New! (Kind of...)

[toothfairyx]

Hi all,

I joined this site back in August just after my baby boy was born at 28+5 after I went into labour. At the time I was too distressed / in too much shock to read about what we might be in for, so I haven't returned until now where I am seeing what a huge amount of help this site would have been to me, as you all are so lovely and helpful.

I had a very normal, uncomplicated pregnancy, and had literally had my 28 week check (everything normal) that day, then 3 hours later started having period-like pains which quickly progressed to contractions 2-3 minutes apart by 3 hours after that. When I decided to go to hospital I was told I was fully dilated and ready to deliver. So Jamie was born pretty quickly after that weighing 2lbs 11oz.

I now realise that we were extremely lucky with our LO, who we brought home when he was the equivalent of 35+2weeks on October 11th. He weighted 3lbs 13oz. That was my second major shock as I thought he'd be a few more weeks in hospital before we brought him home. He now weighs 6lbs 6.5oz at his last weigh in on the 24th November.

Although we were warned of the emotional rollercoaster we were going to be facing, the only real step back we took was when he had a suspected NEC infection (which it wasn't) and was NBM for 24 hours and an IV line back in. Still, the whole journey was such a difficult and stressful time and felt like an eternity. I was scared to bring such a small baby home too. He took a while to settle, didn't like dark or quiet surroundings, and winding him took forever! We've had a bit of an issue with reflux too, but hopefully seem to have got on top of that before it got too bad.

What I'm finding really strange to get to grips with is that Jamie seems so in between his actual and corrected age! I have loads of questions on development, so I'm looking forward to reading some of the other posts and hopefully finding out how things were for others!

 

[25weeker]

Welcome back to bnb

Glad to hear your little boy is doing well.

 

[katy1310]

Hi and welcome back - and belated congratulations on the birth of Jamie.

Sounds like he's doing really well. I had Sophie at 27 weeks - like you, I had a completely uncomplicated pregnancy but then I went for my 25 week check and they discovered very high BP and it all spiralled from there - suddenly we were into daily scans, daily BP checks and blood tests, I was admitted to hospital for a night twice then transferred to a bigger hospital at 26 + 5 and admitted indefinitely - it was going to be until the baby was born. Protein had appeared in the urine samples and they were beginning to suspect pre eclampsia.

At 27 weeks exactly everything got worse, I woke up with a horrendous headache, my BP was through the roof, my fingers were so swollen I couldn't bend them and i was starting to get visual disturbances. A scan that morning showed that the baby wasn't doing so well either so they decided to deliver that day. DH was later told that I had been one hour from organ failure.

Sophie was 1lb 13oz when she was born, but she breathed on her own for the first half hour before getting tired and being put on the ventilator for a day or so.

After that we had very few problems - one blood transfusion and she was back on the ventilator for a couple of days at 2 weeks old then back on CPAP till 37 weeks.

She came home after 12 weeks in hospital, 6 days before her due date and weighing 5lb 6oz.

Sophie is now 8 months actual age, 5 months corrected. She is doing really well - at her 4 month corrected check with the HV she said she's doing everything she should be doing for her corrected age.

xx

 

[Laura2919]

Hi. Welcome back.

I had Chloe and Jaycee at 29 weeks and like you and Katie my pregnancy was smooth until 29 weeks. No problems, passed all my tests (and I had loads cos there was two of them) I hit 29 weeks and 6 days later I had them. It was hard but we managed, in fact we were very very lucky!
Chloe and Jaycee didnt need ventilating, only whilst they travelled down to a hospital that had room for them. Chloe was on Cpap for a day and Jaycee for 3 days (going by their notes, I didnt see them until they were 5 days old) Jaycee struggled at first with her milk but after stopping for a day they tried again and she took to it. They were 3lb10oz and 3lb5oz at birth and came home weighing 4lb5oz and 4lb1oz
They were discharged for home on 26th Feb exactly 4 weeks after their birth and we were super lucky to have them come home that early.

