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Preemies
Need some postive stories
I'm on bedrest with a shortened cervix( thickened back up to normal at last appt.) but I also tested positive for the FFN screen. If the screen were accurate it means I would deliver within 2 weeks...Can you please share your early preemie baby stories with me... I'm freaking out and really want to keep them cookin!
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Re: Need some postive stories
I went into the hospital at 24w2d and had started dilating - they said I would delivery immediately - but didn't until 26w2d. Andrew spent 117 days in the NICU - he was 2 lb 3 oz and it was a long time - but he is doing great now!!
He was born in Dec 2008. 
Hugs and I hope that the baby can stay in for many more weeks! Every day the baby stays in is 2 less days in the NICU and every single day is a huge blessing. Hang in there!
Also, if you haven't gotten them, I would ask about steroid shots. They help to mature the baby's lungs faster in the event of an early delivery. They take 48 hours to work and there's a series of 2 shots. The doctors were happy I was able to get them in at 24 weeks before delivering at 26!
Come back anytime you have questions or need to vent or need support!
I was given the shots while in the hospital- I'm very relieved about that!
Does your son have any long term effects?
Not that we know of. He just has really bad reflux that he should grow out of any day now!
They said that he could have a minor effect but that they didn't expect anything major long term. They said that we wouldn't probably notice until he's older - like ADD, or maybe he won't be as coordinated hitting a baseball, etc. Those were a couple of examples. Those are pretty minor IMO and IMO most healthy kids have SOME kind of struggle!
At 24 weeks I went to L&D and found out I was 3 cm dilated. I was transferred to a bigger hospital and put on strict bedrest and lots of meds. DS was very low and very stubborn (still is) and decided it was time so he was born at 26 weeks. I know several people that have made it alot longer on bedrest though.
It was tough in the beginning, he spent 11 weeks in the NICU. He was able to go home without any meds or oxygen support. DS is now 4 years old. You would never know he was a preemie. He is developmentally and physically caught up with his peers and shows no signs of long term problems.
Good luck!
Mine was a single pregnancy, but my water broke at 23w1d and I was on hospitalized bedrest until I delivered at 27w3d. DD was 2lbs, 3oz and spent 109 days in the NICU but most of her preemie related problems were typical (PDA, blood transfusions, o/g tube, etc). She's almost 7mos old now (4mos adjusted) and has been home since November with no problems to speak of. And ditto PP - if your OB hasn't mentioned steroid shots, ask. I got them at 24wks and think they made a HUGE difference.
Good luck!
This is so true!
I was just browsing your blog- amazing photography- it does not look like Andrew could be any more loved!
My son was born at 26w2d. He weighed 1 lb 7 oz. I had pre-eclampsia and didn't get the full round of steroids in (but close!) before they had to take him.
He spent 96 days in the NICU and came home on his due date. The NICU is really hard.. I won't lie. But it is survivable. IF you have to spend time there (and I'm hoping you don't! Those swabs have a high false positive rate.) they will be some of the hardest days of your life. But you will get through them and we'll be here for you any time.. for anything.. questions, shoulders to cry on, someone to scream at.. whatever you need.
We found out shortly before his discharge that his diaphragm had not formed completely in utero (not preemie related) and that has caused untold amounts of trouble. He's had 2 surgeries, a ton of reflux, more puke than you can imagine and he eventually just stopped eating and had to be fed through a G tube (port in the stomach) That sounds horrible.. and it definitely hasn't been fun.
But in the grand scheme of things, it really could be worse.
He has been behind on most of his milestones since around 6 months.. but he's eventually gotten them. And almost everything thing gets blamed more on reflux than prematurity. (When you are puking 20 times a day, you don't feel much like doing tummy time.)
Try not to get too wrapped up in the numbers. I was obsessed with them the 2 days I was in the hospital before he was born and asked the neonatologist about them.. her response was of great comfort to me. She said "As far as you are concerned there is only 1 baby and we're shooting for 100%."
Good luck.. I hope you make it far longer than any expects. In the mean time, rest, fatten yourself and those babies up and take a tour of the NICU.
My Blog
I'm just a lurker on here, but I have a positive story I can share. It's my cousin's.... but it's positive.
My cousin Tiffanee's water started leaking at 23 weeks. She was admitted into the hospital and was put on bed rest. When she reached 25 weeks, she was able to get the steriods to help the baby's lungs develop. She had 2 rounds of the steriods. The day after she had her last dose, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, 1lb 9oz. She stayed in the hospital until she was 2 weeks from her due date. She'll make a year on the 13th! When she was 9 months she started crawling. The doctors did not believe it until they saw it for themselves. She says "dada". She's way ahead of schedule developmentally.
Now.
She's a cutie pie. She was about to get her ears pierced.
Y'all are strong women! Just wanted to say that!
I was a pPROMer not a shortened cervix. But I was on hospital bedrest after my water broke at 28 weeks for almost 6 weeks. Statistically, this is pretty rare. My son was born at 33 weeks and is an amazing success story. I had 2 sets of betamethazone and he breathed room air at birth and basically was a real slow feeder grower.
I have two other success stories for you...
One was a coworker, she just delivered on Tuesday after PTL/shtortening cervix that started at about 24 weeks with twins....she made it to 37 and change on bedrest
The other is my cousin who delivered yesterday...she was having shortening/PTL at 31 weeks and made it to 36...
You all have no idea what you've done for me. Prior to getting pregnant I had some major anxiety issues...then while pregnant that all went away I was so focused on my boys and how "well" I was doing...now because of that freaking FFN I am terrified.
I'm trying to stay super hydrated and then I get upset when I have to get up to pee...I'm home alone all day and feel so guilty like I made this happen...I was able to sleep last night thinking of your beautiul stories.
Was this with twins? I have requested to have the screen repeated on Tuesday just hoping that it comes back negative so I can relax!
Oops - yes, it was with twins. She was put on fairly strict bedrest until 35 or 36 weeks, then was back to her usual routine until she went into labor on her own. I don't know if she ever had the screening re-done, but she made it well past 2 weeks! I hope you have a similar success story!
Ahhhhh...thank you so much! I hope I have a similar story too!
My twins were born at 26wks, 6d. Marshall spent only 54 days in the NICU and Cecilia spent 89 days (she had some feeding issues). We are coming up on their 2nd birthday and their doctors believe they've caught up to their actual age now.
I was hospitalized with an incompetant cervix (funneling) at 24 1/2 wks, got the steroid shots and a positive ffn. Here's my blog: www.marshallcecilia.blogspot.com.
Good luck!!!!! Sending thoughts and prayers.