Boy Born 15 Weeks Early Spends Holidays at Home for the First Time: 'It Was Wonderful to All Be Together'
Courtesy Paige Hurd
A young Indiana boy recently celebrated Christmas at home with family after spending his first holiday season in the hospital.
Paige Hurd, 28, of West Lafayette, tells PEOPLE she gave birth to twin boys Ezra and Wells on Nov. 5, 2021 — more than three months before their February due date.
The mom says she gave birth to Ezra at home and welcomed Wells on the way to the hospital in an ambulance. The brothers were born at just 25 weeks, according to Newsweek.
Both brothers were taken to IU Arnett's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) upon arrival at the hospital, Paige says. Sadly, Ezra did not survive, but his brother Wells did, and ended up spending 115 days in the hospital before being discharged last year.
And this year, the family got to enjoy "doing fun traditions" and spending time together throughout the entire holiday season.
"It was wonderful to all be together," Paige tells PEOPLE, adding that it felt "surreal" after spending last Christmas splitting time between home and the hospital.
Courtesy Paige Hurd
Paige says she was in a festive mood when she unexpectedly went into labor in 2021, having purchased a "holiday coffee" and put up Christmas decorations earlier that morning.
But she began experiencing pain around lunchtime, and asked her husband Zach, also 28, to make the hour-long trek home from work.
While putting her infant daughter down for a nap, the symptoms intensified. She tried to call for help, but says she gave birth to Ezra "before I could finish dialing 911."
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Paige gave birth to Wells before she arrived at the hospital. Unlike premature babies born in a hospital, Paige says he did not have immediate access to an incubator, a ventilator, or specialized doctors.
She tells PEOPLE that paramedics did "their best" to work with a mask that was nearly the same size as his head.
Courtesy Paige Hurd
Doctors at the hospital were unable to get Ezra stabilized after he went "too long without oxygen," Paige tells PEOPLE. He died about an hour later.
Initially, nurses expressed concern for Wells' condition. Speaking with Newsweek, Paige said doctors told them that their son would "likely" experience a brain bleed "and could have cerebral palsy."
But the infant wound up surprising everyone with what Paige says was a "perfect" scan with "zero bleeding."
Doctors also expressed concern about Wells developing a condition called Retinopathy of prematurity, which the National Institute of Health (NIH) describes as "when abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina." Fortunately, Wells exhibited "zero signs" of the eye disease.
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Of course, having a baby in the NICU was no easy task. Paige told Newsweek that she "could barely" see Wells last December after getting sick. "It was awful," she said.
Still, Paige said she and her family "felt blessed with how the NICU stay went."
Courtesy Paige Hurd
"It was a huge relief to not only know he was in great hands medically but to know he was loved and cared for emotionally when we couldn't be there," Paige tells PEOPLE, referencing the "amazing doctors and nurses" who "went above and beyond" for her son.
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Wells was finally discharged from the hospital on Feb. 28, 2022, "12 days after his expected due date," according to his mom.
Now, Paige's son, who is 1, is growing "well" and still surprising some doctors.
"It's miraculous that you would hardly expect him to be a premature baby," she says. "Doctors are shocked to hear he was born so early, as he doesn't have any current health issues or development delays."
Courtesy Paige Hurd
This year, the Hurd family, which also includes 2-year-old Hazel, had what Paige says was "a normal Christmas full of family, gifts, and relaxation."
To honor Ezra, the family hung a small stocking with the letter "E" printed on it. They also have "a small baby blue spruce tree" in their backyard, which serves as a memorial for their late son, whcih they "decorated with lights."
With the holidays now behind them, the family is looking forward to everything the next few years have to offer as Wells continues to grow.
"I can't wait to see his personality come out more, watch him learn so many new things, and see his personality more," Paige tells PEOPLE.
Wells is already impressing his parents, too. "We think he is doing so well because of his determined attitude to keep up with his older sister and from the help of his brother watching over him," his mom says.
