Baby Lifeline saved me when I was born 12 weeks early... now I have a little miracle of my own; HEALTH: Sian's the first tot helped to survived by charity to become a mum.

Byline: By Warren Manger

WHEN Sian Armstrong was born 12 weeks early and weighing less than 2lbs, she was given just a 50-50 chance of survival.

But thanks to life-saving equipment funded by Coventry charity Baby Lifeline and excellent care from staff at the city's old Walsgrave Hospital she pulled through.

Now she is the first 'Baby Lifeline child' to become a mum.

Sian, now aged 20, gave birth to beautiful baby boy Zac at University Hospital last Friday.

To the relief of his Sian and Zac's dad, Robert Green, he was born 11 days later than predicted and weighed 7lbs 6oz - more than four times what than his mum weighed when she was born.

Sian admits she was nervous about the pregnancy, especially after doctors warned her there was a greater chance she would go into labour early because she was born prematurely.

She said: "I did think, 'I was premature, is he going to be?'"

"When he was born it was incredible to think about how small I was compared to him."

Sian has temporarily moved back in with mum Lucy and dad Andy at their home in Hipswell Highway, Wyken, since the birth.

The proud grandparents are delighted to help look after Zac and are relieved he did not have such a difficult start to life as his mum.

When Sian was born she weighed less than two pounds and her head was the size of a tennis ball.

She spent her first nine weeks in a ventilator, which was donated to the hospital by Baby Lifeline.

She also underwent surgery to close a valve which was letting blood into her lungs - a common problem with babies born so prematurely.

Dad Andy, aged 54, was forced to divide his time between visiting Sian and Lucy, who was being looked after in intensive care.

Lucy said: "It was surreal to start with - I didn't get to see her for the first four days."

"Looking back, I realise didn't really speak about anything beyond the next day," added the 45 year-old, who is a self-employed gymnastics costume maker.

"Some days we went in and she was quite stable.

"The next day the nurses told us she had forgotten to breathe and they had to poke her to make her start again."

CAPTION(S):

CYCLE OF LIFE... Sian Armstrong with her new baby Zac. Picture: James Balfour JB110209SIAN-01; FAMOUS FRIENDS... Sian, at age three, meets Sir Ben Kingsley, patron of Baby Lifeline.; FAMILY MATTERS... Sian and Zac with proud grandparents Andy and Lucy Armstrong. JB110209SIAN-03; LITTLE FIGHTER... Sian shortly after being born, weighing in at less than 2lbs.