Miracle tot Max survives birth drama

Grateful mum Melanie Downes (31) says little Max would not have survived without the care of the teams at Rotherham General Hospital and at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield.

Melanie (31), of Sunnybank Crescent, Brinsworth, said "“I thought he was gone.

“It’s really a miracle he survived—even the doctors were shocked that he came through it."

Max, who weighed in at 10lb, 1oz, became trapped in the womb during the birth with the placenta preventing him from breathing.

Doctors reckoned they had on 12 minutes to save him and the youngster was finally freed by specialist Dr Sue Rutter with only seconds to spare.

He had to be resuscitated and was taken to the Hallamshire where he was put on a pioneering "total body hyopthermia" cooling machine for three days to lower his body temperature and prevent lasting brain damage caused by oxygen starvation.

The machine is know an TOBY for short and Melanie and her partner Keith Goulder (29) gave Max the middle name Toby to mark the help they received.

“I would just like to thank everyone for their help and quick thinking because if it wasn’t for them, Max wouldn’t be here today,”  said Melanie.

Scans have revealed Max suffered no lasting damage in his ordeal and his is now at home with his big sister Tiffany (9) after three weeks in hospital.