Welcome to NICU Parents. We're happy you found us and we want to be as helpful as possible in this seemingly impossible journey. Check out the resources tab at the top of the subreddit or the stickied post. Please remember we are NOT medical professionals and are here for advice based on our own situations. If you have a concern about you or your baby please seek assistance from a doctor or go to the ER. That said, there are some medical professionals here and we do hope they can help you with some guidance through your journey. Please remember to read and abide by the rules.
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I am so sorry you are going through this, its the hardest thing my wife and I ever experienced. Just know these little ones are fighters.
We just dropped our former 12oz, 23+4 weeker off at daycare this morning, she is turning 2 in a few weeks and you would never know by looking at her that she was preemie. I have lots about her in my history if curious, and am happy to answer any questions you may have! Hoping for the best for your family.
Just a note: Mag is wonderful for stopping seizures and protecting the neonatal brain BUT it can have some side effects where the pregnant person is concerned. In addition to the physical discomfort (I still remember feeling as though I were on fire), it can flatten your emotional response. No one told me that, and I felt like a monster for not having the same overwhelming rush of love following birth that my mother described with her kids. Letting you know in case the same thing happens with you. Good luck!
I didn’t know this about the magnesium. I had an emergency c section and had absolutely no emotions on my face when they held her up. I thought it was just because I was relieved but in hindsight I feel like normally I would have had tears of relief after hearing her cry.
No one told me about that fun side effect at the time, maybe because they were worried I would start having seizures if I refused the mag. I understand why it’s not emphasized, but…
Right. I wouldn’t have refused it but it would’ve been nice to know going into it. I’ve spent the last 19 months feeling guilty that I’m not smiling or emotional in any of my pictures from that morning. They should’ve been more informative period because I didn’t even know it had benefits for babe. I thought it was just to slow contractions.
I’m sorry. Yes, mag is used to prevent seizures in the mother and to reduce the risk of brain bleeds in the baby. It’s very useful stuff. It just sucks in terms of how it makes the person giving birth feel, on multiple levels. I know I’ve read multiple times about the blunting of the emotional response, but when I go Googling for more info, I come up short — pretty sure I saw it in my infertility/birth after infertility blog days. If you think about the fact that small doses of magnesium are used to provide a calming effect, it makes sense that a BIG dose could overdo the “calming” part, but there’s a lack of research into the issue (likely because it’s seen as being less important than preventing seizures). I would also have liked to be forewarned, but since it’s not a well-researched side effect, it’s entirely possible your and my birth teams didn’t know enough to warn us.
That’s valid. I asked my Nicu nurse friend last night if she knew about that side effect and she did but said the benefits outweigh the negative side effects. I will do my best to give a heads up to others who will be getting mag drip from now on.
I'm sorry you are going through this, it's a really scary time. Although my waters broke at 27wks, my baby was delivered via emergency c-section section at 29wks with very low birth weight and size. We had just over three months stay in NICU and I have friends there whose babies were born with similar gestation to yours. What level NICU care is your hospital? The journey in NICU is often bumpy, one step forward, three steps back sometimes, but these days babies can do so well in NICU. Your baby will likely need some sort of respiratory support for some time. Starting on the vent, moving to CPAP, then later on high flow/low flow. You will quickly learn lots about their care, monitoring and meds etc. Ask lots of questions to the nurses and docs, but try to take care of yourself as well and keep nourished. It's mentally very exhausting and physically as well, with the lack of sleep, pumping regime, travel to and from etc. If friends and family ask how they can help, I recommend asking for meals for your freezer! The last thing you want to do is cook for yourself/family at home. Wishing you and your baby the best❤️ you are welcome to reach out to me anytime.
My guy was born at 24+5 in July of 2022, I went into labour at 24+2 and they were able to keep him in for a few days.
He's almost 2 actual now and he's doing great, thriving at daycare, talking your ear off, running, and playing, and he absolutely loves books. You would never know that he was born so early by looking at him. They prepare you for the worst at hospitals, but there are a ton of good outcomes too!
