Having my baby at 30 weeks

[Allie T]

Hi l am 17 weeks pregnant and my doc has informed me that l will be having my baby at 30 weeks, l lost one of my twins a few weeks ago, l had still born twins at 32 weeks last year, l am having a c section and just need advice or something l am scared about it all and dont know what to expect, l havent started doing anything and l dont know what size to buy and how do l come home again with out my baby l was a total mess last time, how do l deal with not having my baby at home with me for a few months.
l dont know why l am feeeling like this is this normal for someone to feel like this and explaining it to my partner is hard enough.
Allie..

[pumpkin]

buy 00000 or 000000 suits as my first child was born at 34.5 weeks and still didn't even fit into the 00000 suits lol

[WeThree]

Hi Allie, you must be feeling so anxious and scared atm, especially after losing your darling twins last year :hugs:
When it looked like I would deliver at 28 weeks, I was given a tour of the neo natal unit, they explained to me what different incubators and tubes were for, and showed me some babies that were born at about the same age as mine, ask your Ob if he can organise something similiar for you, it will give you great peace of mind.
Is your baby going to be at a hospital close to your home? If not, ask the hospital what sort of accomodation is available near or in the hospital, so that you can be close to bubs during those first few weeks, or see if you can organise to stay with family who may live close by.
Best of luck to you and your bubs :)

[Chickadee]

Hugs Allie :hugs:
I haven't been in your position but I'd think what you are feeling is pretty normal. It must be hard to go home and leave a new bub in the nursery, and even worse since your last time.

You may find it helpful to get in touch with some of the premmie support groups. The Bubhub Info directory lists 2 for Qld (listed at this link (http://www.bubhub.com.au/serviceshelplinesqld.shtml#prem)).

I hope that you can take your pregnancy as far as possible. I know every week extra can make a big difference to your little one. Wishing you good luck... and please keep us updated on how you're doing.

[cosmic]

Allie, I can't offer any advice, but I would imagine that what you are feeling is very, very normal. How devastating for you to have lost your twins, and one of these babies as well. :( I just wanted to say my thoughts are with you and as difficult as it will be to leave your little one at the hospital, I'm sure the reward of taking your healthy baby home will be worth it in the end.

We recently had a bubhub baby born at 24 weeks and she is doing really well (Her name is Emerald Sunee if you do a search) so maybe her mum can pop in and give you an idea of what to expect. :hugs:

[sopolicha]

Hi Allie,

I would ask for a tour of the nursery where your baby will be living for the first few weeks. This way in the first few days you are not to freaked out the surroundings. I am sure the hospital will be happy to help out.

My daughter was premmie and only had large clothes. Don't stress about it. The hospital will supply clothes for your baby whilst at hospital. I had a lovely shopping trip as soon as I knew my daughter was coming home.

I think it is normal to be worried about leaving your baby at the hospital. I would sit and cry at home and be so excited to get to the hospital to see her. You can spend as much time as you like visiting your hospital.

The time does go so quick because you are so busy.

Good Luck, I hope it works out well for you.

[TwoBlue]

:hugs: to you

My DS was born at 36 weeks, not so much a prem but was quite unwell. He spent a mere 10 days in NICU and it was awful... Leaving him at the hospital and going home everyday was devestating, but each day got a bit easier...

Now he is 2 years old and a bundle of energy :D

All the advise you have been given from the other ladies is great, go and see the nursery, see some other bubs (if you can, i know at our hospital now you cant "view" the babies in care, in fact a slap on the hand if you even looked at them !) dont worry too much about clothes, the hospital will probably have some little things you can use at first until you know bubs size and buy accordingly, or get some 00000 or 000000 size.

Chin up and hang in there, my thoughts are with you and your bubs

[sshellzp]

Hey Allie, my daughter was born at 26 weeks 2 months ago. It can be a scary thing having a baby so premature. It will be quite overwelming (sp?) All the things you are feeling are normal. I wouldnt worry about clothes just yet. My daughter fits into 00000 at the moment, she is 4 lb 12 oz.
Just know that the people that will look after ure baby are the best and they know what they are doing. Every day you will have ups and downs but in the end its worth it to take ure baby home. Take it one day at a time. If you have specific questions feel free to ask me any time.
Shell. :hugs:

[sopolicha]

On a more practical level ask about car parking. I am pretty sure the hospital can arrange something for your parking to be subsidised at least. It can get really expensive going into the hospital car park everyday.

Get onto a Lactation Consultant. I had horrendous advice about expressing and breastfeeding when my daughter was in hospital. (First baby didn't know any different)

A while ago, a link was posted about Kangaroo Care - where you sit with you baby as much as possible skin to skin. Ask around and see what you can find out about it. Annoy the bejesus out of the midwives to do it as much as you can.

Probably think of more later.

[ThinkFast]

Hi Allie,

I can't offer any advice but I can tell you that i'll be thinking of you and your bubba and wish you both all the best.

Natalea.

