Lennox Moles weighed just 800 grams at birth and was delivered prematurely at 25 weeks.
Before being transferred to his incubator, medical professionals at The Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, quickly placed him in a plastic bag to assist control his body temperature and avoid hypothermia.
Lilly Munro, Lennox’s mother, referred to the newborn’s makeshift residence as a “oven bag” and stated that it was standard procedure for preterm infants who lacked the necessary development to stay warm.
“It is quite confronting image… He was put in a plastic oven-type bag and whisked away,” Ms Munro told Daily Mail Australia.
“It’s what they do in order to preserve [a premature baby’s] temperature because they can’t regulate their temperature.”
Source: Freepik
Lennox was taken home after 111 days at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne after his birth.
The survival rate for babies born at this point in the pregnancy is only 50%.
Because of his heroic struggle and survival, Ms. Munro calls her fourth kid her “miracle baby.”
Ms. Munro claimed that around 24 weeks pregnant, she had a “strange feeling that something wasn’t quite right.”
Her doctor made a startling discovery during an ultrasound after she was brought to the hospital.
“My doctor looked at the screen and went, Oh My God… your cervix is open and the baby’s arm is up like Superman through the cervix. You’re not going anywhere,” Ms. Munro told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Lenni’, as his parents call him, was delivered on February 29 following a rigorous seven-hour labor and a week in the hospital.
As his parents juggled raising three other children from past relationships, Lennox fought for his life for four months.
He may require laser surgery because his eyes were not fully grown at birth and he has a hole in his heart.
Lennox, who now weighs 3.5 kg, also had multiple blood transfusions and has respiratory difficulties.
In order to give Lennox the best chance of survival by boosting his immunity, Ms. Munro and her fiancé, Brodie Moles, had to quit their jobs and drive to the hospital every two hours to provide her breast milk.
Instead of heading to his construction job, Mr. Moles took on the role of full-time caregiver for their children while the young mother was in the hospital.
Furthermore, the public hospital system was “so financially stretched” that the couple had nowhere to stay overnight in order to be with Lennox.
The young mother was crying uncontrollably for her baby boy and was unable to eat or sleep at home.
The pair also fell behind on their rent and bills because they were unable to go to work.
Ms. Munro stated that they were still $4,500 behind on their rent and that their electricity had been turned off at the time of Lennox’s homecoming on Monday.
They are not eligible for carer’s allowance or travel aid.
The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for these expenses as well as Lennox’s continuing care.
In just one month, the campaign has raised slightly more than $5,000.
Ms. Munro added that she hoped they could spread the word about The Royal Women’s Hospital’s “world-class” newborn critical care unit.
“These doctors are above and beyond… The nurses in here are amazing. Some of them drive from Geelong and from the country [to come to work],” she told Daily Mail Australia.
“They are so passionate about saving these babies and looking after these babies.”
