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Preemies
What to expect from babies born at 26 weeks?
Hi everyone
I am new to this board- I am usually on the nest. My niece and nephew were born last night at 26 weeks. I was wondering what to expect- where are they development-wise, what services will they be needing, anything you could share to help would be great.
Thanks!
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Re: What to expect from babies born at 26 weeks?
My DD was born at 25 weeks. Here is a post I had recently that gives some hope for the early babies.
https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/50192019.aspx
my son was born at 26w2d. For my son, we had lots of stomach issues, on top of the usual breathing issues. My son escaped brain injury, which was a relief.
He's had lots of feeding difficulties above anything else. He also was greatly delayed in gross motor & speech, though has overcome both of those things with therapy.
There really is such a huge range of things that can happen, it's extremely hard to predict what can happen.
My Blog
My son was born 26w3d. He's at 34 weeks gestation tomorrow, 7w4d actual. He's doing great. No IVH, ROP, heart issues. He has BPD/CLD and reflux, and he was on the vent for 15 hours when born before being switched to the CPAP. He got an infection in his PICC line and went back on the vent for 9 days. He then went back to CPAP for a loooong while before making down to high flow nasal canula of 4L a week ago. He's at a stand still right now, and we're waiting for him to get to 3L at a stable place before he can come to a Level two nursery closer to home.
Despite his struggles, I find we've had an easier NICU stay than many. (Knock on wood!) He was born 2lbs 4oz and is now 4lbs 9oz. He was 13.5" and is now just over 17". They grow so fast, its amazing. Good luck to her and many T&P for those little babies.
My son was born at 26w2d. He spent nearly 17 weeks in the NICU. He did have some issues along the way - most notably 2 IVHs, RDS, and BPD. He came home as a "normal" newborn, just on reflux medication, but with no other obvious side effects of his prematurity.
he is 2 yrs old now. Overall he is doing well. He's running around, very curious, happy, and has a fun time with his friends. He does have some difficulty with speech and previously eating (but much better with therapy) and is delayed in gross & fine motor, but, it's nothing that seems to be interfering with his every day life and things we think he will overcome with more therapy.
T&P!
my daughter was a 24 weeker (23 week 6 days). she was 1 pound 4 ozs 12.75inches and our NICU stay was 108 days. I agree with what others have said it really is a "depends on the baby" situation. Example is 23/24 weekers can usually expect to be on a vent for a couple of months, then go back and fourth and have to be reintubated and then go home with oxygen but she was off the vent in 36 days and went home with no oxygen.Micro preemies (babies born 26 weeks or less) and those boarding that gestation group are refered to many times as a "roller coaster rides" in their health...up one minute down the next.
My unmedical advice is take lots of pics, try to enjoy little moments with each baby admist the chaos, take a moment to grieve the loss of the fullterm delivery she may have thought was going to be, BE AN ADVOCATE for the babes, do what another person mentioned and seek the NICU parent support group, Contact the local March of Dimes rep and see what support they may be able to provide, and i know usually have a few more so sorry I just can't think
I really wish them the least bumpy ride possible. I know it will be double the ride but i know they are double the joy for you and your family.
Main health concerns might be: PDA (an opening between heart & lungs can be seen on x-ray), BPD (i think lungs have hard time keeping open fully ), chronic lung disease (lung damage from immaturity but also vent damage can be detected on xray), NEC (bowel wall infection can be seen on xray), ROP(blood vessels in eyes grow irregular will be checked for by opthamologist), infection (main type may be sepsis), hypotension, IVH (brain bleeds can be seen on head ultrasound), reflux, willprob need blood transfusion, dehydration, Apnea and Bradycardia ("As &Bs), plus like a ton I am forgetting
Babes will prob need: incubators, ng or og tubes (for feeds), ventillator follwed by cpap or vapotherm then finally nasal cannulas, umbilical lines and then later PICC or another central line, IVs, medications seriously lots of meds, again I can't remember just google and ask tons of questions.