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Connect with others and find premature birth support.

Connect with others and find premature birth support.

Premature birth

Pregnant after 30weeker - any advice!?

18 replies

BabsUnited · 29/04/2015 14:21

Afternoon

My DS was born at 30 weeks almost three years ago. His stay in NICU and SCBU was reasonably uneventful and we thought we had a healthy boy until developmental delay started to become apparent - he's now got a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. But other than that is a happy, sunny, clever boy who lights up the lives of everyone who knows him.

We had pre-conception counselling about three months ago and were told our chances of another premature birth were slightly more than a woman who'd not had a prem birth, but as there was no cause identified (and results from the placental scan went missing ) there's nothing specific they can do or check for. But I've been offered a cervical stitch when I get to 12 weeks and progesterone pessaries if I wish, which I'm happy with. They also recommended no sex after conception and no bubble baths to avoid possible infection risk.

I have just found out I'm pregnant, I think around 4 weeks (somewhat a shock - although we were 'not not' trying IYGWIM but it happened very very quickly) and trying to remain positive and upbeat.

I will get in touch with my consultant and see what she says but I wondered if anyone anecdotally found anything to help reach near/full term after a premature birth? Are there any vitamin supplements other than Pregnacare which I've been taking for 4 ish months now that might help me?

Haven't told anyone at all yet and will probably keep it quiet for as long as we can so not got anyone to talk to about it really!

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Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 29/04/2015 16:09

Congratulations but I totally get your fear too! Dd was a 27 weeker and is three now but I still remember it well. I do remember low zinc levels are associated with preterm labour so make sure you keep those high with lots of red meat.

BabsUnited · 29/04/2015 16:25

Interesting re the zinc Crazyqueencat, thanks, I'll look into it.

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Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 29/04/2015 19:28

I never knew why dd arrived early either...

BabsUnited · 29/04/2015 20:31

It's frustrating isn't it. If there was something tangible to monitor it might reassure me slightly more.

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BabsUnited · 29/04/2015 20:33

But I know every baby and pregnant is different so just hoping and praying that things go more smoothly this time round

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Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 29/04/2015 21:41

Oh they sure are! Dc1 was two days overdue and 9lb 6. I was not expecting an 855g sibling!!

BabsUnited · 30/04/2015 10:58

Crazy do you know where you read about zinc? I have pregnacare tabs which include a certain % of RDA but I'd like to read more about possibly taking an extra zinc supplement. DOn't want to do anything until I've read around a bit more though.

Decorating at the moment and I only realised as I was painting the gloss on the doors that perhaps it wasn't such a good idea, was that a bad thing?! I am going to worry about every single thing in this pregnancy

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Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 30/04/2015 13:39

I think it was one of dd's paediatrician's who mentioned this to me, but I'll try to dig out some links if I can find any.

EeyorePigletAndPoohToo · 30/04/2015 18:13

Hi Babs

Congratulations! Can completely see why you are anxious this time round though.

DS1 was born at 24 weeks, so I was terrified throughout my pregnancy with DS2. I had two stitches at 12 weeks plus twice daily progesterone until 35/36 weeks, and I am 100% certain that the combination of all this is what kept me pregnant. DS2 arrived at 38 weeks, a couple of days after the stitches were removed.

This was nearly 7 years ago so things may have changed in the meantime, but back then it was really hard to get either stitches or progesterone, and I was very lucky to get both. Stitches weren't generally prescribed unless the mum had proven cervical incompetence and their previous pregnancy ended at 28 weeks or before. So I think it's brilliant that you are being offered both. The stitch does have its risks, though, which hopefully your consultant will have outlined already, and is why many consultants are reluctant to use them. Happy to tell you more if I can be of any help. And good luck for many more boring and uneventful weeks of pregnancy! x

BabsUnited · 30/04/2015 20:49

What risks, Eeyore? She said the chances of introducing infection are slim but there's also a slim chance of inducing a miscarriage, are they the risks you mean?