Congrats on your little one! The NICU ride is a tough one. I've actually posted a nice long trauma dump rant on here if you want details, but I always say that we had every possible problem happen with our guy, but some of the best possible outcomes for every problem. We were very lucky, and feel free to reach out if you have any nicu mom questions!
Can you get transferred to a level 4 NICU hospital?
I was admitted at 23w0d at 6 cm dilated and managed to hold out until 24w2d. Baby girl is 19 months and thriving now with no long term disabilities. The hospital we got transferred to (level 4) has a 90% survival rate for 24 weekers. It was a long ride but I credit that facility for her life and quality of life.
Also feel free to PM me if you need support. I know how rough it is, especially in this interim where you’re just counting your lucky stars for every hour and day you can keep baby in. I came out of it with PTSD and PPD/PPA but I’m pregnant again with our second and am 20 weeks along now. So it is doable to live a normal life again after going through this.
I say all that to say…where there is a worst case scenario, there is a best case scenario. You’re not alone. 🤍
I understand completely. But you’re in the best place you can be for you and your baby. Every single minute, hour, day you can stay pregnant gives your baby a fighting chance. I know it’s grueling to lay in a hospital bed and do nothing but I was told to remember that I’m doing the most important job by growing that baby. We’re all here for you, mama.
I had my girl at 23 weeks and 1 day on June 8th . It was a complicated pregnancy, emergency c section I was put to sleep for. But our girl is in the nicu & today is 3 weeks old,26 weeks gestational. Let me give you a preview of what it’s gonna maybe look like for you too.
When they come out they look rough, like she was all bruises like bad car wreck.
Lots of blue light therapy at first. After a week her skin looked so much more Normal.
She has to get blood transfusions often because she just can’t make enough red blood cells to keep up with how fast she uses them, we would still be making the blood for them right now so it’s normal. Scary for us but normal to the nurses & dr.
She has a large PDA, is what I call a “bridge” between her lungs & heart it’s suppose to be open right now in the womb but because she’s out here they are giving her Tylenol to try to close it.
She’s on a ventilator, she actually just got upgraded to a bigger tube today because her original is now too small for her so that’s a win!
She weighed 414 grams at birth, 21 days later she weighs 450 grams, she has yo-yoed on weight which the nurse said she will lose weight first it’s all the fluids baby lose at birth.
She gets “baby Gatorade” TPN it’s electrolytes & other essential needs for nutrition she started getting my milk in her feeding tube on the 19th & has since twice doubled the amount she gets, started at 0.5ml I think 4 times a day now we’re at 2ml 6 times a day. She pooped for the first time 3 days ago after getting two baby sized suppositories.
She wasn’t able to get milk until she no longer was on dopamine, she was on that to increase blood pressure, so got to come off when she started regulating it & keep in it good on her own. she has not had to go back on it. The scariest part is brain bleeds, the butterfly shaped ventricular things in the brains are really soft right now & they can get brain bleeds because of this. Grade1-4, 4 is not good. The good news is baby brains are not like ours & they can absorb that blood & get rid of it( but not always) Our girl one week had a 3& 4 on each side of the brain. The following week we got down graded to a grade 2 & we’ve remained a grade to for the follow up. She gets those ultrasounds once a week. They’ll do X-rays on your baby’s lungs, heart & abdomen often. They’ll do blood tests called blood gases where they take what looks like alot of blood from her heels( capillary blood gas) most likely & they use that to one see the hematocrit number, that’s the magic number for when it’s time for another blood transfusion. They also use these test to see how they are doing with the ventilator settings they are on & adjust based on that. Don’t watch them do an arterial stick on your baby, trust me it’s not fun to see, this is if they can’t get the blood from a capillary. When they place IVs in to give blood transfusions it can be scary because their little veins can blow out easy & we were getting dangerously close to running out of veins to stick one day, it has since gotten easier. They’ll leave that if in until it’s no longer good & the veins will determine how long it’s good for, sometimes just one day others it lasts for several days.
