9 weeks early

Replies

• hjanea

  May 28, 2008 12:02PM

  Oh Hunny, I felt just the same. My lo was born nearly 3 1/2 years ago at 32 weeks. I had emergency c section because of pre eclampsia.
  I had steroids for her lungs as they knew she would be early so she didnt need any breathing intervention. She came home exactly 4 weeks after being born. They told me the due date thing, I suppose they dont know whats going to happen so they are cautious about getting your hopes up that it may be before then.
  The being on edge all the time is just awful isnt it- I had such awful headaches because I was so tense all the time. I think its just natural to feel like this and for me it didnt go until I was on transitional care with her.
  I think I wouldnt let myself bond with her properly just in case the worst happened, but it came once she was home and she is the best thing that has ever happened to me so please dont worry that you're not bonding with him. You are doing something for him- you are there willing him on and I am sure he knows this. I just used to sit for hours with my hand on or next to Grace just as a bit of comfort.
  As he gets to 34 weeksish the suck/swallow reflex is supposed to start so take advantage of any skin to skin contact in attempting to breast feed as you can. Me and my lo were really crap at it but the time alone together was really cherished.
  I may post more later if I think of anything else. Have you looked on the Bliss website? It will make you realise that although as a first time mum/premie mum you feel 31 weeks is far too early there are babies on there born at 24 weeks and it makes you realise how lucky you are that yours got as far as they did.
  At some point when he is home and established and thriving take the opportunity to grieve for the last 2 months of pregnancy that you missed out on. Dont do it now-you need to stay stong but at some point it will hit you-for me it was the beginning of this year when I found the Bliss site.
  I will keep checking on here as I am in TTC forum.
  Good luck to you, your oh and your little boy, I am sure he'll be fine.
  Helen.xxxxx

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• mini-mum-maria

  May 28, 2008 2:32PM

  hi just wanted to let you know i gave birth at 28wks +3 on 7/01/08. Elise weighed 2lbs 4ozs and need to be recusitated as she was transverse but they left me too long and the membrains came thru the vagina so they had to rush me down to theatre knockme out and turn her and pull her back out my stomach (sorry!) Elise was ventilated for a couple of days then went on to c-pap and over the next few weeks the reduced it . Finally 8wks later she was allowed home at 4lbs. She is doin wonderfully well now despite having to have a blood transfusion and a small bleed on the brain. She weighs 9lbs and is nearly five months old.
  
  NICU do a good job and although your baby may look helpless they are really quite strong little fighters and what ever lies in front of you u can deal with. I hope this helps sorry if it was a bit too graphic. Take care and hope everything goes fine
  . x x x maria x x

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• Louise_N

  May 28, 2008 5:34PM

  Congratulations on the birth of your son. Kara was born at 34+4 and is now 8 1/2 months so a bit later than your son. She weighed 3lb 12oz so not much more than your lo. She was the same as she only need oxygen for a couple of hours. She was home in 2 weeks weighed 4lb 2oz and has come on fantastic. She was tube fed in SCBU and done really well. They are great in the unit. She just needed to put on weight and learn to take a bottle
  
  Although I didn't have Kara as early as you I do know how you feel with the worry but honestly the Neo Natal nurses are all fantastic and they only tell you what they do so as to not worry you and to keep you informed and its better them telling you the worst possible scenario so everything that does happen good is a bonus.
  
  Good luck with the baby and keep us informed of his progress.
  
  Louise

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• denise007

  May 28, 2008 6:34PM

  Congratulations on the birth of your son and what a good weight he is. Whats his name?
  
  Kenny was 7 weeks early, weighed 4lb 4oz and didnt need any oxygen at all. He spent 3 weeks in the SCBU so was discharged 4 weeks before his due date and only weighed 4lb 9oz. As soon as he was taking good feeds himself he had his NG removed which was such a milestone for us all.
  
