Famous parents of premature babies
Here are some people you might have heard of who have been on a neonatal journey:
Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen and his third wife Brooke Mueller Sheen had premature twin boys, Bob and Max. The boys were born in 2009 at 33 weeks gestation, after Mueller’s pregnancy was complicated by preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Although Max had a heart condition caused by prematurity, both boys are doing well and were home from the hospital after 3 weeks.
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
Country music superstars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw had their youngest daughter, Audrey at just 32 weeks gestation in December 2001. At a routine obstetrical appointment, Faith’s doctor discovered that her amniotic fluid was dangerously low and Audrey would have to be delivered immediately. Audrey weighed just 3 lbs 11 oz. at birth but is now a healthy 14 year old.
Melissa Gilbert
Actress Melissa Gilbert had her second child, Michael Garrett, at 28 weeks after her water broke prematurely. Although he was very early. Michael had an uneventful NICU journey. He was mechanically ventilated for a day, but had no interventricular haemorrhage (IVH) or other serious complications of prematurity. He spent 40 days in the NICU.
Sherri Shepherd
Actress and The View co-host Sherri Shepherd had her son Jeffrey at just 25 weeks gestation in April of 2005. Jeffrey weighed 1 lb 10 oz. at birth and was in NICU for 3 months. Due to his extreme prematurity, Jeffrey had an IVH and a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Jeffrey works with physical, speech and occupational therapists to help overcome developmental delays caused by his early birth.
Anna Faris
Actress Anna Faris and her husband, Chris Pratt had their son Jack nine weeks early in August 2012. He spent a month in the NICU but is now a healthy baby boy and what Faris calls a “chubster”.
Julia Roberts
Although they were not due until January, Julie Robert’s and husband Danny’s twins arrived early on November 28, 2004. Phinnaeus and Hazel weighed just over 5 pounds each, and there were no complications. Today the 11 year old fraternal pair are total bookworms.
Michelle Duggar
A bout with preeclampsia caused reality TV show Mum, Michelle Duggar to deliver Josie her 19th baby, via emergency C-section 15 weeks premature on December 10, 2009. Josie weighed just 1 lb, 6 oz. Duggar said that despite still been small for age she is doing really well and that’s probably the only thing that hasn’t caught up.
Nancy Grace
In November 2007, the CNN anchor Nancy Grace gave birth to twins, Lucy and John, two months prematurely. Lucy weight 2 lbs, 15 oz., and Jon was 5 lbs, 1oz. Following the delivery, Nancy was hospitalised after suffering pulmonary edema, and the twins were kept in the NICU. John for three weeks, Lucy for nearly six. The twins are now healthy 7 year olds.
Annika Sörenstam
Annika now a retired professional golfer, gave birth to her son William at 27 weeks in 2011, after developing placenta abruption. William weighed 2 lbs, 1oz, and spent more than eight weeks in the NICU. William is now a healthy boy who loves spending time with his big sister, Ava.
Jamie Anne Allman
The American Actress and star of The Killing, gave birth to her twin boys, Asher and Oliver, over 11 weeks early in January 2013. Oliver weighed just 2 lbs, 11 oz., and Asher weighed 3 lbs at birth. Allman said she vomited 12 times a day and was on bed rest for most of her pregnancy due to a shortened cervix and gestational diabetes. The twins spent months in the NICU. ‘The first month, I only got to hold them for two hours total. They went through a lot. In the second month, thank God, I got to hold them a little bit more”. Allman said Asher had acid reflux and Oliver has milk and soy allergies, but they are no “two normal, healthy babies’.
Kim Kardashian and Kayne West
Kim and Kayne’s daughter, North, was born June 15, 2013, 5 weeks before her due date. Kim had a natural birth after being admitted to hospital with medical complications. North weighed just under 5 lbs.
Sophie Ellis Bexter
Sophie Ellis Bexter gave birth to her second son nine weeks prematurely, in 2009. It was the second pregnancy scare for the singer, who also delivered her first child Sonny, more than two months early. Ellis gave birth to the 2lb 10 oz. baby boy, named Kit Valentine, on February 7th. Doctor’s performed an emergency caesarean section after diagnosing her with pre-eclampsia, the same condition she suffered during her first pregnancy four years ago.
Gordon Ramsey
Gordon Ramsey and his wife Tana, welcomed their twins, Jack and Holly, 7 weeks early back in 1999. Jack was born with a hole in his heart, and both he and his twin Holly, spent the first week of their lives in intensive care wired up to feeding drips and ventilator machines. After a week, the twins were moved to the special care baby unit until they gained enough weight to be allowed home. The hole in Jack’s heart cured itself naturally within a year and now he is a robust freckled boy who looks just like his Dad.
