Long term hospital stay for placenta issues.

[thegoldenlemon]

I posted a couple of weeks ago after a big bleed landed me in hospital for five days. Further scans have shown full placenta previa and vasa previa. The latter can be very dangerous to the baby and it's important I don't go into labour. I live about 40 minutes from the hospital, this is my first baby after 5 years of trying and ivf. I'm 28 weeks and have been admitted as when all weighed up, if I had another big bleed or my waters went I could lose the baby before I got to hospital. Bloody terrifying and also hard to get my head around. I've been in for a week now in suspended fear, though I know they can act super fast. Potentially trying to get me to 37 weeks and nine more weeks here feels very long indeed. Anyone else admitted and killing time? Or done such a long stint? Or fancy just saying hello?!

Oh dear - good thing you are there though!

I don't know how but you need to distract yourself from the amount of time left as it must seem insurmountable at the moment. Have you got plenty of visitors to look forward to?

You are absolutely in the right place.
Make a wish list of everything you need, then research where is the cheapest, then look at how long they take for delivery etc. Pick a date to buy everything. If the baby is early you will have time to get things. If you go to 37 weeks and haven't bought anything, all you need to go home is a car seat and Moses basket which can be picked up same day by DH.
Maybe try and learn something new, like crocheting/knitting? Then learn to knit a blanket/squares to make a blanket for your baby. In the future it will be something to remind you of this time and all you did for your baby (being bored out your mind!)
See if people can bring you food like salads/stir frys etc healthy things you like, as eating well will make you feel less jet lagged on the ward. Maybe also see if there is anyway you can have a room with a window. You're doing great

Morning lemon and all.
Had another bleed yesterday afternoon, fourth in 6 days so we went for c section. Wasn't a horrible screnario, me and me consultant and husband decided that it was getting too risky, and wanted baby out before he was distressed and I got more ill.
Section itself was fine and calm, my little boy (who we were warned wouldn't cry etc due being so preemie when he came out) totally told all the staff off with a good shout and weighs 5lb7oz which is a good weight for 33 weeks. He's in NICU on c-pap for his breathing but is stable and I've had cuddles.
I was up and about 14 hours after section, showered etc.
So if it comes to it you'll be ok, and so will baby!
Now expressing and pumping like a fiend to feed him up! Xxx

Goodenough congratulations! I am so glad that you were able to arrive at a decision that allowed you to avoid an ermergency section, that is my big fear (among many). What a brilliant weight and hurray for him proving them wrong and making his presence known! How amazing you are to be up and pumping. I wish you all the very best with a speedy stay and getting home, please keep us posted if you get the chance. I'm 28+3 so currently have my eye on 30 weeks. Enjoy your cuddles.

Congratulations good enough glad your baby is doing well.

Hi, can I join those of you who are inpatients?
I've been in hospital about a week and a half. Was admitted at 35 weeks as baby is lying transverse. There's a risk that if my waters break the cord can drop down & become compressed. In that worse case scenario then there's 10 mins to get the baby out, hence I'm only allowed to venture within the hospital grounds.
I have a Csection booked for Oct 5th so the end is in sight. Still it seems like such a long time.
I have a 3 year old at home who I miss like crazy
I really feel for those of you who are in for even longer

I'm not in hospital at the moment but was at the start of the week after a heavy bleed on Monday night. Bang on the dot of 32 weeks and they say I have major placenta previa. I've been allowed home and have taken it super easy but am going back to work on Monday. I'm very scared about leaving the house though as I'm scared of bleeding again - which is highly likely I guess. I've been super bored at home so can't even contemplate what it's like being in hospital for such a long stretch!

Glad you and bs y are doing well lemon and thanks for the tips.

Glad you and baby are doing well goodenough. X

Good morning team inpatient! Willow just over a week to go now, cross those days off, pass the time and the 5th will be here before you know it. How is your ward?

Harris, that knowledge that more bleeds could happen is scary. I got signed off work after my first bleed as I just couldn't have faced it happening during my job and the vasa previa diagnosis made me a puddle of useless. I hope for you it was a one off and as the days go by you can feel more relaxed. Are they admitting you ahead of your section?

Good enough hope all is going well with you.

