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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

positive 31wk birth stories please

41 replies

addictediam · 04/12/2011 18:14

Sorry am on my phone in hospital so please forgive me.

I've been. having strong bh every 5 minutes since early this morning. The hospital has decided I'm in early labour and have given me a steroid injection.

Im quite scared and hoped some of you might be able to reassure me.

Dh has gone to sort dd and get my hospital bag and phone charger (as my battery is quite low)

Please give me some positive stories to cling on to

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

1944girl · 04/12/2011 18:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

broccolitrees · 04/12/2011 18:27

aaww hun, that's scary.
BUT my dd was born at 29+5 (albeit by emergency section) weighing 2lb 12oz. she's now a very healthy 6 year old and you can't tell she was prem. i had injections in the bum the week before, as we were warned she would likely have to be delivered in the week. the nicu/scbu journey is scary but the nurses were great. she had relatively few problems and came home just under 6 weeks old (what would have been 35+3) weighing 4lb 2oz, exclusively breast fed, initially because i expressed but then she was able to herself later on. i do think we had a relatively straight forward trip through nicu and scbu, and i know that we had it 'pretty easy' (not that that road is ever 'easy') compared to some, but to reassure you, these positive stories are out there and not so uncommon these days. plus you are nearly 2 weeks further on than i was and every day inside of you makes a big difference
take care (((hugs)))

Impatientwino · 04/12/2011 18:28

My niece was born at 31+3 and is now a lively, VERY naughty but cute 18 month old trouble maker.

TooImmature2BDumbledore · 04/12/2011 18:30

Hope all goes well, OP. Don't know how relevant this is, but I was born at 35 weeks, weighing about 4lbs. Had to spend 5 weeks in an incubator, but was absolutely fine. I'm a twin - we were both fine and Mum breastfed us for a year despite the tricky start. Have they given you any indication of what your baby might weigh? There are some stories on here of babies born around the 24/25 week mark who were real miracle babies and did really well.

xkatyx · 04/12/2011 18:34

I was in same situation at 31 weeks (with twins) I had the steriods and the scbu staff come talk to me, all very real and very scary, I was told babies after 30 weeks do very well.

Luckily they stopped me and I am still going strong at 34 weeks :)

Good luck

kiki22 · 04/12/2011 18:44

found this -

After 26 weeks the rate of survival increases at slower rate because the survival rate is high already. The Mayo Clinic says that by 28 to 30 weeks, the risk of serious complications is much lower. And for babies born between 32 and 35 weeks, most medical problems are short term and may even have resolved by the time the baby comes home from the hospital.

Survival rate
26 weeks 80-90 percent
27 weeks 90 percent
30 weeks 95 percent
34 weeks 98 percent
Source: The University of Wisconsin

TheLaineyWayIsEssex · 04/12/2011 18:59

addicted I saw your facebook status. Sending you lots of positive cook baby til full term vibes x

ZhenTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly · 04/12/2011 19:16

Oh addicted, hopefully they will hold you off a bit longer.

My SIL started having regular BH two weeks before my niece was born at 30 weeks weighing 2lb. She was in SCBU for a few weeks, but her mum managed to breastfeed and express until after she came home. She is now a strapping toddler of 21 months and is almost as big as my 2.5 year old! She met all her developmental milestones as expected and is now chatting away.

FullBeam · 04/12/2011 19:29

I went into early labour at 30 weeks, my dd was born by emcs weighing 2lb 12oz. She is now a lively and healthy 6 year old. I know it is very frightening, but it sounds like you are in good hands. Sending you lots of positive thoughts. xx

BerthaTheBogBurglar · 04/12/2011 19:40

Ds2 was born at 32 weeks and came home after 2 weeks in hospital. He's 4 next week and you'd totally never know he was born early. Once past the premature stage he was the biggest baby of my 3 children, the best sleeper, the earliest talker.

Be prepared for them to whisk your baby away to NICU as soon as he/she is born - doesn't mean there is anything wrong!

I hope you're doing ok.

Original poster

addictediam · 04/12/2011 20:07

My phone died! dh has just got back with the charger. so will read through now. thanks

OP posts:

zimm · 04/12/2011 20:11

I was born at 29 weeks over thirty years ago. I am fine, two degrees, good job etc. My mum was able to bf me til 18 months. Your baby will be just fine, take care x

BarnMummy · 04/12/2011 20:19

Cousin's baby was born at just 32 wks - he is now an extremely energetic 4 year old - and an adorable monkey!!

