Just bumping to say Congratulations in your post x

Still thinking of you here too Ladylush.

Over from Sept thread to say we're still thinking of you.

Another one from Sept thread popping over to say we're all thinking of you - take care x x

Just jumping over from Sept thread to say hello and send love to you ladylush. Thinking of you.

How are things LL ?

Another one checking in to see how you are.

Hope all is going ok Ladylush.

erm i stayed i for a week with dd as the hospial was a while away from where we lived, they kicked me out then.

I stayed in for 2 days with ds but it's only just up there road.

How did the scan go ?

George was breech too we had a scan the day he was born and thy got his weight perfect

Glad you're still hanging on in there, ladylush.

As said before, I think the doc must have meant the intensive care section for 1 week rather than SCBU itself. 33 weeker DD was in SCBU for 3 weeks - towards the end of this, it was mainly to establish breast-feeding though.

Good luck for tomorrow.

Thanks Worzsel - yes I am ok. I am having a scan tomorrow so will see if baby has grown at all since last week. Their measurements are not going to be reliable due to lack of fluid and breech presentation but at least there should be some increase on last week's estimation. If not, I guess the plan will need to be looked at. How long did you stay in hospital after your 31 weeker?

Glad to hear your still PG and baby hasn't escaped

My 32 weeker was in for 4 weeks and my 27 weeker 9 and a half.. I think generally they aim for discharge at around 34 weeks but they wont tell you that they'll tell you to aim for your due date. Scbu is a horrible long slog but it's well worth it and you're so bloomin busy it soon goes.

How are you feeling in yourself ?

That's what I thought babyjamas - a week doesn't sound like long at all for that gestation. Maybe he did just mean NICU. Anyway I am almost 30 weeks now (in 3 days time). Then my goal will be another 4 weeks.
Yes - am hoping to bf or express bm. Don't know if baby would have a suck reflex at 34 weeks.

i find it hard to believe that a 29 weeker would only be in neonatal for a week tbh - maybe he was referring to NICU (the intensive care bit)rather than SCBU (the special care bit). any 29 weeker will still be tiddly - and apart from anything, it takes a good while for feeding to become established - from what i remember the suck reflex is rarely established before 34 weeks (are you hoping to bf?). dd1 was a 31 weeker 9 years ago and was in for 4 weeks, dd2, a 27 weeker was in for 11 weeks, 3 years ago. i was always told to expect to be home by due date, and anything else was a bonus. as you can tell from the above i am an old hand at this prem baby business - can't pretend it's easy, especially if you have other children. with ds, i was able to spend all day, every day with him - with both dds that was just not possible - and with dd2, in particular, the 11 weeks was quite hard - trying to keep normal life going on for the other two whilst wanting to be with the baby as much as possible.

Hi babyjamas - thanks for your post How did you find those four weeks? The Obstetrician said at 29 weeks + the baby might only be in NICU for a week so maybe things have progressed a lot in a decade. How long did it take for your lo to put on weight? I keep looking at the tiny newborn clothes in the shops and reminding myself that they will be massive on my baby.

ladylush - posted on your thread in prem babies - i had ds at St George's - a whole 12 and a half years ago - my 31 weeker who spent 4 weeks in SCBU. Happy memories! (or maybe just that the bad ones have faded in the mists of time!). glad that you're still keeping going - fingers crossed that you get to 34 weeks and don't have to spend too long in SCBU.

It's ok I knew what you meant Yes I'll keep you posted. St Georges isn't actually my nearest hospital but it's not far. Half hour off peak, 45 mins peak.

sorry - 'keep us posted' - wasn't meant ot sound like an order. What I should have said was - if you have the time, please let us know how things are going !

LL - that all sounds really positive. Will be thinking of you over the next few weeks so keep us posted.

We're obviously quite close to each other, St G's is my second closest hospital !

I'm ok thanks wheely I now have a proper management plan. I will be monitored twice weekly at the hospital (inc. scan with dopplers). If all is well with me and baby and the results of all tests are ok I will have baby in 5 weeks time (34 weeks gestation) by c-section due to baby being breech and no amniotic fluid. If I can get to 34 weeks I'll actually be quite happy to have got that far considering that the waters went at less than 28 weeks. However, doc says even at 29 weeks baby has excellent prognosis and would only be in NICU for about a week. At 34 weeks baby would be with me within hours

How are you doing LL ?

