‘Miracle Matilda’: newborn who didn’t breathe for 22 minutes after birth survives

A baby girl in the UK left doctors astounded after surviving despite being unable to breathe for over 20 minutes after she was born.

Little Matilda came into the world during a traumatic birth. Her mum Rachel Norey lost six litres of blood when she suffered a placental abruption, where the placenta became detached from the womb wall, according to the Sun. Matilda didn't breathe for 22 minutes after she was born and though doctors managed to resuscitate her, Rachel and her husband Dan were told to prepare themselves for the worst. The baby was transferred from Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow to the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge at just five hours old. Her chances of survival were '"slim to none", her parents said, but Matilda surprised everyone by pulling through.

"It was a miracle and over the following days we couldn’t believe what we were seeing," said Rachel, who was under anaesthetic for two days after the birth. “The doctors were simply astounded. “We were told how lucky we were, how the chances of this happening were slim to none and how our daughter was ‘Miracle Matilda’. “And within no time at all she became so strong that we were talking about going home.”

The parents paid tribute to the hospital staff who saved the little girl. Matilda will still have to undergo MRI scans and will need check-ups throughout her childhood.

"We never get too ahead of ourselves, we know she’s not out the woods yet and there may be health problems which emerge later," said Rachel. “But at the end of the day, Matilda shouldn’t even be alive. She defied the odds and proved everyone wrong."