Tiny warrior: Mater Mothers’ team saves premmie Redland bub Imelda Groom born 10 weeks early

Little Imelda Groom will live to see her first Christmas, thanks to swift thinking staff at a Brisbane hospital who saved her life. They are remembered ahead of tomorrow’s World Prematurity Day.

Proud dad Jake Groom with his tiny daughter Imelda at Mater Mothers. Pictures: Mater Mothers

When first-time dad Jake Groom holds his tiny baby daughter Imelda in his arms, he knows how lucky she is to be alive.

Imelda Groom was born 10 weeks early at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in South Brisbane on October 29, weighing a mere 1.8kg.

Imelda’s name means universal battle and, Mr Groom, a Wakka Wakka man, said she was already showing her fighting spirit.

Mr Groom, 27, and his partner Emelia Phillips, 22, thanked the multidisciplinary clinical team at Mater Mothers’ for saving their baby ahead of World Prematurity Day on Friday, November 17.

Surprised mum Emelia Phillips, 22, with her little bundle of premature joy Imelda at the Mater Mothers. Pictures: Mater Mothers

The couple, from Alexandra Hills in Redland, said their daughter was “kicking goals” as she continued to receive around-the-clock care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mater Mothers’ Hospital.

“From week to week she’s getting so much bigger and she doesn’t need assistance with breathing anymore,” Mr Groom said.

“She’s definitely our miracle baby girl.”

Imelda’s premature arrival caught the couple off guard.

Mr Groom was out with friends on October 28 when Ms Phillips, experiencing severe abdominal pain and bleeding, called him around 9.30pm.

Within three hours, Imelda entered the world naturally at 12.15am on Sunday, October 29.

Mr Groom said he cried when he saw little Imelda for the first time.

“It was this really wholesome feeling,” he said.

“When I look at her, I think she’s just gorgeous – she definitely has my resemblance.”

Ms Phillips, recovering well from Imelda’s birth, recounts a month of in-and-out hospital visits due to lethargy, unaware of the premature arrival.

Complicating matters, doctors had identified a heart condition during Ms. Phillips’ pregnancy, still under investigation. Despite dashed Christmas plans and an unexpected early birth, the couple remains hopeful Imelda will be home in time for the holidays.

“I had all these plans for Christmas, when I thought I would be heavily pregnant,” Ms Phillips said.

“Imelda was supposed to be born on New Year’s Day, but we are hoping she will be home with us in time for Christmas. It’s one day at a time,” she said.

“We know we are so lucky for Imelda to be here with us today.”

Good things come in small packages … little Imelda Groom at Mater Mothers struggled for life after being born 10 weeks early.

Grateful for the unwavering support of Mater Mothers, Ms Phillips said midwife Tess Willis, and her husband helped her cope during Imelda’s birth.

“Tess’s level of care is the reason why Imelda is here,” Ms Phillips said.

“Without the support of Tess and Jake, my best friend, I wouldn’t have been able to cope.

“I remember being emotional and saying, ‘I can’t have a baby now’, and Tess was with us every step of the way.”

Each year, about 2000 sick or premature babies are born under the careful watch of the Mater Mothers’ Neonatal Critical Care Unit’s specialised multidisciplinary team.

With one in five Queensland babies born at a Mater hospital and one in 10 born prematurely, Mater’s Director of Neonatology Dr Pita Birch said caring for premature babies was a growing responsibility.

“It has been great to see the outcomes for premature babies improve over the last decade as a result of new technologies, treatments and ways in which care is provided,” Dr Birch said.

“Ten years ago, it was rare for babies born at Mater at 23 weeks gestation to receive neonatal intensive care and survive, and we wouldn’t always provide neonatal intensive care at 24 weeks either.

“This year, we have seen increasing numbers of babies born at less than 25 weeks surviving and being cared for over a long period of time.”