Baby born at 22 weeks spends first Christmas at home after 146 days in NICU

A baby girl born at just 22 weeks made it home from the hospital in time for Christmas, after spending nearly five months fighting for her life in intensive care.

Baby Daleyza was born weighing just over one pound after her mother, Jazmin, unexpectedly went into labor and started driving about 50 miles to a Sacramento, California, hospital equipped to care for an extremely premature infant.

However, the baby did not wait for the trip to end. She was delivered in the front seat of the family car while an emergency dispatcher offered instructions over the phone, LifeNews reported.

The dispatcher guided Jazmin through breaking the amniotic sac and performing CPR on the newborn. Paramedics arrived within minutes and continued life-saving efforts, including performing CPR using just one finger, before rushing the baby to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 

“The call came in at 2 a.m. Most of us have had labor and delivery calls, but not for someone this premature,” Engine 6 Capt. David Fike said. “Those initial moments matter.” 

Hospital staff said the work done before arrival played a big role in Daleyza’s survival. 

“In our own controlled environment with the NICU, it can be challenging to maintain thermoregulation in extremely preterm infants,” said Janelle Beall, nurse manager at the NICU. “It is incredible what [the paramedics] did to get the baby here safely. It made all the difference. 

“When [the paramedics] brought the baby to our Emergency Department, the baby had a good temperature and a good chest rise,” she added. 

Daleyza spent 146 days in the NICU under the care of neonatologists, nurses, dietitians, respiratory therapists and pharmacists. After months of setbacks and progress, she was cleared to finally go home days before Christmas. 

“Not all family is blood relatives. There is the family that you make and these doctors and nurses are my family,” Jazmin said. “There are no words to express how thankful we are.” 

Medical experts note survival rates for babies born this early have increased significantly in recent decades. 

Advocates say stories such as Daleyza’s underscore the humanity and resilience of the unborn, even at the earliest stages of life. 

“It is great to hear that baby Daleyza has made it home in time for Christmas after a tough 146 days in the NICU,” said Catherine Robinson of Right To Life UK. “Her story is a testament to the strength of unborn babies, and highlights the increasingly high chances of survival that extremely premature babies like her have.”