  I was also expressing every 4 hours and having to set my alarm for 4am and its not easy getting up when your so tired. Im so glad I did it though because that helped me bond with Kenny and seeing him grow from my milk was a fantastic feeling. Make sure you try him at your breast at every opportunity, its hard in the beginning because they are so sleepy but he will soon get the hang of it and you will be so chuffed with him.
  
  Try to get as much skin to skin with him, its good for baby and mum to cuddle naked together, I could sit for hours with Kenny like that. Its hard not having much contact with our babies, I just wanted to cuddle Kenny all the time but couldnt.
  
  We also dont really get a chance to recover from the birth itself. I had a forceps delivery and had quite a few stitches so was very sore, I had to get 4 buses to and from the hospital every day, run around getting everything sorted for him and express in between.
  
  It was all worth it though as Kenny is now 6 months old and thriving.
  
  Things do get better and before you know it you will all be home together. Remember to eat well and drink plenty fluids and rest as much as you can
  
  Wishing you the very best and keep us posted on your little man.
  xxxx

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• sez31

  May 29, 2008 6:45AM

  thnk you for all your reassuring words its nice to know im not the only one who has gone through this.
  we have called him bevan thomas and i just love him soo much its indrescribable, i am gonna check out the bliss website thank you all again for your support i will keep you all posted on his progress
  
  xxx

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• Morighan

  May 30, 2008 5:17AM

  I know how hard it is to have your baby come early and not knowing if he/she is going to be alright or when they are coming home from hospital.
  Morgana was 8 weeks early and weighed 3lb 4oz. She was on CPAP assisted breathing for a few hours and went from NICU into SCBU at 4 days. She spent three weeks in there and came home weighing just under 4lb. We were told some of the things they have to reach before going home was weighing 4lb and taking a full feed for 48 hours. The nurses in my unit were great, speak to them about any worries you have, they have seen it all before. Its sounds as if you lo is doing great as he's only on a feeding tube now.
  
  Morgana is 8 months old now and doing great, apart from being smaller than an average 8 months old, you would never know she was a tiny tiny thing when she was born.

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• nikr_78

  May 30, 2008 9:44AM

  Hi,my little boy was born 11 weeks early also on 17/05/06! He was born by emergency c section due to me having severe pre eclampsia and weighed 2lbs 11oz! He was in hospital for 6 weeks coming home on O2 until the end of October.
  He has just celebrated his 2nd birthday and has no problems whatsoever from being born so early!
  We are at present trying for our 2nd baby so i am very anxious that things go smoothly with this pregnancy,fingers crossed all will be fine.

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• removed

  Jul 5, 2008 12:45PM

  hi babe. i had ciaran eight weeks early too on the 17th may too!
  he was taking striaght away from me and put in scbu for five weeks, i got him home a few days ago., and trust me i felt the exact way you do babe. it's so hard because i felt angry at myself that i obviously wasnt good enough to bring my baby full term or good enough to look after him at home. Like you said about your lil boy, ciaran was 3lb9oz so there isnt much difference in our statistics, that why i hope telling you how i was in the same boat for five weeks well help reassure you he will be fine. Its really hard when they take your baby away, i wasnt allowed hold ciaran for at least two weeks, and i felt useless, it really hurt. i expressed milk for ciaran too. and he was tube feeding aswell.if you need to chat or just moan my email is sjbcollier@yahoo.co.uk. best of luck babe. xxx
  everything will turn out good i promise, i taught ciaran would never come home, they couldnt promise me anything either until one morning after nearly 6weeks they rang and said he was allowed home.i had prayed and prayed for weeks for that phone call. the funny thing was after 5weeks in there ciaran just simply woke one morning and took a bottle no problem without the tube, and he didnt stop. you'll see your boy progress.if you need any advice on what is on his chart or what happening please email me and ask because i've learnt so much in there and id love to be able to help[ someone through it, because i had to do it alone, and its hard. sarah xx

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