DEFYING THE ODDS MADDIS ON'S MILESTONE BIRTHDAY

One of the tiniest babies born in New Zealand is about to turn 10!

Maddison Riddell is counting down the days to her 10th birthday celebrations later this week and like most almost 10-year-olds, it's no surprise what she is most looking forward to.

"My birthday presents - I'm hoping for a scooter!" Maddison says excitedly, with cake, hot dogs, goody bags and a lolly-filled piñata also up there.

Reaching double digits is a special milestone in Maddison's extraordinary journey. Weighing a tiny 410 grams when she was born prematurely at 27 weeks, she has defied the odds to become one of the smallest babies ever to survive in New Zealand.

As they plan celebrations with Maddison's friends and family, her parents Katlin McIlvenny, 30, and Jonnie Riddell, 32, couldn't be prouder of their remarkable girl "It's incredible to look back to when Maddison was a tiny little thing, lying under blue lights in an incubator, wearing the smallest nappy possible, which was still too big," tells Katlin. "Now she's at school, thriving and loving life. She's such a special child." The Wellington parents were just 20 and 22 when they had Maddison, and Katlin says they didn't realise anything was amiss with the pregnancy until the 22-week anatomy scan.

"Maddison's measurements were smaller than expected and the amniotic fluid was low. A more in-depth scan showed a huge blood clot in the placenta, which was impacting the umbilical cord, meaning Maddison wasn't getting enough nutrients."