Why?

[missjennipenni]

What were the reasons you had a premature birth?

No idea, I just went into labour.

no idea, have had 4 preterm labours now. I have given birth at 35+5, 31+1, 33+2 and 33+5 weeks. I start contracting and then dilating (but am always dilated when I get to the hospital, so not sure if its my cervix) and then deliver.

SparklyGothKat if you mean that you think it's IC, I think that with IC it's mainly between 20 and 24 weeks that babies are born with that. They tested me for it as Hughes often masks IC because a mum will lose her baby before the IC has chance to show itself.

If there was a reason for your first and second, it may not be the reason for the others which are probably just because your body doesn't know any better now.

shewhoneverdusts (love the name ) how did you find having GA? I struggled with it, I still have problems because of it that I'm working through.

I honestly don't know, but I had twins, so their being early is common, and the boy had intermittent cord-flow, and was growing more slowly than his sister.

They were born at 32 weeks, at 2lb7 and 3lb10, in SCBU for 3 weeks, trani care for a week, then home.

The one thing I wonder about is the fact I gained very little extra weight when I was pregnant apart from the babies, and after the birth was lighter than before I was pregnant. It certainly wasn't intentional, just a combination of bad morning sickness early on that lost me weight, and later I just tried to eat nutritious stuff, but didn't worry about calorie counts or anything. I certainly wasn't dieting, I just went by my appetite. No medical info ever suggested I should do anything else... but then after the birth, I read something suggesting that not eating enough in pregnancy can cause premature birth, and with twins, I should have been on something like 3000 calories a day.

So I feel guilty, but I'm not sure. Should I have force-fed myself eclairs?? God knows biscuits were a major food group for me anyway, I'm no health freak! Thankfully the babies are completely fine, but I do wonder if I could have avoided the prematurity.

i started having probs at 22 weeks when i dilatedto 3cm, then had the stitch put in wich my darling daughter ripped out 2 weeks later at 24 weeks exactly.
She is now 2 and doing great.

Hi
sorry long time coming back.
Tinkerbellesmum - I hated the whole GA thing, obviously I knew it was unavoidable because of the situaion, but... screwed me up for years. My dd is now 14, and strangely enough I now work in the hospital they were both born in. I work in the ward next to the theatres where they were both born and I walk the corridor most days that I was wheeled down looking up at the lights thinking "we might not make this". It really is the strangest of emotions. Even now I get a lump in my throat (usually I put that down to hormones!!! Still, I suppose you could look at it as therapy of some sort, you know facing up to it etc.
Thanks for asking, it's good to offload sometimes isn't it.

34 weeks emergency section baby born so we could say goodbye, suspected massive brain damage - he's 16 months old now and right as rain. The moral of this story is that if you think movement has reduced get it checked and if you think something is wrong and a doc or midwife says otherwise ask for a second opinion if you aren't happy. 2 lots of resuccitation, blood transfusion, 16 days in SCBU and then home. Bloody miracle

Saga of a pregnancy:

Obstetric Cholestasis which turned into Hep E and near-liver failure. (Ah the joy of a getting a liver biopsy at 28 weeks pregnancy... and then getting 4 serious contractions... and then my husband fainting on me and crashing his head on the wall on the way down.)

Mild IUGR

Partial (?) rupture of membranes at 33 weeks.

And those are just the bigger issues that I can remember off the top of my head!

However, I then went on to have the easiest induced labour in the history of labours. Officially it clocked in at 1 hour 3 minutes on just meditation and gas and air. I think it was a bit longer but I was winning (not just playing) card games 2 hours before I gave birth so not that much longer. Heheh.

I can do the start and the end of pregnancies very well, the middle bit notsogood.

Cheers
Vicky
xx

Bewilderbeast - what an amazing and wonderful story.

What a great thread - although I have no answers as yet! I went into prem labour last Tuesday and the twins were born just after midnight Wednesday (26th). It was a very swift labour and I almost didn't get to the hospital in time! A hugely traumatic experience and one set to continue for some time yet as I was only 30 + 4 when I delivered and so the babies are currently residing in the Royal Free's neonatal unit and I've been warned they'll be there for at least 6 weeks. Very mixed emotions at present but all your messages help to remind me that I'm not alone and some of you have been through far worse than me.

Vicky

Congratulations
I hope your precious bundles are home with you soon.
I know it is a scary, emotional time but try to enjoy your babies first weeks & take care of yourself.
Max x

This is a late reply to a late reply lol.

It's nice (IYKWIM) to hear someone else had problems from having a GA, not that I would wish it on anyone else but to know I'm not the only one. People keep telling me I have her and that should be enough and things like that, but it really messed with my head. I wasn't there when she was born, I couldn't hold her hand when they were messing with her and that is so hard. I have what I call babysitter syndrome. I can't see her as mine and feel like her mum is coming back for her. I look at her and think "who are you?"

For me breastfeeding has been a wonderful therapy because it's something I know only her real mum can do for her so that means I am. She is therapy in herself because she's such a loving child and I love how she wraps her arms around my head and swings me whilst going "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" and looking around me lol. She's loving with everyone, but there's some loving she saves for me.

no idea why i had ds three weeks early they just said anything over 36 weeks was considered full term.he was 5 pound 3 and didnt need any medical help.i had no clue of dates and they said scan dates can be off by two weeks so he may have only been a week early but at 5.3 i dont think he was

I was diagnosed as having placenta praevia at my 20 wk scan. had various episodes of bleeding after that and was hospitalised each time. at 24 wks they kept me in for the duration much to my despair!
My ds arrived by GA emsc at 31 weeks because i suffered from a massive haemorrage (sp?)and they had to get the little mite out quick.
He weighed 3lb 11oz and was in SCBU for 5 weeks. Oh how i remember that breast pump! He is 7 months old now and doing great.

We have no idea why our little bundle of fun turned up at 32+2. Everything had gone perfectly until 5am when my waters broke - and did they! The hospital said to come in, gave me steroid jab but nothing else happened - DP headed home to shave and pack a bag. Contractions started at 9.30am but nothing major. Went to delivery room when DP returned at 11am. Started pushing at 11.40 and baby arrived at 12.26pm and was whisked off to NICU weighing 4lb 1oz. A month there and lots of MRI scans and worry - but she is perfect and consultant has just signed her off aged 21 months. Just found out we are expecting another one - not seen GP yet but not sure what to expect with this one.