Will be joining you ladies soon... Any advice?

KaleighM · August 2013

Hello ladies! Just wanted to take a minute and introduce myself, as I will be joining you all next Monday.

I am a 25 year old mother of a wonderful 18 month old little boy and a soon to be born, little girl. This pregnancy has been such a roller coaster of a ride and I'm not sure I'm ready for two under two, but here we go! I have been on bed rest since 14 weeks, and hospital bed rest since 24 weeks. I have complete placenta previa, vasa previa and was also diagnosed with placenta accreta, after an ultrasound and MRI on Sunday. We will be delivering by C-Section on Monday, and DD will be 34 weeks, 2 days gestation. I have had two rounds of steroid shots for her lung development, at 24 and 27 weeks, after large bleeds that we thought would lead to delivery. I am very excited to meet DD and also to be able to get up and move around again, to sleep in my own bed and be with DS, but I am also very nervous about the logistics of a preemie delivery and her first few months especially.

Have any of you mommas had babies around 34 weeks and how long were your LO's in the NICU? Our NICU is telling us to expect to go home around 37-39 weeks gestational age, which would be a 3-5 week NICU stay. Is that about right? I am also hoping to breastfeed, but we live an hour away from the hospital, with no way of staying closer to the hospital. I am worried that she will grow too attached to the bottle and refuse to breastfeed if I can't be around much to try while she is here. How did you all handle this? I'm especially concerned as I will also be having a hysterectomy during the c-section, as a result of the placenta accreta, and my doctor expects my recovery will be significantly more difficult, making it even harder to get to the hospital, once discharged.

TIA for any advice! Looking forward to getting to know you all!

DiFazette · August 2013

Sorry to hear of your situation, but sounds like you made it quite far all things considered. I delivered at 36 weeks and our little guy had just over a 2 week NICU stay. He was also IUGR and born at 4.2 pounds. I began pumping immediately after getting off magnesium and he was being supplemented as he needed fast calories. After about a week he was getting exclusively breastmilk with added calories. I rented a preemie hospital grade pump.

I also lived about an hour from our NICU and was there hours per day, sometimes two visits. We struggled with BFing - though we gave it a really good attempt. He was too small to latch and suck for quite some time so I began to exclusively pump after about a month of attempts with LCs. While I wish it could have been different, I was able to give him breastmilk and that's what's most important. Good luck!

kelly422 · August 2013

Sorry you're to be joining us soon! It'll be so nice to get home and in your bed soon. My LO was born at 35 weeks and only needed to stay in the hospital for 3 days. 34 weeks could be a little longer, I'm betting. Hard to know for sure though! I was planning for the worst, so it was a pleasant surprise when she did much better! I EP now since LO never did get the whole BF thing. After she had bottles in the beginning for jaundice and weight issues, she never took to the breast despite 8 weeks of trying

Lots of people have been successful though! GL

niftychick29 · August 2013

My little guy was born at 33 weeks 6 days, and he spent three weeks exactly in the NICU. I was also given two rounds of steroid shots (just in the two days prior to him being born via C-Section) and he had no trouble with his lungs - was breathing on his own right from the beginning. Had to spend a couple days under the lights for jaundice, but after that he was just in the NICU to grow and learn to eat. My milk never came in, due to some issues with Pre-E/High blood pressure, but the little guy did try to BF, I just wasn't able to produce. What breast milk I did get they gave to him via a feeding tube, it took him a couple weeks to move to bottles. Good luck to you and the little one! I have heard of many preemie babies who are successful with breastfeeding, so I think you have a good chance.

