After Years of Fertility Struggles, an Emergency Delivery Saved Mom and Baby

When Whitney Slade became pregnant after more than two years of fertility treatments, she finally felt her dream of becoming a mother was coming true. But at 25 weeks pregnant, everything changed. What began as a normal day quickly became a life-threatening emergency for both Whitney and her baby. At MidState Medical Center, Dr. Michelle Taylor and a multidisciplinary care team acted within minutes after discovering a complete placental abruption, delivering Whitney's son, Westerly, in a race against time. Born weighing just 1 pound, 14 ounces, Westerly faced a long journey ahead. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the care teams at MidState Medical Center and Connecticut Children's NICU at Hartford Hospital, both mom and baby survived and thrived. Today, Whitney, Westerly and their family look back on the extraordinary moments that brought them here and reunite with the team that helped save their lives.