Well 28+4 today. My sleep here is not good so hoping for a nap later. Dh is bringing in sausage and mash for tea all wrapped up in foil and towels. Today I might brave outside to see the sky and buy a paper. I'm having signal issues and my wifi thingy is a bit slow, I didn't realise how much I mooch online!

I'll be due a c-section at 38 weeks if it hasn't moved at 36 weeks - not sure about when I would be admitted. I have lots of questions for the consultant a week on Wednesday! I actually left the house for a couple of hours today in preparation for work tomorrow - fx it goes well - I think I'll be quite distracted though!

Sausage and mash sounds lovely! I was quite disappointed with the levels of salt in the hospital sandwiches - more than 4 packets of Kettle ready salted crisps!! I got so thirsty!

Hope you managed to have a nice nap. x

Virtual shopping online can pass a lot of time. You can make lists, cross things off, add things. Then finalise in a few weeks time and order.

A friend did an ocado order last year to her house but so she could choose snack and things she wanted and her Dh bring them in. She said she treated herself to fancy cordials and similar to help with the blandness of food.

Hi Lemon. I think that's you! Just giving you a MN hello. Will try to get a chance to chat soon. I love this support group over here :).

Harris hope work goes ok today. Keep us posted on how things are going.

Good suggestion on cordial! Getting fed up of my tepid jugs of tap water.

to nelly! V lovely to see you, it could only be me couldn't it!!! I do like a very specific issue.

Today my canula is allowed out if things stay settled. What a treat.

Hi lemon. That must seem like a long time to be in hospital, good that they've got you under close attention though.

Just on your point about birth at 36/37 weeks - I have ID twins for who consultants usually recommend birth at 36 weeks to prevent placenta issues. That was the plan for me, induction at 36 weeks, although my waters went early and I had a c-section a bit earlier. In terms of development, I think 37 weeks is considered full term so 36 really isn't too far off that. I had to have steroid injections to develop their lungs in time for the section. They were in NICU afterwards for a bit but more because of a twin-twin issue they had rather than their size (one was 4lb15 and one was 5lb13 at 35 weeks).

I would definitely recommend taking a tour of the neonatal ward if you can, it prepares you for what it could be like - I was shocked at how hot it was and how much noise there is in there (a lot of beeping of machines) but it's not too bad if you know in advance what it might be like (of course, it might not come to that but good to be prepared).

I did find breastfeeding difficult because they didn't have a well developed sucking reflex when they were born, the older they are, the better this is I think, but we did manage it with a lot of help from the midwives. We left hospital 9 days after their birth with both twins breastfeeding. Other than that, I don't think their gestation caused too many problems, they are 20 months now and totally ok, you wouldn't know they were born at 35 weeks.

I know this is just one story but I thought I'd share my experience of having pre-term babies. Good luck, hope everything goes well for you from now on. Maybe get a massive crossword/sudoku book for the next few weeks!

Thanks tfft for this, very helpful. Not quite sure we're going to make it that far as I had my third bleed on Tuesday. 29 weeks now and just had a tour of the neonatal ward which I think was helpful and also scary/sobering in equal measure. I am now not confident to wander v far away from the ward and have been instructed to take a wheelchair if I venture much past the hospital entrance. Feeling pretty scared more than bored. Wonder how other previa or inpatient folk are getting on?

Hi inpatient gang! I've just been admitted at 37 weeks for the next two weeks which felt like ages when they told me but I realise listening to the length of time that you others are spending in hospital, that I am lucky really. I've bought tons of paperwork from work, borrowed my mums iPad and got loads of books to try and keep me from getting too bored. I do feel super over emotional though about it all but know that we are all in best place for us and our babies!

I did from 19 weeks to 29.5 weeks, bed rest, upside down to begin with , I read books and half knitted a cardigan - got bored and gave it to my mother to finish!

29 weeks is fine thegoldenlemon, you will all be perfectly fine , the NICU is scary to begin with but generally fab - we ended up making friends we still see now (was there for three months).

Very best wishes, and to you apple .