JTA2426 · August 2013

Congrats on your sweet little one. I hope all goes well with your delivery! I had twin boys at 34 weeks 1 day due to the type of twins they are and significant preterm labor. They spent 3 days on oxygen, and 7 more learning to eat in the NICU. I did not spend all my time with them while they were in the hospital but when I was there, I worked with an LC to breast feed as soon as I got the ok from their neo. With a lot of patience and occasional use of a nipple shield for 2 weeks, my babies both bf like champs now. When I was not at the hospital they received bottles and pacis. No nipple confusion here. I pumped every 3 hours on their feeding schedule when I was at home and had no trouble with milk production. Of course, not everyone's case is the same. Just make sure you make it clear to everyone you talk to taking care of you both tht you would like to breast feed ASAP. Until then, kangaroo care is usually an option once she's stable. Do tht for an hour, then pump. As a side note, I'm a NICU nurse. When we are asked when a preemie will go home, we typically say sometime between 37 weeks and your due date, barring any complications. It's a standard answer, and could be sooner or later than that. Sorry there isn't a clearer idea. Hope she does well!

chicagobride_07 · August 2013

I delivered at 34 weeks by c section. I was on hospital bedrest starting at 32 weeks due to vasa previa. LO was on a ventilator for 5 days, and then oxygen for 3 days. She was under the light for jaundice for 7 days and also had a PDA which closed while she was in the hospital. All together, she was in the NICU for 15 days and went home on an apnea monitor and caffeine. One month after discharge, the neo discontinued her apnea monitor at a follow up visit. She is 2 months actual now and everything is going well. She will be followed closely for her first year. A lot of the moms in the NICU were pumping. For a variety of reasons, LO is exclusively formula fed and is doing fabulously on enfacare (preemie formula).

carrotcake06 · August 2013

I had my twin boys at 34w via c/s under general anesthesia due to Baby A's prolapsed cord. I received steroid shots at 32w.

Both spent 13 days in the NICU; they didn't need any breathing support at all, were in isolettes for 7 days to regulate temp and get phototherapy and then 6 days in open air cribs as feeders/growers.

I was very worried about BFing bc I didn't get to see or hold them for 14 hours. Today, we successfully EBF but it did take a bit to get here.

I started pumping for 30 min every 3 hours around the clock. I got NOTHING for 3 days which was so incredibly frustrating. I didnt get volume until day 5. The NICU has strict feeding protocol and we supplemented with formula until day 10 or so when I caught up with them.

As soon as they were born, i got them to latch even if it was just for 10 or 15 min. Once I was discharged, I spent my days in the NICU and would nurse them as much as I could along with keeping up my pumping schedule.

Once home, we keep up with a bottle every three or four days so they don't refuse bottles when I go back to work.

My c/s recovery was pretty rough, I think mostly bc I didn't know what to expect. I had had a relatively easy vag delivery w my first and I was really unprepared for the amount of post op pain I'd be in. Keep on top of your pain meds.

KaleighM · August 2013

Thank you all for the insights and advice! I really appreciate hearing how well everyone's LOs did! Our hospital does have a great support for breastfeeding moms and several LC on staff. I think after hearing everyone's stories that I need to start thinking about the possibility that I may need to EP if DD doesn't catch on to BF. Thank you again for sharing

vulpini · August 2013

Our little guy came at 34w6d and so far we've been in the hospital for 10 days. We might get to go home soon, but no guarantees of that. His main issue is apnea episodes, which are normal for babies born before 36ish weeks. We'll get discharged once he goes several days in a row without those. He's been gaining weight nicely and had a little bit of jaundice that cleared up on it's own, so he's been doing well overall. I started pumping right away and for the first few days we did SNS with formula while waiting for my milk to come in. Then we did bottle-fed breast milk so we could track the volumes he was getting. Now he does a combination of breastfeeding and bottle feeding pumped milk just so that he gets what he needs without tiring out too much. He does better and better at breastfeeding every day and we're transitioning him to more breastfeeding. We use slow-flow nipples on the bottles. We are 30 minutes away from the hospital. They let me stay there in an unused room for a while after I was discharged. Now I go home at night to sleep and the nurses bottle feed him my pumped milk for 3 feedings each night. I hang out and pump in the hospital all day and am there for the other 5 feedings.