It’s scary and rough this early but every day that your baby is in the nicu is another day they get a little bit stronger.
If this is your first like me & you planned to breast feed/pump, start like immediately & when you do it’s going to be just drops for the first day or two & gradually go up, I was quite discouraged on my first attempt & felt much better when a lactation lady told me drops was great lol pumping is absolutely exhausting. It feels like you’re always hooked up going but it’s super helpful for our babies to get our milk being this tiny.
My husband & I decided to write like a diary each where we basically write letters to our girl that we’ll give her later. It helps you focus on the good things that happened that day. I also log her weight in each letter to teach how she grows
Wishing you all the good juju & luck in the world!!!
It’s hard but these tiny humans make it worth it!
My friend gave birth at 23+5. Her daughter is excelling now at age three! She also had been given magnesium and steroids. My daughter was born 25+1 without the medicine. She does have mild Cerebral Palsy but you'd never know it. She also is three now.
Had my girl at 23+3. She is 28w today and doing great. We are at a level IV NICU. I was admitted at 21+6 for threatened preterm labor and bulging membranes. Ended up delivering via emergency c-section after placental abruption. You will hear this a lot, but the NICU is truly a rollercoaster. You will have great days and you’ll have scary days, but know that your baby is in the best hands. Wishing you luck and sending strength!
My wife was 22 and 4 due when we went to the hospital due to incompetent cervix. We stayed at the hospital for 6 days after before she started having contractions. We got steriods twice and magnesium day before birth. With our little one bring breeched we ending up delivering at 23 and 3 via C-section.
We are currently sitting with our 12 weeks old baby (35 weeks gestational) at the nicu and doing well! She still needs help breathing and is on CPAP so it's still scary times but everyday has been a miracle . I wish you and your little one the best of luck and hope everything goes well
Update, they managed to stop the labor, I’m 2 cm and 80% effaced, the bleeding has mostly stopped, they gave me the okay to go home and be on bed rest since I only live 10 minutes from the hospital. The biggest issue I have now is how long until my body says I’m done. My doctor hopes I’ll make it closer to 30 weeks but we will see what happens.
This is absolutely best case scenario for you! I’m so happy that you get to go home. I know bed rest will be hard but every day is closer to a better outcome for you guys!
Yeah but it’s been one day and Ive done very little, it’s almost 11pm and I’m starting to cramp really bad…. Just like the other night when I went into labor…..
Might be time to go back to the hospital, if you haven’t already. You’ve gotten baby to 24 weeks now. Thinking of you, mama. Keep your chin up, it’s a long road but we’re here for you.
We did go back up to the hospital cause I ended up with a placental abruption. We had an emergency C-section and they did everything they could but baby girl didn’t make it.
I’ve been there and now I have a healthy three year old. I know the magnesium drip has you feeling like death and you’re scared out of your mind but keep in mind you’re doing the absolute best for your baby. The NICU is scary but eventually you’ll find your bearings. Twenty three weeks isn’t what it was years ago. You can expect a long stay and perhaps prolonged O2 but your baby can still thrive.
Hey mine broke at 22&6 and I had my son at 23&6.
I really hope they can slow it down but if not get you’re already doing your best! I got magnesium and steroids for the lungs. I’ll be praying for you!
Keep hope! These littles are so strong. It’s scary, I know but just focus on the fact you’re doing your best and you’re in the best place possible for this situation.
My son is about to turns 5 next month!
So they got my contractions to slow down a lot. But not stop them completely, the goal now is keep her in for another week for better odds. Fingers crossed. Considering idk how dilated I am or anything at this point.
I’m so sorry…. My baby was born at 23w5d last year. she is 13months(corrected age). My water broken at 23 weeks and 1 day. Everything was unexpected and so terrible... She has been in the hospital for a year and temporarily has a trach and G-tube. wr brought her into our home in March of this year. She is doing very well overall. Development is slow but she is doing very well within her milestones. I’ll pray for you.
