Six months after being born and weighing just 800g, baby Lilly Kate Robinson is ticking off milestones and amazing her doting parents.
She is now tipping the scales at 4.5kg and is ready to see in the new year with proud mum and fitness influencer Emily Kate Robinson and partner Keenan Algie.
Lilly Kate arrived 14 weeks early on June 22, weighing no more than a loaf of bread. She was born via an emergency caesarean at Mater Mothers’ Hospital at South Brisbane and spent almost 100 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Ms Robinson, a qualified personal trainer from Coolum who specialises in women’s health, said Lilly Kate was now a happy and healthy six-month-old, showing more of her personality every day.
“She sleeps all through the night. I love watching her reach her milestones,” she said.
“Words can’t describe how hard it was when Lilly Kate arrived so early – it was an emotional roller-coaster. Having her home now is the absolute best and I just live for these little wins.
“She is honestly our beautiful miracle baby.”
Ms Robinson said her daughter’s unexpected arrival came as a “complete shock” and that it had been the “hardest but best year of her life”.
“Our strong girl was such a fighter, and she came home for the first time eight weeks before Christmas,” Ms Robinson said.
“I am in awe of her strength and determination to survive.
“She came off oxygen on December 14 and that was the best Christmas present ever.”
Mater neonatologist Dr Luke Jardine said it was amazing to hear how far Lilly Kate had come in the last six months. He said a baby born at 26 weeks has about an 85 per cent chance of survival.
Ms Robinson thanked the medical team at Mater Mothers’, including the nursing and midwifery teams who helped saved her daughter’s life.
“From the bottom of my heart, we are so incredibly thankful for every single doctor, nurse and piece of equipment that helped Lilly Kate get through all the little milestones,” she said.
“I want to say thank you for every message I received when I had to leave the hospital on my own to a small hotel room while being 100km from home – those little things helped so much.”
Help keep independent and fair Sunshine Coast news coming by subscribing to our free daily news feed. All it requires is your name and email. See SUBSCRIBE at the top of this article.
