Celebrating Baby Saybie (video)

A large apple. A juice box. Each of these items are small and can fit in the palm of your hand. They weigh approximately 8 ounces.

The same could be said of Baby Saybie* when she was born at 23 weeks gestation — a full three months earlier than planned. She was small and fragile, and could fit in the palm of the hands of her care team at San Diego’s Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns. Hers is a story of exceptional medical care and extraordinary love and support.

Born at just 245 grams, Saybie is considered the world’s smallest baby, according to the official Tiniest Babies Registry, maintained by the University of Iowa.

Saybie (a name used by her care team) was born at Sharp Mary Birch in December 2018. After experiencing severe pregnancy complications, Saybie’s mother gave birth by emergency cesarean section. Doctors said the preterm birth was necessary after they found that the baby was not gaining weight and her mother’s life was at immediate risk.

At Saybie’s birth, Sharp Mary Birch’s Advanced Life Support team, along with Sharp-affiliated neonatologist Dr. Paul Wozniak, worked to stabilize her before she could be transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

From there, the hospital’s multidisciplinary team of experts — including neonatologists; nurses; respiratory, occupational and physical therapists; social workers; pharmacists; and nutritionists — cared for Saybie and her family during the five months she stayed in the NICU. Saybie’s care team grew close with her parents as the newborn slowly became stronger.

Sharp Mary Birch, which has the largest Level III NICU in San Diego County, is recognized among the best hospitals in the world in caring for micro preemies — babies born before 28 weeks gestation. The Sharp Mary Birch team was incredibly proud to care for Saybie, and happy to wish her well when she graduated from the NICU and went home in May 2019.

Watch the video above to see Baby Saybie’s incredible transformation from world’s smallest baby to a healthy, happy 5-month-old.

*Sharp HealthCare respects the privacy of its patients and their families. While Saybie’s family gave their permission to share her story, they wish to remain anonymous.

For the news media: To learn more about Baby Saybie’s story, contact Erica Carlson, senior public relations specialist, at erica.carlson@sharp.com.