Inako Malangeni weighed less than a can of coffee – just 650g – after being born at 24 weeks, with little hope of survival.
But against all odds, the bouncing baby boy has just cleared the four-month mark, weighing in at 2.5kg.
His full name – Inako imiMangaliso ukwenzeka – means “miracles really do happen” in isiXhosa.
And his parents, Lungelwa, 34, and Bongani Malangeni, 42, truly believe he is a miracle.
“He keeps amazing us. He is living proof that miracles really do happen,” Bongani said.
Inako was born on July 20 at Andries Vosloo Hospital in Somerset East.
Lungelwa said she had experienced no complications during her pregnancy but always feared having a miscarriage.
“But on July 18 I suddenly felt abdominal pains so I went to see the doctor,” she said.
“She told me the baby was on his way and I was rushed to Andries Vosloo Hospital.”
Lungelwa said that after spending two days at the hospital, she had been given medication to induce contractions but she was not dilating.
“When the doctor did a scan, he told me they could not see the baby anymore.”
She was then told the pregnancy would be terminated.
“But just before the nurses [could give] me the medicine, the doctor felt the baby’s head.
“I was given more medication to stimulate contractions and I suddenly felt warm, gushing blood and a nurse told me to push,” she said.
Lungelwa then gave birth to her baby boy – but the silence in the delivery room was deafening.
“The nurses told me he didn’t make it – and at this time my husband was still on his way.
“They handed him to me and his face was grey, he did not utter a sound. I felt completely defeated,” she said.
Bongani said he had been trying to get into contact his wife all day.
“She wasn’t answering the phone and I started to worry. My firstborn – before my marriage – was also a premature baby and his mother never made it.
“I called the hospital and told them that whatever they did, they had to save my wife.
“I could not lose both my wife and baby,” he said.
Shortly after he arrived at the hospital, he and his wife were told the baby would live.
“The nurses told me they had suctioned the baby’s lungs and he came to life. We were so happy to hear him crying.
“It was a miracle,” Lungelwa said.
Inako was immediately transferred to Life Mercantile Hospital in Port Elizabeth where he remained in an incubator for three months.
“We had to travel every weekend to see him. I was unable to feed Inako as he was placed on a feeding tube, but I was frequently changing nappies,” Lungelwa said.
Travelling to Port Elizabeth every weekend eventually became too expensive, so the couple started driving down every fortnight.
“The nurses at the hospital made it easy for us. When I was not there, my baby had a fleet of mothers taking care of him,” Lungelwa said.
Bongani said the baby was due for heart surgery a month after his birth. “The doctors were worried about the development of his lungs and he had a hole in his heart,” he said.
“Everything was set up and on the day of the surgery the doctors did a final scan – but could not find anything.”
The couple have three other children, who were happy to have their new brother home.
Bongani said the staff at Life Mercantile Hospital had made the experience easier.
“I was calling them every day and there was never a time I was unable to get through.”
International Premature Baby Day is celebrated on November 17, with Inako being the youngest surviving neonatal intensive care unit patient at Life Mercantile.
Eastern Cape regional manager Bruce Janssens said they were proud to have played a part in Inako’s survival.
“While the birth of every little life is special it was an honour to have been part of Inako’s special life journey.”