29 weeker twin still having breathing trouble 3 weeks in

Meliss503

I gave birth to 29 weeker twins.  My son,  twin A, is doing great on his breathing.  He is off the cannuella and breathing on his own.  My daughter, twin B, has really struggled with her lungs.  She started on the vent and then had to be moved to an oscillating vent due to blood gas levels.  She went on Si-Pap last week, spent a day on C-Pap and is now back on Si-Pap.  She is on a back up rate of 25 breaths per minute and have maxed out pressure settings and her oxygen level is around 40%.  The respiratory therapist is talking about putting her back on the vent if they can't get the settings down.  She gets breathing treatments twice a day and received 4 rounds of surfactant after birth that did not help.  They are going to check for infection today but the doctors just keep saying she has immature lungs with lots of fluid around them.  Anyone else go through this and how long did it last?  How is your babies' lungs today?  We are on day 25.  Thanks in advance.

Missa_g

My boys were 29 weekers. My B baby had a lot more lung issues and had to go back on the vent once. It's scary! Right around 34w gestation we saw rapid improvement and he ended up going to room air the same day as his brother. I hope you have a similar experience.

ETA: at 8.5 months actual my boys have no obvious remaining lung issues.

DrRx

I have a 26 weeker, and she was on a vent for about 3 weeks (a regular vent and then an oscillating vent) before she transitioned to Bi-pap and Cpap.  She did get a pseudomonas pneumonia infection because she as on the vent about 10 days after birth and that is one of the reasons why they had to keep her on the vent.  She ended up coming home on oxygen (after 83 days in the NICU) and weaned off slowly off the oxygen (first 24/7, then only needing it during meals and sleep, then just sleep, etc). at the end of July.  She was on oxygen for almost 6 months. 

However, keep in mind that my baby was younger than yours and that makes a big difference.  She may not need oxygen for that long.  I hope that your baby turns a corner and that if it is an infection they will have caught it early.  Keep us posted.  

Mrs. Alice

One of my 28 weekers was on a conventional vent for 3 weeks and then moved to c-pap with a back up rate (I guess that's si-pap?  not sure) until he was 33 weeks GA.  He was just a peanut and wasn't ready to breath on his own yet. He was on an oxygen cannula until about 37 weeks GA.  At one point they gave him a few doses of Lasix to get some fluid off his lungs and soon after that he was able to get off of oxygen.  Have they discussed giving steriods yet?  Sending good thoughts your way!

jcsntms06

I don't have any experience, but I just wanted to let you know I'm praying for your little ones.