[onabreak]

My DD was born at 30 weeks. She weighed 1.5kg, which was quite heavy for a baby at that gestation. She spent 7 weeks in hospital. I visited her every day and sat there with her for 6 -8 hrs a day. I had to express milk every 3 hours to bring on my milk so it wouldn't dry up, but I did not have much success with my milk. They had to give her formula in hospital. After being in there for 1 week I finally got to hold her. They put her on my chest skin to skin for about 1 hour so we could have that bonding time. It was the best feeling in the world, but she was so small and fragile. I did this every day until the day she came home. My husband even had his turn aswell. The can't keep them out to long as they have difficulting regulating their temperature. After 4 weeks of putting on weight she finally went into an open crib and I was able to handle her a bit more. She then graduated into the next room where you had more responsibily with changing them, bathing them and breastfeeding them. Once she was taken off all her monitors and was feeding well and weighed a certain amount she was able to come home.

She fitted in 00000 to begin with and slowly went to bigger sizes. DD is now 17mths old and is a very healthy happy gorgeous baby. When I look at her you would never of know she was premmie.

[angel_one]

i havent had a premmie baby, but have had the special care nursery stay, i will say this, get the nurses, doc, or even your partner (if he has seen the baby while your in recovering from the c-sect) to tell you whats going on with your baby, is he surrounded by machines, ect... cause when i walked in to the scn to see my son for the first time, i just about started balling, as there was a baby hooked up to all the monitors, and stuff, and i thought it was my boy, but thankfully it wasnt, and he was only on the one monitor for his breathing, but the not knowing what was actually wrong with him waas the biggest shock. - and the funny thing about the other baby in the nursery was he was a family member! and hes doing fine, was delivered by c-sect cause he had cord very tight around his neck! but all is good now with both boys!

just be prepared for what you'll see, ok maybe have some take a pic of bub to show you how he looks, so that at the very least you go in a bit prepared and dont break down when you see him (or her) the last thing you want is for baby to be picking up on the bad vibes!

[Hokey Pokey]

I can't offer advice either but send you my love that all goes well

[~Danni~]

I'm sorry i have no advice but I will be thinking of you and your little one, Good luck and i hope the other ladies have helped you out :hugs:

[thepanda]

Hugs for what you have been through.

I had problems where the doctors told me I may not have children. I then after a few years, fell pregnant and the doctors thought I may not carry the baby to full term. I lost that baby during pregnancy but fell pregnant again and was able to give birth to a little boy who was born at 31 weeks. He was only 4 pounds and was my dream come true. That was only the first hurdle, getting through dealing with the baby in special care is hard and going home without your baby.

It is natural to feel what you are feeling, especially with what you have been through. I didn't know what I was in for the first time around because I had an emergency C section and didn't know what having a premie baby would be like. I have to say it was the most stressful thing I have ever done. It goes against every instinct to leave your baby behind. I had my bub at the Wesley Hospital and they don't have any where for you to be between visits which makes it really hard. Some hospitals have special tea and coffee rooms for the mothers or even rooms with beds etc. If you can see if your hospital has this before hand it makes it so much easier to stay between visiting and feeding etc.

The only consolation is that you know they are in the best care, the baby is warm and they are monitored around the clock. My baby had apneia (stopped breathing) in hospital but had the monitor on so they got him breathing again quickly. All the premies I know are fighting fit today and the rough beginnings become just a distant memory. Babies after 25 weeks have an excellent chance these days. Best of luck and you can pm me if you want any more info or just someone to talk to because it is a hard situation to go through and I wish you the best.

Manda. :)
dh Luke
ds Connor 15/10/04

[sshellzp]

Hi guys unfortunately Allie lost her baby last month. There is a thread on it.

http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?t=19618

Shell.

[sunset]

Hey Allie, my daughter was born at 26 weeks 2 months ago. It can be a scary thing having a baby so premature. It will be quite overwelming (sp?) All the things you are feeling are normal. I wouldnt worry about clothes just yet. My daughter fits into 00000 at the moment, she is 4 lb 12 oz.
Just know that the people that will look after ure baby are the best and they know what they are doing. Every day you will have ups and downs but in the end its worth it to take ure baby home. Take it one day at a time. If you have specific questions feel free to ask me any time.
Shell. :hugs:

Hi, i just like to say congratulations on your baby,,
that i here that the people that are taking care of you baby are the best ,thats knot true sorry to tell you .....you are the one true one that is the best.....
i had a baby boy that was born with his bowel out ,,other than that he was verry helthy and a good wait born.....
but he was in the RCH ,,they put his bowel bach in soon after he was born ,,and said he should start on feds then go home ,,but that didnt happen there was a problem with his feeding,,the ones who supost to know didnt know why!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7 monthes later they found the problem a norrowing in his bowl.......but it was to late then.......
he passed away .....
so what i say is to dont always take there addvice you instinct will no if somthings not right and get mor tests info push them.......
sunset