Mom tells how doctors saved her premature baby by wrapping it in a PLASTIC BAG –

His mother explained that a premature baby, just six months old, had to be placed in a plastic drawstring bag to keep him alive.

Isabella Gailbraith, 33, of Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, gave birth at 25 weeks – 101 days ago – and was admitted to the hospital.

The mother of four gave birth to Pace, who weighs just 1lb 4 ounces and has to be placed in a special baby bag to keep her warm for some time after birth as she still doesn’t have enough fat in her body.

Small enough to fit almost in his family’s hands, Pace spent the first few weeks of his life at Bristol Children’s Hospital as his lungs developed.

His family hopes it will be better if he is home by June 22, his birthday.

Ms. Gailbraith, a doctor’s receptionist, said: “When she was born, the doctors worked on her by letting her breathe for five minutes.

“Then they put him in his newborn bag, which is basically a drawstring bag used to keep him warm because Pace couldn’t regulate his temperature.

“If he had been born at home, it would also be useful to put him in a plastic bag.”

Pace Gailbraith (pictured) was born 101 days ago and weighed only 1 pound and was so small that a newborn had to be put in a plastic bag. The newborn, who fell into the hands of her parents with a “little leg”, spent the first few weeks of her life in intensive care at Bristol Children’s Hospital while her lungs were developing.

General practice receptionist Isabella Gailbraith (pictured with Pace and her father Paul) said: “When she was born, doctors worked on her by letting her breathe for five minutes. “Then they put him in his newborn bag, which is basically a drawstring bag used to keep him warm as Pace can’t regulate his temperature.”

One in 13 babies in the UK is born premature each year, which is classified as before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

This equates to around 60,000 babies born prematurely in the UK.

Doctors use plastic bags or wraps within the first 10 minutes after a baby is born prematurely to prevent hypothermia, as they are so prone to losing body heat because they don’t have enough fat yet.

Miss Gailbraith was admitted to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital after her waters were cut off on 7 March.

The oldest, 12, was born 10 weeks premature, so Miss Gailbraith knew she could give birth again soon.

She was transferred another 72 miles to Bristol, where doctors tried to delay the birth but had to perform an emergency cesarean section four days later on 11 March.

He said: ‘I was already 2cm wide when I went in, so he was desperately wanting to get out.

“She was actually trying to be born at 24 weeks but we had meds to delay her. At 25 weeks she decided she had had enough.

Ms. Gailbraith had been taking anticoagulants after going to bed the week before, as inactivity increased her risk of blood clots.

However, this meant he couldn’t get an epidural before the procedure as it increased the risk of bleeding around the spine that could cause paralysis.

Pace is currently being treated at Bristol hospital, where he is in an incubator.

Miss Gailbraith and Pace’s father, Paul, the prison guard, visits her daily and is now able to detain her despite her small stature.

Ms. Gailbraith said, “We’re getting there slowly. This is really not my time.

“You can see how much he’s transformed into a normal-looking baby.

“You have extra time with him that you normally don’t have. All the little things you take for granted like opening your eyes.

“The first time we indulged was when we were a week old. Now we have hugs.

“I think we’ve escorted him probably a dozen times. It’s nice, but it’s also stressful because you’re constantly checking the monitors for heart levels.

“She was tiny and her skin was very sensitive, so you couldn’t touch her.

“With a small leg dangling it almost fits in your hand.

‘Progress is slow, lungs only develop after 32 weeks. So it was on a fan before, and now it’s on another fan.’

Travel costs between their home and hospital are “a very low fee,” so the couple now has a GoFundMe donation page to help with travel expenses to visit Pace.