A mum says her baby is thriving despite being born 12 weeks premature - weighing less than a loaf of bread.

Tiny tot Weston McMahan tipped the scales at just 1lbs 6oz and was rushed to the intensive care unit after his mum underwent an emergency c-section at just 25 weeks.

After spending the first six weeks of his life in hospital, mum Kaylie McMahan said he has made astonishing progress - is now back on a normal ventilator and she hopes to have him home soon.

Kaylie, 18, a student, from Birmingham, Alabama, said: "Weston is now doing really well and he has moved back onto a regular ventilator."

"He is almost on room air and they are looking at taking him off."

"When I got to hold Weston for the first time I was a little scared as he was connected to so many wires."

"He was sleeping on my chest and it is a feeling that is hard to describe it was perfect."

"He was so soft and so light, it was the most amazing moment I have ever had in my life - I didn't want to let him go."

Kaylie found out she was expecting in October 2023 and said it was a "shock and surprise"."

The pregnancy was straight forward with no complications until February 2024.

Kaylie started getting swelling around her eyes but was told by family and friends that it was a normal symptom of pregnancy.

The swelling then spread to her ankles and Kaylie couldn't walk and was in discomfort.

She went to the doctors who told her to go to the pregnancy emergency room.

After checking her blood pressure and seeing it rise continuously to 181/90 the doctors diagnosed Kaylie with pre-eclampsia - caused by the placenta not developing properly.

Kaylie was continuously monitored and when her blood pressure continued to rise she was told on March 2 that if they didn't deliver Weston now she will have a seizure or eruption.

She added: "They were prepping me for a c-section and I was wheeled into the OR at 4:45am."

"They did the first cut at 5:11 and Weston was out by 5:15."

"Weston weighed 1lbs 6.6oz and was born at 25 weeks."

"I remember when he came out he cried which was a good sign for a baby of his size."

Weston got sent straight to the NICU where he is still developing but Kaylie is confident she will be able to take him home soon.

She said: "My family got to see him before me which hurt a little bit. "

"It was agonising not seeing him because I had no idea what he looked like and I was disconnected from him no longer being in my womb and that took a big toll on me."

"They anticipated keeping him here until July but really he is going to choose when he will go home."

"We're still on his little journey."

In his first few weeks, Weston had weak lungs and doctors told Kaylie that if Weston survived he would be sent home on oxygen.

Kaylie said: "That wasn't a worry as long as he lived, we didn't care what things there were to overcome. "

"Weston proved everyone wrong and is showing how strong he really is now we are just watching him grow and waiting on him to come home."

Weston is going from strength to strength, Kaylie can't wait to take him home and said it will be a "dream come true"."

She said: "I will be able to hold him every day with no fears while reading him a book while an incubator no longer separates us. "

"I want to do the things you see mothers doing on social media and right now my baby seems so far away. "

"I will no longer have to travel to see him and he'll be right under my nose and that's all I could ask for."