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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Waters have broken at 28 weeks - we're in America!

827 replies

Southsearocks · 28/12/2010 15:56

I've come over to the US for a two week holiday to my partner's family. No problems at all in this pregnancy (my first). Then yesterday morning the waters broke! I've been admitted to a local hospital and although me and baby are fine we'll be here for the duration. It's likely to be three months! Baby could come any time between now and full term so we're keeping everything crossed (including my legs of course) it stays in as long as possible. Either way we're not able to fly home for a looong time...

Our baby will be coming back to the UK an American citizen - how about that? Shock Grin Confused

Pray the insurance works out for us!!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
JackSawMamaKissingSantaClaus · 31/12/2010 04:26

Southsea, two years ago exactly, Worzsel had her baby at 28 weeks after her waters went at 22+4. He's turning two now - miracle boy. Do you want me to contact her and ask her if she'd PM you or come on this thread with any advice?

tadventjennyp · 31/12/2010 04:54

Hi Southsea, I'm on the Living in America thread and just wanted to wish you the best of luck. Take heart from all the positive stories and keep posting on here and we'll keep you company.

Southsearocks · 31/12/2010 14:52

Hi all,

Thank you Doozle and Jack... (yes please) Had the steroids on the first and second day and I do feel confident I'm getting what's needed.

I had a scan last night. There's not much fluid in there and the baby is on the "low end of normal" for weight at 1lb 13oz, so of course that got me going. When we came in it was estimated to be more than that. I don't know if eating more will help but I'm going to give it a go - it will cheer me up if nothing else!

The nurse pretty much said not to get out of bed for anything but loo and shower and to keep drinking so I'm going to take her advice, although it's difficult not to keep popping out of bed to fetch something.

After the scan I felt really bad and gloomy but went straight back to looking at old posts and other websites that have been suggested. All these amazing stories people have. It is keeping me going so feel reassured that each and every one of your messages is getting through and helping me to feel more relaxed, which in turn is helping the little cherub.

Wishing you all a great New Years Eve - have fun those of you that can! xxx

OP posts:
Milngavie · 31/12/2010 15:04

Southsea are you near Newtown in Philly? I have rl friend there who can help if you need anything.

Thinking of you both and hope baby stays put.

ilovemydogandMrObama · 31/12/2010 15:04

When I had DS, on the ward was a baby who was born at 1lb, 6 oz. Can't remember how long in special baby care, but was on the ward and thriving Smile

WillbeanChariot · 31/12/2010 15:46

Hi there, glad you are being well looked after. Just wanted to say, my DS (27 weeks) was 1lb 4oz at birth and doing fine now. The steroids make a big difference I am told.

Hope you are not too bored. Look forward to seeing you over on the Bliss boards if you feel like it.

tattyteddy · 31/12/2010 18:52

Hi Southsea,

Just wanted to wish you the best of luck.

Xxxxx

MollieO · 31/12/2010 19:07

Sounds as if you are getting all the care you need. I'm amazed at the cost. I was told that a NICU NHS bed was £1000 per day when I had Ds 6 years ago.

I would second having a look at the Bliss website. It is the best resource for info on premmies. You can download info to fact sheets to. They did a booklet that told you all about what to expect regarding hospital care for a prem. It helped me make sense of all the equipment Ds was connected to and made me feel a bit more in control.

Fingers crossed that your baby stays put for a while. 28 weeks is good but the odds improve for 30 weeks.

beijingaling · 01/01/2011 06:34

Thinking about you Southsea. The nurses are right, keep in bed and don't keep popping up and down. There is nothing you need that urgently and now is the time to put yourself (and therefor the baby) first!

Best wishes for the new year.

findanewnamequick · 01/01/2011 06:55

Hi Southsea, thinking about you and your baby and wishing you well for the new year.

queenofboak · 01/01/2011 08:11

Southsea, wishing you and your little one all the best.

Sending positive vibes Smile

hippyChristmaspotamus · 01/01/2011 08:29

more positive vibes coming from me too

LCRLCR · 01/01/2011 09:21

Good luck to you all, hang in there x

CrispyTheChristmasCracker · 01/01/2011 09:34

Happy New Year Southsea, you have made it past another milestone Smile

Re the weight scan estimates, i had a number and they were 20% out on the last one and i think this can be common, so baby may be actually much larger. fingers x'd

Do you know if you are having a boy or girl?

ihearttc · 01/01/2011 12:17

Just to say I wouldn't read too much into the weight estimates. I had a growth scan at 31+5 weeks with DS2 and the consultant worried me silly by saying that he was tiny...think his weight was 2lb 2oz and he had a very short femur. I actually developed very sudden and severe pre-eclampsia about 2 days later(completely out of the blue as had no symptoms at all) and they induced me at 32+5 and DS2 weighed in at 3lb 8oz and had a perfectly normal sized femur!

