The arrival of a newborn is usually a moment of joy and anticipation, but for Grimsby mother Jaz Smith, it was accompanied by the most profound fear imaginable. On this World Prematurity Day, Jaz shares her heart-wrenching story of bringing her daughter, Ayla-Grace, into the world a staggering 14 weeks earlier than expected, with a weight that barely surpassed that of a sugar cube.
Ayla-Grace’s journey began at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Lincolnshire, where quick-thinking doctors and nurses played a pivotal role in saving both her and her mother’s lives. Born on April 29, Ayla-Grace defied all expectations after being given a due date of August 3.
Jaz’s harrowing ordeal began when her liver began to fail due to a separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, leading to a severe lack of blood flow to Ayla-Grace. The situation escalated as complications emerged, with the newborn being born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck four times. Shortly after her birth, Ayla-Grace required delicate heart surgery to address these challenges. Today, she continues to rely on oxygen support but is described by her radiant mother as “absolutely thriving.”
Jaz’s journey into the world of prematurity started with a visit to Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital due to swelling concerns. Doctors initially dismissed pre-eclampsia as a cause, given that Jaz was only 24 weeks pregnant. However, a week later, she returned with persistent swelling and was admitted at 25 weeks. This separation from her three-year-old son was an agonizing experience for Jaz, who found it incredibly difficult to be apart from him.
The situation took a grim turn when Jaz was eventually diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. The pain and anxiety she endured during this period were immeasurable. As she recalls, “My test results came back that I had pre-eclampsia, and I was going to hit full-blown eclampsia mode within seven to ten days. I begged the doctors to let me out and come in for daily checks, but they kept me in one more night, and that’s when my world got turned upside down.”
It was a night she will never forget. With three doctors in her room at 2 am, monitoring her daughter’s heartbeat and calling in a sonographer, they made a shocking discovery. Jaz’s liver was failing, and she had experienced a placental abruption—an ominous condition where the placenta separates from the uterine wall before birth. Ayla-Grace had been deprived of blood flow for several days, and the doctors delivered a grim ultimatum: both mother and daughter were in peril unless immediate action was taken.
Jaz added: “I didn’t get to hold Ayla; I only got to hold her four days after she was born – I cried all the time. It was heartbreaking; I was angry at the world. She had the [umbilical] cord wrapped around her neck four times, and it took more than one person to get it off her.” Doctors found that the tot had a hole in her heart that hadn’t closed after birth, and they tried during two surgeries over two days to close the hole. Finally, open-heart surgery was suggested in July. Jasmine said: “I just fell apart because she was so tiny.”
Jaz remembers, “I didn’t get to hold Ayla; I only got to hold her four days after she was born – I cried all the time. It was heartbreaking; I was angry at the world.” Ayla-Grace faced the added challenge of having the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck four times. Over the course of two surgeries in two days, doctors desperately tried to close a hole in her heart. The situation became even more dire, and open-heart surgery was proposed in July, shattering Jaz’s heart as she contemplated her tiny daughter enduring such an ordeal.
Despite the hardships she has endured, Ayla-Grace is described as a “happy little girl.” Chronic lung disease necessitates constant oxygen support, but Jaz has been given hope that her daughter may eventually outgrow this dependency, potentially by her first birthday.
Ayla-Grace’s journey serves as an awe-inspiring testament to the resilience of premature babies and the dedication of medical professionals who work tirelessly to ensure their survival.
