A baby who did not breathe for the first eight minutes of his life has sparked a £10,000 incubator appeal.

Norwich Evening News: Cromer couple Rachael Cherry and Adam Babbage with their son Theo who was born dead but was helped by the neonatal ward at the NNUH neonatal ward and now want to raise £10,000 for an incubator for the department.Photo by Mark BullimoreCromer couple Rachael Cherry and Adam Babbage with their son Theo who was born dead but was helped by the neonatal ward at the NNUH neonatal ward and now want to raise £10,000 for an incubator for the department.Photo by Mark Bullimore (Image: Archant Norfolk 2015)

Baby Theo Babbage was resuscitated back to life after suffering breathing problems during an emergency Caesarean section at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in August last year.

Now the tot is a healthy bouncing baby. And to say thank you his proud Cromer parents Adam Babbage and Rachael Cherry want to raise money for the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) which cared for their son for 12 days.

Their families and friends are getting involved in the fundraising and the £10,000 will go towards the kind of incubator which helped save Theo.

Mr Babbage, 29, from Mill Road, said: 'Without the ward and its team, things could have been completely different.

Norwich Evening News: Theo Babbage when he was in an incubator after he was born. Picture: SUBMITTEDTheo Babbage when he was in an incubator after he was born. Picture: SUBMITTED (Image: Archant)

'He could have had brain damage or anything. We are very lucky. The staff were amazing.

'We want to give something back as appreciation to the ward so other people are as lucky as we were.'

His partner of 11 years, Miss Cherry, 30, said: 'When you go through an experience like that it makes you think.'

She added: 'Because of my line of work as a care support worker, I knew the medical staff were doing CPR on Theo. I could hear them counting. Nobody was saying anything.'

Mr Babbage, a retained Cromer fireman who could see what was happening at the time, said: 'You expect a baby to be crying when it is born.'

After Theo's heart was re-started staff were worried he would suffer permanent brain damage.

But that did not happen as his temperature was cooled before being brought back to normal - all through the incubator.

He also received antibiotics and anti-epileptic medication.

Theo was in the incubator for one week - the same amount of time it took him to cry and be held by his parents for the first time.

'During that time I was in shock. I didn't know what was going on,' Miss Cherry said. 'When I held him and heard him cry for the first time I didn't stop crying.'

The ward can care for 42 babies at a time and has rooms where loved ones can stay overnight.

Theo will have four-monthly check-ups until he is two but is developing well.

Mr Babbage, whose family run Priory Maze and Gardens in Beeston Regis, said: 'Theo is very cheerful. Apart from the first two weeks he has been very easy.'

Fundraisers will be held at the White Horse pub in Cromer, run by Miss Cherry's mother, and the Priory Maze.

The first event is a car boot in the White Horse car park on April 11 from 10am. The £5 pitch fees go towards the appeal.

Jane Bennett, acting NICU matron said: 'We will be overwhelmed to receive such a massive donation from one family. This will make such a difference to our current fundraising. We are incredibly grateful to Theo's parents for nominating our charity and we are delighted to see Theo so well and healthy.'

To get involved in the fundraising call the pub on 01263 512275 or visit

www.justgiving.com/theonicu/

Visit www.nnuh.nhs.uk or call 01603 287107 to find out more about the specialist ward.