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intro and looking for some guidance..

jjh471jjh471 member
edited March 2014 in Preemies
Hi Ladies,

I've been lurking here for a few weeks. At 26 weeks I went into the hospital for preterm contractions and then went in again at 28w. Long story short I had several reactions to the different types of medications to stop labor but I really wasn't dilating so there was no need to continue. I've been on bed rest since 26w.

Currently I'm 31w1d. I am 80% effaced but not dilated (closed up from a finger tip dilated). Both my ob and high risk dr that he has been talking to think I can make it to 35 weeks hopefully but we don't know for sure. I meet with nicu Dr's and a nurse I did ask some questions but I know you ladies have first hand experience. This is our first and we have had a very uneventful pregnancy until this point. So needless to say we're still in shock.

At our last ultrasound our son was measuring one week ahead and weighed 3lbs. That was about 2weeks ago.

I guess im just wondering what to expect. They will probably not be able to stop my labor once it starts again since I had reactions to many of the meds so we are trying to mentally prepare.

Thanks ladies and god bless you and your little ones.
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Re: intro and looking for some guidance..

  • AmandaFaithAmandaFaith member
    Not really sure how to advise you since my twins arrived much earlier (25w exactly), but I just wanted to say I'll be keeping you in my prayers. Once labor that they can't stop does kick in, things seemed to happen very quickly for us. Unfortunately there really isn't any way to prepare for the unexpected. Is baby boy head down? Are you anticipating a c-section for any reason? I hope you can keep your little guy in there awhile longer! T&Ps mama!
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  • jjh471jjh471 member
    AmandaFaith said:

    Not really sure how to advise you since my twins arrived much earlier (25w exactly), but I just wanted to say I'll be keeping you in my prayers. Once labor that they can't stop does kick in, things seemed to happen very quickly for us. Unfortunately there really isn't any way to prepare for the unexpected. Is baby boy head down? Are you anticipating a c-section for any reason? I hope you can keep your little guy in there awhile longer! T&Ps mama!

    Hi! I remember you from the may boards. Hope your Los are doing well. He is head down and literally on my cervix (lots of pressure which is why they started the bed rest right away) . No discussion of cs.

    When I talked to the Dr they through a lot if terms at me I had no idea what to think. :/
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  • aguy2011aguy2011 member
    Mine was born at 28/1, 2 lb 3 oz. She has been feeder and grower in nicu for two months and will be home around her original due date. She is doing great. It is scary but you are further along than me. Thoughts are with you.
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  • e74e74 member
    Hello, I had my twins at 31 weeks, 3 days. One of my twins weighed 3 lbs, 5 oz so a little more than what yours is weighing... The other was 4lbs, 4 oz. My 3lb twin did better than my other twin. He basically was in to grow and feed and came home after 31 days. I hope that you can stay pregnant much, much longer, but if you do go into labor that cannot be stopped, from my experience 31 weekers do pretty good in the NICU. In our hospital, after 34 weeks, they will not try to stop labor ( 34 weeks was my goal)... I will say there was a singleton mom with the same due date as me in the NICU and her baby did extremely well and went home right at 35 weeks ( our hospital has a policy that no one leaves NICU until 35 weeks). The fact that the drs think you can make it to 35 weeks is encouraging and that you are not dilated. Good luck! If you have any questions, PM me or ask me on here!!
    DS#1 born 9/23/06 
    Twins DS#2 and 3 born at 31 weeks, 3 days due to a short cervix on 8/2/13.
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  • jjh471jjh471 member
    Thank you ladies for the support. It's been crazy and a lot of info all at once. I'm hoping to make it as far as I can. :) I'll be sure to come back and keep you updated.
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  • rkcarawayrkcaraway member
    Welcome! Glad your LO is staying put. Try to rest as much as you can. I know BR is hard. Ask as many questions as you need to and never feel silly for asking a question OR re asking until you fully understand. Good luck!!



