After spending nearly the first six months of his life in the hospital, the smallest baby ever born at Florida Hospital is now home.
Connor Sorensen was born on June 29, 2013, at 24 weeks old weighing just 14 ounces. Doctors were unsure if he would be able to survive, but despite all the odds, he is doing extremely well.
“When Connor was first born, the staff at the hospital suggested we take a lot of pictures,” said Eric Sorensen, Connor’s father. “Because of how small he was, no one was sure if Connor would be able to survive. Someone suggested I put my wedding band around his leg to show how small he was. It is amazing to look back on that photo and see how far he has come.”
Connor weighed only 14 ounces at birth and babies born that small do not often survive because essential organs are often too underdeveloped but the staff at Florida Hospital did everything they could to give Connor a fighting chance.
"It’s so amazing that the technology is available and the skill and knowledge of the nurses and physicians were all in one place,” said Holly Sorensen, Connor’s mother. “Given how small he was, we weren’t sure what would happen. It truly is a blessing to be going home.”
During the past six months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Florida Hospital for Children, Connor has undergone several surgeries and numerous procedures.
“Connor’s digestive system was underdeveloped so Connor had to undergo several surgeries in order to allow him to be fed properly,” said Dr. Rajan Wadhawan, medical director of neonatology at Florida Hospital for Children. “But now, he is doing quite well, especially given how small he was when he was born.”
Connor now weighs nearly six and half pounds. He still has a long road ahead of him and will have to be monitored closely by his pediatrician, but the outlook is good.