Were your twins born at, or around, 33w?

Discussion in 'General' started by petrex, Apr 24, 2007.

  1. petrex

    petrex Member

    I'm carrying identical girls that have been showing signs of IUGR since 21w. I'm currently 31w5d. Our smaller baby has had issues w/ her fluid being on the low end of normal (2cm range) as well as shown a size discrepancy. I've been on bedrest since 21w and w/ that her fluid levels have increased and she started closing up the size differential between her and her sister. I go for bi-weekly growth scans and at our last 2 scans our smaller baby started showing signs of a growth decline... her fluid's dropped down to 2cm's again and her head and belly are measuring smaller as well. In addition, as of last week's scan, there's now over a little over a pound differential between the 2 babies (A is estimated at 3lbs 15oz and B at 2lbs 14oz). My peri was very nice and reassuring at the visit and told us that since dopplers were normal and the fluid hadn't dropped to what they consider to be 'action time low' (i.e. 1cm), that he felt comfortable leaving them inside until our next scan at 33w. I was very nervous about leaving them in if one is showing signs of not getting enough but he explained that it's better to leave them in and try to get them to, or past, the 32w mark since the odds of brain bleeds drops dramatically at that point.

    So, we could very well likely go in next Friday for our growth scan and hear that it's delivery time (I'll be 33w1d). If you delivered your twins around this point, what did you experience? I'm hoping that B will make it over 3lbs but I know that u/s's can be way off in their weight estimates. I'd be given steroids prior to delivery so that would hopefully help the lungs get a jump start... but, what else is to be expected w/ babies born at 33w? Did yours have a lengthy hospital stay? I know that all babies are different... I'm just looking for a heads up as to what we can expect possibly next week if our little one has fallen off even more.

    Thank you in advance!
     
  2. KCMichigan

    KCMichigan Well-Known Member

    My girls were born at 31.6 weeks. They weighed 3.13 and 3.8. I , too, had steriods for lung development since we had been battling PTL since 21w (I was on bedrest since then as well).

    One baby sailed through and came home after 4 weeks. The other had some reflux issues, but came home at 5 1/2 weeks. Both had apnea and were on monitors for 8 months. THey were vented for 1 and 4 days- no nasal cannula needed. But now at 18 months you would NEVER know they were preemies except they are slender (but so am I so it may be genetic). My little twin (who was in distress at delivery) actually came home first and has done better overall.

    Good luck and I hope your u/s goes well!
     
  3. MJXplus2

    MJXplus2 Well-Known Member

    My girls were born at 33 weeks and a few days. They were 3lbs 13oz and 3lbs 11oz. They did not receive any steroid shots but Baby B's water broke which they said would help lung maturity. Baby A needed c-pap for about 24 hours and then a nasal canula for another day or so and Baby B only needed the nasal canula for a day. Other than that, they were just feeders and growers. It took them a while to learn how to eat by mouth, but the nurses were very cautious and slow to even let them try. They had some jaundice which is pretty normal for preemies. They were in the NICU for 2 weeks and the special care for 1 week. 33 weekers usually do really well!
     
  4. krictyandtwins

    krictyandtwins Active Member

    Your pregnancy sounds a lot like mine. My boys are identical twins. They had Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, do you have that? I dont know how I feel about your doctor waiting so long to check on your twins again. You might want to have her rethink this. One of my twins had IUGR. We delivered at 32 weeks. One weighed 4lbs 7 oz and the other was just 2lbs 3oz. The bigger one had the normal issues for a premature baby. He was out in two weeks. The smaller one spent a month because he needed to grow and had problems feeding from a bottle. Both boys had no brain bleeds and are doing very well. The smaller one is still smaller and people question if they are even twins. The bigger one weights 29 pounds and the smaller one is 20. They are 15 months.

    Good luck and stay positive
     
  5. TwinxesMom

    TwinxesMom Well-Known Member

    My girls were born at 34 weeks and 1 day. Jessy had IUGR due to a 2 vessel cord, she weighted 2lbs 13oz and spent 21days in the Nicu and came home weighing 4lbs 4oz. Jazzy weighted 4lbs 9oz came home weighing 5lbs 8oz at 17days.
     
  6. petrex

    petrex Member

    Thank you all for posting your experiences...

    krictyk I'm actually seen weekly and get weekly u/s's by way of bi-weekly growth scans at the peri's office, and bi-weekly u/s's at my OB's office scheduled in between. I've been scheduled this way since 18w when my peri suspected TTTS at our anatomy scan. Baby B had dropped in size back then and there was a fluid differential between the girls as well. We were sent to CHOP for diagnosis but they said it wasn't TTTS because, while B had less fluid (2.7cm's at that appt), A's wasn't abnormally high (in the 4cm range). CHOP diagnosed us as having IUGR due to a suspected unequal placental share... they didn't see us getting past 30w w/ this pregnancy before B's placental share would run out. However, I'm 32w tomorrow.

