Elijah's first cuddle with his mum Madeleine Power. Photo / Supplied
Elijah's first cuddle with his mum Madeleine Power. Photo / Supplied
The father of a baby born four months early is overwhelmed with messages of support saying they help him realise "there is light at the end of the tunnel".
The boy named Elijah was born at just 24 weeks and two days gestation on July 6, weighing 610g, to Hastingsresident Madeleine Power.
Twenty-three to 24 weeks is often considered the minimum age of viability for premature babies.
However, most of the body's systems are underdeveloped at 23 to 24 weeks gestation, so babies, like Elijah, born at that stage often have a long hard road ahead.
Being 16 weeks early meant Elijah has been fighting for his life every day at Wellington Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The last time Elijah's dad, Powers' partner Zayne Ashwell, saw him was the weekend before Covid-19 lockdown.
"He was okay at the time, he'd been diagnosed with NEC [necrotising enterocolitis]," which is a serious disease affecting the intestines of premature infants and was also diagnosed with pericardial effusion, which is a buildup of fluid around the heart.
Elijah bouncing back in health and gaining weight this week. Photo / Supplied
But Elijah is bouncing back and as of Tuesday, he'd gone back on his feeds, said Ashwell.
"And today [Wednesday] he's having about 3ml, and doctors are hoping to get to 13ml in next two weeks," he said.
"He also had his first eye check, which went well. He has stage one ROP [retinopathy of prematurity] and will need another eye check in two weeks, but by the sounds of it, it's very minor and nothing to really worry about,"
He also doubled his birth weight this week reaching 1.306kg.
"If Elijah copes with the feeds, then he could be transferred to SCIBU at Hawke's Bay Hospital in the next two to three weeks, provided there are no complications," he said.
But getting to this point has been hard for the family, with Ashwell also looking after Power's four kids.
Pre-lockdown he was working 40 to 50 hours a week as a heavy diesel mechanic, but post-lockdown his hours have been cut.
"Up until lockdown I was flying between Wellington and [Hastings] every weekend, and had been doing so for about seven weeks," he said.
"I am torn between the kids and being there to support Maddie and Elijah.
"It's hard going through something like this. Maddie has been staying at the Ronald McDonald house, she's alone, there are no familiar faces, you can't communicate with other families.
"The kids have never been without their mum. I am doing as much as I can, we video call, the kids read stories to Elijah, and Maddie gets to see them.
"But it's hard for me because I am not there to support them both as well. To talk to him, to cuddle him, touch him and to be there for Maddie too and support her."
Elijah with his dad Zayne Ashwell and mum. Photo / Supplied
Financially, it was hard on one income, but the family were managing, he said.
"Overtime is where we get our spending money from, and it's hard to just be on one income, but we are managing."
He said all the messages of support received, since the publication of a Hawke's Bay Today story at the weekend were hugely appreciated.
"It's great to have people get in touch saying they are there for us, [it] makes us realise there is light at the end of the tunnel," he said.
"You don't realise what it's like 'til you go through it yourself and it's good to know there are people out there who have been through something similar, reaching out to us."
