SHE was born weighing just 890 grammes and was small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but this Monday, against all odds, Faith Poulton-Spaull will celebrate her first birthday.
When Faith was born on May 9 last year, she was three months premature and her parents, Ben Spaull and Celia Poulton of Llanidloes, were told she only had a 50-50 chance of surviving the night.
The fact that Faith was born at 26 weeks is all the more staggering when you think that the law on terminations in the UK allows them up until 24 weeks.
As the family makes preparations for Faith’s first birthday, her grandmother, Chris Payne, beamed with pride as she calls Faith ‘a little miracle’.
The birthday celebrations are a world away from the drama of May 9 last year, when Celia awoke with what she thought were stomach pains only to be told by the midwife she was in labour.
At 26 weeks gone it was a terrifying moment for Celia and Ben, who were faced with the horrific prospect of losing their first child.
Celia was rushed from their home in Llanidloes to Aberystwyth Hospital and although she can remember little of the frantic journey for Ben the trip remains a harrowing experience.
He said: “As soon as her waters broke in the ambulance I thought ‘what the hell is happening? This is not right’.”
Faith was delivered within minutes of Celia being placed on the ward at Aberystwyth.
The doctors told her Faith only had a 50 per cent chance of surviving the night.
She said: “They asked us to give her a kiss before they put all the tubes in her. She would fit on your hand with just her little arms and legs sticking out, she was so small.”
Ben said: “If I’m honest I just feared the worst.”
Faith required constant monitoring and treatment, and because she had only been in the womb for six months she was born with a hole in her heart, which was not fully formed, while her ears had also not formed completely and her eyes were sealed shut.
A specialist team from Morriston Hospital in Swansea was transferred to treat Faith at Aberystwyth before she herself was moved to the South Wales Hospital.
Celia remained in hospital for three weeks while Faith was kept in for another two months.
Incredibly Faith has no long term health issues and although smaller than other children her size, Celia says the doctors say she will catch up eventually.
Now as they get ready to celebrate her first birthday Celia says: “I was a bit scared when I finally got her home in case something happened.
“I was a bit worried because of what we’d been through and we had to have training so we could help her if she stopped breathing.
“I still do that now, I always check her breathing before I go to bed. I’m more relaxed about it but it’s difficult.”
She added: “We’re just lucky, she’s wonderful.”