Britain's smallest baby who weighed the same as a COKE CAN at just 12oz survives against the odds
- Theo Taylor was smaller than expected at a 19-week scan then stopped growing
- Born at 26 weeks and five days at Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Doctors warned he might not survive and his parents were told to fear the worst
- But little Theo battled on and is now a happy baby aged nearly six months old
Theo Taylor, aged nearly six months, with his mother Katie
Britain's smallest surviving baby boy who weighed the same as a Coke can has survived against the odds.
Theo Taylor was smaller than expected at a 19-week scan then stopped growing altogether and his parents were told to fear the worst.
He tipped the scales at just 12oz when he was born at 26 weeks and five days.
After being delivered by emergency C-section on March 15, he was smaller than his father's hand.
His mother had been offered a termination the day before he was born because of his minuscule size.
Parents Katie Rhodes, 24, and Jay, 27, only got to touch his hand for a few seconds before he was whisked away to be put on a breathing machine.
Doctors warned that he might not survive long enough to go home.
Share this article
But little Theo battled on against the odds and was moved to a lower dependency ward at Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne seven weeks later.
He was finally allowed to go home on July 7 - weighing 7lb 4oz - after an operation to repair a hernia.
'I didn't know babies could be that small': Theo was smaller than his father's hand when he was born (pictured in hospital)
Theo tipped the scales at just 12oz when he was delivered at 26 weeks and five days
Theo is now nearly six months old and is believed to be the smallest newborn to survive in the UK since Aaliyah Hart, now 15, was born at 12oz in May 2003.
'It's weird to think he was the smallest baby ever as he is now so much bigger and doing so well,' said support worker Katie, from Durham.
Theo still takes doses of nasal oxygen but doctors don't think he will suffer any more complications.
I weighed as much as that! Doctors told Theo's parents he was about the weight of a can of Coke when he was born
Miracle baby: Theo was smaller than expected at a 19-week scan then stopped growing altogether and his parents were told to fear the worst
Adorable: Theo aged nearly six months. He was delivered by emergency C-section on March 15
Jay, a delivery driver, said he was the most frightened he has ever been when he saw how tiny his son was.
'I had never ever seen a baby that small – I didn't know babies could be that small,' he said.
'The doctor said he was about the weight of a can of Coke, but even when I picked up a can, it felt heavier than Theo.
'But he is proving everyone wrong. The doctors that first looked after him came in over the weeks to see him and could not believe how well he was doing.'
Theo's family is raising money for Tiny Lives, a charity that helps care for premature babies and their families.
Baby Theo still takes doses of nasal oxygen but doctors don't think he will suffer any more complications
Most watched News videos
- Shocking scenes at Dubai airport after flood strands passengers
- Mel Stride: Sick note culture 'not good for economy'
- Chaos in Dubai morning after over year and half's worth of rain fell
- Appalling moment student slaps woman teacher twice across the face
- 'Inhumane' woman wheels CORPSE into bank to get loan 'signed off'
- Shocking scenes in Dubai as British resident shows torrential rain
- Shocking moment school volunteer upskirts a woman at Target
- Shocking video shows bully beating disabled girl in wheelchair
- Sweet moment Wills handed get well soon cards for Kate and Charles
- 'Incredibly difficult' for Sturgeon after husband formally charged
- Rishi on moral mission to combat 'unsustainable' sick note culture
- Prince William resumes official duties after Kate's cancer diagnosis
