Newborn Charlie Jones believed to be Queensland’s smallest, at a ‘remarkable’ 360g
Charlie Jones, who tipped the scales at an incredible 360 grams, is believed to be the smallest baby born in Queensland.
Little baby Charlie was born at just 26 weeks and two days gestation at the Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane on October 8.
It broke the previous record set by Queensland’s ‘Coke Can Kid’ Jonathon Heeley, who weighed just 374 grams when he was born at Mater Mothers in 1992.
“He’s a very, very special kid,” said mother Samantha Jones.
“Sometimes we thought he wouldn’t make it, but he’s so strong and determined. He’s definitely a warrior.”
Charlie’s parents, Nick and Samantha, learned at the 20-week scan that baby Jones would be “extremely small”.
“Doctors said my pregnancy would probably end in miscarriage and we need to prepare for that, but she can still get through it,” she said.
Baby Jones definitely made it, because she was finally born via cesarean section.
At 360 grams, Charlie weighed only one-tenth the weight of the average newborn boy.
But the successful birth came after Ms Jones spent two weeks at the Mater’s Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist ward and was told her placenta was “near collapse”.
“I was extremely nervous. The doctors had said they were worried whether Charlie might be too small for the equipment needed to keep him alive,” she said.
“I was awake throughout the C-section and Nick was sitting next to me. Thirty seconds after Charlie was born, my placenta completely stopped working; it was so close to not making it.”
Mater’s Director of Neonatology, Dr Pita Birch, said Charlie was an “extraordinary baby”.
“Charlie is a star here; everyone knows he’s our youngest baby and he’s done really well. His family is always here and has been really supportive of Charlie throughout this whole journey. He also has a lot of supporters in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” she said.
Ahead of Christmas, Charlie’s parents are enjoying bonding with their son, spending precious cuddles and skin-to-skin time.
Their little one spent more than two months at NCCU and now weighs 1.44 kg.
