Preparing for a preemie

[Dinah93]

Is there any way you can prepare for a preemie, either emotionally or practically?

I'm 25+2 today, have fairly severe high bp issues, and starting to raise a few alarm bells on tests which may mean the start of pre-e. Last night they were talking about steroid injections in case they need to deliver in the next few days or weeks. I'm terrified tbh as she's so so small, so any advice or just hand holding would be very much appreciated.

 

[kimberley3]

Here for you Dinah x

 

[Sam182]

In all honesty it's nothing you can be prepared for. It's great that they will be giving you steroids as these help mature the lungs which plays a huge part in your baby's health issues. Alexander was born at 27 weeks and is now home and a happy little boy after 86 days in NICU. Be aware that you may not take your baby home until their due date or afterwards if they have any problems. If you need any advice please feel free to pm me. This forum is a fantastic place for support! x

 

[danielle1987]

Dont think anything can prepare you for having an early baby. I had my lo at 25+6 and we spent 102 days in nicu. I had the steroids a day before i went into labour, was only given them as a precaution because i was having major bleeds. Im hoping your baby can stay in your tummy for as long as possible, each day that passes is an extra day for baby to get stronger. The steroids will help babies lungs tho. When my lo was born he was only ventillated for 12hrs and then went onto cpap (machine that blows air into babies lungs making breathing easier. Good luck and all the ladies on here are there for you xx

 

[laura077]

Hello Dinah, I recognize you from our BP thread. I had Drake 2 weeks ago because my water broke. It wasn't due to BP as far as they can tell. I'm not sure what resources you guys have in UK, but in the US the march of dimes had some info about learning to deal with having a baby in neonatal icu. It helped me to get an idea of some of the terminology so it's not as scary when you don't know what is going on.

We've been really lucky because Drake's lungs have been awesome other than some apnea and brady cardia due to his gestational age, we're really just waiting on him to gain weight and be old enough to learn to eat.

If you need someone to chat with or ask questions, please feel free. We're halfway through our second week, and have been told he'll need to be there until mid-April.

Best of luck to keep your baby inside as long as possible!

 

[PleaseBaby]

I really don't think anything can prepare you but you'll get used to it quickly. It really is like being thrown in at the deep end and you'll be treading water till your babies home. Take one day at a time and aim for due date. Best of luck hun x

 

[25weeker]

Hope you keep cooking for longer.

We are here to support you if your lo does make an early arrival.

xx

 

[rory83coyotes]

 

[Dinah93]

Thank you so much for all the messages of support. My liver function tests came down a bit, so while still outside the normal range, it's not rising so that's a good thing. Still only trace protein, and tablets have been put up to a higher dose (4th time they've been upped in a fortnight) so bp is back to /95-/100 rather than /110. I've been let back home on very strict bed rest, due for another check up on Tuesday see how things are going, with a bit of luck I won't be sent back in. Every day is a blessing at the moment, I can only focus on each day being that tiny bit closer to term we get and how each day will make it that bit easier for her when she does make her entrance. I'm still being told to prepare for a preemie, but right now it looks like she's not immanently due to arrive.

 

[vermeil]

oooh that`s very good news!! Keep us posted! Come on keep cookin`just a bit longer little one

 

[Dinah93]

BP check on Tueday was 140/98 - so 2 points under where it needs to be to be readmitted Midwife reckons they'll give me steroids at 28 weeks and the baby will come sometime between then and 32 weeks, but that's a lot better than 25 weeks where they first talked about her coming. I'm currently being really good and resting hard, not feeling my best today with a lot of dizzyness and general nausea, but BP is still roughly under the /100 so not going in unless I feel worse.

 

[heyyady]

First off, good job on keeping him in there! Low sodium low stress low lights and low sound for that BP!

