'Against all odds' baby Olive leaves hospital

Sweet dreams: Natasha and Kieran Lawler's daughter OIive weighed little more than a small bag of sugar at birth

A "perfect" premature baby girl who weighed a little more than a small bag of sugar at birth has left post-natal hospital care.

Natasha and Kieran Lawler's daughter OIive was born at 27 weeks, weighing 1lb 3 oz (540g).

Dr Nishi Deole, a consultant in fetal medicine at the trust, said "the odds were against" the couple after a "long and difficult" journey to become parents.

"It is very hard when you meet parents in their situation where you have to be honest about their possible outcomes, but at same time giving them some hope," Dr Deole added.

Detail of Olive's arrival was released by staff at the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Ipswich Hospital

"Having been told they only had a 5% chance of conceiving naturally, the couple began a rollercoaster ride through several rounds of IVF fertility treatment and heartache that involved a miscarriage and loss," said the trust.

"But on their last chance with their final embryo, Natasha was pregnant."

Olive, who was two hours old in this picture, was born at 27 weeks

The trust added: "Baby Olive was eager to meet her mum and dad, and arrived with a very early entrance at 27 weeks and three days, weighing just 540g."

Mr Lawler, who works in an emergency service control room, said through the trust: "We’ve been fighting for a baby for such a long time – over six and a half years.

"Olive is the dream we have been fighting for. She’s perfect.

“We’ve remortgaged our house and sacrificed holidays.

"It’s been a long journey but we couldn’t be happier she’s here and we are so grateful to every single member of the team who has supported us at Ipswich Hospital."

Olive's mother Natasha, 35, an assistant head teacher, said: "We’ve been supported throughout by the staff at the hospital, including Dr Deole and the team as well as the fertility team, all the way through."

Mrs Lawler had attended Ipswich Hospital during her pregnancy.

But she had needed specialist care and gave birth to Olive at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the trust said.

Olive had been transferred to Ipswich Hospital when she was four weeks old and her weight had increased to 880g (nearly 2 lb).

A trust spokeswoman said "mum and Olive" were "doing well".

Hospital staff said Olive's parents had been on a difficult IVF journey

The NHS website says babies born before a full pregnancy term - 37 weeks - were "vulnerable to problems associated with being born premature".

"The earlier in the pregnancy a baby is born, the more vulnerable they are," the site explains.

"It's possible for a baby to survive if born around 24 weeks of pregnancy onwards.

Babies born this early need special care in a hospital with specialist facilities for premature babies."

The size of Olive's foot compared to her father's wedding ring