CARTWRIGHT, OK -- A Bryan County family is counting their blessings this holiday season, after their daughter was born three months early, weighing less than one pound. She's one of the smallest babies to be born at OU Medical Center this year, and live.
The challenges for tiny little Willow Watkins are not over yet, but the baby born fighting for her life, is quite a survivor.

This is Willow Watkins.
Born on June 3rd--at just 26 weeks--she was just heavier than a Coke can.

"When she was born she was 14.8 ounces, 10 inches long," said Lillie Watkins.

Watkins, suffering from preeclampsia, a dangerous condition in which a pregnant woman's blood pressure skyrockets, had no choice but to deliver her baby three months early. And even though three to five babies under one pound are born every year at OU Medical Center,
Watkins says even the nurses were shocked by Willow's size.

"One of the nurses said they pulled the blanket back, she took their breath away," Watkins said.

"She would fit in my hand, pretty much," said Michelle Barker, a low birthweight nurse at OU Medical Center. "She was so little, like a bird she was so tiny," Barker said.

According to the March of Dimes, fewer than one percent of babies in this country are born before 28 weeks. And while 80% of babies born after 26 weeks survive, they face much higher risk of complications.

"When they're born that small, every system is immature, not ready to be on the outside," Barker said.

Willow underwent 11 blood transfusions, 4 platelet transfusions and was on a ventilator for 40 days.

"She had IVs everywhere, a little bloodpressure cuff on her leg, monitors, all kinds of stuff," Watkins said.

She also suffered from retinopathy of prematurity, abnormal growth of blood vessels at the back of the eye that can lead to vision loss.
So doctors had to perform eye surgery on the infant.

"When you have a baby, you just want to hold her and take her home, when you're stuck in the hospital for 3 months trying to keep her alive, it's hard," Watkins said.

After daily trips from Cartwright to Oklahoma City for three months, Lillie and her husband Robert brought Willow home on September 5th--three days *before her actual due date.

While she's still shy of the 7 pound weight of a full term newborn, now Willow's healthy and 6.6 pounds. And that leaves the whole Watkins family hopeful for the future.

"Really, I just want her to be a happy little baby," Watkins said. "I'm glad she survived."

Unfortunately, about 25 percent of very premature babies--those born at fewer than 28 weeks--develop serious lasting disabilities, and up to half may have milder problems, such as learning and behavioral problems.

However, nurses say Willow's resiliency is amazing, and they're surprised at how well she's doing.

For more information about prematurity and how to prevent it, click on the link to the March of Dimes website below.