Premature baby info

[Starbuck128]

Encouraged by our FFFC thread, I wanted to create a thread where we could discuss premature babies, early labor and bed rest. I have to post and run, but I hope we can clear up some misconceptions here.


Viability in pregnancy is generally considered at 23/24 weeks. This means this is the point where a doctor is morally obligated to try to keep the baby alive.

Here is a great infographic that illustrates survival and disability rate week by week for premature babies. It's huge, so I'll just include a link.

www.tampabay.com/specials/2012/reports/juniper/images/preemies.jpg

Another infographic about some obstacles premature babies face in the NICU.

www.tampabay.com/specials/2012/reports/juniper/images/incubator.jpg


Does anyone have anything else to add? Some insight into different reasons for bed rest and different levels of bed rest?

[robotpcr]

I just wanted to say that the article that these infographs come from are really amazing. I read it a couple years ago.

[emu0013]

I think that bed rest restrictions can vary due to the reasons for them although I am certain they all include NO SEX. When I was on bed rest with DD it was due to several factors, pre term labor, low fluid, IUGR and high blood pressure, so I had a lot of restrictions which I followed to the T, because I was more comfortable being at home than I was in the hospital.

[linegirl313]

This is very informative (and incredible).  Thank you for passing it along!

[Ee]

Here's a link to a page of all the parts of the special report that those info graphics are from: www.tampabay.com/specials/2012/reports/juniper/

[laur1020]

Thanks for the info!

[rocksforludo]

Feb 6, 2015 12:42:09 GMT -5 @blackpearl08 said:

This is really educational and I appreciate it. I hope it's not upsetting to any of our hospital rest moms.

This crossed my mind too.  I hope in all the hubbub with the FFFC thread, people aren't missing out on showing support to moxy or ****.

[lolacachia]

Really great info! Thanks.

[kristina730]

Thanks for posting! The story of the parents (and article author) can also be heard here -www.radiolab.org/story/288733-23-weeks-6-days/ . I remember the first time I heard it- incredible story.

[freddyisready]

Just a confession: I have wanted a baby for so long, and these last 3 months scare the crap out of me. I feel like me having a baby is too good to be true and something horrible is going to happen. Stillbirth, preemie complications, SIDS, I feel like I go through every horrible possibility in my head, just to prepare myself. I keep telling myself "Today, I am pregnant," and that helps.

[beezybaby]

Feb 6, 2015 13:57:09 GMT -5 Jesslfar said:

Those were great links. Why does the US have the highest rate of premature birth? I know drugs and alcohol, multiple babies at once and use of IVF are all contributors. Do we just have high rates of all of those plus we have doctors who screen more for issues such as preeclampsia so babies are born earlier here to save the mother? I'm curious if anyone happens to know the answer.

I was wondering this too.  They quoted IVF as a contributing cause, so maybe because we have fairly high IVF rates we have higher rates of premature births (as one factor, not as the whole reason.) and, connected with this is another factor, that multiples have a higher chance of being prematures?  

[Poppy]

Just some quick PreE info:
Worldwide, preeclampsia is responsible for up to 20% of the 13 million preterm births each year.

A baby is considered premature if he or she is born before 37 weeks, but more severe issues occur when a baby is born earlier than 32 weeks. Babies born later than 32 weeks in developing countries may have more severe problems than babies born in high resource countries since those countries often lack the resources that preemies need.

Learn more www.preeclampsia.org/health-information/faqs.

[mpiemont]

Wonderful info- thank you for sharing.

I know as a FTM I thought after V-day, everyone was "in the clear" and that's certainly not the case. So much information out there. This is a great thread.

[mylittleladiesandlad]

I was on hospital bed rest due to an incompetent cervix and pre term labor from 21-30 weeks with twins, and they spent 5&6 weeks in the NICU, so this is a topic I am very familiar with. What is interesting is that bed rest is not prescribed in all cases as it used to be. I got my cerclage due to incompetent cervix at 22 weeks and assumed I would be on some type of bed rest however, my doctors (MFM and OB) told me that the only restriction was that I could not work out and pelvic rest. Research find that for women with IC bed rest may even be harmful- www.scienceandsensibility.org/bed-rest-to-prevent-preterm-birth-both-ineffective-and-harmful/

I have been scared to death this pregnancy. When I got my cerclage at 22 weeks I worried so much about our baby, especially since the surgery caused me to have contractions. We celebrated by going on a babymoon once I got to 24 weeks. It blows my mind that some people have no idea this is viability, but I suppose if someone has an uncomplicated history of getting/staying pregnant they may not know it.

