Experiences/advice on premature birth?

[serenity]

My bf went into labour earlier this week, after being hit with a football whilst on lunch duty. She's holed up in hospital atm, being monitored and having steroid injections just in case they can't prevent the birth. Although she's not in 'active' labour she's still having regular contractions and it looks like she's going to be kept in until the baby comes.

Has anyone been through this? What are the chances of them being able to stop it and of her going to full term? She's only 28.5 weeks atm. I want to be supportive and try and help her through this but at the same time I'm wary of being insensitive by being too jolly, and 'don't worry everything will be fine' iyswim!

My only experience is that I had a prem baby at 27 weeks. I know nothing about preventing labour that has started. However every day that she can't stay pg the odds for the baby increase.

Hi Serenity

Like Crunchie, I don't have direct experience of this. However, I was admitted to hospital at 27 weeks with bleeding due to placenta praevia. As it happened, after a while the bleeding calmed down and dd wasn't born till 36 weeks. However, when I was admitted it looked very likely they'd have to deliver her soon, and I was shown around the SCBU to prepare me for what might happen if she was born at that stage. If your friend's hospital is willing to do this, I'd recommend it. It was upsetting for a while (I saw some very very small babies - they'd just had some triplets born) but once I'd taken it all on board it helped me to be prepared for what my dd might look like if she was born at that stage and what she might need doing to her. It's good that your friend has had the steroids. I was told that they make a huge difference to babies' chances. They are real life-savers. It's difficult to know what to think about the contractions, because I'm not a medical person. However, I did have what the midwives termed 'tightenings' when I was first admitted. No-one seemed really to know why. I think it was stress related, but they also suggested that it might be something to do with the bleeding irritating the uterus (????). If your friend does have to stay in for the duration, it's not that bad (I coped with 10 weeks!). Take her lots of books to read and nice things to eat (very important). I found the steroids made me incredibly hot (I literally glowed like a radioactive tomato!) and I couldn't sleep for 24 hours after taking them (I had them weekly), so decent reading material was essential.

Hope this helps a bit. Sending very best wishes to your friend.

i was admitted at 33 weeks with contractions, they gave me steriods and drugs to try and stop the labour, which did stop the contractions, but they had to stop the drugs as it made my heart race and I was ta risk of heart failure. The drugs can work tho.

I went in at 33 weeks too, but was already 7 cm dilated, dts were born that evening, I had the steroid jab and they were fine.

A friend of mine went into premature labour at around 28 weeks (I think) They gave her steroids to mature the baby's lungs just incase.

They did manage to delay labour and her 8lb 6oz baby ended up being overdue!

my friend had her eldest at 27 weeks due to placenta praevia. He's a strapping 23 year old now.

no experience myself but a friend has a condition where she cant carry any of her kids past 28wks. So all four of her children were born between 26-28wks. Unfortunately one of them died but the other 3 are now 11,10 and 4. All you can do is be there and be supportive. Try to be positive as it is amazing what the drs can do now.

thanks for the replies everyone. It's nice to hear that there are positive outcomes even at this early stage.

SM - it's interesting what you said about having heart problems with the drugs. Her dh told me that she's been being monitored for a 'heart murmer' since she's been in, which is something completely out of the blue. I wonder if it's connected to the drugs then? Might have to mention it tomorrow.

Serenity - I didn't have 'heart problems' as such, but they deffo made me feel 'jumpy' and hyper (and glowing red!).
Wishing your friend the very best

thanks ellbell. She's being a bit naughty atm, as she has her mobile with her (actually I think her ward is OK with them) so I'm staying in regular contact with her. TBH I think the rest will do her good anyway - she has a 5 and 2 year old at home who keep her too busy to be able to put her feet up.

i really hope all goes well for your friend. my hod is currently the same number of weeks but with twins and had to go on early maternity leave with bleeding.

the steriods is to mature her baby's lungs in case of early delivery.

i cannot believe the school had her doing yard duty at that stage of pg. sounds like the school neglected their duty of care regarding her health and safety. I admit that i also did yard duty in my pg but made sure it was the small 'quiet' play ground where footballs and general rowdiness is strictly discouraged.

I thought too that having her on lunch duty while (that) pg must be in contravention of H&S.
Really hope all goes OK for your friend and her baby. Keep us updated!

She's a lunchtime supervisor (or dinner lady when I was in school!) so being in the playground is her job. To be fair to the school they told her she could go into the 'non football' playground, but she had already decided to finish this week so didn't see the point. The kids were really good, this was a total accident (she was hit in the back not the belly btw)