success stories for 30 week gestation babies?

destinationAZ

My friend was admitted to the hospital last night because her water broke, she still has some amniotic fluid but continues to gush/leak. She will be 31 weeks tomorrow and they gave her steroids for lung development and mag to stop contractions. I'd love to hear stories about what she might be able to expect as far as NICU time, etc. She's having a boy if that makes a difference.....I've heard they develop a little slower but I don't know how much truth there is to that. Thanks.

tierelieber

DD was born at 30 weeks, 3 days due to pre-e. I also had the steroid shot, and she was able to breathe on her own from the very start. She was in the NICU for 34 days, and she also had to have surgery four days after she was born to correct a stomach issue. She is doing great, and at the time was deemed one of the healthiest babies in the NICU. 30 weekers have an excellent chance at being perfectly healthy, just small. The babies in the NICU I was at had to be four pounds before they were able to live outside of an isolette (so that they don't burn too many calories trying to keep warm). DD came home 5 weeks before her due date weighing 4.5 pounds. If the baby is healthy and can stay healthy, he will have a much better chance of less time in the NICU. Just prepare your friend for the NICU by reminding her that it is a bumpy road- lots of ups and downs, lots of one step forward, two steps back. NICU time all depends on the baby and how well the baby copes. When you are in that situation you can often feel powerless because there is so little you can do to help your baby along.

Mrs. Destructo

My guys were 30 weekers, born at 30w2d. They both spent a couple of days on ventilators, and one of them was completely off oxygen support in his first week. The other guy was much smaller/weaker, and was on oxygen in the form of a nasal cannula for 6 weeks. Even though the NICU is a horrible, scary place, their stays were  uneventful. They're almost 17 months old now and doing really well - learning how to talk, walking, and very strong and healthy.

Totally not BR, but where in Sedona were you married? We were married at the Amara Creekside Resort. SO beautiful!! 

Is your friend in Arizona? My guys were born at Tucson Medical Center.

sabloja

My DS was born at 30 w 2 d my water also broke and I was hospitalized for about week. I was given steriod shots and antibiotics but my doc said he would rather deliver a 30 weeker without an infection than a 32 weeker with an infection. He was born at 30w 2 d. He was 4lbs 3 oz. He spent less than two days on CPAP but was breathing on his own from birth. He was in the primary care nursery just to feed and grow. He had little set backs with feeding and maintaning his temp. He came home a day before his one month birthday, so he was really only about 34 weeks. He has caught up with weight (19lbs) he is a little on the shorter side (but my husband is short) he has a bit of reflux but is controlled but oatmeal in his bottle, he is hitting milestones at his adjusted age. HTH! Have her come on over here when she is ready this site has been great support for all of us!

crystalpopcorn

Hello! ?You are a good friend for coming here. ?

I haven't read everyone else's responses, but here is our story:

My son was born at 31w 4d. ?I also received the steroid shots for his lungs. He weighed 3lb 15 oz when born, and was 17 inches long. ?He was born breathing on his own. ?He never required a vent, cpap or anything of the sort. ?He did have a small nasal cannula for a while, but that was so that he didn't have to work so hard to get air at high altitude. DS was in the NICU for 40 days. ?Mainly, he just needed to learn how to eat and needed time to grow. ?

The NICU nurses did comment that boys will generally stay in the NICU longer than girls. ?They joked about all of the "lazy" boys that were left in the NICU when girl after girl graduated. ?The biggest challenge for my son, and other boys near him, was learning to drink from a bottle. ?He would drink half of the bottle and then let the nurses tube feed him the rest. ?It's as if he was saying "why should I work, when I can get full when sleeping?". ?

Anyway, today my son is a happy, healthy 14 month old. ?He is in the 90th percentile in height on the term baby charts. ?He is walking, starting to talk, eating everything in sight and an all around normal kid. ?Nobody would suspect that he is a preemie, and most are very shocked when I tell them. ?Good luck to you and your friend. ?Please tell her about this board, because this is a fantastic support group.?

meldoo2002

Our twins were born 5 weeks ago at 30w3d.  They are still in the NICU, but will probably come home in the next week or 2.  So far we've had a pretty uneventful NICU experience thankfully.  My bigger boy, Nathan, twin B, was on a vent for 1 day and a CPAP for 1 day.  They both are still on monitors for their drop in heart rates which happen usually once a day at this point.  In general they are doing really well.  They were circumcised today.  Nathan passed his car seat test and Joey is going to take his after their circs heal a bit.  My blog is www.vautourtwins.blogspot.com if you want to check out pictures from their early days.  They were born at 3lbs.7oz and 3lbs.12oz. 

destinationAZ

Mrs. Destructo:

Totally not BR, but where in Sedona were you married? We were married at the Amara Creekside Resort. SO beautiful!! 

Is your friend in Arizona? My guys were born at Tucson Medical Center.

 

Thanks for your reply, I'm glad to hear your babies are doing well....we were married outside near Cathedral Rock, it was/is a beautiful setting! We don't live in AZ though....it was a destination wedding for us.

destinationAZ

Thanks everyone for your replies....I knew you would be able to give me hope to pass on to my friend!

Aidge

Sam was born at 29 and 6 and is doing very well. He is "performing" at just above his adjusted age, milestone-wise. ?He was in the NICU for 7 weeks. He came within 5 hours of my getting to L and D, so we only had time for one steroid shot. ?He did as was expected for a 30 weeker, or so we were told. He gets weekly OT for his development, which is a Godsend. He also has silent reflux, but so do a ton of other babies. ?I was scared out of my mind, and would have loved to keep him in for another 10 weeks, but just know that 31 weeks is a great milestone. ?The NICU is one step forward and two steps back, but she will learn more than you ever thought possible. GL to her and please keep us posted!

lauraanddave

30 weekers do great.  My DD was born at 32w 2d, but I'd just hit 31 weeks when my water broke and I went into the hospital.  Most babies born at 30 weeks just need time to learn how to eat on their own, because their sucking reflex isn't developed yet, and grow.