    Due to everything that we've gone through so far w/ this pregnancy, I'm beginning to feel as if we're pushing baby B too far. I see my OB on Friday and plan on talking to her about this as well. Then I go in for my bi-weekly growth scan next Friday at 33w1d.

    Another quick question... when did everyone start NSTs? My peri hasn't even mentioned them yet.
     
  7. TwinxesMom

    TwinxesMom Well-Known Member

    We only did NST a couple of times as the girls would kick them off, we did them to see if I was contracting. BP(biophysical profiles) u/s are a much better way to check on how the babies are doing IMO.
     
  8. Twinnylou

    Twinnylou Well-Known Member

    I went into PTL @ 32.4 weeks and my babies weighed in @ 4lb5 baby a and 3lb4 baby b. I had steriod shots before were born just in case there was a problem but Jack only needed oxygen for the first couple of hours and he was the biggest baby. They were both what the hospital called feeders and growers. We got them home after 4 weeks weighing 5lb 5 and 4lb 4. Now @ 1 year old ds weighs 23lb and dd weighs 17lb. x
     
  9. doubledownmom

    doubledownmom Well-Known Member

    My girls were born at 33 weeks 3 days. One was 6lbs 8oz. and the other was 4lbs 5oz.....They were in the NICU for 6 days and in the "Step-Up" Nursery for 8 days as feeders.....While they were in the NICU, they were on CPAP for maybe 2 days and nasal cannula for 4 days....I did not have steroid shots b/c it was unexpected....My baby "A" (the 6lb8oz) kicked really hard and my water broke....they were going to try to keep me until I was 34 weeks, but when they did the vaginal exam they felt her foot! She was ready to come out!! While they were in the convalescent nursery, they were just working on their bottle feedings and getting the amount they were eating up....It's funny b/c my bigger baby was the one that had more trouble with her eating....They always say that the smaller baby is born a "fighter" and usually does better outside the womb than the bigger baby....

    I know you are probably nervous and worried, but don't be.....33 weekers normally do GREAT!!! the NICU can be overwhelming, but ask questions, keep a journal about everything that is going on (how much they weigh, how much they eat at each feeding, what their oxygen level is at every day...etc.etc..) that way you can see the progress they make each day!!
     
  10. Alyson

    Alyson Well-Known Member

    As you can see my id twin girls are healthy bouncing 8 year olds today. They were born at 33 3 days. We didn't have any major issues. We had a normal vaginal birth. They spent 3 weeks in special care only due their prem status. We didn't have steriod injections but I was on a high dose of oral steriods for my asthma for two weeks preceeding the birth.

    I had two placentas and I didn't have any prior pregnancy complications.
     
  11. krictyandtwins

    krictyandtwins Active Member

    QUOTE(petrex @ Apr 25 2007, 06:27 PM) [snapback]233885[/snapback]
    Thank you all for posting your experiences...

    krictyk I'm actually seen weekly and get weekly u/s's by way of bi-weekly growth scans at the peri's office, and bi-weekly u/s's at my OB's office scheduled in between. I've been scheduled this way since 18w when my peri suspected TTTS at our anatomy scan. Baby B had dropped in size back then and there was a fluid differential between the girls as well. We were sent to CHOP for diagnosis but they said it wasn't TTTS because, while B had less fluid (2.7cm's at that appt), A's wasn't abnormally high (in the 4cm range). CHOP diagnosed us as having IUGR due to a suspected unequal placental share... they didn't see us getting past 30w w/ this pregnancy before B's placental share would run out. However, I'm 32w tomorrow.

    Due to everything that we've gone through so far w/ this pregnancy, I'm beginning to feel as if we're pushing baby B too far. I see my OB on Friday and plan on talking to her about this as well. Then I go in for my bi-weekly growth scan next Friday at 33w1d.

    Another quick question... when did everyone start NSTs? My peri hasn't even mentioned them yet.



    I was but on bedrest at the hospital at 27 weeks. They did a ultrasound every other day, growth scans 1x a week and biophysical profile with every single ultrasound. The days we didnt do an ultrasound we did a nst. When they do your ultrasounds are they doing dopler studies? Make sure they check the diastolic flow in the placenta. My smaller babies blood flow stopped and started to reverse so they needed to deliver within 24 hours. I had a very complicated pregnancy because of the IUGR and TTTS.

    Im so sorry that your going through this. I know exactly what your going through and nothing will make you feel any better until you see your girls and they are doing just fine.
     