********** I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS STRATEGY FOR EVERYONE! ***********
Second- since I was having twins we knew they would be somewhat early- and then I went into preterm labor at 24 1/2 weeks- We managed through bedrest, hydration and meds to hold them off , but every day was scary- counting contractions and considering what would happen if they were born RIGHT THEN- Now, my husband and I are both fairly level headed and both control freaks- so we decided to go against all the advice and start looking things up on the internet- I spent the majority of my bedrest doing research and relaying information to hubby about what the risks were, what risks went down and by how much at what gestational age, what they would LOOK like. We looked into EVEYTHING. And when our girls came at 32+3 we knew what to expect- the NICU wasn't so terrifying, we knew what questions to ask. It's dangerous to look things up on the internet- and you have to know that you are the type of person who can handle it. Also, if it does not fill you with a sense of calm to know these things/see these pictures, etc- CLOSE YOUR BROWSER AND WALK AWAY

 

[Dinah93]

I like knowing, I also feel like if I have the information I can fight my baby's corner harder when she does come as she's just one baby in the 20 in there to the doctors, but she's the only one I'm going to be taking home so I'll be fighting her corner all the way.

I got a book about caring for preemies, I'm about halfway through now, I'm reassured by how much better things are already compared to two weeks ago when I first posted. I want to get her past 30 weeks if we can, which seems possible given that's only 3 weeks away, ideally past 32 weeks so her immune system is up to speed.

BP is rising again though, last night it got to 180/119, which isn't a good sign that things are well controlled. Expecting to be back in hospital after my midwife check tomorrow.

 

[amberlindsay7]

Hi Dinah,

I know exactly what you're going through as I was taken into hospital just before xmas with severe pre-e at 29 weeks. They managed to keep Ethan cooking until 31+2 and he arrived happy and healthy, just underweight (3lbs 7oz) and needing a bit of help from the cpap and with maturing his stomach. As others have said, nothing can truly prepare you for it, but reading about what to expect can certainly take away that unknown fear and make you feel empowered and able to fight for your little one should you need to.

Personally, with my sp-e, I found the hardest things..the waiting and not knowing if my next BP reading in hosp would be THE one; the fact that I was still getting used to being preg; the setting of my alarm in the night to express mil, other people not understanding the emotional rollercoaster we were experiencing and of course, leaving him behind in NICU every night.

But I'm glad to say things get better and you'll have your baby at home before you know it. And every cloud has a silver lining; where else would you get 24/7 help and instructions for things like nappy changing, breast/bottle feeding, bathing, resus etc

Anyway; thinking of you and do feel free to PM any time if you need to chat to someone who has been through it too xx

 

[Dinah93]

Thanks for the post hon, I really appreciate it. I hope Ethan is happy and healthy at home with you now.

I'm back in hospital, bp was reading as 198/125 at it's worst but frequently in the 160/118 type region. Yesterday I had +2 protein, today that's dropped to a trace. They have no real clue wha's going on with it, blood tests say all is well, urine tests suggest pre-e. I've just had my first steroid injection to mature the baby's lungs. It's very encouraging that even when they decided you had pre-e you still got a few more weeks for him to grow, that's my fear, that suddenly it'll be the day they say right, you're having your baby. I really, really want to get past 30 weeks, and in an ideal world I'd like to get to 32 weeks or beyond.

 

[heyyady]

I was just thinking of you- hoping you can keep that baba in for a couple more weeks! Lots of calming thoughts- and stay down- at 28 weeks there is a fairly significant drop in complications- and you are SO close to that one! Then you can focus on 30 after that

 

[Dinah93]

28 weeks tomorrow, however pre-e has developed and gone crazy in the last day or so, as of this morning the hope is to get me to Tuesday for a c-section, but it may need to be earlier. I'm so scared, 28 weeks just seems too small. I wish I could keep her in even another week. Please pray for our little girl.

 

[heyyady]

Praying for you and for her- I know you want her to stay in longer, but trust your doctors to find the balance of as long as possible for her and getting you through this- So glad you made it to 28!

 

[AmesLouise]

praying for you.....

 

[amberlindsay7]

Sending love and hugs at this time; just remember that no matter when it happens, the Drs and staff in NICU/SCBU know your situation and will be extremly prepared for your little one's early arrival - you've come quite far with the number of weeks and so I'm sure everything will be absolutely fine (albeit very emotional and hard on you). Do you have any family support? I was so scared in that hosp bed just waiting - it really does help to just have someone with you for most of the day and night if possible for comfort.

Thinking of you xx