Am I the only one who gets upset?

[Pyrrhic]

I know I might be wrong but, When people are praising the fact that Lo reaches 24 weeks theres a chance baby can survive and that in its self makes them happy,

This is what I don't understand. On the Bliss website, they state that babies can survive from 22 weeks. So why do people choose 24 weeks to post that their baby is 'viable'? Why 24 weeks?

 

[Mamafy]

I know I might be wrong but, When people are praising the fact that Lo reaches 24 weeks theres a chance baby can survive and that in its self makes them happy,

This is what I don't understand. On the Bliss website, they state that babies can survive from 22 weeks. So why do people choose 24 weeks to post that their baby is 'viable'? Why 24 weeks?

I think 24 weeks is the legal requirement for dr's to resusitate a baby and ventilate etc. As far as I know that they legally dont have to resusitate a baby born before then if it has shown no signs of life

It could all tie in with the abortion limit for 24 weeks as well but I'm not sure of this.

 

[ALI]

Mamafy is right. 24 weeks is the legal abortion limit in all of the UK except Northern Ireland so any baby born under 24 weeks is officially classed as stillborn and Doctors are not legally obliged to try and keep them alive.

There have been cases of babies born at 22 weeks being left for several hours (because in the "eyes of the law" they are legally not considered viable and are expected to die. They were not even put in an incubator, and were only eventually put on oyygen because they were still alive, several hours later.

I have read about 2 in particular, both of whom are now healthy normal children.


The 24 week limit definitely needs to be lowered !

 

[sam's mum]

There have been cases of babies born at 22 weeks being left for several hours (because in the "eyes of the law" they are legally not considered viable and are expected to die. They were not even put in an incubator, and were only eventually put on oyygen because they were still alive, several hours later.

I have read about 2 in particular, both of whom are now healthy normal children.

That is so sad It should only take it happening once for them to at least ensure that a baby who shows signs of life is given a chance. They say that dating scans are accurate to +/- 3 days (and less accurate the later they are done), so there should be some flexibility in the law too.

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

i dont think people post as if they are saying 'yay my baby is 24 weeks it will live healthy' its more that 24 weeks is the legal viable age and before that hospitals can refuse to treat your baby, whereas when they reach the viable age doctors will try everything in there power to keep your baby alive, when i was pregnant with brendan and i was excited to reach 24 weeks i didnt for one second think oh this is ok if my babies born hell be fine, i knew he wouldnt be but i knew there was a small chance he could survive if born that early and that is a ray of hope for some, iv never had to go through this thankfully it must be so traumatic and terrifying and i really feel for people who have had to go through such a terrible time.

 

[ALI]

i dont think people post as if they are saying 'yay my baby is 24 weeks it will live healthy' its more that 24 weeks is the legal viable age and before that hospitals can refuse to treat your baby, whereas when they reach the viable age doctors will try everything in there power to keep your baby alive, iv never had to go through this thankfully it must be so traumatic and terrifying and i really feel for people who have had to go through such a terrible time.

Hiya I had to reply to this. Any baby born premature MAY face mental/physical disability and you wont know the full picture until they are 4 or 5 years old. It Is was an emotional rollercoaster last year for us, as it is for every parent of a premmie and having one born at 24 weeks was both traumatic, stressful, and the hardest worst thing we have ever faced, which we would not wish on anyone. Staying positive when you are faced with the constant worry, firstly over whether your baby may survive, and secondly whether she may be so disabled she may not even know you, is not easy.
My point was that being born at 22/24 weeks a baby can still be healthy

She is now a year old with no major problems, and we know we have a few years before we know the full picture. She has hearing loss and has hearing aids but it is no worse than me having to wear contact lenses, but we are just thankful for what we have.

But you always have to stay positive, or you will go crazy, and not listen to statistics as the doctors always give you the worst scenario. This is incredibly hard when, week after week, you take one step forward and two back. It did not help my only seeing her at weekends , being 120 mile round trip for 9 weeks, and sitting at my desk being told she may not survive.
But a year on we have a lovely girl, with only minor issues so to anyone starting our journey last year, please be positive and all or prayers are with you.

anyway sorry for rambling and I wish other dads would come on here as it should be a parents site. I sit at work all day and cannot wait to come home and feed and bathe our Princess, I realise being at work is easy compared to my O/H looking after our girl all day.

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

i wasnt saying babies cant survive at 22 weeks i know full well they can my mum friends daughter was born at 23 weeks and she has survived, she has cerebal palsy (sp?) though, i was just sayin people dont post about there viable baby because they think there baby will be fine but tiny, they post as they are glad that doctors have to help, my SIL thought she was going into labour at 22weeks and the doctors told her if the baby was born they wouldnt try to help it, thankfully she wasnt in labour! i can only imagine how hard it must be for people to go through all this as iv never had to go through this, but i just wanted to get across that i never have thought that because my baby becomes viable at 24 weeks that it will be perfectly healthy i know full well it wouldnt be.

 

[TashaAndBump]

anyway sorry for rambling and I wish other dads would come on here as it should be a parents site. I sit at work all day and cannot wait to come home and feed and bathe our Princess, I realise being at work is easy compared to my O/H looking after our girl all day.

My husband's a member! He doesn't post much, but I know he has a good read of everything going on... But you're right, it would be lovely to see more daddy's around here!

 

[ALI]

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[leedsforever]

I think like others have said... instead of celebrating the fact they think baby will be healthy if born now but the fact that its another mini-milestone!

