# advice bowt baby being born at 31 weeks.



## jazmine18

hiya all! ..my best friend has pre-eclampsia and is having a c-section now, she is 31 weeks pregnant and baby is underweight and distressed. i just really wanted any experience of babies born at this gestation, does the baby generally have a good chance? or is it different for each pregnancy. im really worried about them both. and she has just moved to basingstoke, so only has her boyfriend with her, and she is really nervous and scared:nope:..thanks xx


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## TwoBumps

Hi Jazmine, my twins were born at 31 weeks (also due to pre eclampsia). Every baby is different & some will have difficulties whereas others will just need to feed & grow. One of the biggest problems is that at 31 weeks the lungs will not be fully developed. Do you know whether your friend has had time to have steroid jabs? These really do help to mature the lungs. 
My boys were both ventilated shortly after birth for 5 days , & Ben also suffered a punctured lung & had to have a chest drain. They both spent a total of 8 weeks in SCBU (on O2 for most of that time) & establishing feeding. They are now 9 months old though, are completely healthy & have caught up with other babies their age!!

I hope that your friends little one is ok, & feel free to ask as many questions as you like x


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## AP

from 26/27 weeks onwards preemies generally have a good 'chance' so to speak. 

I was born at 29 weeks with no worries at all. I had alex at 27 weeks and shes doing grand too. 

It depends on the baby, the pregnancy and the reasoning for the preterm delivery.


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## katy1310

I know this doesn't relate directly as it wasn't 31 weeks but I had Sophie at 27 weeks due to pre eclampsia. I was terrified but although she was tiny (1lb 13.8) she has done amazingly well and is just about to come home in the next few days, we hope. It's been a long haul and I won't say it's been plain sailing emotionally, but it's amazing what fighters these little babies are. Your friend's baby has 4 weeks more than Sophie had, and they told me even every half day inside makes a difference.

There really is so much they can do for babies born prematurely. Sophie was on a ventilator for a few hours - she didn't need it to start with but then she got tired. After that she was on CPAP for 9 weeks. She was re-ventilated once for a few days, had a wee bit of jaundice and an infection in her belly button and one eye infection but that's pretty much all the problems we have had and they all cleared up quickly. 

She was in an incubator in intensive care for I think 6 weeks (it's all become a bit of a blur!) then into HDU. Then she went into a heated cot 3 weeks ago, then they gradually cycled her off CPAP and then she came off the oxygen too.

She is now in special care and we are just working on establishing the breastfeeding.

She is 5lb 7 and just looks like a newborn now, 11 weeks down the line. She is demand feeding, crying, really alert, doing all the things you'd expect from a newborn. 

They will probably get your friend to express milk for her baby, as breastmilk is easier on the gut for premature babies. Then after a while they might give the baby 50/50 breastmilk and formula to put weight on. Sophie gained roughly 3oz every 3 days! It will get fed via a tube in his or her mouth. Your friend will be able to do as much for her baby as she can, in the way of nappy changes and giving the feeds via the tube, and she will gradually be able to do more and more as the baby gets bigger and more stable.

One piece of advice I would give is limit the visitors. I really regret that we had the full quota of visitors every day for about the first 6 weeks! I felt like I didn't have enough time with my own baby as one of us had to keep sitting out cos they only allow 3 round the cot. 

If you or she needs someone to talk to who is just going through it at the moment, pm me. Also I have Sophie's entire story on our blog at www.theyearofbabyb.blogspot.com - it might be reassuring to read it and see the pictures of how she has changed over the weeks. I think I'm about 3 weeks behind on it though!!

Also, the Bliss website helped us immensely. And talking to others who have been through it. 

I am sure all will be well for her - 31 weeks is really good as the baby has had a lot longer than Sophie to develop. I had steroid injections to help mature Sophie's lungs and they really do make a huge difference.

I wish your friend and her baby all the best. xxx


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## AP

I agree with Katy about visitors, i truely do. Its only in hindsight you regret it!


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## jazmine18

thankyou all for the helpful info!..i dont know alot now but her sister said she had a baby boy weighing around 2lbs today, and so far he seems to be doing well...i know this will be a hard time for her especially with family so far. and im praying her lil one is strong and healthy..thankyou again all..and will pass the info on to her when i get to speak to her. xx


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## Laura2919

My girls were born at 29 weeks and they were 3lb 10oz and 3lb 5oz.. They only needed ventilating on the journey down to the hospital because they had to be transferred.. Babies born at 30 and over have a good chance of survival hun! Its a scary and worrying time but she needs to be strong for her baby to be strong.. 
Hope all is well!


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## AP

Jazmine hun let your friend know we are here if you wish, we're all quite tight knit in this section!


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## jazmine18

thanks will do..had another update..baby exact weight is 2lbs 15oz..she said baby is getting on well, and is breathing ok, but had high sugar levels and she cant hold him yet. xx


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