Preparing for a Premature Birth / FGR / High PI

[Trying81]

Hi All

looking for some advice.

I’m 32 weeks today, and I’ve had raised PI levels (over 95th centile) for over 2 weeks - had a growth scan yesterday which showed that she’d barely grown in that time.

I have another Doppler on Monday, then see the senior consultant for a specialised scan on Tuesday.

Has anyone had similar? In my head I’m preparing for an early arrival as I know they won’t keep her in there if she’s not growing. I’m also high risk due to my age, and have gestational diabetes.

Any advice on additional items to pack into my hospital bag, then I can be prepared? I can’t find any premature baby clothes in the shops near me, but I’d assume she’d not need those right away?

Thanks in advance

If you have gestational diabetes you may not need premature clothes but it might be useful to have a couple of cheap outfits.

Good luck with the appointment tomorrow

Next, Mothercare and Asda are great for premature clothes

I would take snacks for yourself like cereal bars / nuts / dried fruit for a bit of an energy boost if needed and unscented hand cream as you will probably get sore hands from all the hand washing / alcohol sanitising you have to do. Will you be at your local hospital or likely transferred to higher care? You can find out if there is a Ronald McDonald house near the hospital and request to stay after you’re discharged (could be just a couple of days after the birth) as baby likely to be in longer than you. Good luck xx

Forgot to say that I had a 32 weeker - he had some other complications and was in NICU for 2 weeks then was transferred back to our local hospital SCBU for 3 more weeks.

Found john Lewis and Marks the best for early baby clothes. Mine arrived at 34 weeks weight 4lbs 11oz (despite the diabetes) and even the early baby clothes were huge on her. Mine did need them immediately as she wasn't in the nicu at all.

Once she got into tiny baby then asda I found the best. As for stuff for hospital I'd pack several extra changes of clothes for you as likely to be a while, size 0 nappies and some ready made formula and bottles in case you can't feed.

Lmk if you need any more advice

Thank you all

We’ve got to 33 weeks - another growth scan next week, and if not enough growth it’s looking like steroid injections and she’ll be coming out on 34 weeks - weight is looking around 4lb based on last scans but I know they’re not the most accurate so hoping she’s closer to the 5lb mark

My local asda didn’t have much in the way of tiny baby clothes but I’ve managed to get a few babygro’s - once we know the weight I think I’ll have to send my mum out for more.

Back for a Doppler this morning, I already feel like I’ve moved into the antenatal clinic as been there almost every day this week

I have DTs born at 34 weeks, both just over 4lbs.

mine was in NICU for a few days and the other stayed on the ward with me. Both of them perfectly healthy now, they are the mythical MN 6ft plus teenagers.

I wouldn’t worry too much about having lots of clothes, if doesn’t really matter if everything is a bit too big, she’ll soon grow into them.
Make sure you have a supply of small baby nappies though. They leak if they’re too big.

I had steroid jabs at 28 weeks and our son arrived at 29 weeks, so some experience! He went straight into NICU and didn't need any clothes until he graduated out of incubator and into an open cot; and the NICU unit had plenty of 3lb and 4lb premmie clothes he could wear whilst there. Him being on NICU gave me time to organise, I bought premmie sized clothes secondhand from eBay rather than kit him out with all brand new things (partly finances, partly hope that he wouldn't be in them for long).

How many extra things you need depends on how close you are to home, and how many visitors you have to bring you things - I was on the post-natal ward for two weeks before being allowed home due to issues with my c/s, so I needed extra clothes, toiletries, and books to read!

You can buy tiny baby clothes for 4lbs babies from John Lewis or M&S online. Try to find footless babygros - if baby needs a SCBU stay, they wear a monitor on their foot and so a normal babygro doesn't work for them. Also, i wish I'd had a pack of tiny baby nappies to just take the pressure off getting stuff in those first few days.

I had my baby at 34 weeks due to iugr and high PI levels. The consultant didn't think she would survive a vaginal delivery so I had a very unwanted section. She was very small - under 3 and a half pounds. She was in nicu/scbu for just over 3 weeks. At the beginning she wore just a nappy. We then got a couple of outfits online from a specialist baby clothes shop. They wrapped rather than went over the baby's head and had openings for monitoring wires and tubes. By the time she moved to scbu and could wear clothes the smallest mothercare size worked. Good luck!

I had a 32 weeker, he needed a week in NICU then 3 in SCBU. He's completely fine now, I think by 32 weeks they're fully formed and the outlook is very good.

Things you will need:
Fresh, healthy food either batch cook or get a few friends/family to rally round because you'll have long hours at the hospital and hospital food is usually awful.

A good quality hand cream, they make you hand gel your hands constantly and it can be very hard on them.

A little drawstring bag for the baby's laundry. Often the nurses will change them when you're not there and clothes end up lost or stuffed in a locker if there's no laundry bag.

Some tiny clothes and tiny nappies, my ds needed nappies straight away (they gave us a few) and clothes after a week. Also for a while in SCBU he needed little hats too. Most supermarkets used to do tiny baby clothes or if not have you looked online?

A good book, sitting by a NICU cot for hours at a time can be boring no matter how much you want to be there.

Good luck!

Hope all goes well OP. We had to order prem clothes from Asda online, but it was worth it as they were the best ones out there at the time. As PPs have said, you may not need them straight away.

Good luck

How did it all go OP @Trying81 ? I am in a similar situation with the raised PI and reduced growth but 36 weeks so a bit further on than you were! X