Doctors gave my 20oz baby up for dead ... but I saved her life with this cuddle ❤

[Queen Esther]

Doctors gave my 20oz baby up for dead ...  but I saved her life with this cuddle ❤

The Power Of Mother’s Love....

It was to be the one and only cuddle Carolyn Isbister would have with her tiny, premature daughter.

Rachael had been born minutes before - weighing a mere 20oz - and had only minutes to live. Her heart was beating once every ten seconds and she was not breathing.

As doctors gave up, Miss Isbister lifted her baby out of her hospital blanket and placed her on her chest

She said: "I didn't want her to die being cold. So I lifted her out of her blanket and put her against my skin to warm her up. Her feet were so cold

"It was the only cuddle I was going to have with her, so I wanted to remember the moment."

Then something remarkable happened. The warmth of her mother's skin kickstarted Rachael's heart into beating properly, which allowed her to take little breaths of her own.

Miss Isbister said: "We couldn't believe it - and neither could the doctors. She let out a tiny cry

"The doctors came in and said there was still no hope - but I wasn't letting go of her. We had her blessed by  the hospital chaplain, and waited for her to slip away.

"But she still hung on. And then amazingly the pink colour began to return to her cheeks

"She literally was turning from grey to pink before our eyes, and she began to warm up too."

Four months later, Rachael was allowed home weighing 8lb - the same as a newborn baby - and she has a healthy appetite.

Miss Isbister, a 36-year- old chemist from West Lothian, said: "Rachael has been such a little fighter - it is a miracle that she is here at all. When she was born the doctors told us that she would die within 20 minutes. But that one precious cuddle saved her life. I'll never forget it."

Miss Isbister and her partner David Elliott, 35, an electronics engineer, were thrilled when she became pregnant.

At the 20-week scan at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, doctors told them she was carrying a girl and they decided to name her Rachael.

But at 24 weeks a womb infection led to premature labour.

Miss Isbister, who also has two children Samuel, 10, and Kirsten, eight, from a previous marriage, said: "We were terrified we were going to lose her. I had suffered three miscarriages before, so we didn't think there was much hope."

When Rachael was born she was grey and lifeless.

"The doctor just took one look at her and said no," said Miss Isbister.

"They didn't even try to help her with her breathing as they said it would just prolong her dying. Everyone just gave up on her."

Ian Laing, a consultant neonatologist at the hospital, said: "All the signs were that the little one was not going to make it and we took the decision to let mum have a cuddle as it was all we could do.

"Two hours later the wee thing was crying. This is indeed a miracle baby and I have seen nothing like it in my 27 years of practice. I have not the slightest doubt that mother's love saved her daughter."

Rachael was moved on to a ventilator where she continued to make steady progress.

Miss Isbister said: "The doctors said that she had proved she was a fighter and that she now deserved some intensive care as there was some hope.

"She had done it all on her own - without any medical intervention or drugs.

"She had clung on to life - and it was all because of that cuddle. It had warmed up her body enough for her to start fighting."

Because Rachel had suffered from a lack of oxygen doctors said there was a high risk of damage to her brain. But a scan showed no evidence of any problems.

As the days passed, Rachael began to gain in strength and put on weight. She had laser treatment to save her sight because the blood vessels had not had a chance to develop properly in the womb. And she also had six blood transfusions....   - -

"We couldn't believe that she was doing so well," her mother said.

"Her heart rate and breathing would suddenly sometimes drop without warning, but she just got stronger and stronger."

After five weeks she was taken off a ventilator and Miss Isbister was able to breastfeed her

Then, after four months, the couple were allowed to take her home - a day they thought they would never see.

Miss Isbister said: "She is doing so well. When we finally brought her home, the doctors told us that she was a remarkable little girl.

"And most of all, she just loves her cuddles. She will sleep for hours, just curled into my chest.

 The cuddle had warmed up her body and regulated her heart and breathing enough for her to start fighting. At 5 weeks she was taken off the ventilator and began breastfeeding on her own. At four months Rachel went home with her parents, weighing 8lbs – the same as any other healthy newborn.

Because Rachel had suffered from a lack of oxygen doctors said there was a high risk of damage to her brain. But a scan showed no evidence of any problems and today Rachel is on par with her peers.

"She is doing so well," says Carolyn, smiling. "When we brought her home, the doctors told us that she was a remarkable little girl. And most of all, she just loves her cuddles. She will sleep for hours, just curled into my chest. It was that first cuddle which saved her life – and I’m just so glad I trusted my instinct and picked her up when I did. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here today.”

Everyone Matters followers - Rachael is now a happy, healthy 6 years old, and sibling to Samuel, 16, and Kirsten, 14.

It shows us: Let's have faith, and hope, and believe in the best outcomes - whether it's about health and a medical diagnosis, or our own lives, careers, aspirations. We DON'T know what's going to happen - so let's not project the fatalism of our past experiences - or others' words - onto a future that hasn't happened yet. Things can change for the better, and BE BRIGHT.

(Thank you to Maria Carkagis, who found this story from 2007 ! )

"It was that first cuddle which saved her life - and I'm just so glad I trusted my instinct and picked her up   when I did

"Otherwise she wouldn't be here today."

Hello,  our  little  big  fighter    Today  she  must  be  10  years  old      ( bec.  born  in  2007 )

FIRST  TIME  -  I  SAW  LITTLE  RACHAEL  SO  BIG  AND  HEALTHY !!  ;-))

<3 ♫ <3 ♫ <3 .•*¨`*•..¸♥☼♥¸.•*¨`*•.♫ <3 ♫ <3 ♫ <3

[Queen Esther]

Hahaha....  Just  born  and  already  smiling   SO  early,  SO  sweet ❤

A  BIG   *THANKS*  TO  ALL  SPECIAL  DOC'S  AND  NURSES  FOR  HELPING  OUR  TINY  ONES

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

This is VERY PROBABLY true as written ... almost to a certainty.

Touch is the most important of all human senses at that age ...

Keep your children LONG on cuddles and hugs and skin to skin contact ...

... and short on pocket money.

[Queen Esther]

Oh  yes....   thats  the  importend  things  in  our  life     I  read,  children  without  touching - love  can  die  at  that    They  need  to  cuddle,  then  they're  more  healthy !   Short  pocket  money  is  not  bad....  but  they  need  learning  to  handle  with  money   ( for  later.. )

PS.  Also  many  animals  need  touching - love....   they  have  feelings  too,  like  humans !    I  just  saw  in  a  video,  HOW  many  animals  enjoy  that,  getting  love  from  us  humans !

Jehovah  gave  me  a  giant  portion  of  love  by  BIRTH....   it  never  ended  -  next  day  full  again ❤