NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

A baby born at 24 weeks has captured the hearts of Hawke's Bay. Now he's arrived here

By Sahiban Hyde
Hawkes Bay Today·
13 Sep, 2021 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Thirty-three-week-old Elijah focuses on his dad, as he becomes more alert. Photo / Supplied

Thirty-three-week-old Elijah focuses on his dad, as he becomes more alert. Photo / Supplied

A "micro-preemie" baby who has fought for his life every day for nine weeks is finally well enough to be transferred to the Hawke's Bay region whose hearts he has captured.

Elijah, born at 24 weeks' gestation, is improving and growing fast, much to his parents' Madeleine Power and Zayne Ashwell's delight.

He was born at just 24 weeks and two days' gestation on July 6, weighing 610 grams.

Arriving 16 weeks early meant Elijah had to fight for his life at Wellington Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

He was transferred to Hawke's Bay Hospital on Thursday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Elijah's parents bond with him at the hospital. Photo / Supplied
Elijah's parents bond with him at the hospital. Photo / Supplied

His mother has been with him since the day he was born, while her four other kids were being looked after by their stepdad.

"It's so nice to be back. I've missed my kids so much, towards the end my heart was starting to ache," Power said.

"It'd been hard being away from them, but I was in flight-or-fight mode. Now I am home it's starting to sink in about everything we've been through."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Power said Elijah was developing his own personality as he grew and it was "wonderful" to watch.

"He now weighs 1.5kg, he's so alert. He recognises our voices," she said.

Discover more

New Zealand

Watch: Pulp friction - slippery trail of oranges on SH5

14 Sep 12:41 AM

"He follows the nurses around the room and his personality is starting to shine through.

"He's a very cruisy baby and he only kicks up a fuss when he's too hot."

But he still has a long, tough path ahead, she said.

"He needs to gain 500g more before he will be flown back to Wellington for surgery to address his hernias," Power said.

"He will be transferred back to Hawke's Bay depending on how he goes with the surgery and anaesthesia.

"Last week he was diagnosed with pulmonary stenosis, and a stent will be put in at Starship when he's closer to term, but it's not set in stone."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Pulmonary valve stenosis is a narrowing of the valve located between the lower right heart chamber (right ventricle) and the lung arteries (pulmonary arteries).

In a narrowed heart valve, the valve flaps (cusps) may become thick or stiff. This reduces blood flow through the valve.

"He'll be getting a scan next week to see if there's a stiffening of the valve," Power said.

Elijah is 33 weeks now, but is still being fed through a nasogastric tube.

"I pump milk every three hours round the clock and he has 21ml every two hours," she said.

"This week we might try to breastfeed."

Elijah contentedly sleeps in his mother Madeleine Power's arms. Photo / Supplied.
Elijah contentedly sleeps in his mother Madeleine Power's arms. Photo / Supplied.

Both Power and Ashwell have 24-hour access to the hospital and can see Elijah as often as they like, but it's strictly them.

"His siblings haven't met him yet, it's just us," she said.

"We'd like to give a huge thank you to all the support and encouraging words, even from strangers. It has taken a whole village to support us and we are truly grateful."

Hastings-based midwife Hayley Harmer said that as a generalisation, babies born at 24 weeks were typically faced with a "multitude of complications, because essentially they are not ready to deal with life when they are born that early".

"Twenty-three to 24 weeks is often considered the age of viability for premature babies. That being said, most of the body's systems are underdeveloped at 23 to 24 weeks' gestation.

"It's a hard road ahead."

A family friend started a Givealittle page to help them cover any costs incurred for Elijah, and looking after him.

It has raised $4815 to date.

To donate go to https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/elijah-24week-baby?ref=home&ref_code=local_pages

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealander arrested in France charged with attempted murder of political activist

22 Jun 06:37 AM
New Zealand

'Serious injuries': Multi-vehicle crash shuts key Auckland road

22 Jun 05:50 AM
New Zealand

37 players split Lotto Second Division win – where the tickets were sold

22 Jun 05:06 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealander arrested in France charged with attempted murder of political activist

New Zealander arrested in France charged with attempted murder of political activist

22 Jun 06:37 AM

Laotian political activist Joseph Akaravong was stabbed – allegedly by a Kiwi.

'Serious injuries': Multi-vehicle crash shuts key Auckland road

'Serious injuries': Multi-vehicle crash shuts key Auckland road

22 Jun 05:50 AM
37 players split Lotto Second Division win – where the tickets were sold

37 players split Lotto Second Division win – where the tickets were sold

22 Jun 05:06 AM
'Reflection of whakapapa': Māori baby names reveal cultural trends

'Reflection of whakapapa': Māori baby names reveal cultural trends

22 Jun 04:51 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP