Describe the condition Oliver was in at the time of his birth.

Oliver Twist is born into a workhouse, but seems unlikely to survive at first. He manages to catch his breath, however, but his mother is not so lucky.

The fact is, that there was considerable difficulty in inducing Oliver to take upon himself the office of respiration,--a troublesome practice, but one which custom has rendered necessary to our easy existence; and for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress, rather unequally poised between this world and the next: the balance being decidedly in favour of the latter.