HE HAS fought for every step of his life.

Now the proud parents of Harrison Cooper can look forward to the best Christmas ever – spending it with their baby boy at home for the first time.

Born three months early Harrison weighed just 1lb 7oz and was so small his dad’s wedding ring could fit around his wrist.

For 62 days he was dependent on an oxygen machine, twice he needed resuscitating and five times he underwent life-saving blood transfusions.

Just when he was showing signs of improvement he was struck down by meningitis, leaving his life, once again, in the balance.

However, with the aid of antibiotics his tiny body fought off the infection and Harrison was well enough to come home with parents Jackie Stephen.

Now they are looking forward to their first family Christmas with Harrison, who only now weighs the same as an average newborn baby.

Jackie, 32, said: “We are planning to have a lovely family Christmas as we didn’t know whether it was going to turn out that way at times. We will just enjoy every minute with him and make up for all the cuddles we couldn’t give him when he was in hospital.”

Harrison was born by caesarean in July after his mother Jackie developed preeclampsia – a condition cause by high blood pressure which can cause the mother’s kidneys and liver to collapse.

If doctors had not acted both Harrison and mother Jackie could have died.

Now he is at home in Valley Park, Chandler’s Ford, and weighing in at 7lb 7oz.

Babies born before 29 weeks are considered extremely premature and only 1.2 per cent of all babies born in England weigh less than 3lbs.

A spokesman from special care baby charity Bliss said: “It is great news that baby Harrison is now at home and doing so well after his extremely early and tiny start to life.

“Harrison has already overcome many problems due to his early start in life and we wish him and his family all the best for the future and for a very happy Christmas.”

Harrison still has to receive small amounts of oxygen through a tube up his nostril but it hoped that will be able to breathe by himself by January.

His premature birth was a case of history repeating itself as Jackie had also been born premature, 10 weeks in her case, after her mother, Wendy Kennedy developed preeclampsia.

Jackie, an administrator at Southampton University, was unaware that she suffered from high blood pressure and felt well all through her pregnancy.

But after being checked over by her midwife Jackie was admitted to Winchester before doctors decided that Harrison was going to have to be delivered early.

While in neonatal care he was one of a number of babies who had to be evacuated when there was a gas leak.

Jackie praised the care she received while at Winchester. “I couldn’t fault the hospital, they were wonderful.”