Thank you for your story, it's made me feel more positive. I have a hacking cough and worrying I'm doing damage somehow

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EeyorePigletAndPoohToo · 01/05/2015 19:05

Yes, those are the risks I was referring to. I was also told there was a small chance of breaking the waters when inserting the stitch, but I guess that would be a different way of referring to inducing a miscarriage.

Will you be getting regular swabs for infection, just in case that was a contributory factor to your prem birth last time? I'm just thinking of your cough. I had a horrible cough at one point during pregnancy 2 and it raised my infection markers, but did no harm at all to the baby. (I did get an extra scan out of it though, which was nice!) x

BabsUnited · 04/05/2015 19:18

I can't remember what they said about regular swabbing, I got the impression I could have whatever I wanted to be honest. I think the fact my ds ended up with CP (possibly as a result of a mismanaged birth?) means they're pandering to me a bit. Fine by me tbh.

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BabsUnited · 07/05/2015 18:46

Anyone else have any experiences of this? Am also having trouble getting a reply from my consultant and not registered with a GP yet after house move so worrying a bit

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CinammonGirl · 12/05/2015 14:00

Hi babs congratulations on your pregnancy x I've just found out today I am about 4 weeks pregnant, my dd (now 4) was born at 31 weeks due to an infection I had (they think!) so I am nervous about this time round as well, totally know how you feel. I think they said I would be under the care of a consultant obstetrician and have regular checks for infection but to be honest at the time I didn't really take it in as the birth/NNU experience was so awful I thought I would never have any more children. Waiting for a call back from the midwife so I can see what she says.

Pm me any time

Dildals · 19/05/2015 10:47

Hey - I had 29 weeker twins and am now 24 weeks pregnant.

I am under the care of the preterm surveillance clinic at St Thomas in London.

They do lots of research there so am pretty lucky to have this as my hospital.

Their advice was that a stitch will only be helpful in case of cervical incompetence. They have swabbed me every 2-3 weeks for infections (which is actually for their research. It's called the INSIGHT study, if you google INSIGHT and preterm you will probably get the study summary). On top of that they do a cervical scan & a fetal fibronectin test. They say that these 2 tests together give a very high certainty as to whether you will go in preterm labour again. I am having my last test on Wednesday and both come back 'good' again then apparently it is 95% certain I won't go in to prem labour.

Hope this helps.

FraggleRock77 · 21/05/2015 19:33

DS1 was born at 29 weeks. He sailed through NICU but it was still 7 long weeks of hell. I've just found out I'm pregnant and I'm really not sure i want to be now! My cervix is crap and they have previously noted that i will be offered a stitch and close monitoring. How do you manage a two year old and a possible NICU stay?!

Happylass1 · 03/06/2015 10:36

Hey ladies, totally know where you are all coming from my previous 31 weeker is well thank God but i think i didn't with the traima of it all last time and hsve suffered with terrible anxiety this time. I'm 26 weeks now but started seeing a counsellor at 15 weeks because the stress and anxiety was making very vacant and ill at times. I feel much better now. But i still have bad days. I have watch my tiredness levels otherwise i get cramps and i have try deal with stressful situations differently. I feel better also becsuse i finally got a bit of a plsn from the hospital- but we all know how good plans are! Good luck ladies, hopefully we'll all have term babies this time

BabsUnited · 29/06/2015 16:59

Resurrecting this thread a bit....

I had a cervical stitch done last week and no adverse effects so far apart from increased discharge which I was told to expect. Also on progesterone pessaries which are more grim than I imagined but all in a good cause (hopefully). Am now 13+3 I think.

Fraggle I am also worrying about another possible early arrival with another child to consider. I guess family will just have to step in and help out. Also DH will have paternity leave this time (he owned his own busines when DS was born so I was pretty much left to get on with it after a couple of days). I expressed bm and managed to get him discharged fully breastfed, mainly because i could spend all day in the unit and stuff. Am hoping to bf this time too, hope circumstance won't derail that.

Hope everyone else pregnant after a premature birth is doing ok

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