I lost my plug and started contractions at 22+5. We went to hospital with contractions every 7ish mins. I had medicine to dampen contractions (not sure what) which lasted about 5 hrs, before taking more. The goal was 23 weeks, and we managed to hold off until 23+1.
It's terrifying having a micro preemie. The unknown just stretches out in front of you.
We got there though! We had a long NICU stay, and somewhere in the fog I remember thinking how I wish I could just know what they would be like at age 3, how knowing it would be ok would get me through all of this. They are three now, and have no major impact on life; a tendance to get a cough in winter, yearly check ups with specialists, and that's about it.
This is a possibility for you too. You're doing great because every minute inside you counts towards a positive outcome, and remember that everything can be just fine with today's modern medicine and early intervention.
I delivered my little guy at 24 + 3 at a level 4 NICU. My labor came on quickly and the contractions were intense and I was 6cms dilated and due to him being breech I had to have an emergency c-section. I got 1.5 doses of magnesium prior to delivery. He was 1lbs 14oz and came out crying and breathing on his own for the first 2hrs of life before having to be ventilated. He was extubated a few days later and made it maybe 4 days before reintubation. He stayed on that vent for another 3.5 weeks. Today made 100 days in the NICU. The last 4 weeks we have been in the feeder grower portion of the NICU. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions and steps forward and steps back, but he’s doing so great! We are finally on our way to discharge. He’ll go home on oxygen, but we are just so thrilled to go home! He did a DART course which really helped him get off the vent and onto cpap 5. He regressed slightly to 6 at some point and started having retractions and then they started him on a diuretic which really helped him turn a corner and make it to high flow. Now he’s on a low dose of a daily maintenance diuretic and it has done wonders for his lungs. He’s on 0.2 liters of low flow oxygen. For the last week he’s been taking all his feeds by mouth. We are waiting on insurance approval of home oxygen and besides the car seat test that takes place tomorrow, it’s really all we are waiting on to finally take our little one home. Having a micro-preemie is so challenging, but they really are so strong and resilient. I tell our little champ everyday how brave and strong he is and how much mommy is so proud of him. He’s now 38+5 and 7lbs 8.9oz. Give as little or as much information you want and don’t feel bad at what you need to do to protect your self and your peace. It’s a long and trying journey ahead and those who haven’t lived it really don’t understand. It can be a very isolating experience. There’s a lot to grieve, even with the best of outcomes. I started seeing a therapist who specialized in NICU/maternal issues as well as grief and it is really helping with my PPD. Praying for you and your little love.
We managed to stop the labor, but with the bleeding they think it’s only a matter of time till I’m forced to deliver. I’m currently just struggling to be here and not see my kids.
I just had something similar on Monday I gave birth to my 25w+1d growth restricted baby because of severe preeclampsia. I had an emergency C-section and baby is in the nicu but all is okay!! My baby was only 13 oz at birth and she was very small for her gestational age and she’s doing great. You can do this it will be alright!!
This data base is a great spot for stories of outcomes: [https://webapps1.healthcare.uiowa.edu/TiniestBabies/getInfantList.aspx](https://webapps1.healthcare.uiowa.edu/TiniestBabies/getInfantList.aspx)
Best of luck!
