Premature baby 26 +3

[Notlong2go]

I had my 4th baby boy in the early hours of this morning by emergency cesarean section due to a placenta abruption.

He weighs 1lb 10oz and is absolutely tiny. I've been told he was probably deprived of blood and oxygen for a while but a brain scan so far has shown no damage but, I have also been told this could change.

His blood pressure was really low but he's shown some improvement after responding to his meds.

I am just so scared and worried, I guess I just wanted to hear some stories of parents who had similar situations.

TIA

Congratulations on the birth of your DS . My DS was born at 28+0 weighing 2lb 11oz. He too was born very quickly but no placental abruption so slightly different. His placenta was completely shrivelled up to nothing though. We had a long and rocky road in the first couple of years and there seems to be no guarantees but he is now a big strapping 16 year old about to take his GCSEs with absolutely no physical or mental health problems. I thank my lucky stars everyday. I read though of many positive stories of babies born much earlier & smaller than my DS these days. The paediatricians do awesome things now so fingers crossed for you & keep strong. The main thing you can do is look after yourself because if you get run down and ill (very easy with all the worrying) you can’t go in and see him which leads to more stress! On the plus side you’ve had 3 already so you won’t need to learn to change nappies, feed etc! Good luck x

Congratulations. My baby wasn't as prem and not as much of an emergency but didn't want to not reply. Hopefully you've had some rest today and little man is still doing well. I know many babies who now as teens couldn't be picked out of a line up of who was born very early.

I have a relative who was born 1lb7oz - they are 20 now! Some moderate learning difficulties but did attend a mainstream school and has some GCSE’s. They’re like to live at home for quite a bit longer but are largely happy and fulfilled and working on being independent :)

Mazeltov on your new son! My daughter was born at 28 weeks weighing 880 grammes, 8 weeks in nicu and is now perfectly healthy 30 something. They can do wonders in nicu. Keep faith and stay strong.

My younger son started school with a girl who weighed just 1lb 10oz at birth.She did very well no-one would have known anything else.They are both 50 this year and have their own families.
I also have a granddaughter born at 30 weeks, not so premature as your little boy.She weighed 2lbs 10oz and is now 25, and a proper madam.
My other and his twin sister were premature babies born at home over 100 years ago.Neither were expected to live more than a few days,Both reached old age, married and had families.
Thinking of you and you little son.

Congrats on your little one!

Our daughter was 27+4. Now a 13 year old in mainstream high school and lights up everyone’s life. She did end up with a grade IV brain bleed, but the result of that was epilepsy and autism. Honestly, whilst it sounds rough I feel we have got off lightly. She also had laser eye surgery for ROP , which sounds harrowing but when they are so young it’s a fast procedure . She was in NICU for 3 months.

My best advice is to listen to your feelings, don’t let people push for visiting, ask questions, ask them again and again until you understand. The nurses and consultants will understand.

My daughter was born at 27+5 weighing 1030g dropped to 980g in similar circumstances via emergency section. Spent 8 weeks in hospital Now 28 with a university degree 😀

Congratulations! My grandson was born at 25 weeks, weighing 1lb 12 oz. He was in nicu for 10 weeks coming home weighing 4lb 13oz. We had some scary times but luckily he has come through the other side and is now fit and healthy.
It really is a rollercoaster for most micro preemie parents and my daughter suffered from PTSD for a while. You will soon become fluent in a new language of Nicu terms such as C-Pap (oxygen mask type thing! It will be a long hard road, especially trying to balance your other childrens needs with the amount of time and energy you need to spend on your new baby. I wish you well in your journey and hope all goes well in the future. Ps the hospital might have a ‘buddy’ system to link you up with other parents who are further through the process than you are, who can offer you help and a bit support about the things to come.

Congratulations op! My daughter was born at 24 weeks in early October 2021 and spent 16 weeks in the NICU. She has brain bleeds on both sides within the first 72 hours which is unfortunately common for preemies of her gestation. She is, touch wood, now home and flourishing.

I won't sugarcoat it. You're going to have good and bad days - I can only describe it as a rollercoaster.

I struggled with the lack of control and the fact it was impossible to predict what would happen, but you somehow muddle through. It's easier said than done but try not to pressure yourself, there is going to be a lot to take in and as others have said you'll be au fait with a whole new medical vocabulary. You will settle into your new normal.

Good luck x

Thank you everybody for all your replies, I haven't been on mumsnet since but my little boy is doing well and is coming along nicely, I couldn't be more proud ❤️

Lovely update OP. Really hope you get to go home soon.

Congratulations on the birth of your baby boy🎉My 4th boy also was born by emergency CS due to placental abruption. He weighed 3lbs 14ozs, born 31+4weeks gestation. He will be 5yo this year!

What can I say, it's the most surreal experience ever. Very difficult to juggle the three older DC's needs, but take all the practical help and support you can get. You will need it to help keep you going with all the visits in NICU. DS4 was in for five weeks.

Keep going, you are doing great. Wishing you both well 💪

Congratulations op

I'm going through this, my son was born today at 26+3 due to placenta previa and me bleeding heavily. I am worried and scared for what's to come but atm he is doing well and mostly breathing on his own. All I can do is hope and pray. I can't even see him as I have covid😭😞

@JMF95 Congratulations on the birth of your son. I’m so sorry that you’re experiencing such a tough time and hope very much that you and your son have many many happy years ahead of you.

Hi, I know this was a while ago @JMF95 but I realised I never replied. How is your little one now? My son will be one in a couple of weeks (8 months corrected) and is still on home oxygen. Has had a lot of trouble gaining weight and I'm starting to worry about his development. He isn't sitting unaided yet and slouches to one side when in a chair or pram. Weaning has been a really slow process too.

Hi OP and JM595.

My premmie didn't really eat until 9m corrected. Until then had no concept of putting the food to the mouth despite watching us for months in a bouncy chair and then high chair. I tried not to stress and all came good. Sending my best wishes!

Have just had another baby. This one came on time and what a different experience!

@Flittingaboutagain hi, thank you, that's reassuring. I'm just under so much pressure from HV and doctors because he hasn't consistently gained weight well and then now we are trying to wean it's not going as well as I had hoped. Hes recently started opening his mouth sometimes but other times he keeps it shut tightly lol. It's so much harder with a preemie 😭

It really is. Does your HV have lots of experience with prem babies? I specifically changed to one that did because the expectations need to be realistic.

@Flittingaboutagain I actually don't know, that is a good question and worth finding out. With his slow weight gain I think they don't believe I feed him enough but I obsess over it! And then because he's not sitting up unaided i get told to give him more tummy time. I mean come on he's my fourth child, she talks to me as though I have no clue and I don't try these things. He is on oxygen so when I put him on his tummy he rubs his prongs out, screams and is using up more energy which isn't going to help his weight gain and just distresses him.

I don't think she's adapting the generic advice for your specific circumstances. Don't be afraid to ask for someone else. Are you working with a paediatric physio? Or has anyone else recommended some specific exercises for a baby on oxygen? Don't put too much stock on the advice or "should be....by now" of people who aren't experts. It sets you up to worry or feel like you're failing when your baby may well be going at their own pace and all will come good.

One of my little ones was on oxygen, time in the sling counts as tummy time, also to be honest he has cerebral palsy and slouching one way and being late with milestones were the start of the diagnosis. He's now 10, a wheelchair user but in mainstream and doing really well.