Michelle Butler gave birth to twins C’Asya and Curtis Means, but unfortunately, C’Asya did not survive.
Nineteen months old Curtis Means, became the world’s most premature baby to survive securing him a place in the Guinness World Records.
Michelle told Yahoo Life that she was 21 weeks pregnant with Curtis and his twin sister C’Asya when she went into premature labor on July 5, 2020.
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The two infants were born 132 days earlier than expected in the fall of 2020. Michelle was deemed high risk due to having twins, and her doctors acted swiftly when the expectant mother began to feel that something was wrong with the pregnancy.
The problem was a bulging amniotic sac requiring an emergency strapping procedure or “sting,” to reinforce the cervix. But after being discharged, Butler would soon turn out to be admitted back to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital (UAB) as she started having contractions on her way back home.
Michelle recalled, “I was not ready as it was too early. She was unlikely to go full-term with twins as she never expected to go straight into labor at five months.”
Dr. Brian Sims, professor of pediatrics at the UAB Division of Neonatology, said, “The premature labor of Michelle’s pregnancy term was a huge challenge.”
Dr. Brian said the survival rate increased in proportion to the gestational age. He noted that 22 weeks was the earliest time for delivery which prompted a difficult conversation with Michelle, who’s twins had fewer chances of survival.”
Curtis was first born, measuring 15 ounces and coming in at 11 inches long, and his sister C’Asya weighed 14 ounces and measured 10 inches long.
Sims says that C’Asya “responded minimally” to treatment, but Curtis showed no promise. So we gave Curtis a little bit of oxygen, wherein he started breathing immediately.
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Michelle recalled a vision from God who “came to the room and told me ‘if you give me C’Asya I will help you keep Curtis. Though it was hard, I had to give up C’Asya so that he helped me keep Curtis.”
Curtis is now nine months old and still has health challenges and delays.
Curtis is her “happy baby” merrily babbling next to her. From the day he was born, he told his life story and the goals that he was trying to accomplish. He is doing it on time, but we’re are getting there.”