Anyone had a baby before 28 weeks

[miamibunnie]

I am 23 wks and was wondering if anyone here had a baby before 28 weeks? Can you tell me your experience and what was the outcome while baby was in the nicu.

[kerisue]

Are you looking for success stories? Wish I had one!! My baby was born at 24 weeks and was in the NICU for almost a month before she died. She did well for the first week and then went downhill from there. It was like the longer she wasn't where she should have been (in utero) the worse she did. She was definitely the smallest/youngest one in there, though not the smallest/youngest one they've had survive in the past.

[bernadic]

I have a success story!! I developed PE at 25 weeks and was admitted to the hospital. I stayed there for 2 weeks and delivered at 27 6/7 weeks. My son was 1 lb 12 oz and 12 inches long. He cried when he came out. After a long 3 month stay with many big bumps along the way, we came home tiny and well. With the help of the hospital, PT, OT and MANY doctor appts. he is now a happy, healthy 4 year old who gives me a run for my money. The road was not always happy or easy for us but we worked through it. We were very lucky. He has some minor issues like gallstones from the tpn iv and his soft spot didn't close correctly so he has a bump on his head but nothing to slow him down. He is very smart and talkative-sometimes too much. If you didn't know my PE drama and the fact that he was a preemie, you would never know he was born so small and so sick. He is average in size and weight and as sassy as they come. Stay positive and strong. Good luck. If you want to know more, please just ask!

PS While in the NICU, we met 4 other families who had babies at between 26-28 weeks who stayed the 3 months while we were there. The kids were all in the same area so we got to know the other families quite well. Plus, our hospital had a support group for us moms and the 4 of us have remained friends throughout the years. All of the kids are healthy with no real long lasting problems. One little boy plays t-ball with my son. We also met 2 of the other moms at a local play area and the 3 of the kids tore the place up. No one would ever know they were born so early and so young. Two of us are even walking again in the March of Dimes walk in our area. So there are success stories around!

[danielsmom]

Lisette,

I'll tell you something you already know, but take it from someone that it's become very real to. I used to have head knowledge of this, now I have heart knowledge. Anything is possible with God. We don't always know what His will is for us, but we know that he is in control and he has a plan. It doesn't matter what's written on the internet, or what's not, anything is possible.

But for grins, I'll tell you about my little monkey. He quit growing much after 20 weeks and had several other ultrasound soft markers for chromosomal abnormalities like Downs, etc. I kept refusing an amnio because of the risk. At 25 weeks, I was put on full bedrest and urged to have an amnio so they could prepare for a birth with a potentially disabled baby. The amnio revealed a perfect, healthy, normal baby boy, shocking us all, and I was admitted to the hospital at 27 weeks to find answers (devine intervention). In 3 days I had severe pre-e and HELLP, with 160/105 BP, 20+ protein in urine, a failed liver (anticipating need of a transplant), and an enlarged spleen. Daniel had just shown absent distolic cord flow, a sign the end is near, and I went immediately under general anesthesia to deliver a 1 lb 1 oz baby at 27w5d. I fully recovered from pre-e/HELLP within a week. Daniel scored 8 & 9 APGARS, had no brain bleeds EVER, was off the vent and on a CPAP within a few days, and was a very good patient other than his sassy attitude. He came home at full term without oxygen. His eyes and ears are perfect. He has no developmental delays. And despite being in less than the 2nd percentile at birth, he's now in the 75th percentile for height at 2 years. He's overcome statistics that I've not been able to match with other testimonies.

I never dreamed that I'd be the mother of a happy and healthy 2 year old right now because I put limits on God, like He can only work within the bounds of what's written on the internet. Oftentimes I thought my eyes deceived me, watching him continue to thrive in that isolette, barely bigger than a bullfrog.

I'm so glad you made it this far. Keep updating. I hope you get HUGE, and have a looooong boring pregnancy. Hey it could happen right?

[lornarose]

Lisette, I'm living in Europe. I have just re-checked the stats on a prem baby born in Ireland last year. She was born at 23weeks plus 6 days. The doctors gave her no hope.She is now happy and healthy and was on a TV show with her parents and looked fantastic. What an amazing story danielsmom and such a beautiful little boy.

[fineolin]

Well said Danielsmom!!! Faith, hope, and trust are what we need to carry us through this journey.

[miamibunnie]

Thank you ladies....I ask this because the whole thing worries me. I pray almost everyday...I have faith but at the same time I'm just so scared. My first daughter is a miracle as well she was born in 1996 when I was 23 anf she was 25 wks weighing 1 lbs and 3oz and thanks to god she is doing great. But since I got it last year at 23 wk and on top of my baby passing away it is a pain and a fear that will not like for anyone to go through. I will be 24 wks tomorrow and I am so thankful for everyday my baby is allowed to be in me and grow.
I wish all of us a better outcome

[danielsmom]

You've earned the right to be a little terrified, it doesn't mean your faith is weakened. We're human. I can't imagine delivering earlier, and you've been through that twice. My heart just goes out to you. It sounds like things are going well though and they're monitoring you really close. Do you take your BP at home?

Sounds like you've got one of those miracle babies too! I love hearing those stories. I also just read that angieb is almost 36 weeks with her rainbow baby after HELLP at 23 weeks. WONDERFUL. It can happen girl.

My little man off to get Easter pictures made today

000_0249 - Copy - Copy.JPG (47.81 KiB) Viewed 2858 times

[miamibunnie]

Oh my he is so cute....god bless him.

I do have a BP machine at home and I check it like twice a day. Its been pretty good. the highest reading I ever had is 122/86
But it usually drops low like 88/72 sometimes. I really think that happens because I really watch my sodium intake. Dont eat junk food as well. Sometimes I would have like 2 chocalete chip cookies with milk, but thats it.

[laura]

Happy Easter everyone! Miami, I've been in that exact place, waiting and watching and wishing I had an answer of how to get through subsequent pregnancies... I developed htn early on with my 2nd pregnancy, and spent months on bed rest and relied on the "well, I'm fine this hour and there's no need to think about tomorrow" coping mechanism and we made it to 36 weeks. I hope that happens for you.

The idea of how faith and health intersect has been something I've carried closely these past days...not from preeclampsia, praise heaven, but because I just watched my mom lose her battle with cancer, and through the process people have comforted us with the idea that God could work miracles and save my mama. the implication always felt like our job as supplicants was to pray really hard and believe entirely, and leave it to God to fix.

But he didn't 'choose" us and she died a few weeks ago. We were left wondering what we had done wrong, that we weren't worthy of such a miracle. Why had He abandoned us?

My job has been to understand that as a person of faith, my job isn't to understand, but I have made my own internal note to tread carefully on the subject with others Because I've been in the position where God said no, and it isn't pleasant to be in the situation not only grieving a loss, but also wondering why you weren't worthy of a miracle.