Doozle - I also have an underactive thyroid but have been seeing an endo and my TF has been monitored regularly/thyroxine dose adjusted. I think you are probably right - they probably don't know enough about PPROM.

Hi ladylush, yes she was fine and has just turned 3. She came home after 3 weeks in NICU.

Re: causes, actually I requested my notes after the birth and went to see an obstetrician to talk about it. It was not conclusive but he thought it was probably due to a low grade infection. And since then, I've discovered that I'm hypothyroid so that might have also been a factor. Why don't they test pregnant women for thyroid levels automatically when they do all the other blood tests?!

Anyway rant over, it's possible that they won't find a specific cause in your case. The docs all seem very unclear about Pprom and often disagree about the reasons why.

Keeping my fingers crossed again for you and that the little one stays put. Keep us posted.

Thanks Wheely The positive stories are great to hear so bombard away

Worzsel - what a lovely thread Just read most of it and what a rollercoaster of emotions you went through. I bet the support really helped you through. Your ds looks gorgeous in those pics It was useful to see what joyfuleyes mum's dept. recommend in terms of management of women with PPROM. I will be asking for fortnightly scans and I also think that given what happened to you during/pre birth, a scan during labour would be helpful. It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened if you had proceeded with a vaginal delivery

Hi Ladylush - just seen this. Just wanted to say I will be thinking of you and hoping LO stays put for a while.

FWIW (expect you've been bombarded with such stories), a good friend delivered twins recently at 31 weeks exactly. They are now 17 weeks and no problems.

Good luck. Hope all goes well.

Thanks for your post Doozle Was your lo ok? Do they know why your waters broke early?

Worzsel - yes, I felt sad when my bump deflated. Went back to work today and they were all fussing - in a nice way. The thing is, I work very close to home (10 mins drive) and it's actually closer to the hospital. Plus the time passes quicker when I'm at work. Taking it easy though. Will check out your link.

Your probably expanding again I lost all of my fluid over the week and didnt look atall pregnant and then it built up again and i regained my bump.. I loved the bump part of pregnanncy, it's gutting to see it deflate isnt it

Are you being well looked after ?

this is the link to my post on here

There are some pictures on the end of it of my Ds when he was born and more recently

ladylush, my waters broke at 31 weeks and I delivered at 33 weeks. Was also booked at St Georges.

I was told by the docs that although unusual, some women can make it to term without any fluid - and with no adverse effects from lack of fluid. Seems like a lot of conflcting advice around.

Fingers crossed you hold on, every day helps. Also, just to say, there were lots of babies born at your baby's current gestation in my NICU unit who were all fine and went home after a few weeks.

Hi Worzsel Yes I did look at the site. Very useful. Saved it in my favourites. Am going to use it to help me draft some questions to ask the consultant on Thursday. I'm doing ok. Had a lovely lazy day today with dh and ds. Am almost 29 weeks and now optimistic that lo will hang on at least another week. Don't know why or how I think that but I suppose it's because I haven't had any twinges or pain and the fluid is still clear. I've been keeping my fluid levels up and haven't lost much today despite drinking lots. Hopefully some of it is going to the baby My bump is looking bigger again, but could just be imagining that.

How are things today Ladylush ?

Did you get a chance to look at the kanelan website, it so helped me though the dark times.

What a sensible lady Makes a change for a doctor to look at the individual rather than the digits.

Although as my obs consultant (she also has an interest in endocrinology issues of pregnancy) pointed out, if you have symptoms then you're not technically subclinical whatever the tests may say. I like her, a lot.

Exactly - another chance to see baby. That's how I'm viewing it too. Agree about the thyroxine - the lower TSH makes a huge difference to well-being. I don't think they understand much about treating patients with subclinical hypothyroidism but the treatment speaks for itself.

Yup, I do have a scan booked for 34 weeks, but didn't realise the underactive thyroid might be the reason- my consultant seems far more worried about gestational diabetes and enormous baby due to advanced maternal age than to the thyroid issues. I don't have GD btw, had the tests and everything- you'd be hard pushed to find someone less diabetic than me. But hey-ho, I get another look at the baby...

