World Prematurity Day!

Today is World Prematurity Day, so let's celebrate our success stories!

Alexis and Samantha were born 10 weeks early at UNC hospital after a very unexpected and adventurous labor. I'm so thankful to the surgical team and NICU of UNC, to the Ronald McDonald House for giving us a temporary (and supportive!) home, and to our home hospital who welcomed us back for the final weeks of our NICU experience. We were touched by so many giving people during that time (the med-evac teams, doctors, nurses, social workers, RMH volunteers, even a kind lady who brought me a bed desk at the RMH!), but I'd be remiss not to say THANK YOU to the amazing women of Twinstuff who let me cry and share our experience on these boards. Almost two years later, I am proud to say that my girls are premie survivors!

Please share your stories!

 

After 7 weeks of bedrest for PTL, the girls arrived at 34w1d. They spent two weeks in the NICU, mostly feeding & growing with just a few hiccups along the way. I am grateful for the care & support we received at our NICU but have also realized I have a passion for increasing awareness of breastfeeding support for preemie moms.

My girls are now crazy, beautiful, rambunctious, smart 3 year olds who amaze me every day. :wub:

 

My guys were 33 weekers born after almost 14 weeks of bedrest from PTL. I'm so very grateful to everyone who helped me keep them!!!! I had just had 2 losses, one early loss and one 2nd trimester loss of my only girl (that I know of). The boys are our comic relief and 2 small bundles of personality.

 

Mine were born @ 34 weeks at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston by c-section. They were HUGE for 34 weeks .. 5.5 and 7.3 !
Jesse spent 3 days in NICU but was able to come home with me and Jayden 5 days later.

 

My girls were born at 34 weeks 5 days, after 7 weeks of bed rest. They spent 3 weeks in the NICU. We were discharged under the care of a home Community Health Nurse because the girls were at risk for being developmentally delayed. Needless to say, this stressed me to no end and I worked with them endlessly on reaching their milestones.

Today, my ladies are 19 months and at their 18 month check up, according to the answers I gave to the pre-appointment questionnaire, my doctor concluded that they are doing things that 2 year olds and older do - like jump with 2 feet off the floor at the same time. She told me to stop worrying and enjoy my girls - the best words a mom could hear!

While I am sure today is more targeted at raising awareness of what is needed to prevent premature babies, I like the idea behind this thread - celebrating those who are thriving despite their small beginnings! Hooray to our strong babies. They are miracles.

 

I was just saying to DH that i don't consider my girls who were born at 33 weeks and 6 days as preemies.

 

Preemie Power!

My two were born at 31.6 weeks after 11 weeks of bedrest. They spent 4 & 5 weeks in the NICU. To this day, I send a card each year to thank the NICU staff for the care they gave our whole family.

The girls were 3.8 & 3.14 and have/had typical preemie issues, but they are now smart , active 6 yr olds!

 

Mine were 34 weekers and I don't really consider them preemies either. They were small (3lb 9oz, 3lb 10oz) and spent time in the NICU (2 weeks), but other that that, we never had other preemie issues.

 

I've also often felt that with 34 weekers who were relatively healthy, they don't "count" as preemies but then I think about the fact that a few short decades ago there's a good chance they wouldn't have made it at that gestation. It's because of medical advances & the awareness brought about by things like World Prematurity Day & organizations like the March of Dimes that 34 weeks is no longer seen as that dangerous a gestation to be born at.

 

Mine were 35+1 and spent 1 week in NICU for weight gain and jaundice the first few days. They were 5.7 and 5.11 lbs. I don't really consider them preemies either, but am thankful that the NICU was there had our issues been more serious. I loved the week I spent with them in the NICU - the hospital had a rooming in room right inside the nursery, so I slept just a few feet away from my babies. It was wonderful.

 

Very true! The March of Dimes was wonderful during our 2 weeks in the NICU and all the medical advances today made it possible for them to come home after only 2 weeks... Not to mention the medical advances that helped me stay pregnant during the 10 weeks I was having contractions, ptl, and bedrest.

 

I'm so glad that you all with 34 weekers did so well. Mine were almost 34 weekers, but we have had issues from being preemies. They have been mainly growth issues, but still issues nonetheless. I do consider mine preemies.

 

It may not be 'dangerous' (as in life threatening) but a 34 weeker is a preemie, most 34 weekers do not go straight home and many have initial lung issues (the last organ to develop) and/or jaundice. Yes, the survival rate is higher and almost statistically the same as 'term-babies' now , but the rates of jaundice, low birth weight, breathing issues, developmental delays, and feeding problems is higher. Also they are more likely to develop asthma.

My OB said that 38 weeks is best, 36 weeks is likely to not have any problems and go home, 34 weeks is a good goal- but would likely need NICU care, 32 weeks was the biggest goal for lung development, and before 28 weeks is likely for long-term NICU care. Between 28-32 weeks she said it really is baby-dependent and can go either way, with girls doing statistically better than boys.

There is a big difference between 24 and 26 weeks...26 & 28 weeks...etc. So a baby born at 34 weeks has the potential to be much different than one born at 36 or 38 weeks.


A preemie is born before 37 weeks.

A late-term preemie is 34-37 weeks.

A preemie is born 27-33 weeks.

a micro preemie is born before 26 weeks.

Science is amazing what they can do though aren't they?

I was born 30+ years ago at between 32 & 33 weeks and considered critical. They had just figured out how to treat RDS (respitory distress syndrome) that had been the biggest difficulty with late-term preemies. My sister born at 34 weeks was in the hospital for awhile...both of us were considered premature.

 

Fantastic information!

 

Love to all you preemie moms out there!!

My boys were born at 31 weeks weighing 4lbs 3oz and 4lbs 7oz and spent 19 days in the NICU. Technically, my third son was also a preemie at 36 weeks, but he was an 8lb fatso and came home with me the next day!

 

I still remember that since i was 33 weeks I was too late to get the steroid shots for my girls. I know the NICU had to run certain test on my girls since they were born before 34 weeks. I remember the nurses saying we only have to do this since they were born before 34 weeks.

 

My boys were born at 32 weeks 5 days. I like to round up to 33 weeks. I had steriod shots at 28 weeks while trying to stop my PTL. Luckily it was stopped and I was able to carry them a bit longer. I loved our NICU. It was a small NICU so we got extra special care. One was on CPAP and had 2 surfactant treatments. The other had no issues. They were released at 23 days and 25 days. I was able to room in with the one released early until his twin could come home. We have had our share of lung issues the past several years especially with our one who had the CPAP. Other then that they have done very well. Met all their milestones on time for actual age or ahead. One took his first unassisted steps at 9 months actual age and the other a few weeks before 1 year actual. Both crawled at 7 months actual although technically that is not a milestone. One did have speech for 5 months but now at almost 3 definitely has no issues. They are full of energy, very active, funny and smart. I was so worried about their prematurity and I still worry. But I enjoy how well they are doing now. I will always be on the look out for issues as they move into elementary school due to their premature birth and knowing that issues can creep up later. I hope if anything does come up we can get them help as quickly as possible so they can have the opportunity to meet their full potential.

My husband asked a while back if I thought our one who had the breathing issues would have made it without surfactant. I said I didn't really know. Probably but he would have had to be ventilated and would have had a much rougher NICU stay. So at his suggestion we will be supporting March of Dimes this next year.