1lb miracle baby born in a toilet survives against the odds

The tot made her grand entrance during Marie Dononhue's trip to the loo.

New mum Marie said she was convinced her baby daughter, who weighed just a pound, was dead when she arrived unexpectedly in the bathroom.

Miracle baby Latiya and her mum Marie

Speaking from the family home in Green Street, Toxteth, she recalled how she held Latiya close to her body fearing she would never survive.

Reliving the dramatic moment Marie, 38, said: "Latiya wasn't breathing and her body was blue.  

"My brother called 999 and the call taker Graeme Maylor gave instructions to him.  

"Graeme reassured him that the ambulance was on its way and within minutes a rapid response vehicle arrived." 

Steve Clarke was the first paramedic on the scene.  

He resuscitated Latiya, who was no bigger than the palm of his hand, before paramedics John Mitchell and Danielle Bond rushed her to Liverpool Women's hospital.

Baby Latiya pictured with her mum and the paramedics who saved her life. Left to right; John Mitchell, Marie Donohue, Steve Clarke, Baby Latiya and Danielle Bond

Marie, who was bleeding heavily, was also taken to the Toxteth hospital for treatment.

Paramedic Danielle said: "When we arrived we literally ran up the stairs to the Intensive Care Unit and placed the baby into an incubator.  

"She was so tiny. We just prayed that she would be OK."

Latiya remained in the incubator for 10 days before being transferred to Alder Hey hospital for an operation on her bowel.  

She was then transferred back to the Women's where she was placed back in an incubator for another three-and-a-half months.  

Marie added: "Latiya is a little fighter. She is so small but very strong.

"When she was in hospital she would not keep her breathing apparatus on and kept pulling it off.  

"I am so lucky to have her - we thought she had died.

"I can't believe she survived. She has been diagnosed as being deaf in one ear but she is still perfect to me.  

Little Latiya is doing well despite being born 16 weeks early

"If it wasn't for the ambulance service I wouldn't have her now."  

"They saved my baby's life and I will always be grateful to them".  

Steve Clarke, a paramedic for 36 years, said the happy ending was down to Ambulance Service procedures to get to patients quickly and because of his wife Ruth who was the on-duty dispatcher at the time.

He said: "I remember when I first saw the tiny baby, I honestly thought she would not survive.  

"When I resuscitated her I managed to get her breathing and shouted 'we've got her'.

"Fortunately, Latiya hadn't taken her first breath or she may have drowned in the toilet water.  

"I feel honoured to have been invited back to meet Latiya.

"It is nice to be appreciated." 

Survival odds

Little Latiya had less than a 50-50 chance of survival, according to new studies.

At 23 weeks, babies have a 26 per cent chance of survival, at 24 weeks it is 47 per cent and at 25 weeks it rises to 67 per cent.

This research has stoked fresh argument in the bitter debate over whether the present abortion time limit of 24 weeks should be lowered.

However, at 24 weeks, babies need intensive care and are immediately placed in an incubator.

Many of these extremely premature babies will suffer long term health problems and handicaps.

David Field, a professor of neonatal medicine, said medical advances that help older babies had failed to help younger ones.

He said: "Doing exactly the same thing for these more immature babies doesn't seem to have made any difference.

"It's as if there is some maturity effect that kicks in around 24 weeks."