Hi Apple. I think it is emotion inducing. Are you in for placenta previa precautionary? You'll find the days do pass by and blur into each other and actually after ward round, obs, visits, meals I haven't even had much time to do the time killing things I bought in! Eyes on the prize and do update on here as I'm grateful for the company!

Hello, I had PP with my last 2 pregnancies. With DD1 I was admitted at 33.5 weeks and baked on and off until a planned CS at 37.5 weeks. She weighed in at a stonking 8lb 11oz so I was grateful for the section

With DD2, I asked at my 13 week scan if they could see where the placenta was, the lady said no, meaning it was either top or bottom. PP was confirmed at 21 weeks, I packed my bag straight away! I was admitted at 24 weeks, 26 and 3 times at 31 weeks. A bleed at 32 weeks saw me back in for the duration. I eventually had an EMCS at 36+1, but actually, it wasn't a crash one, they just agreed that since this bleed wasn't slowing after 30 hours, it was time to halt.

She was 5lb 13 oz, and only needed 5 minutes in a warmer.

Happy to answer any questions.

I have a naughty transverse lying baby and a large fibroid stopping him getting into the right position and blocking the way out. Doctors are worried about a prolapsed cord and I live too far from the hospital to get in if there is a problem. They are doing a csection at 39 weeks but bloomin fibroid is in the way for that too so have been given lots of worse case scenarios but I'm not thinking about that yet!! Just hanging on in there trying not to go into labour before 39 weeks. How are you at the moment Golden lemon ? Remind me how many weeks are you and how long you've been in for so far?

Hi Lemon. You are absolutely in the best place.

In my first pregnancy I was admitted at 29 weeks with unexplained significant bleeding. Settled down, I was discharged four days later, only for it to reoccur 3 days after that. 3 significant bleeds (getting worse each time) daily after that. They couldn't find a reason. It went from "you can go home if you have 24 hrs without bleeding" to "you can go home if you have a week without bleeding". At that point, I thought, there is no way I'm getting out of here! 10 or 11 weeks potentially.
In the end, early labour started at 31+3 and DS was born at 31+5 (naturally) - the bleeding had irritated my uterus into labour (this was even though I hadn't had a significant bleed for a couple of days before that).

I'm guessing you've had the steroid injections already? Apart from the fact that obviously they will be cautious about your delivery due to the placenta previa / vasa previa, you are completely in the best place; especially with a NICU that is equipped for very early babies.

My days used to go: wake up very early (5 or 6ish), maybe watch the news from 6, wait for first MW rounds, up for breakfast, watch daytime tv, wait for doctors rounds, get interrogated by a couple of students (teaching hospital), do some knitting or puzzle books, go for lunch, more daytime tv, wait desperately for a visitor to come at 3pm (at least I was in central London, so I managed to get lots of visits from friends who worked nearby), go for dinner, DH would visit after work, watch a bit more tv, go to sleep. Repeat.

I chatted to some of the other inmates, and the midwives. I met some lovely women, actually - one was also in for the longhaul, and she had her DD (at 24+5!) 9 days before I had my DS, and we stayed in touch after our neonatal ward periods and are still friends now. It can be hard to talk to other parents on neonatal, because everyone is naturally very worried about their baby, so it was nice to have built up a friendship before that point.

We had quite a short stay in neonatal - DS was 4lb 11.5oz, and only needed a little help with breathing for the first night, then just needed to gain weight, learn to feed and be able to regulate his own temperature. He was discharged after 16 days.

Thinking of you - if there is anything else I can tell you about, please ask

Morning from ward life. 29+3 today and no bleeding, canula out though I feel wary to even write that as don't want to jinx it. I am constantly on high alert. How are you doing apple and any other inmates?

Hobnob thanks for all that info and sharing it is really helpful. Lavender sounds like you had your section at the exact time I am now, how much did your baby weigh? And did you get to see them at all when they came out even briefly? Thanks for being so reassuring.

Thanks to Angel too

Golden - at 29+3, the average baby is usually 2-3lbs. So a good size actually for an early baby

Hello everyone, hope you're all ok. I was due to go into hospital on Monday but luckily at 36+3 scan placenta has moved up. So no hospital stay for me know but elcs booked for 19th of this month. I'll be thinking of you all stuck in hospital and wish you all healthy babies xx