A tiny baby boy born at only 24 weeks has just had his first cuddle with mum and opened his eyes for the first time.

Bowen Reed Marsters - aka Bowie - was delivered by emergency caesarean on July 30 after his mum Joelene Mulholland suffered several large bleeds, losing more than 3 litres of blood and needing 4 transfusions.

He was just 685g and is on the high-dependency NICU ward at Christchurch Woman’s Hospital after his very early entrance to this world.

Joelene had been diagnosed with placenta accreta - a serious complication where the placenta attaches itself to the uterus and can cause serious bleeding before, during and after birth.

“In my case it had attached itself to my previous c-section scar and it couldn’t be separated without me bleeding out,” said Joelene, also mum to Arlo, 3.

Joelene’s first bleed was at home and she was released after bed rest. A week later she was picking up baby clothes from Riccarton Mall and had another significant bleed.

“I was in the toilets and it was really bad, I was quite panicked,” Joelene said.

“There was a clot so big I actually thought it was the baby.”

Joelene drove herself to nearby Christchurch Women’s Hospital and met her midwife. She was immediately admitted.

Joelene Mulholland said time spent holding baby Bowie was precious and had to be carefully planned due to the tubes and set-up. Photo / Supplied

Doctors managed to delay Bowie’s birth by another week and he got to the much safer 24-week mark. Babies born at 23 weeks are considered on the very edge of viability and if born earlier are not usually resuscitated.

“They managed to get me to 24 weeks but then I had another massive bleed and I knew it wasn’t good,” Joelene said.

Numerous emergency staff were by her side and they reacted quickly as soon as she told them she couldn’t hear anything.

“My hearing went and they knew straight away something was seriously wrong,” Joelene said.

“I was so scared something would happen to me and I told them I needed to be around for my other boy Arlo - I couldn’t leave him.”

Dad Tim Marsters was living in Australia but rushed to New Zealand to be with his son. Photo / Supplied

Joelene was rushed to theatre and Bowie was born by emergency cesarean section.

Bowie and Arlo’s dad Tim Marsters arrived in New Zealand from Australia just after Bowie’s arrival and planned to stay as long as financially possible.

Life on the high dependency ward had been a challenge for Bowie with a bleed on his lung, suspected infections, and pneumonia.

But there had also been huge milestones this week such as the first cuddles and Bowie opening his eyes.

Joelene had been able to spend time cuddling Bowie but a lot of preparation went into it.

“There are a lot of tubes and moving him from the incubator takes a lot out of him so I have to make sure I am ready to sit with him for a long time so it’s worth the effort for him,” she said.

“It is such a special time though.”

Another highlight for Joelene was walking into the NICU ward to see Bowie respond to her.

“I said “hello my sweetheart boy” and he opened his left eye for the first time, as if to say ‘Hi Mama’,” Joelene said.

“My heart melted, I cried and the doctor hugged me. It was such a special moment.”

A Givealittle page has been set up to help Joelene recover and for the extra expenses when Bowie is in hospital.

Big brother Arlo, 3, won't meet Bowie until he is discharged from hospital around Christmas. Photo / Supplied

Joelene said there was a lot of unknowns with such a premature birth but said her “beautiful boy is such a strong, brave fighter and has a big brother who is desperate to meet him.”

She was looking forward to him being home but knew that wasn’t happening anytime soon.

“They will keep them here until his due date of November 19 and then another six weeks,” Joelene said.

His homecoming date coincides with big brother Arlo’s 4th birthday on December 22.

“It will be the best present for Arlo if it all happens then because it will be the first time he will get to meet his little brother.”

Kirsty Wynn is an Auckland-based journalist with more than 20 years experience in New Zealand newsrooms. She has covered everything from crime and social issues to the property market and consumer affairs.