How long did you wait to TTC after preemie?

AVA0908 · April 2011

DS will be 3 in June (14 weeks early)-still can't believe it! I struggled back and forth with having another one starting when he was about a year old. Don't get me wrong-I really want another baby, but even the thought and the possibility of having another preemie is unbearable to me. I am very hopeful with P17 shots that it we will be a lot less likely to have another one especially since I had pPROM and the reason is unknown (MFM is also very optimistic about this). I am finally at a place in my life when I honestly think that if I am unable to get pregnant, I am fine with having an only child. We will start TTC this fall and hope for a summer baby since I am a teacher.

So when did everyone else TTC after a preemie? Just curious. [Poll]

lemen99 · April 2011

I voted 1-2 years, but I wanted to clarify.

The MFM was surprised to see a 26-weeker's mom there so early and said "oh! he must be doing very well!" The only reasons that we were ready then were

1) Andrew was doing very well, not in therapy anymore, and no concerns (of course after I got pregnant, he had to get tube/adenoid surgery, discovered his immune system was below normal and he kept getting infections, and we had to add OT, ST, and now PT! LOL! but we're managing!)

2) Andrew has a very pleasant and easy-going demeanor. He STTN every nigth for 12 hours since he was 2 months old so we are not sleep deprived at all :-)

3) We had a great answer for knowing what went wrong last time, and the MFM was very confident on how to prolong my pregnancy. Nothing is guaranteed, but if he wasn't that confident, we wouldn't have gone for it. It would be very hard to have another bed rest situation and/or have a micropreemie with a toddler.

4) If something did go wrong, my mom lives 10 miles away, and does not work, so is very available to help us with our son. We have a very strong support system in town.

Without all of these, I'm sure we would have waited long (or possibly not tried again.) These are some points to consider!

Irishsapphire · April 2011

I voted 1-2 years. I am hoping to try after baby turns 1 years old. The $196,000 that was billed to my insurance made me want to wait at least 1 year. I also did not want to ask for another maternity leave with my employer the following year. I felt it would be better to put in for a maternity leave 2 years later since I will be 40 years old this September.

ShannonSky · April 2011

We waited <1 year, but I have PCOS, so TTC with us includes the RE. Plus, DD was only 6 weeks early and had no major issues. It took about 6 months to get pg and baby 2 is due a week after DD's birthday.

2BWEDN2007 · April 2011

We actually wanted our kids relatively close together (less than 2 years apart), but with PCOS and the fact that it took us almost a year to conceive our preemie with a number of procedures and fertility drugs we ASSumed we were safe and didn't use protection. Imagine our surprise when I found out I was pregnant when DS was only 8.5 months and had only been home from the NICU a little over 4 months (24 weeker).

I was terrified, but we met with my OB and an MFM rather quickly and put a plan in place. Like lemen we were pretty confident that we knew what had caused my premature delivery (IC with a previous LEEP) and had a plan of attack for keeping DD in as long as possible (cerclage). I had no complications and made it to 36 weeks when I had a scheduled c-section. The only thing they were concerned about was my incision holding up (I had a classical c-section with DS) so they took me early at 36w3d and made sure DD had the steroid shots just in case. She was fine and needed no NICU support.

It was so successful that we happily started trying for a third when DD turned 1 and are now pregnant with a little boy (and I have another cerclage) scheduled to arrive again at 36w3d. Even more ironic, his due date and BIRTHDAY (provided nothing goes wrong) are the exact same as DD's so we are hoping for a repeat performance!

AviatorJJ · April 2011

Rowen is 4 and we are still not TTC! Ha

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