I am on 50mcg a day of thyroxine and it's made sooo much difference to how well I feel that I never want to stop taking it! My T4 has stayed the same as in early pregnancy, interestingly (14 ish) but my TSH has halved from 4.5+ to 2.5, and that seems to be enough to make me a new woman.

just in case anyone is confused, whocares posted on another thread.

lol duchesse Glad all is going well with you. Are you going to get an extra scan due to your underactive thyroid? I have one due at 34 weeks but this lo will probably be here before then.

Loulou - I am ok thanks. It's frustrating being inactive but every day lo hangs on is good. Currently 28+3 and my goal is to last til at least 30 weeks. I will ask for a scan when I see the consultant next week.

whocares - so glad all was well with your dd. She obviously is a fighter Sorry to hear she lost her forearm though but I am guessing she probably doesn't let it hold her back too much.

ladylush- thanks, am nearly 33 weeks and disgustingly well. I keep waiting for things to go pear-shaped.

The reason I was up that early is because some bloody fly took up residence in my ear and woke me up at stupid o'clock buzzing at my ear drum. Honestly, you couldn't make this stuff up.

Landanmom, Just wnated to say hang on in there.

My waters broke at 12weeks and now I have a very cheeky 3yo DD. It's really good news that your LO has held on for a week.

When my waters burst, they told me to go home and to come back in the morning. They said it would all be over by then but of course it wasn't and I had a gut feeling that my DD would be strong.

Hello again, was just checking in to see how you were ladylush.

In answer, they never did find out why my waters went...thought it might be infection but that wasn't the case. I did have a bleed at 20 weeks though which it says in my book can be a risk factor (but the hospital didn't seem to think this was the reason).

Our own personal theory is he wanted an extra Christmas (he was due Jan, born Nov!).

I have to say, they weren't that rushed about scanning me except I had CFM the morning after my waters broke and they weren't that happy with his heart rate...anyway it was fine (he was probably sat on the cord or something) but they took the opportunity to check everything else...after that they were going to scan every 2 weeks I think (he came on the morning of my next scan). Hope that helps...am sure they would have scanned me more if I had demanded, they were pretty good at doing everything to keep me sane!

Wishing you and all the other mummies on here who are waiting for eager babies all the best xx

I had dopplar scans every weeks to check the placenta towards the end, they also checked his weight. I think scanning you is inportant if only to get babys position. Ds was breech so i had to have a section, we'd not have known that without the scans, they will also help keep you going emotionally.

Jaqueline - forgot to say glad all was well with your baby. A lot of babies are jaundiced even at term so not necessarily a result of being born early.

worzsel - glad all is well with your baby Very reassuring. I will check out that site. Thanks.

Jacqueline - I think I would be worried less if I had been offered a scan but despite asking twice I was told there is no indication. I'd have thought checking the level of fluid/placenta function was important.

My waters broke at 29-30 weeks and DS was born at 34.5 weeks.

I was given steroid injections straight away, and was scanned every few days just to check.

DS had no water around him for the rest of the pg as everything my body produced just came straight out.

I also had bloods taken every few days to check for infections etc.

I was booked in for an induction at 35 weeks, but DS came of his own accord at 34 weeks and was delivered in a very average birth.

DS was kept in SCBU for 5 days just for observations. He was healthy and fit apart from slight jaundice.

Don't worry to much about this, just make sure that your Dr's and midwife have a plan in place, and make sure they stick to it. Also request scans if you are unhappy.

*waves

As duchesse said this did indeed happen to me and George is fine now.. dribbling down my cleavage infact !

It's a worrying time but 28 weeks is past the critical lung development time i think and if you've had th steroids that makes things better.

fwiw i never had any fluid on scans, leaked alll the time and ds still grew lungs. they are stronger than we give them vredit for.

www.kanelan.org/prom is a good site

Goodness Landanmom + duchesse - just saw the time you posted

loulou - thanks for your post Glad your baby was ok - great weight for that gestation. I'm sure that must have helped. Did they ever find out why your waters broke early? From what I've read it seems they have no idea of the cause unless it's due to an infection. Good luck with your pregnancy

landanmom - I have everything crossed for you and hope lo hangs on. Do you live near a level 1 neonatal unit? My hospital has level 1 and 2 and it is reassuring to know that although this lo would be level 2 as past 28 weeks, that the hospital is equipped to care for babies who are younger and need more specialist care.

Duchesse - thanks How is your pregnancy going?

I know that this happened earlier this year to WorszelMummage at about 22 weeks. She ended up delivering at 27 weeks, and her baby is fine now despite his early arrival. Crossing fingers for you.

