Community› The Bump Message Boards› High-Risk Pregnancy
High-Risk Pregnancy
New Discussion

Preemie Babies & how soon to come home??

Lizette1stLizette1st
in High-Risk Pregnancy

Hi Ladies,

This is my first pregnancy with CI, I've had my cerclauge since 21 wks and I've made it to 28 this week w/ bed rest!  As much I am excited I've made it this far, I'm nervous.  My Doc says I only have 1cm left till my funneling hits my cerclauge stitches, I'm not sure what that means in terms of whats going to happen, but it didn't seem like I had much more time.  Will she take it out, send me home, then see if I go into natural labor?

My biggest anxiety and fear is having to leave my preemie baby in the hospital!  I cry just thinking about it..Does anyone know what the soonest they can send a preemie baby home?  Most people say at 36-37 wks, but that seems so long!  Most importantly to me is, I want to breastfeed my baby!  I feel as though if he's in the NICU for that long he won't want to breastfeed & it won't come natural to him, that scares me..Anyone have advice or stories they can share of their experiences?

 

Thanks Ladies,

Lizette

Report Reply to Post

Re: Preemie Babies & how soon to come home??

  • shipoopiisformeshipoopiisforme

    your cervix could stay at a steady length for a very long time, or it could shorten. i had a cerclage put in at 17 weeks my cervical length stayed pretty much the same, around 1.7cm until this week when it shortened to .5 cm, and just above my stitch. i am now in the hospital indefinitely.

    the length of time babies stay in the nicu varies from baby to baby, there is no set formula for this.

    imageAlternaTickers - Cool, free Web tickers
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • ColieJColieJ
    Might want to ask on the preemie board. I know for a fact I will have a preemie as 34 weeks is the longest they will let her stay in so I have been lurking. +/- 2 weeks from original due date is the standard, but every situation is different.
    Report Reply
  • DorothyandMattDorothyandMatt

    I'm no expert but I don't think they would send you home to labor until after you're 37 weeks. ?If anything I thing they would keep you in the hospital. ?As far as LO going home, like PP said it's all up to LO & how much he weighs & how well he does. ?I have heard of LO being too little to BF & mothers pumping their milk to bottle feed LO.

    Try to stay positive & take it easy. ?Hopefully you can keep him in there a lot longer. ?If you're really want to learn more about preemies I'm sure the ladies on the preemie board can ?help you out. ?GL! ?

    Report Reply
  • thenettlesthenettles

    i had ic with my daughter. my water broke at 31 wks. i had my cerclage since 14 wks. i didn't deliver until 32 wks. that was our goal. they told us that she wouldn't come home till her due date, that was 8you'll get the wks away. but she came home after 2 1/2 wks! and is perfect today :) they have to be able to feed and keep their body temp up. weight doesn't really matter. she could have come home sooner but she had jaundice and developed apnea. that was scary but they trained us in cpr and how to use an apnea moniter that she stayed on for 6 months. preemies are different from full termers, but you'll get the hang of it. it is very hard to leave them. i visited every day, and was able to bond with and breast feed my daughter.they said it would be hard for her but she got it on the first try! so keep your chin up, i know how hard that is. all i do is worry. i am 9 wks preg, and will be getting my cerglage in a few wks. then my roller coaster will begin again.

     

     

     

    Report Reply
  • dhami1dhami1

    I can give you advice from a preemie mom and a NICU nurse. My son was 34 weeks and severe IUGR. He had no breating issue, but had some feeding issues. He stayed 2 weeks and went home at 1800grams (about 4lbs). My NICU does not have a weight restriction in general but they like the babies to be over 1800 grams, They need to maintain temp in open crib, no repiratory problems, and eating all milk from breast or bottle (with weight gain of about 1 ounce per day).

    We always tell our preemie parents to expect your baby to stay in NICU til their due date. It is generally a couple weeks before that, but we have also had babies stay past their due dates. Many of our babies go home exclusively breastfeeding. However, you may have to pump breastmilk initially.