Jaycee gets very poorly in winter and at 10 months old she was admitted to hospital with Bronchiolitis and RSV! She was kept in for 5 days and thats when I really see the true reality of having a preemie, We was the first into that ward and the last ones out, babies as young as 5 weeks would pass through and go home and we were still there, the doctors tried their best but we had one nurse who refused to even take her off the sats machine. Jaycee just couldnt do it on her own. Luckily one night we had a really nice nurse who said she would turn Jaycee's sats monitor off and monitor her herself using her own machine and the next morning they said Jaycee had been fine (I was just glad not to sleep on the campbed anymore) She was kept in til the afternoon to monitor her awake and she was fine.
Since then Jaycee has been given an asthma pump because she becomes very wheezy in winter and so far has had pneumonia and a chest infection one in March and one last week, we took her to the hospital again but she didnt need to stay in.
I have been told these are lasting effects of being a preemie and one day they will correct themselves until then its a dread every time winter comes around.
Glad your boy is doing well..

 

[toothfairyx]

Thanks everyone .
No reason was found for my preterm labour (no infection or placental issue from the tests done in hospital and no issues at my midwife appointments either), which is bothering me a bit - as much as we've had a reasonably easy ride compared to others I'm not sure I could go through it all over again if it was likely to happen again, but I always thought I'd like to have 2 children of my own.
Jamie does seem to be physically quite strong, but I am worried about him picking up an infection via his half-brothers as they are at school and I know how much kids pass colds etc amongst themselves and you can't see how good an immune system is like you can see them develop in other ways.

 

[katy1310]

Thanks everyone .
No reason was found for my preterm labour (no infection or placental issue from the tests done in hospital and no issues at my midwife appointments either), which is bothering me a bit - as much as we've had a reasonably easy ride compared to others I'm not sure I could go through it all over again if it was likely to happen again, but I always thought I'd like to have 2 children of my own.
Jamie does seem to be physically quite strong, but I am worried about him picking up an infection via his half-brothers as they are at school and I know how much kids pass colds etc amongst themselves and you can't see how good an immune system is like you can see them develop in other ways.

I was so scared about Sophie picking up an infection too - then her grandad came to visit straight from work one day and there was a bad cold going round his work...he didn't wash his hands when he came in, picked Sophie up and was cuddling and kissing her etc, then next day he came down with the cold really badly - 3 days later Sophie had it. I had been absolutely dreading her getting a cold but she coped absolutely fine. She was very snotty and coughing for a few days but it didn't really affect her at all! I was so surprised.

I always wanted two children as well but I don't know if I'd dare risk another pregnancy I've been told I could have a meeting with the consultant who was doing all the scans when I was pregnant with Sophie and find out how high risk I'd be etc so I will do that and decide from there. It'll be another 3 years or so till we'd even be thinking about it anyway but I really do want another one! If the worst comes to the worst and we're told it is too risky though, at least we have our little miracle baby.

 

[AP]

Welcome back!!!

 

[pink.crazy]

Hi hun!! Congrats on your lil one!
I had Leo on 1st July @ 28+3 and he weighed 2lb 11.5oz! He came home at 35+5 it was a shock for me too! One day he was having oxygen every so often for major desats and the next his monitors were off and he was ready for home!!
It's taken me ages to get my head around the age thing, and I tjhink it's only since he hit 2 months corrected that I'm finding it easier to relate him to that age.
He also used to hold onto his wind terribly!! I used to sit for ages patting, rubbing, changing position.. but recently he's been a lot better.
I'm still not "over" the whole experience.. it's all very raw, but I'm here if you ever want to chat, and I'll answer any questions I can xx

 

[toothfairyx]

Hi hun!! Congrats on your lil one!
I had Leo on 1st July @ 28+3 and he weighed 2lb 11.5oz! He came home at 35+5 it was a shock for me too! One day he was having oxygen every so often for major desats and the next his monitors were off and he was ready for home!!
It's taken me ages to get my head around the age thing, and I tjhink it's only since he hit 2 months corrected that I'm finding it easier to relate him to that age.
He also used to hold onto his wind terribly!! I used to sit for ages patting, rubbing, changing position.. but recently he's been a lot better.
I'm still not "over" the whole experience.. it's all very raw, but I'm here if you ever want to chat, and I'll answer any questions I can xx

Sounds pretty identical to Jamie!! We seem to be passing wind a lot better now - infact he's waking himself up sometimes with the loudness of his windy bum!