24 weeks today, high risk pregnancy, anyone want to keep me company as I face up to the likelihood of delivering a premature baby?

[grainmum]

So, that's it really. Leaking amniotic fluid for the last 8 weeks. Braxton hicks of varying degrees of uncomfortable. Struggling to hold it together mentally. Was doing OK until last appointment on Wednesday but since then I just want to crawl under a stone, I'm monitoring every twinge and feeling pretty pessimistic.

People who've been there - how did you cope? Any ideas for something constructive I can do to prepare in some way?

Feeling a bit better again. Contacted my consultant on Tuesday to ask if it might be worth reconsidering antibiotics now I'm 24 weeks. He replied that evidence suggests that a 10 day course antibiotics can prolong the pregnancy and improve short term neonatal outcomes but not longer term. However we've decided to give it a go, feels like the right thing to do.

Got a meeting with the neonatologist set up for our next appointment at 26 weeks so aiming for that now. Trying to focus on getting ready for DS Birthday and going to school.

Positive update 💐. I would take anything I could (and did) in your shoes.

I didn't have many preconceived ideas about pregnancy and birth but went from super fit and active without any prescription drugs to hospital bed rest and with any possible medication I could have in large quantities 😀. I remember having to have really nasty calorie drinks because I was barely eating and losing weight because I was eating hospital food, or not, vicious circle.

I saw a neonatologist every week for an update on the stats, found it reassuring rather than anything else. She was called Beth and became someone I looked forward to seeing.😀

26 weeks isn't far away. Keep posting, up days, down days and the in between.

Thanks. When I had DS the midwife advised me to walk as much as I could in the later stages to encourage labour- there is a photo of me going over a style at 40 weeks in the middle of a 10km walk! Now DH is wrapping me in cotton wool and I am letting him which is completely out of character lol.

Sorry to see your having such a stressful time grain. I don't have any helpful advice, but I saw a lot of babies much tinier than mine when we were in NICU (DD was 29+1) and they surprise you with how well they do, and the doctors are so amazing. Fingers crossed your little one stays out for as long as possible

Thanks @alb. Just went for my whooping cough jab - poor nurse got more than she bargained for when she asked if I had had my scan and everything was OK!

It's great you managed to get it done though I forgot about it and then spent the first few weeks of DDs life worrying she would catch it somehow!

Are you still working or have you been signed off to rest now?

Still working, but I only do 2 days per week. I think it actually does my mental health a lot of good and my consultant has said that he's happy for me to continue as long as I feel well enough and able to fulfill my duties.

26 weeks today. Was feeling better until Thursday then have had a couple of fairly "wet" days which have got me down a bit. It's really annoying because psychologically I had got to a more accepting phase rather than analysing every tiny sensation, now it feels like I'm back to square one. As I am lying here, baby is being very active though which is reassuring. And I just keep reminding myself 26 is better than 24. Next aim Wednesday's appointment.

26 weeks is a fantastic achievement and it's fantastic that your baby is being active as it means your baby must have a reasonable amount of fluid to be able to move around in. Have your hospital mentioned you having the steroid injections yet?

26 weeks is fantastic you are doing a fantastic job as a mummy keepingittle one safe. I'd really try and rest as much as you can? When are u planning on working to? I stopped at 30 weeks as I was exhausted with gestational diabetes and it was only when I stopped I realised how tired I was it was the best thing I did

Keep remembering every single day your baby is getting stronger and stronger. It must be so hard for you mentally, good luck to you and your baby

We've discussed steroid injections it's just a question of having a crystal ball to know when I'm going to go into labour so that they can be given close to delivery, don't want repeated courses! Happy to sit tight for now.

Re work initially plan was for delivery at 37 weeks so my planned maternity leave is based on that, at 35w. I have 2 weeks annual leave between now and then which will be good, then just another 4w after. Booked some extra nursery days for DS too which will help.

I had two lots grainmum, one at 24 wks and again at 28 wks.

You are doing brilliantly well - 26 wks is 'champion' as my Yorkshire born father would say 🏆😂.

Scan and consultant appointment today 26+4, stable really, growth small but steady and still about 2.5cm pocket measurable fluid. Also met a neonatal consultant who on the whole was painting a positive picture and talked about what to expect in terms of care for the baby straight after birth. Feeling relatively good. Had a look around NICU too, nice to be able to imagine where baby might be after delivery. Been advised to take temp daily now too.

That sounds good grain, and nearing 27 weeks is great! How often are they seeing you? Have you bought any bits for the baby yet?

alb I'm back in 3 weeks, consultant said 2-3 weeks today so we went for 3, we can always get in touch if we want to be seen sooner. Yes I did buy a couple of things in mothercare tiny baby size the other day. It's a hard balance between getting carried away too soon and being organised enough!

It's good to be organised! We didn't really have anything, and once she was here we had no time to buy things, but it turned out we needed/wanted things like hats, blankets, nappies, and other little things that were nice for her incubator like nice muslins and a teddy, and would have been useful even if she wasn't early. Are they confident your baby will be early or are they still hoping for full term?

I think if I don't spontaneously go into labour early plan is to deliver between 34 and 37w. Good ideas there thanks x

Great news grain, I hardly bought anything because I was admitted at 19 weeks. I didn't buy much though and Dd didn't leave until after her due date when she was 6lb4oz.

Because she had surgery/wires til the end she wouldn't have been able to wear anything other than the hospital baby grow things with lots of flaps.

No literally just one pack vests and one pack babygros. If we suddenly need something then Boots do click and collect to the hospital pharmacy!

How are you doing grain?

Hi I'm OK thanks. Yesterday wasn't a great day, lots of braxton hicks (after the consultant asking if I was still having lots on Wednesday and mentioned being a bit vague in my answer) and reasonable amount fluid loss. Better today.

Finding it difficult to deal with the social niceties of pregnancy. Simple questions like "what's your due date" well there's my due date, when we hope baby will be delivered, and then when it might arrive - any time! Then the obligatory comments on bump size - what a neat bump - well there's a reason for that! I actually feel that it fluctuates, i.e. I will have a smaller bump after a "bad" day. Any suggestions, without having to go into the whole story with every minor acquaintance/work contact?

27 weeks today, another little milestone.

Well done grain my godson was born at 26 weeks and he is now the brightest, and largest 3 year old I have ever seen every day is a bonus. You are giving your little one the best chance going

That's so good grain not long to go!

As for people asking I don't have any advice. Maybe you could just say you'd rather not discuss it as you're trying to get on with something else. Every woman who's been pregnant will understand that.