Anyway, I am 28 weeks today. My girls were born at 30w2d and had no affects of prematurity after 8 months old. In my mind I keep thinking as long as I can get to 30 weeks he (the baby) will be ok. Of course I don't want to have a premature baby, but you have a different mind set after raising preemies!

[rels09]

As most of you know, I spent 23 days on bed rest with DD#1 after my water broke at 30 weeks and 5 days. I was successfully induced at 34 weeks. My bed rest was hospital bed rest, which SUCKS. One of the reasons I got stuck in the hospital even though I was very stable is that my pregnancy (up until things went wrong) was being managed by CNMs at a freestanding birth center. They were wonderful, but they do not have hospital privileges. So, I was at the mercy of the hospital OBs, who made no secret of the fact that hospital liability meant they had to keep me there, when they wouldn't have necessarily done so in private practice.

I also want to talk preemies for a minute. My daughter was born at 34 weeks 0 days, which is on the line between middle and late-term prematurity. A lot of people seem to think this is a cakewalk, and it IS compared to what the parents of micropreemies go through. My daughter has no lasting effects, and we are very fortunate for that. However, people are often surprised to learn that she still spent 11 days in the NICU, and that that length of stay is typical for a baby born at that gestational age. Going home without my baby was one of the hardest days of my life, hands down. Yes, I knew she was most likely going to be ok, but those maternal hormones are so strong and it felt sooo wrong. Also, even late-term preemies almost universally struggle with jaundice, and getting them to breastfeed efficiently can be very difficult.

While our experience was thankfully only a short chapter in our daughter's life so far, it was hard enough on us that we are doing absolutely everything to try to keep this baby baking longer, even stuff that is not proven and is just hypothetical. Our experience also plays into our decision about how many kids to have.

I am an open book if anyone has questions about my experience!

[Starbuck128]

Feb 6, 2015 12:42:09 GMT -5 @blackpearl08 said:

This is really educational and I appreciate it. I hope it's not upsetting to any of our hospital rest moms.

I thought about including a warning at the top, but then I thought by including links instead of Bam! in your face pictures would be enough of a warning for anyone who didn't want to continue looking at this information. I think it's important that all the moms like me, who have no history of complicated pregnancies, still be a little aware of what it means to have a pregnancy or birth with risks. That way we aren't inadvertently giving out or supporting risky advice.  

[lgsdesigner]

I was on bedrest with both of my other children. My reason for the bedrest was due to pre-term contractions/labor, so I had to be restricted to keep the baby in until full term. 

What I was allowed to do:
- Get up and use the bathroom/walk from room-to-room
- Travel as long as someone else was driving, but only for a very short distance
- Have sex

What I was not allowed to do:
- Exercise/run/jog
- Drive
- Walk around for more than 2 minutes
- Go to work (unless I could do my job from a laptop while sitting)

[kmkd19]

I'm a FTM but I just want to weigh in as someone who works with a ton of former preemies - I'm a pediatric PT. The resulting disability from prematurity is SO variable. I've seen 24 weekers who did beautifully, and 29 weekers with long lasting problems. I'm happy to answer anything I can as an outsider, not a parent with personal NICU experiences.

[scattered]

I was on bed rest with both previous pregnancies.

With #1, I was on pelvic rest from week 15 until my PP visit. I had a threatened miscarriage. I was on bed rest at 35 weeks because I was already dilated to 4 cm and completely effaced. He was born just over 36 weeks.

With #2, I was on pelvic rest from week 17 until my PP visit. I have a bicornuate uterus and was having some unexplained bleeding so my doctor thought it best to prevent any type of infection. I was on bed rest from 31 weeks until 36 weeks. I had PTL with her, but it was stopped with a combination of meds. I spent one day in the hospital and they released me to bed rest at home. I was allowed to go out ONCE a week for an hour or less. Very, very difficult with a three year old.

With #3, I was on pelvic rest for one weekend, because I had another unexplained heavy bleeding incident. It's more about avoiding infections and irritation to the cervix than anything else. I'm at 27 weeks now and we will see if this baby needs bed rest or not. FX she doesn't!

