Link with premature babies

[eenywifemum]

Hi Everybody - I am wondering if any of you have any experience or information about this:

I am 27 weeks pregnant and am worried my baby will be premature. This is because I was 6 weeks early, my sister was 4 weeks early I think, my Mum 5 weeks, you get the picture!! And I saw in a magazine that if you were premature you had a higher chance of delivering your baby premature. I am hoping that someone can reassure me that this pattern can be broken -it is so important to me to have my baby healthy and the birth I want - i.e. a water birth at a midwife centre and I am getting nervous!

thanks very much!

[PanicPants]

I was 2 weeks early, but ds was only 4 days early. Does that help?

Probably not, but at least this will bump it for you.

[crunchie]

To reassure you a little I hope. Advances in medicine are such that any baby born after 37 weeks are considered 'term' and no even prem any more, and a baby born 4/5/6 weeks early has every chance of being healthy and delivered easily as any born at term. You may not be allowed a water birth (I don't honestly kn ow) if the baby is particularly early, but please don't get obsessed about trying to have the perfect birth. Lower your expectations and you will be less likely to be disappointed IYKWIM.

I know so many people who have a definate 'plan' for their labours and births and IMHO these are the women who are most depressed when it doesn't go 'right'.

I wanted a nice 'normal' natural birth - NO EPIDURAL as I am scared of needles. What I got was a baby born at 27 weeks and 14 weeks in hospital, I was very ill, she was broon by c-section I had a killer edipural (3 attempts etc) and exactly the nightmare I wanted to avaoid. 2nd time I wanted a water birth - a nono after one c-section, so all I asked for was a 'normal' viginal delivery. What I got was another c-section, another hideous epidural and horrible recovery (luckily with a baby born on her due date) My dd's are 5 and 7 now and perfect in every way, their births haven't scarred us/them and we are just lucky to have them.

It might sound cruel to say stop dreaming of the perfect birth, aim for it by all means, but don't be suprised,upset if it doesn't happen, as it is unlikely to all go to plan.

[eenywifemum]

Thanks very much Crunchie and PanicPants for your input. It really does help just to have someone to sound these things out with.

Crunchie I am sorry you had such a hard time with your labours - And I know what you mean about not obsessing too much over the 'perfect' birth. I do worry about it, I've had a pretty hard pregnancy and because of that my DH and I wont be having any more children so I sometimes have a feeling like 'I have to get it right this time' but I know the most important thing is that our son is delivered and healthy. I really appreciate your pragmatic advice.

And Panic, any instance of an early-ish baby growing up and having a baby born more 'on time' is a comfort! That study I saw freaked me out!! Sometimes pregnancy magazines are more harm than they are worth!

[renshimum]

Hi eenywifemum I had my 1st at 37 weeks totally normal no drugs. 14 yrs later. I had my 2nd pregnancy. I had a dream pregnancy. very healthy all the way through, unfortunately it all went wrong at 30 weeks & I had emergency C section.

Im hoping to get pregnant again & understand your fears. We all hope for a good birth experience. However I dont think there is much you can do to prevent a pre-term labour. Meditation, quiet sitting & practicing deep breathing may help to keep you calm & prepare.

Good luck & go with the flow no matter what happens.