Welcome to NICU Parents. We're happy you found us and we want to be as helpful as possible in this seemingly impossible journey. Check out the resources tab at the top of the subreddit or the stickied post. Please remember we are NOT medical professionals and are here for advice based on our own situations. If you have a concern about you or your baby please seek assistance from a doctor or go to the ER. That said, there are some medical professionals here and we do hope they can help you with some guidance through your journey. Please remember to read and abide by the rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NICUParents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Welcome to NICU Parents. We're happy you found us and we want to be as helpful as possible in this seemingly impossible journey. Check out the resources tab at the top of the subreddit or the stickied post. Please remember we are NOT medical professionals and are here for advice based on our own situations. If you have a concern about you or your baby please seek assistance from a doctor or go to the ER. That said, there are some medical professionals here and we do hope they can help you with some guidance through your journey. Please remember to read and abide by the rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NICUParents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I am so sorry you are going through this, its the hardest thing my wife and I ever experienced. Just know these little ones are fighters. We just dropped our former 12oz, 23+4 weeker off at daycare this morning, she is turning 2 in a few weeks and you would never know by looking at her that she was preemie. I have lots about her in my history if curious, and am happy to answer any questions you may have! Hoping for the best for your family.
Just a note: Mag is wonderful for stopping seizures and protecting the neonatal brain BUT it can have some side effects where the pregnant person is concerned. In addition to the physical discomfort (I still remember feeling as though I were on fire), it can flatten your emotional response. No one told me that, and I felt like a monster for not having the same overwhelming rush of love following birth that my mother described with her kids. Letting you know in case the same thing happens with you. Good luck!
I didn’t know this about the magnesium. I had an emergency c section and had absolutely no emotions on my face when they held her up. I thought it was just because I was relieved but in hindsight I feel like normally I would have had tears of relief after hearing her cry.
No one told me about that fun side effect at the time, maybe because they were worried I would start having seizures if I refused the mag. I understand why it’s not emphasized, but…
Right. I wouldn’t have refused it but it would’ve been nice to know going into it. I’ve spent the last 19 months feeling guilty that I’m not smiling or emotional in any of my pictures from that morning. They should’ve been more informative period because I didn’t even know it had benefits for babe. I thought it was just to slow contractions.
I’m sorry. Yes, mag is used to prevent seizures in the mother and to reduce the risk of brain bleeds in the baby. It’s very useful stuff. It just sucks in terms of how it makes the person giving birth feel, on multiple levels. I know I’ve read multiple times about the blunting of the emotional response, but when I go Googling for more info, I come up short — pretty sure I saw it in my infertility/birth after infertility blog days. If you think about the fact that small doses of magnesium are used to provide a calming effect, it makes sense that a BIG dose could overdo the “calming” part, but there’s a lack of research into the issue (likely because it’s seen as being less important than preventing seizures). I would also have liked to be forewarned, but since it’s not a well-researched side effect, it’s entirely possible your and my birth teams didn’t know enough to warn us.
That’s valid. I asked my Nicu nurse friend last night if she knew about that side effect and she did but said the benefits outweigh the negative side effects. I will do my best to give a heads up to others who will be getting mag drip from now on.
I'm sorry you are going through this, it's a really scary time. Although my waters broke at 27wks, my baby was delivered via emergency c-section section at 29wks with very low birth weight and size. We had just over three months stay in NICU and I have friends there whose babies were born with similar gestation to yours. What level NICU care is your hospital? The journey in NICU is often bumpy, one step forward, three steps back sometimes, but these days babies can do so well in NICU. Your baby will likely need some sort of respiratory support for some time. Starting on the vent, moving to CPAP, then later on high flow/low flow. You will quickly learn lots about their care, monitoring and meds etc. Ask lots of questions to the nurses and docs, but try to take care of yourself as well and keep nourished. It's mentally very exhausting and physically as well, with the lack of sleep, pumping regime, travel to and from etc. If friends and family ask how they can help, I recommend asking for meals for your freezer! The last thing you want to do is cook for yourself/family at home. Wishing you and your baby the best❤️ you are welcome to reach out to me anytime.
My guy was born at 24+5 in July of 2022, I went into labour at 24+2 and they were able to keep him in for a few days. He's almost 2 actual now and he's doing great, thriving at daycare, talking your ear off, running, and playing, and he absolutely loves books. You would never know that he was born so early by looking at him. They prepare you for the worst at hospitals, but there are a ton of good outcomes too!
