Stillborn 'miracle baby' comes back to life after 22 minutes

A couple from Essex are hailing their 'miracle baby' after he was stillborn but survived.

Abbie and Laura Tomkin from Hatfield Peveral near Chelmsford were thrilled when they conceived through IVF. But at 38 weeks Laura had to be induced and she gave birth to a baby showing no signs of life.

The 22 minutes that followed were agonising. Jacob was delivered by doctors at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford in the early hours of May the 30th, but it was soon clear something was terribly wrong.

Laura and Abbie went into shock as they realised their baby boy had been stillborn.

Doctors desperately tried to resuscitate Jacob and then amazingly after 22 minutes he started breathing.

Doctors at Broomfield hospital managed to save Jacob but because his brain had been deprived of oxygen he developed a condition called Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy or HIE. He was given a 1% chance of survival.

Laura and Abbie never gave up hope, they willed Jacob to pull through. And he did. Just four weeks later the couple were able to take their little boy home.

Doctors believe Jacob will have suffered some level of brain damage but only time will tell how much.

For now, Abbie and Laura are taking one day and a time and savouring every moment with their precious little miracle.