    Beckett Rilee & Caitlyn Leigh born 9-21-13 @ 27w due to PPROM

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  • haziedazehaziedaze member
    Thinking about you! Hoping you make it to 35 or much further! DS was born at 29w4d and went home at 35 was adj. he's done great! Nicu is never easy though! Come join us on the High a Risk board for daily bedrest check ins if you're looking for more support! Each day is a victory!
    BFP#1 9/14/10 (EDD 5/21/11); no fetal pole 6w6d, 7w4d, d&c 10/8
    BFP#2 3/16/11, beta 138; 4/12 Baby/HB DS born 9/10/11 at 29w4d due to partial abruption and PTL
    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
    BFP#3 8/19/13 Another boy! 17P, modified bedrest and Nifedipine helped us have a termie! DS2 born 4/19/14 at 38w5d.
    image
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  • kclement724kclement724 member
    My thoughts are wht you. I can't imagine anticipating all the what ifs. My son was born at 33w 4d for no known reason other than my water broke and once labor started (immediately) it didn't stop. He came within 6 hours. Not even enough time to give the steroids they say help with lung development. It's been scary and confusing but we ask a lot if questions and advocate for what we and he needs and want (ie skin to skin, breast feedin. In addition to bottle, an idea of what's going on etc). He started in cpap, iv, and all sorts of other machines and meds but in 2 weeks has very quickly weened off all of that and now just has a feeding tube. No home timeline at this point, they say he just needs to feed and grow.
    I think for you- just know nicu drs and nurses (at least in my experience) Love their jobs and are great at what they do. Ask questions and have faith.
    Good luck. :)
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  • jjh471jjh471 member
    Thanks ladies. I'm still pregnant thankfully. I'm 32+1 today. We have done steroids and 3 weeks ago he weighed 3 lbs. They will hopefully do another ultrasound to check growth but they are estimating that he's between 4-5 lbs now going by my weight and fundal height. My ob is very confident that if I delivered now he would be in great shape. So everyday is still a blessing at this point!
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  • ziggy903ziggy903 member
    32 weeks is wonderful! I had DS at 32+2 and he was in the NICU for a month exactly. Hopefully you get even longer, but you're at a fantastic place! I'm happy to go more in detail about my 32-weeker if you want, just let me know!


    Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
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  • jjh471jjh471 member
    blockquote class="Quote" rel="ziggy903">32 weeks is wonderful! I had DS at 32+2 and he was in the NICU for a month exactly. Hopefully you get even longer, but you're at a fantastic place! I'm happy to go more in detail about my 32-weeker if you want, just let me know!

    I would really appreciate that! :)
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  • ziggy903ziggy903 member
    My 32-weeker is a little different from yours- I was in the hospital for 2 weeks, we had "absent end diastolic flow" in the cord and we were waiting for it to reverse- so They did an ultrasound for cord dopplers every morning and when it reversed they scheduled a csection for later that day. I had the steroid shots at 30+2 and +3, and they have me another one a few hours before my csection.

    He was iugr so he was much smaller than yours will be- he was 3lb even at birth. He was put on a nasal cannula at room air(21% oxygen) to help him breathe. I think the steroids helped a TON and I know we are quite lucky with how his lungs were doing right away. They did a picc line for iv nutrition, and a feeding tube. Babies that early do not have the suck-swallow-breathe reflex yet so they couldn't start bottle feeds for a few weeks. He was also on a low-dose antibiotic, but I don't think that's standard- he also has bladder exstrophy with epispadias and will be on a preventative antibiotic for several years.
    We started non-nutritive nursing at 34 weeks, and after a few days we started trying nursing. He never got the hang of it, but I don't know how much of that is prematurity-related and how much is just him. He seemed to have no idea what to do with a breast, but bottles came fairly easily- one day it just clicked and he took a whole feed through his bottle. (As opposed to part bottle and the rest through his tube) He was on breastmilk with fortifier to give him extra calories- we left the hospital doing that as well. I don't know if you'll need that(or as much) since your baby won't be iugr.
    He had the nasal cannula for about 2 weeks, and the feeding tube came out nearly a week before we went home. We went home at 36+5, he was 4lb7oz. Our doctors don't think he will have any lasting effects from his prematurity- other than small size, but again I don't know if that's related to prematurity or iugr.

    I think that covers it? Just take things one day at a time. Let me know if something wasn't clear or if you want me to elaborate on something!


    Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
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