Mamafy is right. 24 weeks is the legal abortion limit in all of the UK except Northern Ireland so any baby born under 24 weeks is officially classed as stillborn and Doctors are not legally obliged to try and keep them alive.

I was under the impression that before 24 weeks its still considered as a miscarriage and its not until after the 24 weeks that the baby is considered as a stillborn!! Thats why at 24 weeks its considered to be a baby rather than a foetus.

Def agree abortion limit should be lowered and more should be done to save babies before this date! However the youngest baby to survive is a gestation of 21 weeks!!

 

[sam's mum]

I was under the impression that before 24 weeks its still considered as a miscarriage and its not until after the 24 weeks that the baby is considered as a stillborn!! Thats why at 24 weeks its considered to be a baby rather than a foetus.

I think that's right

and I do understand why you'd be upset by it Carley I agree with Kerry that people think of it as just another milestone reached though x

 

[Blob]

I kinda thought the way Leeds did, that its a milestone, i dont think people are thinking that everything is now going to be ok. I'm sure if they knew that they were offending others who had been through this they would think twice about what they are saying. But like everyone who is pregnant you think of milestones? I'm so sorry that you had to go through this and i hope that your babies are doing well now

 

[Mummy2Many]

I'm on the fence with this.

I've lost twins born at 25 weeks. They were with me for 2 & 4 weeks. On the other hand, 4 years later I gave birth to my little girl Frankie also at 25 weeks. She has just celebrated her 2nd birthday and is absolutely perfect.

Babies born early can have lots of problems, but they can also pull through and be completely fine, even if they have a very tough start. I'd like to think that if I went into labour any time soon, they would at least try to give my baby a chance.

Of course if someone goes into labour at 24/25 weeks and there's nothing that can be done except delivering the baby, they are facing an awful ordeal ahead of them. But it doesn't have to end in a tragedy. Sadly sometimes it does, but just as often, these babies get through it and grow up to be completely fine and normal individuals. The survival rate of babies born at such a stage is now well over 60%.

 

[TashaAndBump]

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You always were a man of many words, Ali

 

[Hoping]

I must confess, I think I am one of those who posted a "yay baby is viable thread at 24 weeks".

But I in no way meant to offend or upset anyone - I realise perfectly that each week that baby remains inside is important, that if baby is born at 24 weeks, they might not survive/may have lots of problems/need so much care etc. Like others have said, you are told in all the books that 24 weeks is when the pregnancy is legally recognised (i.e. if baby is born, the doctors have to try and help it etc). It is a milestone that gives some hope that wasn't there before.

I am sorry if posting that upset you, I'm sorry for what you have been through.

 

[Carley]

I must confess, I think I am one of those who posted a "yay baby is viable thread at 24 weeks".

But I in no way meant to offend or upset anyone - I realise perfectly that each week that baby remains inside is important, that if baby is born at 24 weeks, they might not survive/may have lots of problems/need so much care etc. Like others have said, you are told in all the books that 24 weeks is when the pregnancy is legally recognised (i.e. if baby is born, the doctors have to try and help it etc). It is a milestone that gives some hope that wasn't there before.

I am sorry if posting that upset you, I'm sorry for what you have been through.

Oh hunny, you didn't upset me, just something someone else said did upset me.

 

[Sarah+Ellen]

i started having probs at 22 weeks and was told that the baby would not be'viable' till 24 weeks so i would talk to my bump every day and beg her to hold on until 24 weeks, i even wrote her a letter teling her i loved her.
She listened to me and was born at 24 weeks exactly. We had a traumatic experiance where we nearly lost her a few times but no worse than anyone else here has gone through.
SHe is doing ok now, struggle to put weight on her and she was a late talker (only been talking a couple of weeks now and is 2 1/2) but i know we are extremely lucky.
When people say that its viable now i try and remember that feeling of desperation for her to get to that gestation but more often than not i get upset that they are uncomfortable or they want it out. I have been in tears more than once and have been guilty of avoiding freinds from 20 weeks till the baby is born.

 

[biteable]

I must confess, I think I am one of those who posted a "yay baby is viable thread at 24 weeks".

But I in no way meant to offend or upset anyone - I realise perfectly that each week that baby remains inside is important, that if baby is born at 24 weeks, they might not survive/may have lots of problems/need so much care etc. Like others have said, you are told in all the books that 24 weeks is when the pregnancy is legally recognised (i.e. if baby is born, the doctors have to try and help it etc). It is a milestone that gives some hope that wasn't there before.

I am sorry if posting that upset you, I'm sorry for what you have been through.

I totaly agree with hoping,i posted a thread about baby being viable to, to me its another milestone and i hope and pray my l/o doesnt make a sudden appearance til alot nearer his due date.Its sad to say alot of us dont realise what difficultys you girls who have birthed early have faced and im truly sorry if mine or anyone elses posts have offended or upset any1 they definetly werent ment to.My heart goes out to any1 who has faced these diffucult times xx

 

[Samantha]

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[karenshaz]

Hi
I just wanted to say that I think it's a very important milestone, well it was for me to help combat the fear that I could still lose my babies.
I couldn't wait for 28 weeks (with twins my consultant said this was an important milestone).
So at 28 weeks I was celebrating, and at 28+3 was admitted into hospital with pre-eclampsia.
My happiness then went to fear. I fink it's important as it helps you get along but if the worse happens then it quickly changes to an annoyance (sorry probably not strong enough a word).
Btw babies happy 4month olds now, born at 30+2, 2lb6oz & 3lb11oz

Karen