Ladylush, I seen where you left a message in my profile. My membranes ruptured at 17weeks. So actually a little over a week ago. I think you will be ok since you are further along and your baby chances of survival is higher now. Its great that you are taking the steriods for baby's lungs. I wont be able to take those until im 24weeks. I had an appt earlier and my baby boy is doing fine even though my amniotic fluid level is very low. I have you and your little one in my prayers. Make sure you are resting and not stressing

Ladylush, am frequent lurker, not poster but thought I would share. DS1 was born at 30+6. My waters went at 28+6 (started trickling one evening and then went overnight after I went to delivery suite to get checked out...was hoping at that stage I was merely incontinenet!).

Had steroids and I did have a scan to check size, position (breech) and placenta and also fluid levels and then once I was on antibiotics (prophylatic...because I didn't go into labour and had also tested positive for GBS earlier in pg)they were happy to let me home with monitoring...lasted nearly 2 weeks with me keeping an eye on leaking waters (they just kept leaking as they were made IYSWIM) and when they turned bloody I went back in...went into labour naturally and they would have been happy for me to deliver even though he was breech (they said it was good for his lungs to actually experience labour and delivery if poss) but he was in a bit of distress and because of that and breech they did an em CS.

He was 3lb 15 oz at birth (quite big) breathing for himself but he did have to be ventilated later when he got tired. Was on lo-flow o2 for about 6 weeks and came home at 37 weeks. All fine! He has been chesty but he had bronchiolitis and just seems to attract chest infections....but he might ahve done that anyway. Fingers crossed for you. My consultants told me thay can hang in there for a good while (although many come within 2 weeks). I would have been induced at 34 weeks if he'd hung around. They were just happy with every day I got after my waters went.

Just had a scan at 28 weeks for No.3...they've no clue why my waters went last time and so just keeping an eye on size etc this time round in case no3 makes an early arrival.

Oh and lovely Irish names too

Deemented - so sorry to hear of your loss How devastating You must take so much comfort from your ds I am sure. Glad he is healthy and a joy

ladylush It was twins - sadly my firstborn Ciaran died shortly after birth due to a condition called Posterior Uretheral Valves - basically he couldn't wee out, so therefore couldn't make his own amniotic fluid, so his lungs couldn't develop. Hence me knowing about amniotic fluid ect.

His brother Brennan is fine now though - showed no ill effects from being born so early - is the tallest by far in his nursery class and is due to start reception come september.

I dont think the consultant I had is still there I had Profeesor Y Ville when I was there. Good luck hun.. FWIW I did still bath everyday.. but I took that choice.
Good luck and keep us informed..

deemented - glad your ds is ok. Did you deliver two at 28 weeks? Was it twins or two separate births?

thanks twoplusone - I did read your post on the other thread. Glad all went well for you I am also booked at St. Georges.

Bethoo/reikizen - at this gestation the baby makes it's own amniotic fluid rather then the mother - this happens from about 16-18 weeks gestation. It's made from swallowing amniotic fluid, then urinating it through... kind of like a continuous circle, iyswim. Only if the membranes heal themselves is there a chance that more fluid can build up.

FWIW i delivered my boys at 28 weeks, and i now have a healthy happy almost five year old running round.

my waters never replenished fully my deepest patch was 1-2mm..xx
I was warned that I would not be abke to deliver naturally and it would be a c-section due to the lack of fluid, the dolicopholous and the fact that DD was a footling breech.And unable to turn

ladylush...
My story..
with my first I had SPROM.. at 21weeks.. I didnt know until i went for a check up at 28weeks, where they discovered my bump was 6weeks to small.. on the scan I had very little amniotic fluid the deepest patch was 1mm,. The consultant had told me that it looked like my membranes had ruptured 6weeks previous, as the baby had a condition called dolicopholus!!(sp) basically the skull bones crossing over resemblong a cone..
I was admitted straight away and given all sorts of tests, an amniosenticious, on what little fluid was there to rule out infection.. As they couldnt see any lungs on the scan at this stage which they should at 28weeks I was given and MRI scan , and they could see the lungs forming so started me on dexamethasone.
I was kept in hospital until I delivered my daughter be c-section at 36weeks (due to my placenta starting to fail) ( in total 8weeks in hospital to the day i had DD then another week after thre birth so 9 weeks in total)

I was given high vaginal swaps twice a weeek, bloods taken twice a week and mminimum of 2 scans a week, checking for growth, and doppler.

