Jaiden Ashlea’s (23) son Levi James was born last Wednesday. The baby will probably not have his real birthday until July. This is part of the plan of the American doctors, who thereby save little Levi’s life.
When the mom-to-be underwent a prenatal exam at 18 weeks pregnant in March, doctors found the fetus had spina bifida. This is a congenital defect that affects the baby’s spinal cord. This can lead to developmental disorders and paralysis after birth. Around 1,400 babies are affected by the defect every year.
Doctors recommended her an abortion
“I was in shock. I couldn’t even speak when the doctor told us to,” says Jaiden Ashlea «New York Post». Doctors in Jacksonville, Florida, told her and her fiancé Noah Detrick (23) that the baby would be born “brain dead” and would have no chance of a life worth living.
Doctors even encouraged the expectant mother to terminate the pregnancy. “I still remember saying to myself: That’s not true, that can’t be.” But the young woman didn’t want to give up her little Levi so easily. And so she decided to get more opinions.
Modern surgery brought hope
Specialists in Orlando actually gave Ashlea hope. She found out about a modern operation in which the baby’s vertebral column would be operated on while it was still pregnant. After a battery of medical tests, the woman and her baby were found healthy enough and admitted for surgery at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando.
The operation came about six weeks after the diagnosis. The doctors performed a caesarean section and ruptured the amniotic sac. They then successfully repaired the affected vertebra and placed the baby back in Jaiden’s abdomen.
“I can feel him moving”
The mother-to-be was put on strict bed rest under general anesthesia after the six-hour surgery. She now has to prepare for another caesarean section in the 37th week. But the operation seems to have paid off. “He kicks his legs and twists his ankles,” explains the happy pregnant woman. “I can feel him moving.”
Doctors expect that Levi James will have almost no problems walking. “Since the surgery (the doctors) have seen so much more movement and the signs of malformation in his brain have receded.”
Jaiden Ashlea originally shared her story in a video on Tiktok. Entitled “Born my baby to be put back in and born again 11 weeks later,” the clip went viral, racking up 2.2 million views.
Insurance covered operation costs
The mother-to-be will be discharged from the hospital early next week. She is transferred to a non-profit facility in Orlando to recover. She can then live at home for the rest of the pregnancy. Her insurance company covered the cost of the surgery, around $25,000.
Ashlea is now looking forward to one day telling her son about his extraordinary birth. “I look forward to hearing how many people have had their fingers crossed for him and how much he is loved,” Ashlea said. «Not everyone has the chance to get this operation. And I want him to know that God was on his side.” (obf)
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