    Please let me know if you have any other questions and good luck. 

     

     

    Report Reply
  • BrewtowngrlBrewtowngrl member
    DS#1 had to hit certain milestones to get home. He was 37 weeks gestation when he came home.   He did not BF for the first few weeks.  He had an NG tube for a bit and we put even the little drops of colostrum I pumped into the feed.  When my milk came in he fed with a bottle for weeks.  Even after I came home.  After a few weeks of being home he BFed like a champ.  He never had an issue going from bottle to breast.  We BFed till a little over 9 months. 
    image
    Baby Birthday Ticker TickerBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker

    Report Reply
  • erikaja6erikaja6 member

    I had a cerclage at 24 weeks.  I was on bed rest for almost 10 weeks until my water broke at 33 weeks and 3 days.  My son was born weighing 5 pounds and 4 ounces.  His most serious issue while he was in the NICU was jaundice.  At first he was fed through a tube (a gavage), but then he was able to use a bottle and then I tried breastfeeding him (at least once or twice a day).   My son did well and came home after 11 days.  I continue to breastfeed him and he's doing great. 

    I know this must be a very scary time for you.  However, try to remain calm and positive.  I know, I know...easier said than done - but it's one of the best things you can do for your baby.  After your baby is born, make sure you let the NICU nurses know you want to breastfeed.  They will help you and set you up with a lactation consultant.  In addition to taking care of your child, the nurses are there to help you and answer any questions you may have.  They can offer an amazing amount of support.  I still keep in touch with one of my son's NICU nurses.  Also, don't be afraid to come on the Preemie Board to ask questions.  It's a wonderful, positive and supportive board.  Good luck.     

    Report Reply
  • ejh090305ejh090305 member
    My daughter was born at 34 weeks exactly. She went home on her 15th day in the NICU. She was 4 lbs 5 oz at birth and just under 5 lbs when she went home. she had no breathing issues but she had problems with eating and jaundice so she had to stay under the bili lights for a week. It is a very scary thing and it is so unfair. No one wants to leave the hospital without their baby. I still cry about it if I think about it too hard. I spent every waking hour at the hospital waiting for her to be ready to come home. But, I was there for every bath, ever diaper change, feeding, and doctor visit that I could be. I only went home from 10pm to 6am and sometimes I slept at the hospital.
    Report Reply
  • ninamlloydninamlloyd

    my daughter was born at 25 weeks at 2lbs 6 oz. There is hope! She is doing well and amazingly smart for her age (top in her prek class) To answer your question, they were very forward with us, she was born in Palm Springs, CA and said she could go home when off most machines, and hit 5 pounds. Great! She went on and off of oxygen, and stayed on a heart monitor at night, she had really bad apnea. She got menigitis while in there, and took a turn, now with that being said, she was the only baby in there to get this the entire time we were there. She was moved to isolation, and the menigitis turned into some blood infection. After battleing that, she became much much stronger, and we finally hit 5 pounds and was able to go home, but she was there 4 months. 

    There was a special room in our NICU for moms to breastfeed, and some rooms to pump. Everything will just hinge on what happens when your little one is born, how are the lungs? how is the heart? just ask them to be frank with you. Some babies went home in a few weeks. But usually they went home around their due date, since we had a turn of events we ended up going home after ours. But all babies are different. t&p to you!

    Report Reply
  • FemmeNat01FemmeNat01 member

    My twins were born at 33 weeks 6 days. Lucas was in the hospital for 23 days and Elena was in the hospital for 38 days.

    It really depends on your baby. Lucas mastered all his milestones fairly quickly. Elena had a ton of apnea/brady issues, she got sick, and she was having feeding issues.

    GL!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • Lizette1stLizette1st
    Amazing! Thank you Ladies for all you responses, stories, & support.  I reach 29 wks tomorrow and have a appt. with the Doc.  I will keep you posted as to what's next!
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"