Baby Born Weighing Less Than 1 Lb. Goes Home in Time for the Holidays: 'Best Christmas Gift Ever'

“It feels like we can breathe again," said Maddie Statler, whose daughter Evie was discharged from the hospital on Monday

A baby who spent almost nine months in the hospital got to go home in time for her first Christmas!

In March, Evangeline “Evie” Statler was born 16 weeks early, weighing only 14 oz., according to a news release from BJC HealthCare, which is comprised of 14 hospitals, including St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where Evie was treated.

“It was definitely scary," said Maddie Statler, Evie's mom. "We didn’t know if we both would make it or not and didn’t know what would really happen. She was so tiny, like a little baby bird.”

As a premature baby, Evie experienced various health issues, including pulmonary hypertension and Madison and her husband Dylan Statler were told that their newborn had a 50-60% chance of survival.

"It all happened so fast,” said Evie’s father, Dylan told NBC affiliate KSDK about the ordeal.

In July, on what would’ve been her due date, Evie was transferred from a hospital in Cape Girardeau, Missouri to St. Louis Children’s Hospital for more advanced treatment.

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“There’ve been a lot of advances in neonatology in the last several years,” Dr. Melissa Riley, a neontologist who treated Evie, said in a statement. “Particularly in large academic institutions like ours, we have the ability to look at where evidence is and how to best treat this patient population, so that we can kind of push the limits of viability.”

Related: World's Most Premature Twins — Born at 22 Weeks and Given '0% Chance of Survival' — Celebrate 1st Birthday

For the next months, Dylan and Madison juggled raising their son at home and visiting Evie at the NICU.

“It was a rollercoaster,” Dylan told St. Louis Mag. “There'd be good news, then two steps backwards with bad news, and then three steps forward."

Related: Premature Baby Born 18 Weeks Early Released from Hospital in Time for the Holidays: 'Grateful'

Fortunately, due to her treatment, Evie’s health has now made “almost a complete 180,” Maddie’s mom told the hospital. And on Monday, Evie was discharged from the hospital.

“It feels like we can breathe again. A lot of days it felt like we were holding our breath underwater and couldn’t come up for air,” she said.

“To know that there have been so many people who have worked toward that goal, to give this family the most perfect version of their baby that we can I think is really wonderful,” added Dr. Riley.

Related: World's Most Premature Baby, Who Had 0% Chance of Survival, Celebrates 1st Birthday: 'Miraculous'

While there are still challenges for the family surrounding their newborn's health, Madison said that "the nurses and whole team feel like family now and brought light into our darkest days here.”

As for having their daughter home for the holidays, her happy mom called it "the best Christmas gift ever."

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