A miracle baby has defied all the odds to beat Covid, sepsis and E.Coli after he was born prematurely last year.
Archie Edwards was born without a heartbeat 15 weeks prematurely on December 1 last year, but doctors managed to resuscitate him before placing him on a ventilator, which dad Robert said "felt like an eternity".
Archie, who weighed just 1lb 11oz, then contracted E.coli at just five weeks old, which led to sepsis. Further tests revealed that Archie had also contracted covid. It is thought he is one of the youngest babies to contract the virus.
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Parents Sheree Murray and Robert Edwards, both 21, feared they were going to lose their first child and were left "hoping and praying" he would pull through.
But Archie thankfully pulled through and is currently recovering at Burnley General Hospital's NICU unit. It is hoped he'll be home with his parents in March.
Sheree, from Colne in Lancashire, said: "In the beginning I was shocked more than anything as I had no complications during the pregnancy.
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"But when we were told about his heartbeat and then the sepsis and covid it was all terrifying.
"I've always wanted to be a mum so I was absolutely over the moon when I found out I was pregnant - and we didn't want to lose him.
Sheree was delighted to finally get to hold Archie, describing it as "completely surreal."
She added: "He was very light, I had him on my chest, the only thing I felt was his head.
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"It was the only thing that made it feel like it was real."
Robert said there was no indication that Archie would be premature and the couple were shocked when Sheree started having contractions on November 30 and, just 55 minutes after her waters broke, Archie was born, at 25 weeks.
Robert described the moment he too held Archie's tiny hand for the first time as the "greatest moment" in his life.
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He said: "My head was completely blank. When I saw the blood I've never been so scared in my life and I was just hoping and praying.
"They couldn't find a heartbeat, I thought I'd lost my firstborn son.
"It was so scary."
After 40 minutes, doctors managed to resuscitate Archie, adds Robert.
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"But It felt like an eternity. My son was just there, and I felt completely helpless because I couldn't do anything.
"It took them so long I wanted to do something for him. I was getting upset. I just sat down next to Sheree and prayed.
"When they said he had a heartbeat I've never felt so grateful in my life."
When Archie contracted E. coli at five weeks, the bacterial infection led to sepsis and Archie was put on a ventilator for two weeks, with doctors also discovering that he'd contracted coronavirus.
Robert said it was heart-breaking he wasn't able to be by his son's side or hold his hand for two weeks as he was placed in self-isolation.
He said: "He was five weeks old when he got E. coli, and his lungs were collapsing and they were starting to struggle with what to do.
"They did a Covid swab which came back positive.
"His lungs were going white, and I honestly thought we were going to lose him in those ten days.
"I was frightened to death."
It is hoped that Archie will now be able to return home around his due date of March 14, but Robert says he already feels like the "proudest dad in the world".
"We've got an amazing bond," he added. "I'm a father to a beautiful boy called Archie. It's the greatest feeling in the world.
"Holding him in my arms was the greatest moment in my life."
And thankfully Archie now has the all-clear.
"He's got no infections whatsoever now.
"He's still in hospital and he will stay until about March so we will continue to see him one at a time.
"And I cannot wait to have him home with us - safe and sound.
"He's our miracle baby and we couldn't be prouder of him."
Featured Image Credit: SWNSTopics: Life News, Life, Parenting