He's actually only 5 weeks old at the moment and came home from hospital 2 weeks ago so its all still very much in my thoughts. I know its a completely different situation but I just wanted you to know that they really can get the weight estimates very very wrong and your lo may be a lot more than they've estimated.

I think you're being absolutely amazing in what must be a extremely scary situation...keep that fighting spirit up!

Geepers · 01/01/2011 12:29

My waters broke around twin 1 at 18 weeks, and i held on for another five weeks before my babies were born. They were indeed very tiny at 1lb 5oz and 1lb 3oz but are now absolutely fine. We have a blog which you can read if you google 'twins Joe and harry blogspot'.

Hopefully your baby even if born now wont need ventilating and stands a superb chance of being absolutely fine.

AliceandtheGinormousBaps · 01/01/2011 12:39

Just wanted to see how you were doing Smile

I went into labour with dc2 at 28wks (waters didn't go and labour did stop by itself) but i had the steroids - ouch! and a scan. The scan showed DS was on the small side of average, with short femur length, making the sonographer make me get back on the bed for re-scanning and asked me if i had had the nuchal test. My bump was measuring 3wks over. DS was eventually born at 40+10 by cs weighing 9lb2, with huge long legs Grin nothing small or even average about that!

The scans really are not that accurate.

Hope you are doing well Smile

taintedsnow · 01/01/2011 12:52

Only just seen this thread (I don't come onto the pregnancy threads much, despite being pregnant!) and just wanted to say I'm thinking of you and your baby, and will be keeping everything crossed that all goes well for you. :)

veritythebrave · 01/01/2011 12:58

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veritythebrave · 01/01/2011 12:58

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CardyMow · 01/01/2011 13:46

Just wanted to add that 8 1/2 yrs ago, I was pregnant with DS1. My waters broke at 28+2. I was given steroids and put on total bed rest for 2 weeks. After a week and a half, my waters stopped leaking, and they 'regenerated'(?) themselves. I was eventually induced at 39+4 with him, he was born at dead on 40 weeks at 7lb7oz.

I have my fingers crossed for you and your baby.

My friends baby was actually born at 29+1, and is now a 5ft4 inches tall 12 year old, with no ill effects from being preemie.

expatinscotland · 01/01/2011 13:50

I'm so sorry, LL Sad. They let you labour for three days and didn't do a csection?!

Sparklies · 01/01/2011 14:54

Yep, those weight estimates are often out on ultrasound - things like a short femur or a small head can skew things massively.

It is so hard being on bedrest. The week before I was admitted I'd walked 10 miles around San Francisco.. I'm a very proud person and hate asking people to do things for me so it was a big shock to the system (and yes, I got very depressed) feeling so helpless. Needing to call a nurse just to bring something to me that I could physically get to but wasn't allowed to just felt all wrong. But they really, really do understand and they would far rather you called them, they really would.

It is a big shift in thinking to basically become "lazy". With little else on my mind I spent a lot of time getting very low, dwelling on everything and feeling very isolated and lonely, even when I was back in the UK (you soon find out who your real friends are..) You know you are doing it all for your baby but when you're scared if your baby is even going to be okay (fwiw I think yours will be just fine but that's easy for me to say!) then it's hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel.

My way of dealing with it afterwards was to run the London Marathon (I was never a runner before) for the Miscarriage Association because it was such a ridiculous contrast to how I'd spent those four months.

Weirdly I had a social worker come round and chat with me in the US hospital to assess my mental health and ability to cope - perhaps you will get the same? I also had a dietician which was nuts! The food department would ring me up and suggest food to me if I'd forgotten to order from my crazy posh hotel room service style menu complete with steak(!) The NHS this ain't! Still confused about the breakfasts though, sausage and maple syrup are not right.

My friend who went from 26 to 33 weeks with pPROM had fluid leaking out constantly, and rarely had more than a tiny pocket of fluid. There were concerns over the baby developing properly which I think is why they took the baby in the end - there was no actual labour. Obviously every case is different but I wanted to give you a bit of hope!

It would be great if you could get to spend some time away from the hospital even if it's not at home.. your doctors would be the best people to know if that will happen. I really hope you get through the next week and maybe they will start thinking about longer term plans.

For what it's worth as well on a pregnancy forum I've been on for years I have heard so many great reports for babies born at 28 weeks.. it's a long journey in the NICU but the outcomes are so good :)

Hang in there. Just think of the story you will be able to tell your baby one day!

LL I am so sorry, I can't imagine.

CrispyTheChristmasCracker · 01/01/2011 15:02

I think LL's baby was born at EXACTLY 40 weeks rather than anything worse - I read it that way too the first time, but i think all was ok Smile

Great post Sparklies

blametheparents · 01/01/2011 15:05

Hope all is going well for you Southsea and that you and you baby have a very happy and healthy 2011 Smile