South Shore parents credit new technology for baby’s progress from 14 oz to 14 lbs

BOSTON — A South Shore family is grateful for new technology at Mass General Hospital that helped their daughter grow from 14 ounces to 14 pounds.

Julia and Jonathan Thompson spoke with Boston 25 News about the uncertain journey that began with years of IVF and a few losses.

Their excitement to bring a baby girl into the world was overshadowed by concerns when she was born through c-section at 25 weeks.

Eloise weighed less than one pound and was resuscitated at birth.

Her months-long stay in the NICU started with a breathing tube and ventilator. Teaching her how to feed was an uncertain challenge that came later.

The micro preemie overcame the odds. She is the first baby at Mass General Hospital to benefit from special technology that helped her learn to feed independently.

“There were those special moments in the NICU where everyone gets excited, and we started to see some progress from the machine and how much that meant for the team,” said father Jonathan Thompson.

Eloise was initially fed through special IVs before using the device called an N-trainer.

The N-trainer prepared Eloise to consume nutrients when she was ready and helped her get strong enough to go home after five months.

“It’s feeling more like we have a normal infant. We get to do all these fun normal newborn things we didn’t get to do for the first five months of her life,” said mother Julia Thompson.

The Thompsons credit new technology and a dedicated team of doctors and nurses for bringing their baby back from the brink.

Doctors say Eloise paved the way for other infants at MGH who are now using the N-trainer.

“It feels like she got to beat the odds,” said Dr. Amanda Winkler, a neonatologist at MGH. “I remember there were a lot of days we weren’t even sure if Eloise was going to make it.”

The Thompsons’ advice to other future parents is that everyone’s journey is different.

They stress the importance of holding onto hope and taking it one day at a time.

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