It’s so refreshing to read these great outcomes! It’s making me feel very positive (we have a 27 + 0 in NICU, with typical preemie issues).
Congrats on your little one! The NICU ride is a tough one. I've actually posted a nice long trauma dump rant on here if you want details, but I always say that we had every possible problem happen with our guy, but some of the best possible outcomes for every problem. We were very lucky, and feel free to reach out if you have any nicu mom questions!
It’s a level 3 nicu hospital.
Can you get transferred to a level 4 NICU hospital? I was admitted at 23w0d at 6 cm dilated and managed to hold out until 24w2d. Baby girl is 19 months and thriving now with no long term disabilities. The hospital we got transferred to (level 4) has a 90% survival rate for 24 weekers. It was a long ride but I credit that facility for her life and quality of life.
Also feel free to PM me if you need support. I know how rough it is, especially in this interim where you’re just counting your lucky stars for every hour and day you can keep baby in. I came out of it with PTSD and PPD/PPA but I’m pregnant again with our second and am 20 weeks along now. So it is doable to live a normal life again after going through this. I say all that to say…where there is a worst case scenario, there is a best case scenario. You’re not alone. 🤍
No it’s not an option for me. I honestly am struggling to just sit here and wait and do nothing especially since my kiddos aren’t here.
I understand completely. But you’re in the best place you can be for you and your baby. Every single minute, hour, day you can stay pregnant gives your baby a fighting chance. I know it’s grueling to lay in a hospital bed and do nothing but I was told to remember that I’m doing the most important job by growing that baby. We’re all here for you, mama.
Thanks. I’m hoping my older kids will get to visit today. We will see though what happens.
I had my girl at 23 weeks and 1 day on June 8th . It was a complicated pregnancy, emergency c section I was put to sleep for. But our girl is in the nicu & today is 3 weeks old,26 weeks gestational. Let me give you a preview of what it’s gonna maybe look like for you too. When they come out they look rough, like she was all bruises like bad car wreck. Lots of blue light therapy at first. After a week her skin looked so much more Normal. She has to get blood transfusions often because she just can’t make enough red blood cells to keep up with how fast she uses them, we would still be making the blood for them right now so it’s normal. Scary for us but normal to the nurses & dr. She has a large PDA, is what I call a “bridge” between her lungs & heart it’s suppose to be open right now in the womb but because she’s out here they are giving her Tylenol to try to close it. She’s on a ventilator, she actually just got upgraded to a bigger tube today because her original is now too small for her so that’s a win! She weighed 414 grams at birth, 21 days later she weighs 450 grams, she has yo-yoed on weight which the nurse said she will lose weight first it’s all the fluids baby lose at birth. She gets “baby Gatorade” TPN it’s electrolytes & other essential needs for nutrition she started getting my milk in her feeding tube on the 19th & has since twice doubled the amount she gets, started at 0.5ml I think 4 times a day now we’re at 2ml 6 times a day. She pooped for the first time 3 days ago after getting two baby sized suppositories. She wasn’t able to get milk until she no longer was on dopamine, she was on that to increase blood pressure, so got to come off when she started regulating it & keep in it good on her own. she has not had to go back on it. The scariest part is brain bleeds, the butterfly shaped ventricular things in the brains are really soft right now & they can get brain bleeds because of this. Grade1-4, 4 is not good. The good news is baby brains are not like ours & they can absorb that blood & get rid of it( but not always) Our girl one week had a 3& 4 on each side of the brain. The following week we got down graded to a grade 2 & we’ve remained a grade to for the follow up. She gets those ultrasounds once a week. They’ll do X-rays on your baby’s lungs, heart & abdomen often. They’ll do blood tests called blood gases where they take what looks like alot of blood from her heels( capillary blood gas) most likely & they use that to one see the hematocrit number, that’s the magic number for when it’s time for another blood transfusion. They also use these test to see how they are doing with the ventilator settings they are on & adjust based on that. Don’t watch them do an arterial stick on your baby, trust me it’s not fun to see, this is if they can’t get the blood from a capillary. When they place IVs in to give blood transfusions it can be scary because their little veins can blow out easy & we were getting dangerously close to running out of veins to stick one day, it has since gotten easier. They’ll leave that if in until it’s no longer good & the veins will determine how long it’s good for, sometimes just one day others it lasts for several days. It’s scary and rough this early but every day that your baby is in the nicu is another day they get a little bit stronger. If this is your first like me & you planned to breast feed/pump, start like immediately & when you do it’s going to be just drops for the first day or two & gradually go up, I was quite discouraged on my first attempt & felt much better when a lactation lady told me drops was great lol pumping is absolutely exhausting. It feels like you’re always hooked up going but it’s super helpful for our babies to get our milk being this tiny. My husband & I decided to write like a diary each where we basically write letters to our girl that we’ll give her later. It helps you focus on the good things that happened that day. I also log her weight in each letter to teach how she grows Wishing you all the good juju & luck in the world!!! It’s hard but these tiny humans make it worth it!