DiFazette · August 2013

vulpini said:

Our little guy came at 34w6d and so far we've been in the hospital for 10 days. We might get to go home soon, but no guarantees of that. His main issue is apnea episodes, which are normal for babies born before 36ish weeks. We'll get discharged once he goes several days in a row without those. He's been gaining weight nicely and had a little bit of jaundice that cleared up on it's own, so he's been doing well overall. I started pumping right away and for the first few days we did SNS with formula while waiting for my milk to come in. Then we did bottle-fed breast milk so we could track the volumes he was getting. Now he does a combination of breastfeeding and bottle feeding pumped milk just so that he gets what he needs without tiring out too much. He does better and better at breastfeeding every day and we're transitioning him to more breastfeeding. We use slow-flow nipples on the bottles. We are 30 minutes away from the hospital. They let me stay there in an unused room for a while after I was discharged. Now I go home at night to sleep and the nurses bottle feed him my pumped milk for 3 feedings each night. I hang out and pump in the hospital all day and am there for the other 5 feedings.

My baby (now 4 months old and thriving) had As & Bs (apnea and bradycardia) which kept him in the NICU. We were told twice he would be coming home and we'd have to start the 5 day wait over again. What a rollercoaster. Anyway, just wanted to share that after knowing about the As and Bs and feeling nervous about him sleeping which is when my little guy would forget to breathe - we purchased an Angelcare monitor. It cost us about $120 - we didn't do the full video monitor since we had already received that as a shower gift. It goes under the crib mattress and really does register the smallest movement. 4 months in and it is by far the best investment we've made. The peace of mind is priceless. Obviously he's way past any breathing issues now, but he's starting to roll over, which has it's own whole set of concerns at night.

KaleighM · August 2013

Thank you for sharing! I love the idea of an angelcare monitor! Great suggestion! I'm going to look into it this weekend. Best wishes for all our LO's!

vulpini · August 2013

bdifazio said:

vulpini said:

Our little guy came at 34w6d and so far we've been in the hospital for 10 days. We might get to go home soon, but no guarantees of that. His main issue is apnea episodes, which are normal for babies born before 36ish weeks. We'll get discharged once he goes several days in a row without those. He's been gaining weight nicely and had a little bit of jaundice that cleared up on it's own, so he's been doing well overall. I started pumping right away and for the first few days we did SNS with formula while waiting for my milk to come in. Then we did bottle-fed breast milk so we could track the volumes he was getting. Now he does a combination of breastfeeding and bottle feeding pumped milk just so that he gets what he needs without tiring out too much. He does better and better at breastfeeding every day and we're transitioning him to more breastfeeding. We use slow-flow nipples on the bottles. We are 30 minutes away from the hospital. They let me stay there in an unused room for a while after I was discharged. Now I go home at night to sleep and the nurses bottle feed him my pumped milk for 3 feedings each night. I hang out and pump in the hospital all day and am there for the other 5 feedings.

My baby (now 4 months old and thriving) had As & Bs (apnea and bradycardia) which kept him in the NICU. We were told twice he would be coming home and we'd have to start the 5 day wait over again. What a rollercoaster. Anyway, just wanted to share that after knowing about the As and Bs and feeling nervous about him sleeping which is when my little guy would forget to breathe - we purchased an Angelcare monitor. It cost us about $120 - we didn't do the full video monitor since we had already received that as a shower gift. It goes under the crib mattress and really does register the smallest movement. 4 months in and it is by far the best investment we've made. The peace of mind is priceless. Obviously he's way past any breathing issues now, but he's starting to roll over, which has it's own whole set of concerns at night.

Yeah, the waiting game is tough. We were told he might get discharged last Friday, but then he had more episodes on Thursday and yesterday, so we're back at the start of the count again. He has them all while eating now, not sleeping, so we're on a 3-day wait. In some ways, it's worse than being on the 5-7 day wait for the sleeping apnea because 3 days is so close and it's harder not to get your hopes up.

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Will be joining you ladies soon... Any advice?

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