An Ipswich family are excited to spend their first Christmas with their ‘miracle baby’ Faris – thanks to the support from a group on Facebook.

Ipswich Star: Faris with his older brother IsaacFaris with his older brother Isaac (Image: Archant)

Parents Davinia Watson, 37, and Mido Hassan, 27, from Purdis Farm, were told their unborn baby had just a 2% chance of surviving after Davinia’s waters broke on January 6 when she was just 21 weeks pregnant – three weeks before their baby would be deemed medically viable for treatment.

Despite advice from doctors to terminate the pregnancy and warnings her son would be born with brain damage or other medical problems, Davinia was determined to not give up hope.

And she was given a glimmer on Facebook as she returned home from hospital when a friend pointed her towards the Little Heartbeats group.

Ipswich Star: Faris was born weighing just 2lb 2ozFaris was born weighing just 2lb 2oz (Image: Archant)

There she received supportive messages and advice about her condition, known as pre-term premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), from mums across the country who had been through a similar ordeal.

She decided to battle on and Faris was born on February 16, Mido’s birthday, weighing just 2lb 2oz.

“It is pretty amazing because last Christmas I was pregnant and dead excited thinking this time next year we will have another little person in the family.

Ipswich Star: Parents Davinia Watson and Mido Hassan with baby Faris.Parents Davinia Watson and Mido Hassan with baby Faris. (Image: Archant)

“But then my waters broke at 21 weeks and the first advice I was given was to terminate the pregnancy as the survival rate was statistically 2%.

“For a long time we thought he wouldn’t make it and wouldn’t survive so now it is just amazing.

“Every single day we fought for his life and at one point it was touch and go for both of us.

Ipswich Star: Faris with his older brother IsaacFaris with his older brother Isaac (Image: Archant)

“Without the Facebook group I would have been absolutely lost.”

Faris and his mum spent a total of 70 days in the intensive care unit after he was born. Davinia now works closely with the Little Heartbeats group, giving advice and support to mums-to-be.

She said Faris’s older brother Isaac, nine, is especially looking forward to sharing his first Christmas with his new brother.

“Faris was on oxygen for a month when he came home but came off it a day before his brother Isaac’s birthday.

“It was really difficult for him because he didn’t see me for a while. But he absolutely loves his new brother.”

For more on the Little Heartbeats group see www.facebook.com/PpromAwarenessUK