Doctors Marvel at Premature Infant Girl’s Steady Progress : Medicine: The baby, who weighed 12 ounces at birth, continues to beat the medical odds of survival, an official at Martin Luther Hospital in Anaheim says.

Doctors at Martin Luther Hospital said Wednesday that they continue to be “amazed” at the steady progress of a tiny, premature infant girl who weighed only 12 ounces when she was born 10 days ago.

Sheyanne Danielle Welch was originally given less than a 10% chance of survival but the infant continues to beat the medical odds, said Dr. Leonard L. Fox, associate director of the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.

“She has taken on a personality and a special spirit,” said Fox, adding that 10 years ago, such a baby probably would not have survived. “We are learning a lot from this baby and are rewriting medical textbook chapters. . . . It’s an extraordinary event.”

Sheyanne was born by Cesarean section after only 24 weeks of gestation in order to save the life of the baby’s 37-year-old mother, Robin Welch, who suffered from Hellp syndrome. The affliction causes hypertension, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet levels, doctors said.

So far, Fox said, the baby’s lungs and brain appear to be developing normally. She opened her eyes for the first time a few days ago.

Sheyanne has also gained 1 1/2 ounces, bringing her weight to about 14 ounces. She had her first taste of baby formula on Wednesday, Fox said.

This “is the first day that we have attempted to feed her by mouth. Every calorie is precious to her,” Fox said. “We are trying to have her not expend any energy so that all of the calories will go toward growth.”

Wearing a white bonnet that hospital volunteers knitted for her, Sheyanne wriggled on her stomach and moved her tiny limbs on Wednesday as nurse Brook Bray attended to her.

Bray, who has worked in the hospital’s 10-bed neonatal intensive care unit for 11 years, marveled at the resilience and spirit of the smallest baby she has ever cared for.

“I’m in awe of her,” Bray said. “She’s so tiny and so perfect. She’s a real fighter.”

Despite the good news, Sheyanne is still in critical condition because of her size.

She sleeps between 15 and 20 hours a day inside an incubator kept at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit to simulate conditions of the womb. Nurses have also covered her in plastic to help her stay warm.

“We are doing everything we can to help this baby survive,” Fox said. “We are just fortunate that she’s doing as well as she is.

“If she continues along this line, she will do well,” he said. “But we have to be concerned for any setbacks she may have.”