Baby Carmine - the smallest baby in our NICU

The smallest infant ever to be cared for and survive at Children's Medical Center of Dayton made his first trip home Monday, July 19.

Story from Dayton Daily News and WHIO-TV/

Carmine Yannitti went home with his parents, Tony and Mandie Yannitti of Bellbrook, after a three-month stay in the newborn intensive care unit, or NICU, at Dayton Children's.

Carmine was born April 9 at 26 weeks gestation. He weighed 13.2 ounces. Mandie Yannitti's doctor learned at a routine appointment that morning that Carmine's heart rate was dropping and he was not doing well. The doctor determined a Cesarean section birth was necessary.

Carmine was born at Kettering Medical Center, then immediately transported to Dayton Children's NICU. He was given a 15 percent chance of survival.

"They gave us the gloom-and-doom speech about his chances of making it," Tony Yannitti said. "We were both pretty upset because the prognosis was not a good one at the time."

Carmine was the size of a 20-week-old baby at the time of his birth. He is the smallest baby ever cared for at the NICU and the only one less than 1 pound that they have had. A month passed before the Yannittis were allowed hold their son, and two months passed before Carmine could come out of the incubator.

Now 5 pounds, 1 ounce, Carmine is ready to leave the hospital.

"We're extremely excited. It's been a long three, three and a half months," Tony said. "But still, we're excited and nervous because he's still pretty fragile."

The Yannittis must keep Carmine on oxygen until it is determined he is ready to come off it.

According to Ohio Department of Health statistics, 11.6 percent of babies born in 2008 in Montgomery County were born preterm, which is defined as being born before 37 weeks. Very preterm babies (born before 32 weeks) comprised 2 percent in 2008.

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• carmine yannitti
• nicu
• newborn
• intensive care
• dayton childrens
• medical center
• ohio

[Deathbringer99699]

beefcake..

BEEEEEFCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE­E!!

[ToxicKisses315]

congrats <3 im glad he's well now

[mylovesofmylife]

Cute

[babydolladrienne]

awww how adorable, congrads for you guys!

[dlc7253]

That's our boy!  Carmine ROCKS!

BIG hugs to ya'll...

Deb C.

[mjones20054]

My prayers are with Carmen.