Meet the premature 2lbs 13oz baby who was born so small at 28 weeks he was dwarfed by his teddy.<br /><br />Elias Del Collo was born 12 weeks early and spent 98 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) fighting for his life.<br /><br />His mum, Rebekah, 36, had started haemorrhaging and was blue-lighted to Inspira Hospital, New Jersey, US, where Elias was born just hours later.<br /><br />The tiny tot was immediately whisked to the NICU with a faint heartbeat.<br /><br />After four days, Elias developed a septic shock and was flown to another hospital - Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware, US - <br /><br />After being diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy, visual impairment and chronic lung disease, Rebekah is happy her son defied the odds after doctors warned he wouldn't make it.<br /><br />Elias is now a cheeky two-year-old who loves listening to music and he still has the teddy he cuddled up to in NICU - affectionally named nut nut.<br /><br />Rebekah, a stay-at-home care, from Deptford, New Jersey, US, said: "My husband, Nathan, 36, and I were both traumatised.<br /><br />"Elias was born at the height of Covid and the policy was one parent at a time.<br /><br />"They woke us up in the middle of the night telling us Elias had to be flown off to a different hospital.<br /><br />"We got to see him together, at that point we knew there was a chance he might not make it.<br /><br />"Doctors did not seem hopeful he would make it. Every update they were giving us was grimmer.<br /><br />"We got the dog teddy for him when we found out we were having a little boy to take pictures each month with it.<br /><br />"It is a special keepsake that he will keep he sleeps with it every night.|"<br /><br />After experiencing a 'textbook' pregnancy, Rebekah started haemorrhaging while giving her other son, Jude a bath.<br /><br />She was rushed to hospital and gave birth to her son on June 22, 2020.<br /><br />He had a very faint pulse and not breathing.<br /><br />After being in the NICU unit for four days, he went into septic shock after his catheter perforated his hepatic vein.<br /><br />Resulting in Elias developing necrotizing enterocolitis and peritonitis with ascites that compressed his heart and lungs.<br /><br />He was then flown to another hospital - Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware, US - where he spent a further 98 days in NICU.<br /><br />Rebekah said: "Doctors didn't seem hopeful that he would make it.<br /><br />"He went into cardiac arrest and had been resuscitated.<br /><br />"We were terrified we did not think he would make it.<br /><br />"We were told that if he did survive, he would have lifelong disabilities."<br /><br />After a long stay in the hospital, Rebekah and her husband, Nathan, 36, a project manager, were able to take Elias home in September 2020. <br /><br />Rebekah said: "It was incredible to finally be able to take him home.<br /><br />"It was scary as he came home with a feeding tube, we were a little anxious but finally happy to bring him home. <br /><br />"He is very happy, he keeps everybody laughing, has a big personality and is very determined."<br /><br />Elias' lungs are expected to get stronger the older he gets, and he is expected to live a long life.<br /><br />Rebekah said: "When they had told us that he might not make it, I kept praying that I would get to know who he was and his personality.<br /><br />"I grew up around people with disabilities that did not scare me - I wanted him alive.<br /><br />"Every day we have him is a gift and we are grateful to get to know him and who he is.<br /><br />"His first few months were very traumatic but overall, it has grown the family a lot.<br /><br />"It has shifted my perspective on a lot of things - we have gained a whole new community.<br /><br />"It is funny looking back because when I see pictures I feel like it doesn't do it justice of how small he was - my hand would cover his body.<br /><br />"His little diapers were the size of a cracker, it is incredible to look at him and try to even imagine the size he once was."
