Baby Born Five Months Premature, Given 0% Survival Odds, Celebrates First Birthday

A baby who weighed less than a pound at birth and was born 131 days prematurely was given a zero percent chance of surviving.

That baby, Richard Scott William Hutchinson, beat those impossible odds and just celebrated his first birthday.

He's recognized as the world's most premature baby by Guinness World Records.

Richard's due date was October 13, 2020.

But his mom, Beth, unexpectedly went into labor 131 days early.

Richard came into the world after a 21-week pregnancy. The usual length of a pregnancy is nearly double that.

When he was born, doctors didn't mince words. They told Richard's parents that there was no chance he'd survive.

But, he made it through the first few weeks.

"I knew the first few weeks of Richard's life would be very difficult, but I felt that if he could make it through that, he would be a survivor," Richard's neonatalogist, Dr. Stacy Kern, told Guinness World Records.

He received the best medical care.

His parents traveled from their home in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to ensure that Richard would have the best medical care possible.

He was discharged from hospital in December of 2020.

When Richard was six months old, he was allowed to go home with his parents.

The following months went smoothly, and this past week, he celebrated his improbable first birthday.

It's literally unprecedented.

Richard has broken the record for being the world's most premature baby to survive.

Today, he's a happy and healthy baby. Here's to many more happy birthdays for Richard!

h/t: Guinness World Records

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