When DD was born she weighed 4lb 14oz (2.2kg)
she was whisked away and given a lumbar puncture to check for infection, andput onto antibiotics. She is now a healthy sporty 12 and a half year old..

I know I was further on than you put I hope the story helps a little.. I never had any contractions either which astounded my medical team in St Georges (Tooting) every week they kept telling me I was going to deliver.. but my dd was a fighter and held on.. Good luck hun xx
( I have gone on to have two more pregnancies with no comlications at all.. and I now on my forth pregnancy but early days)

reikizen - thanks. I am guessing I shouldn't be having baths either. Will stick to showers and just water to clean vagina. I did have the course of steroids. I will speak to the cons. next week about the fluids issue.

Yes, your body constantly replaces amniotic fluid and they would probably perform a scan if, on palpation, it felt like there wasn't much fluid around the baby. But please, ask the consultant about this when you see them. I hope you have had the steroid injections as this is important in maturing the lungs in case of early delivery. It is a very stressful time for you I'm sure and although bed rest isn't shown by the evidence to have any effect, you may feel happier taking it easy. Really scrupulous hygeine is important, as you are probably aware and absolutely nothing in the vagina. Be aware that premature labours can be very fast too so if you feel any tightenings or backache get checked out sooner rather than later. You are the best incubator for your baby and every day they are in the womb makes a massive difference to them. Good luck.

i am sure that in one of the pregnancy sites it says it does! bizarre but i know what you mean about conflicting information!

bethoo - the doctor on the ward said my body cannot replace what was lost. I have been told conflicting information tbh.

forevermore - yes the steroids are given as a precaution. I had two doses. I suppose I was hoping that the steroids would prevent any problem with the lungs, but as you say it's hard to know the exact cause of asthma.
I think the hospital were happy to let me continue the monitoring at home because my obs were so stable (and because they needed the bed). Sorry to hear you are on bed rest. Is is pg related?

amniotic fluid is constantly being replaced so i am sure that in no time your fluid level will be fine. i am sure i read it somewhere that the body replenishes it.

BTW the checks you are doing at home were the checks my sister had to have but whilst hospitalised. maybe it was more serious for her because of the earlier gestation.

I think i would put myslef on bed rest as much as possible until you see the consultant. i have been on bed rest for 7 weeks so sympathise.

yes she received steriods straight away, shouldn't you have those injections as a precautionary measure?

there is no real way of knowing if the asthma was related. probably, but then half of the kids in inner city london seem to have childhood asthma. my nearly full term baby had excema and asthma too but has grown out of it.

reikizen - plan is for me to take my temp and pulse 4 times a day, check colour of fluids and monitor fetal movements. If any concerns I am to go back to hospital. Otherwise, I see the consultant next thursday.

Thanks forever No complications as such. I have a pretty dismal obstetric history with 4 first trimester (unexplained) m/c and bleeding up to week 14 in this pregnancy. But I also have a gorgeous 5 yr old ds who was a healthy 91b 3 oz weight born at term. Baby has been well throughout this pregnancy and was on target to be another big one - going by femur length. I have also been well and once I got over the shock of the early bleeding I relaxed into the pregnancy and felt really well. I still do actually. Glad to hear your nephew is ok -do they think the asthma was a result of being born early? Did your sister have steroids before he was born?

Do they have a plan in place for you? When are you next to see the consultant?

my sister had this happen due to incompetent cervix. her waters broke at 25 weeks and she was put on bed rest in hospital then delivered at 27+3. my nephew was in NICU and SCBU for 11 weeks. ups and downs but no major lasing effects (just mildly ashmatic). in fact he is now a bruiser and staring school in septemeber and a very bright boy and the tallest in his class.

even if contractions start it doesn't mean that they cannot stop them it usually depends on infections, but there are women than go on to have waters reform and carry on with pregnancy.

did you / do you have any underlying conditions/ complications?

My waters broke at 27+5 weeks and I was kept in hospital for a few days. My observations have been fine and there is no sign of infection as yet. Baby seems to be fine. Has this happened to anyone else at this stage and if so how was your pregnancy managed? I'm a little concerned that there are no immediate plans for an ultrasound, given that loss of amniotic fluid can restrict growth.