Against all the odds, Esme is now eight months old - although she is still battling lung and feeding complications because of her early birth A baby has astounded doctors by surviving despite being born four months premature and weighing just 1lb 6oz. Esme Poulsom was given just a one per cent chance of survival when mother Kirsty Barrett's waters broke after just 19 weeks. But Ms Barrett, 24, and partner Gareth Poulsom refused to give up hope and Esme was born so small she could fit into her mother's hand. Baby Esme (pictured with sister Ava, 2, father Gareth Poulsom, 27, and mother Kirsty Barrett, 24) has defied doctors to survive despite being born four months prematurely
@highlight
Esme Poulsom was given just a one per cent chance of survival when her mother Kirsty Barrett's waters broke after just 19 weeks
@highlight
Esme was so fragile and her mother so ill after the birth that she was not allowed to see her for two agonising days
@highlight
Against all the odds, Esme is now eight months old - although she is still battling lung and feeding complications because of her early birth
@placeholder again repeated her concerns about her taking milk into her lungs, but says she was again told the baby had an infection.