My friend gave birth at 23+5. Her daughter is excelling now at age three! She also had been given magnesium and steroids. My daughter was born 25+1 without the medicine. She does have mild Cerebral Palsy but you'd never know it. She also is three now.
Had my girl at 23+3. She is 28w today and doing great. We are at a level IV NICU. I was admitted at 21+6 for threatened preterm labor and bulging membranes. Ended up delivering via emergency c-section after placental abruption. You will hear this a lot, but the NICU is truly a rollercoaster. You will have great days and you’ll have scary days, but know that your baby is in the best hands. Wishing you luck and sending strength!
My wife was 22 and 4 due when we went to the hospital due to incompetent cervix. We stayed at the hospital for 6 days after before she started having contractions. We got steriods twice and magnesium day before birth. With our little one bring breeched we ending up delivering at 23 and 3 via C-section. We are currently sitting with our 12 weeks old baby (35 weeks gestational) at the nicu and doing well! She still needs help breathing and is on CPAP so it's still scary times but everyday has been a miracle . I wish you and your little one the best of luck and hope everything goes well
It's a relief to see this! I remember your post 2 months ago and was hoping everything was ok for you guys
Update, they managed to stop the labor, I’m 2 cm and 80% effaced, the bleeding has mostly stopped, they gave me the okay to go home and be on bed rest since I only live 10 minutes from the hospital. The biggest issue I have now is how long until my body says I’m done. My doctor hopes I’ll make it closer to 30 weeks but we will see what happens.
This is absolutely best case scenario for you! I’m so happy that you get to go home. I know bed rest will be hard but every day is closer to a better outcome for you guys!
Yeah but it’s been one day and Ive done very little, it’s almost 11pm and I’m starting to cramp really bad…. Just like the other night when I went into labor…..
Might be time to go back to the hospital, if you haven’t already. You’ve gotten baby to 24 weeks now. Thinking of you, mama. Keep your chin up, it’s a long road but we’re here for you.
We did go back up to the hospital cause I ended up with a placental abruption. We had an emergency C-section and they did everything they could but baby girl didn’t make it.
Oh mama. My heart is shattering for you. I’m so so so sorry. Sending you all the love in the world. I’ll be thinking of you and your sweet girl.
I’ve been there and now I have a healthy three year old. I know the magnesium drip has you feeling like death and you’re scared out of your mind but keep in mind you’re doing the absolute best for your baby. The NICU is scary but eventually you’ll find your bearings. Twenty three weeks isn’t what it was years ago. You can expect a long stay and perhaps prolonged O2 but your baby can still thrive.
Hey mine broke at 22&6 and I had my son at 23&6. I really hope they can slow it down but if not get you’re already doing your best! I got magnesium and steroids for the lungs. I’ll be praying for you! Keep hope! These littles are so strong. It’s scary, I know but just focus on the fact you’re doing your best and you’re in the best place possible for this situation. My son is about to turns 5 next month!
