Miracle babies see in New Year as best friends
Dec 31 2009 by Sophie Cross, Birmingham Mail
A PAIR of Midland babies will finally see in the New Year at home with their families after spending the first months of their young lives in hospital.
Little Ruby Darby and Mackenzie Orchard were both born prematurely in November 2008, spending weeks side by side in incubators on the same ward at Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham.
Their parents passed the normally joyful Christmas and New Year period of 2008 anxiously waiting for the news they were well enough to be taken home.
They formed a strong bond through the experience and, just over a year later, the babies are back home and fast becoming best buddies.
Mackenzie was born at 24 weeks, weighing just 1lb 2.5oz, while Ruby arrived at 25 weeks.
Ruby’s dad Jon, aged 35, said he and wife Claire found it invaluable having another set of parents they could talk to.
They were finding the ordeal all the more traumatic as they previously had a baby, Lauren, who was born prematurely but survived for just four days.
“That made the whole experience even worse,” said Jon, from Solihull. “We were terrified it was all going to happen again.
“Christmas 2008 was a write-off.
“But our best present was when Ruby, who had been really poorly, had stabilised on Christmas Day.”
Mackenzie’s parents Osahon and Adrian, from Lichfield, said the shock was “immense” when Osahon went into labour early.
The 31-year-old mum said of their time at Heartlands: “I remember just looking at Mackenzie through the window and giving him a stroke, longing to be able to hold him.
“The care of the hospital staff went above and beyond the call of duty.
“They weren’t just doing a job – it felt like every single nurse loved my boy.
“I don’t know what we would have done without the Darbys.
“We will always be friends.”
After months of anguish, the tiny twosome’s parents have finally been able to celebrate their children’s first birthdays and the festive season at home.
Jon added: “Getting to know Osahon and Adrian helped massively in terms of moral support.
“Now we’re back home we’ve been to see each other a few times and it’s been so nice to see the kids start to interact.
“They’ve lived their lives next to each other. Claire and Osahon joke about when the wedding will be!”
