confused and scared

[kateyspires]

my nearest level NICU is over an our away....my consultant said if it was him he would go straight their when i think i could be in labour to save babies..but what if i give birth in the car or they have no beds??

if i go they way im ment to..to colchester level 1 then he said most babies under 28 weeks dont survive as they dont have the equitment.....so could pass away from not getting help straight away

im pregnant with twins my waters broke on twin 1 at 20 wks 1 day..im now 22 wks 3 days..

what would u do? as they wont admit me


any advise...id be very grateful

 

[valentinacast]

I would call 911 and tell them my situation, maybe they send an ambulance bring you at the closest hospital and from there take you with the elicopter! Everything is possible I wouldn't drive in my car if is farther than 1 hour! Or as soon as you feel pain you should get on the phone with the labor and delivery and rush to the hospital! Do you have any friends living in that area? I hope you find the perfect solution, I wish you the best with your babys! Take care and have faith!

 

[25weeker]

I would get a second opinion on that as find it very hard to believe. Even 28 weekers can need ventilated so don't understand how they wouldn't have the equipment.

I know someone with a 25 weeker who had to give birth at her hospital which only had special care. With guidance from another hospital they ventilated him and stabilised him before he was transferred.

I am not sure if you called an ambulance they would take you to the hospital of your choice you may end up at the nearest one.

I think you need to go back to the hospital and ask them for a resolution at such a stupid suggestion as travelling an hour would be too risky.

I hope you get something sorted as this is the last thing you need.

Take care xx

 

[x-amy-x]

The likelihood is your nearest hospital will be able to stabilise the baby as procedure is still the same for a 28 weeker as a 24 weeker. However, I would err always on the side of caution. Never wait to find out if that contraction really was a contraction... go and get checked. That way the midwives, paediatricians etc can all be ready. And if you DO go into labour, that way, they have better chance of transferring you with baby still in your belly.

Some units dont have Intensive care units, which is why they'll be talking about transfers.

xx

 

[Foogirl]

First you need to get another consultant. He should never have said that to you. If 28 weekers routinely aren't surviving in that hospital then they are doing something wrong. If it has a neonatal unit, it should be capable of stabilising a baby for transfer. We've had situations where much earlier babies are born in remote locations where there is no NNICU or SCBU and babies are able to transferred. He cannot be saying your babies would be safer being delivered en route to a hospital with NNICU than in one with SCBU.

If, however, every consultant is saying the same, (which would be shocking and needs to be addressed). I'd be looking for a flat to rent close to the hospital I needed to be at. Or pushing very hard for an admission now.

On the ambulance thing, they would take you to the nearest available hospital able to provide the care you need. So, if there was no risk to you, they would go to the hospital best able to care for your babies. But you wouldn't necessarily be treated as an emergency case. Women in labour aren't always priority.

 

[kateyspires]

my hospital doesnt have a nicu...he told me on a personal note as he had twins early my best hope is to get to a level3 hospital no matter what. colchester the have basic ventilaters but not level 3 that my twins will need ..twin 1 with need level 3 as soon as hes born due to no fluid.

 

[Foogirl]

But the level 3 unit should be able to stabilise a baby to be transferred. They must have that facility.

 

[25weeker]

I would have thought a basic ventilator is the standard for all babies? Both my girls were on the standard ventilator and it was only the next day Rebecca was put on an oscillator which is another type of vent because she was struggling.

I think this consultant has given you unnecessary distress as I struggle to believe that some hospitals can't stabilise a prem for transfer.

 

[AP]

You can't determine what a 28 weeker needs, therefore what will be required SHOULD be available ykwim?

The guy sounds misinformed, I suggest researching this ASAP and phoning around to gather more information and put your mind at ease a little

 

[Littlemo]

I so sorry u hav this extra stress I had my babies in liverpool womans which is known to be one of the best NICU's in the country babies was transferred in form all over the place and a lady I knew was 23 weeks with her little one and was from bradford and she went to her local hospital and was told no one would take her under 28 weeks and she had to come to the womans and I knew they sent a ambulance for her, her little lady was born extra small and even thou they are one of the best hospitals they had to get a special ventilated sent in for her little lady maybe this is what your consultant meant for your babies, I would suggest u call them and ask which hospital u need to go too and what they can do too help.....I truly wish u best of luck xx

 

[Jen1802]

I was transferred from my booking in hospital when I went in because they said they didn't have the facilities to cope with a baby born under 28 weeks so I was sent to two different hospitals before she was born. She was born at 26 plus 4 and was exactly a week old when they transferred her to my original booking in hospital making her 27 plus 4 so still technically under this 28 week cut off. The night my daughter was due to be discharged they had to put it back by a day because a 24 weeker had been rushed in, the girl had gone into labour and had the baby so quickly there wasn't time for transfer to another hospital. When I spoke to the nurses later I asked them why I had originally been transferred as I thought they couldn't cope with a baby born under 28 weeks and she said they can't and it is based on the number of neo natal consultants they have not the actual equipment in that hospital. I then asked what would happen to the little 24 weeker and she said they would stablise him and move him to another hospital with more specialist consultants. That is probably what your dr means. xo

 

[vermeil]

I can understand your concern! what a tough situation... The hospital by my place lost their '24 weeker' status simply because they lost one of their neonatologists and there no longer was the staff redundancy to be able to receive such early guys. Though my first reflex would be to say they don`t have an oscillator and so they don`t take preemies before 28 weeks.

My own son was a 27 weeker and he was on basic vent for 24 hours, then needed the most powerful oscillator they had to survive - soooo glad we were in a tier 4 hospital. (Wonder if the levels work the same in the uk?) But really if he had been born elsewhere he could have been transferred.

I know it`s very, very hard but try to keep positive and not to stress too much. The odds are very good you`ll either be able to be transferred before giving birth. But still the idea of finding temporary living arrangements is not bad at all, must be complicated though with other kids *hugs*