Miracle as tiny 1lb 10oz baby defies odds after mom's body shut down during pregnancy

A baby who was born weighing less than two pounds miraculously defied all odds after his mother's body shut down during pregnancy.

Daphne Washington Chatman discovered that her blood pressure was dangerously high during a 26-week routine check-up, but within just a few days, it was no longer an option to carry her baby to term.

'My body was starting to fail in pregnancy, so they decided to do an emergency C-section,' Chatman told WAFB.

Although her baby boy, Raylon, was delivered three months early and weighed about the same as a water bottle, he was finally able to go home after his three-month stay in the NICU - and is expected to not only survive, but thrive.  

'I didn't get to hold him until three weeks,' Chatman added. 'I got to see him, and my first touch was in a week-and-a-half.

'I'm ready to show him his room and be in our element. Wake up and see him right there.'

Chatman was informed early on in her pregnancy journey that she had hypertension and was a high risk for developing preeclampsia - a serious blood pressure condition that can dangerously affect both the fetus and the mother. 

Preeclampsia - which is seen in about one in every 25 pregnancies - affects the arteries that carry blood to the placenta, leading to risks such as fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, HELLP syndrome and stillbirth. 

At just 26-weeks, Chatman was hospitalized and monitored after a routine check-up revealed her dangerously high blood pressure levels.

Doctors initially hoped that bed rest would allow her to continue growing her baby, but her body quickly began to fail - and the baby needed to come out.

After an emergency C-section, Raylon was born weighing just one pound and ten ounces.

But his start in this world was anything but easy. 

His size - which was smaller than what babies are expected to be at that point in development - left the new mother and her husband terrified about their son's future.

'He looked like a baby that was 25 or even 24 weeks,' Doctor Fernando Soares, a neonatologist, told WAFB. 'His lungs were even less developed than we thought.'

But luckily, Raylon was being treated at Baton Rouge General Hospital, whose NICU is equipped to handle especially challenging and critical cases.

A dedicated team of specialists, which included doctors, nurses, therapists and pharmacists, worked tirelessly to address his every need - and even became a part of the family.

'I became so familiar they thought I worked there,' laughed Chatman.

The most critical element of Raylon's survival was his respiratory care and nutrient intake.

'Nature is beautiful. Mom, when the baby is inside the womb, gives the baby the exact amount of nutrients that they need,' Soares added.

'We need to draw a little sample from baby to figure out what their daily needs are and we customize an IV bag according to the baby's needs.' 

Chatman patiently waited each and every day to be able to hold her son, all while her husband worked to support the family.

The NICU nurses even threw her a baby shower to help the new mother finish the baby prep at home, but Chatman spent every moment by her son's side and was never able to start. 

Just a few weeks after she held her son for the first time, Raylon hit another milestone - drinking milk out of a bottle. 

After receiving around the clock care from the Level 3 NICU, he began to slowly grow and get stronger - so much so that Chatman was eventually able to dress him in tiny Saint's outfits and even a Halloween costume. 

By the time his original due date rolled around, he weighed seven pounds, six ounces - strong enough to go home for the very first time after spending the first 107 days of his life inside the hospital.

'When I first started doing this, the outcomes were not always great,' Soares said. 'But our specialty is evolving as we speak. We're getting better equipment, better medications and better knowledge of what to do.' 

Raylon and his mother were met with waves and hugs from staff on the day he was released from their care as a final goodbye.

Chatman never could have imagined how frightening her first pregnancy journey would be, but she wished for other mothers facing the same challenges to be able to find the same level of support that she had. 

'Don't think it's your fault because it's not,' Chatman said. 'I definitely blamed myself for having an early baby.' 

'If you don't have it, you'll get faith,' she added. 'Just stay strong and positive. Let people help you.'

Although baby Raylon will require some additional oxygen and physical therapy, he has a bright future ahead - and is finally being introduced to the home that he will grow up in alongside his stepbrother who is anxiously awaiting his arrival.

'It's a blessing to be able to watch these babies grow and become strong enough to go home,' Soares added.

And as for the first-time mother, she is looking forward to the routine things - changing diapers and feedings - that have quickly become precious milestones.