A mum has finally been allowed to take her little boy home after they both spent 105 days in Liverpool Women's Hospital recovering from his early arrival.
Lucas Georgiou was born prematurely at just 23 weeks and weighing a tiny 1lb 8oz. His delivery left his mum Tracy close to death – and so ill she was unaware she had given birth until three days later.
The Mirror reports that little Lucas was only the size of 'a man's hand' when he was born, and was given just a 25 per cent chance of survival.
Tracy, 31, underwent an emergency caesarian section when she began to bleed back in April after developing the potentially fatal condition placenta abrupta, where the placenta detaches from the womb.
When Lucas was then delivered, his worried dad Costa, 36, didn't think he would pull through.
"Lucas was born, took two breaths and was put straight on a ventilator breathing machine," he told the paper. "He was really tiny, just over the size of my hand. I didn't think he was going to survive. It was madness. I didn't sleep at all. I was staying in hospital as long as I could and then going home to the other children."
The couple had previously lost their 17-week-old daughter Sophia to placenta abrupta last August. Tracy said she knew that 'every minute, every second, every hour' Lucas survived counted.
"Because he was so premature, he had a heart valve problem which didn't respond to medication," she said. "He has evolved in front of our eyes, we have watched what should have been happening in my womb."
She added that she was now 'ecstatic' to be taking her baby home and that winning the lottery could not top how she and her husband now feel.
"Lucas is unbelievable. It's amazing how strong that little guy is," she said. "He is a real life miracle that I have seen and grow in front of me. I feel blessed to have him."
One of her doctors, Mr Bill Yoxall, Clinical Director of the Neonatal Unit, said baby Lucas had battled through all the challenges his extreme prematurity had brought, and that he was pleased to see him going home with his mum and dad.
"They have been very strong through some extremely difficult times and we are delighted that they are able to take their son home," he said.