A miracle Perthshire baby born at just 26 weeks is set to spend her first Christmas at home with her family.
When little Maddison Roddy was born earlier this year she weighed the same amount as a bag of sugar.
The premature tot arrived three months before her due date, clocking in at just 2lbs.
As Maddison was so small, she needed to stay in hospital for the next three months receiving high flow oxygen to help her breathe and being fed through a tube.
She stayed on oxygen until earlier this month when she was finally able to breathe on her own – just in time for Christmas.
Maddison classed as an ‘extreme premie’
Mum Victoria Roddy said she was born after a quick labour at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy on March 13.
She said: “Maddison was born at 26 weeks, which is three months early and classed as an extreme premie.
“There were no concerns about her survival though.
“The medical team were all very positive from early on because Maddison had made good progress within the first few days.
“She just needed time to grow and become stronger.
“Maddison is a little fighter and did amazing considering she was born so early.”
She was kept in Victoria Hospital’s special care baby unit for 83 days and came home on June 3 – two days before her due date.
Victoria continued: “She had to stay in hospital because she was on high flow oxygen and couldn’t come home until she was on low flow oxygen.
“She also had to stay until she was feeding from a bottle and no longer being tube fed.
“We took each day as it came, but the positivity on her progress from the consultants helped put our minds at ease.
“The nurses not only cared for Maddison, but they looked after us as a family and we will be eternally grateful to all of the NHS staff.”
Mum Victoria Roddy
“The nurses were so supportive and caring throughout and would always ensure we understood the medical terminology.
“The nurses not only cared for Maddison, but they looked after us as a family and we will be eternally grateful to all of the NHS staff.”
Baby Maddison needed oxygen support
When she was discharged from hospital, Maddison still required a small amount of oxygen support as she was diagnosed with chronic lung disease, meaning she still required oxygen after 36 weeks.
Once Maddison was home, Victoria said they attempted to take her off oxygen every four weeks and monitored her progress through a sleep study.
Victoria said: “Maddison managed to pass her sleep study test early December and is now oxygen-free at nine months old.
“It’s amazing to eventually have a wireless baby.
Christmas wish come true
“We now have our Christmas wish with her coming off oxygen.”
She said the family, who live in Milnathort, are all looking forward to celebrating Christmas.
“We can’t wait for our first Christmas as a family of five and Maddison’s big brothers, Daniel, 6, and Oliver, 3, can’t wait to celebrate her first Christmas.
“They have already said they will help her open all of her presents from Santa.
“She has only been off oxygen for the last three weeks and already it feels like a distant memory.
“It is so nice to get to see Maddison’s beautiful little face in full without stickers or tubes.”
She added: “Maddison is a healthy little chunky baby at the age of nine months, you wouldn’t think with the size of her that she was ever a 2lb pound baby.”
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