Another friend's son also born at 31 weeks - he was really tiny at birth but again, now a very active (and intelligent) 3 1/2 year old who will start school with my DS2.

You would not be able to tell with either of them.

Thoughts are with you.

cheekydino · 04/12/2011 20:28

My ds was born at 31 weeks and he is now 3 and has no long term health issues. He spent 24 days in nicu/scbu and came at 35 weeks fully breastfed. The hardest parts to cope with were spending days at the hospital and having to go home without him, but the nurses were fantastic and are happy for you to call at any hour to check. At 31 weeks, especially if you've had steroids, then your baby is most likely to be home by its due date (or well before) with no longterm problems. (I now volunteer with a neonatal unit and the stats I see suggest this!)

Fingers crossed that all goes well for you.

Original poster

addictediam · 04/12/2011 20:28

Thankyou, thoes stats are very helpful jojo, thank you.

My cx have slowed down to every 10-15 minutes but are lasting longer and stronger than before. The mw's are hopeful they will further ease off over night although the longer stronger part is still concerning them.

I'm missing my dd so much I haven't seen her since this morning :( I won't see her now till i get out of hospital.

OP posts:

Oeisha · 04/12/2011 20:43

addicted
They will probably give you another steroid injection btw. Think they have to be a certain amount of time apart ideally.
Good to hear the contractions have slowed, it's a good thing.
Have they investigated why? Do they think it's the UTI? If so, treating that will help.
The lady next to me in hosp was 32+1 on admission. They gave her the steriods, antiobiotics, and monitored - her waters had gone though. She was sent home before me...as her fluid levels had started to top up and her infection score was looking good and her contractions slowed. They were fairly confident that (infections allowing thanks to waters) she's make it to term, though did talk about inducing at 36wks if the infection status was low but there.
Listening to what the neotnatal team had said (again, they only called them because her waters had gone), they seemed fairly confident her LO would be totally fine. Their main concern was body fat on baby, infection (from broken waters) and a lack of sucking reflex...so mentioned baby might need to be tube fed for a bit if it did make an appearance!
FX for you!

silverangel · 04/12/2011 20:51

My 18 week old twins were delivered at 31 weeks, absolutely fine apart from obv v small, one was ventilated for a couple of hours but we had the steroids and their lungs were fine. They were in SCBU for six weeks, tube fed in the beginning, that is standard for such young babies. If you do deliver now and end up in SCBU there will be lots of wires and alarms and it can be scary but they are there for monitoring and you soon get used to them once you know what they're for x

PenguinArmy · 04/12/2011 20:57

Oh addicted,

all the best of luck

PenguinArmy · 04/12/2011 20:58

DD was/is very clingy when I had Ruthina, but she was absolutely fine when I had Nigel and she weren't even bothered to see me when she visited (she just wanted the balloon)

SantasNutellaFairy · 04/12/2011 20:58

addicted- I hope everything slows right down for you, and you have a restful night.x

Original poster

addictediam · 04/12/2011 21:02

They aren't sure whats causing it apart from a septate uterus, strep b and a few other health problems that are just too complicated to go into. its all just a shock as I was warned and prepaired for this with dd and amazed everyone by getting to. 39 weeks so this time (despite the same health problems) everyone was just expecting me to get to full term
I will have a second lot of steroids tomorrow at 3.30pm unless they think baby is on her way imminently then I will have some after 3.30am.
No one has really spoken to me about baby and what to expect if she does come i guess there will be time for that if i do go into established labour?

OP posts:

PenguinArmy · 04/12/2011 21:05

when you have DH there, do ask them. If they try and fob you off, ask when will someone be available to ask etc.

SantasNutellaFairy · 04/12/2011 21:06

Can you nab a midwife and ask them- they will only be able to say in general, but there's no harm in asking.
x

captainbarnacle · 04/12/2011 21:07

My DS3 was born 5months ago at 32weeks (placenta praevia, bleeding, ambulance, c-section; never even got a chance for the steroids) - he was 5lb6!! Stayed in NICU for 3 weeks and then home. Nothing else major to report, apart from he's a smiler :) x

mistressploppy · 04/12/2011 21:10

Thinking of you, Addicted

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