Meet One of World’s Smallest Surviving Babies Born 14 Weeks Premature

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E’Layah Faith Pegues, born on September 23 born nearly 14 weeks premature at 10 ounces and 10 inches long, is one of the smallest surviving babies in the world. Born via an emergency caesarean section, she holds the record for the smallest surviving baby to be born at the hospital.

Her elated parents, Megan Smith, 29 and Eric Pegues, 31, told the press, “E’Layah is our miracle baby girl.”

According to the Charlotte Observer, E’Layah (pronounced ee-LAY-uh) is still tiny and weighs 3 pounds, 10.7 ounces today – about five times her birth weight – and is expected to go home in the next week or two.

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Dr. Andrew Herman, a neonatologist and chief medical officer at Levine Children’s Hospital said, “Five or even 10 years ago, it probably wouldn’t have been possible for her to survive, much less thrive.” He credited the baby’s health and growth to a “combination of talent, perseverance and creativity” on the part of the medical team, and to her supportive and loving family.

The medical team started by giving her a “trickle” of breast milk every day and slowly increasing the amount, Herman said. Their goal was to give her enough nutrition to grow, without overloading her with fluids. Today, she’s taking an ounce of formula by bottle eight times a day.

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“Growth is her ticket out of here,” Herman said. “I expect E’Layah to have a wonderful life and to be a healthy kid.”

E’Layah’s parents continue taking turns feeding her and spending time in the NICU. Pegues just finished school to become a truck driver, and Smith plans to be a stay-at-home mom, also caring for two stepchildren, aged 5 and 11.