  12. annabell

    annabell Well-Known Member

    My babies were born 34 weeks. My daughter weighed 2 pounds 15 oz and her brother weighed 4 pounds 12 ozs. A big difference. I didn’t get the steroid shots because we made it to 34 weeks. However, my son needed a c-pack to keep his lungs inflated. He was only on it for 2 days and came home in 6 days. My daughter did great with delivery and went to the NICU. However, when they tried to feed her my milk hadn’t come in and she couldn’t process the formula. She had an underdeveloped digestive system. With the help of glycerin chips (suppositories) she worked everything out on her own. She had a level 1-brain bleed that has since reabsorbed and a slight heart murmur. She was in the NICU for 27 days. She came home at 3 pounds 10 ozs.
    As for NST tests, I had them twice a week from week 31 until delivery. They are easy, and a nice time to kick up your feet and just relax. I got really good at telling the nurses were to put the monitors because I knew where my babies were. Best of luck, and your doing great! :D
     
  13. astralweeks

    astralweeks Well-Known Member

    My girls were born at 32w 3ds into my pregnancy, Elizabeth weighing 3lbs 12ozs and Alexandra weighing 3lbs 10ozs. They never needed a ventalator (Alexandra had a nasal cannula with room air for 3 days, just because she was breathing too fast) and most of their problems were feeding related - which you'd never know looking at them today as they love to eat! They spent exactly five weeks in the NICU with some apnea issues, but came home monitor free and are happy, healthy girls. I hope you can 'cook' your babies a little longer, good luck though!
     
  14. New Mom

    New Mom Well-Known Member

    Our babies were born at 33 weeks exactly. DD was 3lbs 7oz. and DS was 4lbs 4 oz. They were perfectly healthy and had no problems. They spent about 18 days in the NICU as feeders and growers, or in other words to learn to eat and gain weight. They were never hooked up to any machine except monitors.

    I had a c-section at 33 weeks because they thought DD wasn't growing as well as DS and that there was something wrong with her placenta. It turns out the babies measured differently after they were born than all the U/S. DD was bigger then expected and DS was smaller.

    Babies born at 33 weeks can do just fine. Good luck and I wish you the best.
     
  15. petrex

    petrex Member

    Thank you all very much for your responses. It's helped tremendously to read about other's experiences with 33 weekers (or close to that). I'm nervous about having them this early, but honestly... I'm more nervous about having them stay inside if one isn't getting enough. I talked to my OB about it today and she said that B has enough fluid to move around, heart rate was good but we'll see what's what w/ the growth scan next week. I'm planning on voicing my concerns more loudly at the peri's office next Friday if we see more of a decline in B's growth. We do have dopplers done during the growth scans and so far (knock wood) they have been normal. I'm sending DH out this weekend for my "bag" supplies because I just have a feeling that next weekend might be it. I'll keep you all posted!

    Pls. keep on posting your experiences... it's going to be a loooong week waiting for this next scan!
     
  16. Mellie03

    Mellie03 Active Member

    My twins were born at 33w1d. They were 4 lbs 4 oz and 4 lbs 9 oz. I had been on bedrest for placenta previa since a huge bleed at 26 weeks, and had my steroid shots then. Then the evening I had them, my placenta that was previa abrunted and I had an emergency c-section. They were on ventilators for a bout 12 hours, then weaned down. They wer on IVs for a few days and then moved to tube feeding. They spent a month in the NICU, but most of that (3 weeks) were really just feeding and growing. The steroid shots really make a huge difference in the babies. I saw several twins around their age that didnt have the shots and they had a much harder time. The NICU stay was hard, but I was just sooooooo happy to make it as long as I did. We are lucky and blessed that neither twin has any serious ongoing health issues! 33 weeks is early but not that early these days, you know? Good luck to you and your babies.

    Mellie
     
  17. twomore

    twomore Well-Known Member

    Hi, Mine were born at 33 weeks exactly. Haylee weighing 4lbs 5.5 oz Hope weighing 4lbs 14 oz they were in the NICU 3 weeks, and were perfectly healthy, they just needed to learn how to drink.
     
  18. kdmom

    kdmom Well-Known Member

    Mine were born at 33 weeks on the dot (Even though Dr said 32 weeks 5 day, I knew when I got pregnant). Mine were just feeders and growers, with just monitors. They put Danny in an incubator one night, because a nurse thought he looked jaundiced, and the Doctor got mad at her for it in the morning (not sure why).

    I didn't have the steroid shot either, and I had been on bedrest for 3 weeks due to pre-e. Danny was 4lbs 13oz and Kaitlyn was 4lbs even.
     
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