Charlie’s mum Samantha sadly suffered a miscarriage last year and was worried her baby boy wouldn’t make it.
Samantha also suffers from epilepsy and Type 1 diabetes, both of which may have impacted her placental function and led to something called IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction).
“After two weeks in hospital the doctors told me it looked like my placenta was about to fail and I was taken down to have a c-section delivery,” Samantha said.
“I was extremely nervous. The doctors had said they were concerned about whether Charlie would be too small for the equipment needed to keep him alive.”
Charlie was delivered via c-section and doctors initially estimated he would weigh around 400 grams.
But his first weigh-in revealed the tiny tot has likely broken a record.
He is only slightly heavier than Australia’s smallest newborn Elora De Bondi, who was just 319 grams when she was born in 2007.
“We have had babies born at similar or smaller sizes to Charlie before, but tragically they have not survived,” Mater’s Director of Neonatology Dr Pita Birch said.
“Charlie’s story is the result of many advances in the way we care for very small babies and their mothers – thanks to research, enhanced technology and learning from other units around the world.
“But it’s also down to Charlie too. He’s a tough little guy.”
Two months on, Charlie is now a healthier 1.4 kilograms.
Samantha and her husband Nick will spend Christmas with their son in hospital.
Charlie is expected to remain in a critical care neonatal unit until at least January.
