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'Miracle Micro-Preemie' Born On Caribbean Cruise

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A baby was born prematurely on a Caribbean cruise, just 23 weeks into his mother's pregnancy and only weighing 1.5 pounds.

Now, Haiden is recovering at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami.

Haiden's parents, Chase and Emily Morgan, and their daughter Chloe, were recently on a seven-day cruise.  Emily's due date wasn't until December, so her doctors cleared her for the trip.

But, on the second night while at sea her labor pains began.  The baby arrived within just 30-minutes.

However, the ship's medical staff told the Morgans that Emily had miscarried.

"About 45 minutes after I had delivered, the two doctors came back in and said the baby was still alive," said Emily Morgan. "However, they didn't expect him to live very long."

The captain rushed to Puerto Rico, which probably saved the baby's life. Three days later the Morgans flew to the Miami hospital.

"His feet are 2 inches long and his hands are about an inch and a half," Emily Morgan described.  "His body length is about 13 inches, so he's very, very small."

Doctors and nurses say Haiden is a "micro-preemie."  Still, they gave him a good prognosis, given his fully-developed set of lungs.

The Morgans will stay in Miami at Nicklaus Children's Hospital until Haiden's condition improves.

They'll then return to Utah and put him in a children's hospital there, where he's expected to stay until December, the month he was actually supposed to be born.

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