ETA: both babies were just shy of "full term" by ACOG standards, but made it past 36 weeks.

[cheechee]

Thank you for this information

[Deleted]

Feb 6, 2015 16:36:01 GMT -5 @lalalady54 said:

Feb 6, 2015 16:30:58 GMT -5 kmkd19 said:

I'm a FTM but I just want to weigh in as someone who works with a ton of former preemies - I'm a pediatric PT. The resulting disability from prematurity is SO variable. I've seen 24 weekers who did beautifully, and 29 weekers with long lasting problems. I'm happy to answer anything I can as an outsider, not a parent with personal NICU experiences.

This. Sometimes the 24,25,26 weekers do better than the 35 weeker, there are so many factors and variables and outcomes definitely vary.

Most importantly what we should all be getting out of the FFFC is that our doctors/NP/providers recommendations shouldn't be ignored and that prematurity is a real possibility for some of our May babies and we shouldn't take it lightly.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

I have a late term preemie (DS2 born at 35wk, 5d via emergency c/s).  He is disabled and has (I consider it) moderate Cerebral Palsy.  I am amazed at how some preemies have no issues while others have severe issues and not even dependent on when they were born.  I know more preemies that have no issues then have issues.  Not going to lie that it makes me envious but it is what it is.  This pregnancy I am extremely sensitive and anxious.  Add to that I am an older mom with an increased risk for having a child with birth defects and it is amazing I am doing as well as I am.  I am monitored weekly but I think in most part to keep my anxiety at a manageable level.  While never diagnosed with PTSD (for the birth circumstances), my therapist just stated last week when we were discussing the pregnancy that my reaction was very close to a PTSD reaction.  Its odd.  I never thought the circumstances surrounding his birth affected me that much until that session.  My son is almost 5.5yr old now. He is hilarious and amazing and loving.

[smile55k]

Thank you for posting this. After having my DD at 34w+ due to PPROM, I am constantly aware that I could end up with another (even more) premature birth and it scares the crap out of me daily. I was lucky and my daughter has no known complications at this time, but the time she spent in the NICU was the hardest week of my life and I wish it upon no one. I am embarrassed to say that despite my experience, I was one of the uneducated "bed rest/pelvic rest" ones and I got a lot out of that discussion. My wish for everyone here is to have a healthy full term baby, but that is not realistic. There will be preemies, complications, and heartbreaks that can happen to anyone at any time. I hope we all have learned that nothing is worth the risk to our babies or our own health and safety. And hugs to @****, moxy, @irishvodkagirl, and any other moms who are dealing with pregnancy complications right now.

[jil]

I just read the incredible article that the graphics came from. It was so beautifully written. Warning though, I cried through most of it.

Thank you for posting all of this information. I work in a children's hospital so I'm aware of many of the long term health issues, but I've never read about the statistics of prematurity.

[robotpcr]

@nevertoomanyshoes  I hope it's nothing.  Thinking of you, that sounds really scary.

[Poppy]

@**** I'm so sorry to hear that you have guilt about doing the things you mentioned.

I can totally relate. I had deep guilt after Addison passed away. I thought surely there was more I could have done. If I had gone to the ER when I had that headache or if I had moved up the follow up u/s instead of worrying about missing work.

It's hard to not place blame on ourselves when so etching goes wrong. As a mom and especially when oh. You look for reasons and want to know why. As frustrating as it is sometimes bad things just happen. You did your best and cared for your family. There's no way of knowing you'd be in this situation now.

((Hugs)) sweet mama. I hope we get to the end of February and your team has to continue to bring more stats to you with better news each time. We are all here for you!

[Poppy]

Feb 7, 2015 0:32:17 GMT -5 @nevertoomanyshoes said:

Thank you for this info and thanks to everyone who have shared their stories, time zone issues meant I only read the FFFC thread a couple of hours ago and I just couldn't participate as I'm having a bad day (it's my "V-Day", even if that may not mean a whole lot) but had a small bleed last night (sorry for TMI- hospital thinks it was just a little bit of my mucous plug) that really freaked me out (I know that's minor compared to what some of our hospital bed rest mums are going through).

Hugs to everyone that needs them.

Hopefully it's nothing. I remember reading if you do lose some early it's possible it can grow back. FX for no complications. I'm sure that was scary as hell!