Baby Pace survived after being placed in bag after birth

Pace Galbraith was born 101 days early at 25 weeks weighing just 1lb 4oz, and was so tiny he was too frail to even hold or cuddle.

To help him survive doctors kept Pace warm by placing him in a plastic drawstring neonatal bag moments after he was delivered on March 11.

His parents Bella and Paul, from Stourport-on-Severn are making a 150-mile round-trip to visit their son as the tiny tot has spent the first weeks of his life in intensive care at Bristol Children’s Hospital while his lungs are developing.

Bella, a receptionist who has three other children, was rushed to Worcestershire Royal Hospital after her waters broke on March 7.

She was transferred to Bristol where doctors tried to delay labour but were forced to perform an emergency caesarean four days later.

BAG FOR LIFE: Pace Galbraith was born at 25 weeks. Picture: SWNS

The 33-year-old said: "We're getting there, slowly.

“He was actually trying to be born at 24 weeks but we had some drugs to try and delay
it. When he was at 25 weeks, he decided he had enough.

“There was a chance of a premature birth as my previous 12-year-old was born 10 weeks early. 

“When I went in, I was already 2cm dilated, so he was just desperate to come out.

“I had some anti-clotting medication because I had been in bed for a week beforehand.

“Because I had that I could not have had an epidural as I could have bled into my spine.

“When he was born the doctors worked on him to get him breathing for five minutes.

"They then they popped him in a neonatal bag, which is basically a drawstring bag type thing that is used to keep him warm because Pace couldn't regulate his temperature.

“If he was born at home, even putting him in a plastic bag would have helped.”

Despite his tiny size, Bella and Paul visit Pace every day and are now able to hold him.

PARENTS: Bella and Paul with baby Pace. Picture: SWNS

Bella said: “You can see how much he’s developing into a normal looking baby.

“All that extra time you get with him that you normally wouldn’t get. It's all the little things you take you for granted, like opening his eyes.

“The first time we had a cuddle was when he was a week old. 

“He was minute and his skin is quite delicate so you could not touch him.

“He just about fits in your hand, with a little leg hanging over.

“Progress is slow, the lungs aren’t developed until 32 weeks. So he was on a ventilator at first and now he’s on a different breathing machine."

Bella and Paul have now set up a fundraising page for donations to help with the cost of travelling to visit Pace.

TINY: Pace Galbraith was born at 25 weeks. Picture: SWNS

Paul, 42, a prison officer, added: “Having to travel backwards and forwards and paying the rent. It’s a very tight strain.

"We’ve got two daughters and a son. Obviously we have to divide our time between Pace and seeing the children as well, so it’s a bit of back and forth.

“It's a lot of stress."

The couple hope Pace will be well enough to come home by June 22 – his original due date.