33 weeks pre term labour

[harleysmammy]

I was in hospital for 5 days last week because i kept gushing fluid. They did 7 internal exams altogether and every test for amniotic fluid was negative, i was contracting on the monitor but they said they werent close enough together for them to do anything about it. I have severe polyhydramnios (extra fluid) and my baby is a massive baby, so im consultant led (i havent got gd). Im still leaking a bit today, had nothing yesterday but i can definitely feel it coming out (sorry) instead of just feeling wet if you know what i mean. I know at 33 weeks if he was born now, with steroids and a little help like the doctor said they'd give him, he'd have a fighting chance but thats what i've read from books and pregnancy apps. My doctor said the worst case scenario would be him being put in scbu for a couple weeks and i wouldnt be able to hold him. But realistically, if i am going into labour pre term, will my son be okay? They suspect im in slow labour, so i just wanna know if it happens now or in the next few days will he be okay? Thank you:) x

Can't speak from personal experience but it just so happens I got chatting to a random woman in the hospital waiting area today and as I'm pregnant we started talking about due dates and so on. She told me she gave birth by emergency C-section when she was around 32 weeks. She also told me her baby is now a grown up teenage girl, 5'6" tall and perfectly healthy

I was born at 33 weeks. I was in the SCBU for 19 days. t haven't had any side effects or developmental delays.

You'll be fine, nearly all the twins in my twins group were born at or well before 33 weeks and they're all absolutely fine. Couple of weeks in nicu to put some weight on and strengthen their lungs and no long term effects.

My DD was born at 34 weeks and I had steroid injections before her arrival. We were told to prepare for a stay in SCBU or NICU but thankfully we didn't need to. DD was born at 5lbs - had to go into an incubator for a couple of days due to jaundice but that isn't unusual. We were in hospital for only 5 days after she was born (though I was in 5 days prior to her arrival).

Have met quite a few babies aince at baby groups etc who were born round about the 34 week mark and they are all happy, healthy and thriving

My twins were born at 30 weeks and spent 6 weeks on NICU. I first started contracting at 27 weeks but was given Atosiban to halt labour as well as the steroid injections. I was monitored regularly after that and had another admission at 29 weeks though everything slowed down again.

My girls are now 16 months and doing brilliantly. They have no physical or developmental problems and are on the 99.9th centile for height and weight!

I know how scary the prospect of preterm labour is but I can assure you that if your son does come early, the odds are that he will be absolutely fine. Try to rest and relax as much as possible. I would also ask if you could have a tour of the SCBU at your hospital as that really helped to put my mind at ease.

^ yes, my hospital gave me & DP a tour of the SCBU beforehand. I'm not sure if it made me feel better or worse but I'm definitely glad I did it so I knew what to expect incase we needed to be in it once DD was born.

My twins were born at 31 weeks and spent 5 weeks in scbu. You must certainly can hold your baby and it was actively encouraged!!! It is hard but you get through it and when you look back you can't believe how quickly it went. Being in scbu is NOT the end of the world!

My twins were born at 31 weeks and spent 5 weeks in scbu. You must certainly can hold your baby and it was actively encouraged!!! It is hard but you get through it and when you look back you can't believe how quickly it went. Being in scbu is NOT the end of the world!

My DC was born at 34 weeks- had a couple of days in SBCU and a few days in hospital after that due to jaundice. All absolutely fine and is the tallest in the class etc at age 6. Had several friends with babies born around 32/33 weeks and no ongoing problems at all with them. Good luck!

My son was born at 28 weeks and the doctors said at the time he had a 90% chance of survival (would have been better if female apparently!). He's now a strapping 11 year old with no health/developmental problems at all- he's captain of the school football team and just passed his 11+

Every day inside counts, at 33 weeks your baby's chances will be very good. From memory most babies born at that time can breathe & feed for themselves so it should be relatively straightforward. Good luck x

Not from personal experience buy my cousins little boy was born at 32 weeks 15 months ago and was out of scbu after five weeks, and my not friend had hers at 34 weeks and was home with her Dd after 3 weeks.

Please try not to worry. My waters broke at 32 weeks and I had the steroids injection. DD was born at 33 weeks. She was in scbu for 7 days but the only medical intervention she needed was phototherapy for jaundice. She's just gone to university! You'll be absolutely fine!

My ds was born at 27 weeks and he's now a healthy happy 4 year old with no developmental issues. He had a few health issues when born but all resolved now. I couldn't hold him for 5 days while they stabilised his breathing but I could after that. The older babies had much less issues and were usually only in while their eating was sorted.