighed about 400g and she was almost definitely not going to make it. We went home that night and prepared ourselves for what might happen. There were tears.”
After suffering bleeding the next morning, things got even worse for Stephanie.
The infection was coursing around her body and the baby had to be induced immediately – despite being just 28 weeks pregnant.
The couple were told Rosa would not survive the stress and pressure of birth, or if she did it would only be for a few moments.
Stephanie added: “They told me that if she was stillborn they would put her on my chest so I could hold her for a while, or if she was breathing but struggling they would do the same so she could take her last breaths.
“But I couldn’t have coped with that. At the time – this sounds awful – but I said to Mark I hoped she’d be stillborn.
“I even stopped listening into her heart – I didn’t want to hear it slowing down and stopping. I couldn’t bear it.”
Mark, 31, said when Rosa was born he could hold her whole body in one hand.
He said: “She opened her eyes and I looked at her and straight away I thought this baby is fine, she’s going to be OK.
“She did so well – normally they would expect her to be on a ventilator for weeks and weeks but Rosa was on it for 12 hours.
“The midwife had been delivering babies for 30 years and said Rosa was the miracle of her whole career.”
Stephanie was unable to see Rosa again for another two days because her own health deteriorated rapidly.
She began to haemorrhage and had to be rushed to theatre, where she had surgery to save her life.
She said: “I was so scared – I was giving Mark a list of things to do like make sure Eva sees my parents once a week.
Mark added: “In the hospital, it became about getting Steph better.
“We had grieved for what we thought was the loss of Rosa and the focus had to shift to Steph. She just kept bleeding and bleeding and they knew they had to do something to stop it quickly.
“I was trying to calm her down before she went in, I didn’t want her to get worked up and put extra pressure on her heart.
“But I was panicking inside. I absolutely feared she wouldn’t come back.
“I could see how much blood she had lost, that she had no colour in her face and how sick she was looking, as well as how worried the medics were around her.”
Days later, Stephanie was on the mend – but the journey for Rosa was far from over.
She had to have several blood transfusions as well as getting help with her breathing.
After having problems digesting her food, she was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis, a condition which thickens the muscle between the stomach and the bowel.
Rosa had surgery at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow last month.
Now weighing 7lb 5oz, the future is looking good for her. She has two tiny holes in her heart and chronic lung disease but medics are hopeful both conditions will be outgrown naturally.