Premature babies

cacharo

I feel kinda weird bringing this up @ TE but I have talked about my wife and (future) twins before and got alot of good responses. I will try to be brief.

My wife went into pre-term labor Sunday Night. She is currently staying at the Hospital and will stay there until she delivers. She may deliver today or she may hold off up to two weeks. The one thing we do know is that the twins will be arriving much earlier than expected. She is currently 26 weeks 2 days pregnant.. This means that if she delivered today the twins would be around 11 weeks premature, with a ideal case scenario given by our doctors of around 9 weeks premature.

There has been alot of meds coming and going some to help rapidly develop the babies lungs and some to stop contractions. We have been really scared the last 36 hours. I guess I am just looking for some stories of success or stories of problems babies being born so early. I realize I am not on a twins website and this isn't techdads.net but any input would be appreciated.

SWM

I was born 10weeks prem around 37 years ago and survived Not sure if that's a good thing or not but hey be positive, Kids are great you will be fine and in a few weeks you will never be able to study again!!!! Trust me its difficult to study with two kids. best of luck

sprkymrk

Hospitals today (especially where you are located) are well equipped to deal with this kind of delivery. Have faith and you will see that everything turns out all right. Tell your wife not to worry and there will be a lot of moral support coming your way from us here across the country and globe.

You'll have two great Christmas presents soon.

cacharo

SWM wrote:

I was born 10weeks prem around 37 years ago and survived Not sure if that's a good thing or not but hey be positive, Kids are great you will be fine and in a few weeks you will never be able to study again!!!! Trust me its difficult to study with two kids. best of luck

Thanks SWM. I really do know that many ppl that have had preterm babies. 2+ months early just seems so scary right now. Regarding studying, I had hoped to have my 290 done by early january. Seems unlikely now. At least I have good reading for the hospital while the wife is resting, and good thing for VPC!

sprkymrk wrote:

Hospitals today (especially where you are located) are well equipped to deal with this kind of delivery. Have faith and you will see that everything turns out all right. Tell your wife not to worry and there will be a lot of moral support coming your way from us here across the country and globe.

You'll have two great Christmas presents soon.

Yup, we are in the best place we can be, and are right across from Children's Hospital for when they arrive. Maybe I will even get 2 more deductions for 2k7! I hope not though.

blargoe

I am the proud dad of two 23-weekers.

First thing will say is Thank God for the advances in neonatal care over the past couple of decades. My daughters would not have stood a chance a generation ago or maybe even 10-15 years ago. But today I get to come home to my beautiful 2 year old angels. We still have some issues to work through, but the scary times are now in the past.

Your wife and twins are likely going to have a difficult next several months, as I'm sure the doctors and social workers at your hospital have tried to prepare you. Best advice I can give you for now, take care of your wife, she really needs you right now, and make sure she and the nurses taking care of her follow the doctor's orders. Also, if your hospital offers some kind of counseling for this type of situation, please take advantage of it.

I know it will be difficult because you are very worried, but let me stress that you should try to get some rest here and there over the next couple weeks. Even if you have to get a close family member with whom your wife is comfortable to stay with her for a short time so you can go home and crash.

The steroids for the lung development make a huge difference. If she has already received a dose, that is awesome. The first dose is supposed to make the biggest impact. Hopefully she can make it another two weeks. It seems like I remember 28 weeks being some kind of an accepted milestone in fetal development.

I wish your family the best. Shoot me a PM if you need to talk.

Blargoe

nel

good luck mate, im sure every thing will be fine. its more common than you think.

It happened to my youngest brother and my mam had to have an emergency cesearian but everything turned out fine and im sure it will for you's.

You have all our thoughts with you.

dynamik

I was a premie as well (nearly 25 years ago), and I even had to stay in an incubator for a decent period of time. I like to think I turned out alright. And like your twins, I was born right in the middle of a beautiful Minnesota winter. My only advice to you, is don't make the same mistake my Mom made. When you bundle you kids up to take them home, make sure you note which way is up

cacharo

blargoe wrote:

I am the proud dad of two 23-weekers.

First thing will say is Thank God for the advances in neonatal care over the past couple of decades. My daughters would not have stood a chance a generation ago or maybe even 10-15 years ago. But today I get to come home to my beautiful 2 year old angels. We still have some issues to work through, but the scary times are now in the past.

Your wife and twins are likely going to have a difficult next several months, as I'm sure the doctors and social workers at your hospital have tried to prepare you. Best advice I can give you for now, take care of your wife, she really needs you right now, and make sure she and the nurses taking care of her follow the doctor's orders. Also, if your hospital offers some kind of counseling for this type of situation, please take advantage of it.

I know it will be difficult because you are very worried, but let me stress that you should try to get some rest here and there over the next couple weeks. Even if you have to get a close family member with whom your wife is comfortable to stay with her for a short time so you can go home and crash.

The steroids for the lung development make a huge difference. If she has already received a dose, that is awesome. The first dose is supposed to make the biggest impact. Hopefully she can make it another two weeks. It seems like I remember 28 weeks being some kind of an accepted milestone in fetal development.

I wish your family the best. Shoot me a PM if you need to talk.

Blargoe

Thanks for sharing that Blargoe. Those words really meant alot. I do have family here and ironically enough my father in law is in the same hospital having back surgery. Mom in law is having a fun time hauling from one wing to the next to visit her husband and daughter. My wife has received 2 doses of the steriods one right away and then one 24 hours later. We were very happy to reach that milestone yesterday. I do not believe they go past 2 doses but I am unsure.

For now we are taking it one day at a time.....48 hours down 288 to go until 28 weeks

cacharo

dynamik wrote:

I was a premie as well (nearly 25 years ago), and I even had to stay in an incubator for a decent period of time. I like to think I turned out alright. And like your twins, I was born right in the middle of a beautiful Minnesota winter. My only advice to you, is don't make the same mistake my Mom made. When you bundle you kids up to take them home, make sure you note which way is up

I am sure they will spend some time in the incu also. I will make sure to take the "How to carry your babies rightside up" class while I am here.