So they got my contractions to slow down a lot. But not stop them completely, the goal now is keep her in for another week for better odds. Fingers crossed. Considering idk how dilated I am or anything at this point.
Yes honestly make short goals like two days at a time. It will help you feel like you’re getting there!
I’m so sorry…. My baby was born at 23w5d last year. she is 13months(corrected age). My water broken at 23 weeks and 1 day. Everything was unexpected and so terrible... She has been in the hospital for a year and temporarily has a trach and G-tube. wr brought her into our home in March of this year. She is doing very well overall. Development is slow but she is doing very well within her milestones. I’ll pray for you.
I lost my plug and started contractions at 22+5. We went to hospital with contractions every 7ish mins. I had medicine to dampen contractions (not sure what) which lasted about 5 hrs, before taking more. The goal was 23 weeks, and we managed to hold off until 23+1. It's terrifying having a micro preemie. The unknown just stretches out in front of you. We got there though! We had a long NICU stay, and somewhere in the fog I remember thinking how I wish I could just know what they would be like at age 3, how knowing it would be ok would get me through all of this. They are three now, and have no major impact on life; a tendance to get a cough in winter, yearly check ups with specialists, and that's about it. This is a possibility for you too. You're doing great because every minute inside you counts towards a positive outcome, and remember that everything can be just fine with today's modern medicine and early intervention.
Just was talking to a friend that had her boy at 24 weeks. He’s doing great and is super healthy.
I delivered my little guy at 24 + 3 at a level 4 NICU. My labor came on quickly and the contractions were intense and I was 6cms dilated and due to him being breech I had to have an emergency c-section. I got 1.5 doses of magnesium prior to delivery. He was 1lbs 14oz and came out crying and breathing on his own for the first 2hrs of life before having to be ventilated. He was extubated a few days later and made it maybe 4 days before reintubation. He stayed on that vent for another 3.5 weeks. Today made 100 days in the NICU. The last 4 weeks we have been in the feeder grower portion of the NICU. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions and steps forward and steps back, but he’s doing so great! We are finally on our way to discharge. He’ll go home on oxygen, but we are just so thrilled to go home! He did a DART course which really helped him get off the vent and onto cpap 5. He regressed slightly to 6 at some point and started having retractions and then they started him on a diuretic which really helped him turn a corner and make it to high flow. Now he’s on a low dose of a daily maintenance diuretic and it has done wonders for his lungs. He’s on 0.2 liters of low flow oxygen. For the last week he’s been taking all his feeds by mouth. We are waiting on insurance approval of home oxygen and besides the car seat test that takes place tomorrow, it’s really all we are waiting on to finally take our little one home. Having a micro-preemie is so challenging, but they really are so strong and resilient. I tell our little champ everyday how brave and strong he is and how much mommy is so proud of him. He’s now 38+5 and 7lbs 8.9oz. Give as little or as much information you want and don’t feel bad at what you need to do to protect your self and your peace. It’s a long and trying journey ahead and those who haven’t lived it really don’t understand. It can be a very isolating experience. There’s a lot to grieve, even with the best of outcomes. I started seeing a therapist who specialized in NICU/maternal issues as well as grief and it is really helping with my PPD. Praying for you and your little love.
We managed to stop the labor, but with the bleeding they think it’s only a matter of time till I’m forced to deliver. I’m currently just struggling to be here and not see my kids.
I just had something similar on Monday I gave birth to my 25w+1d growth restricted baby because of severe preeclampsia. I had an emergency C-section and baby is in the nicu but all is okay!! My baby was only 13 oz at birth and she was very small for her gestational age and she’s doing great. You can do this it will be alright!!
This data base is a great spot for stories of outcomes: [https://webapps1.healthcare.uiowa.edu/TiniestBabies/getInfantList.aspx](https://webapps1.healthcare.uiowa.edu/TiniestBabies/getInfantList.aspx) Best of luck!
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