When a North Carolina couple went to the doctor for their unborn baby’s 19-week checkup, they were thrilled that they would walk out of the appointment knowing the sex.
However, while the doctor was studying the ultrasound, he found out more than just the gender of the baby. The baby, which was a girl, was suffering from gastroschisis, a condition where the internal organs were growing outside of her skin. With this new information, doctors closely monitored expecting mom Mary Sargent and came up with a plan to immediately perform surgery after birth.
“Before I even had a chance to hold her, she was whisked for surgery,” Mary said about the moment baby Elliotte Sargent was born. Doctors quickly wrapped Elliotte up in a plastic bag so the organs wouldn’t be exposed to air and then rushed her to another operating room to fit the organs back into her belly.
Doctors were able to fit most of the organs back inside. However, Elliote was too small to finish. Instead, Elliotte’s organs were kept in a belly bag, and over the next few weeks, gravity would push the rest of the organs back into her abdomen. Amazingly, baby Elliotte’s organs had fallen back into place within just eight days.
Doctors finally closed up the hole in her stomach, and after what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, new mom Mary and dad William could finally hold their daughter for the first time. “Then, finally, I got to hold her,” Mary said.
“It was an awesome moment. Completely wonderful.” And after 63 days in the hospital, baby Elliotte was finally strong enough to go home. “She’s my miracle,” said Mary. “I wouldn’t be without her.”
Can you believe doctors were able to get this baby’s entire stomach back inside her tiny belly? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.
[Featured image: Mary Elizabeth Sargent/PA Real Life]
Baby Born With Organs Outside Her Body Gets Lifesaving Surgery is an article from: LifeDaily