ALFIE, OUR (VERY) MINI MIRACLE

Born at 28 weeks weighing 1lb 2oz, his mum’s diary of his rollercoaster fight for survival will make your heart soar

WHEN Alfie Knight was born three months early, at 28 weeks, weighing just 1lb 2oz, the odds were stacked against him. He had underdeveloped lungs and bowel problems, while doctors warned his immature immune system made him vulnerable to infection.

But nothing could dim the delight Alfie’s mum Holly, 32, and dad Lewis, 34, from Yorkshire, felt in their son. From their first glimpse of him in an incubator to his first cuddle and sip of milk, solicitor Holly has charted every milestone. Now, nearly six months on, she shares her heartwarming diary of Alfie’s first days . . .

27days: Pure delight as he finds his voice

After five weeks, Alfie’s lungs have developed enough for him to come off the ventilator, which means we get to hear his voice for the first time. it is like a little squawk, which we record and send to friends and family using our shared text message group. the sound melts my heart and i vow never to tell him to be quiet. to be honest, i’m not sure if that promise will last to the toddler years!

73 days: Moving on to a new hospital

now Alfie’s moving from HDU to special care at nearby st James’s Hospital — another step up.

it takes staff 45 minutes to strap Alfie into a transport incubator for the ambulance ride. He needs to be secure and closely monitored during the journey.

leaving leeds General is daunting, as we will have to learn to trust a whole new set of nurses. luckily the doctors work across both units — we are so grateful to each and every member of the team.

i’ll never forget the nurses staying hours late on their shift when Alfie was suffering from e. coli. their dedication goes so much further beyond ‘doing a good job’.

31 days: Alfie’s first proper outfit

ALFIE is well enough to move to the High Dependency Unit (HDU). It is only across the corridor, but I am apprehensive. In Intensive Care there is one nurse for every baby — I feel as though my comfort blanket has been pulled away. Alfie looks so small, dressed in real clothes for the first time.

80 days: Today is Alfie’s due date

TODAY is the day Alfie should have been born. I can’t believe what a little family we have become already, despite spending our entire time in hospital.

Everything revolves around Alfie, his needs, his sleeping pattern — we joke that we are ‘on Alfie time’.

He weighs 4lb, and I’m starting to believe he’ll come home soon. Nurses say it’s rare for a baby of under 4lb 10oz to be discharged as their immune systems are too weak. We’re so grateful to live in an age when Alfie has a fighting chance.

35 days: Big blue eyes

ALFIE has his eyes tested. They’re worried about retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a common condition in pre-term babies that can lead to blindness. Thankfully, he is clear. Alfie’s eyes are a piercing blue — I could spend all day looking into them.

44 days: E.coli danger

DoCtors warned us this would be a rollercoaster. i can only hope today is our biggest dip. the hospital rings to say Alfie is struggling to breathe. they are putting him back on the ventilator, and he is being given antibiotics. it transpires Alfie has e.coli.

86 days: In the bath he goes

DADDy gives Alfie his first ever bath. Until now we have had to wash him with antiseptic wipes, which ward off infection but feel horrible and cold.

the nurses have shown lewis how to wrap Alfie in a muslin so he feels secure, as though he were still in the womb, then gently lower him into the water and loosen the muslin. His eyes widen and he begins to kick as he feels the warm water. He loves his bath — and still loves it today.