Were You Told Why?

[peta1410]

Hi, I'm a mum to 2 premmie boys. My first was born 7 weeks early and is now a healthy 2 and a half year old and my second was born 5 weeks early just over 5 weeks ago. No one has been able to tell me why I have had 2 premmies. When I was pregnant with my 2nd I was classed as high risk but I had no extra monitoring. I went into early labour at 31 weeks and it was stopped but I still went early. I wasn't monitored any closer after 31 weeks and no one ever went into what could have caused it again. Someone did mention to me that my placenta had been drying out but my midwife never mentioned this to me after the birth when she examined it. Infact I'm sure I can remember her saying it looked healthy. Has anyone else been through similar experiences where you really have no idea why and no one seems to want to hazard a guess? Is there anyway of knowing? Can you get hold of your own hospital records? I just would really like to know why because if I decide to have a 3rd baby I would really love to be able to make it to 38 weeks, even that would be great. If I know why in advance maybe I can stop it from happening again.

[mum2my4]

Hi Peta,

Hope your enjoying your little man. I sort of know why but the reason I had my two early were completely different reasons. When I was pregnant with my third (28weeker) they said to me that I shouldn't worry about going early it wouldn't happen again and they thought I would go over:confused: Proved them very wrong. Then when I was pregnant with No 4 they said I had no hope of getting past 28wks and I had an elective c-section at 38wks:confused:

So I don't think half the time they know themselves. One Dr said to me once that Obstetrics is one branch of medicine where they will never know the reasons for a lot of the things that happen. Very reassuring isn't it.

You can get a copy of your hospital records, you need to contact the medical records dept of the hospital fill in some forms provide some ID and pay a fee.

:hugs: We all wonder why

[~Emmylou~]

I agree that alot of the time they don't really know.

My DD was born at 36 weeks - my water just broke at 36w2d for no apparent reason and out she came. She was healthy and fine, and a good weight (7lb3oz) - just early. I asked what could have caused it and they just said "it happens sometimes" :confused:
I guess the fact that she was well didn't prompt them to really worry about why she was early.

When I got pregnant with my second one I worried the whole time that he was going to be even earlier. I got to my induction date at 38 weeks with him, no dramas whatsoever. He would've happily stayed in there for at least another week I think as I had no signs of going into labour at that point at all.

[kirstyE]

My little one came out only 2.5/3 weeks prem but was induced because of my blood pressure and my body was going 'toxic'. She didn't want to come out as it took 3 different types of induction for her to enter the world.

[HoopDeeDoo]

DS1 was born at 35 + 4 weeks I just started having cramps and had him 4 hours later. I was told basically that these things happen, some babies want to come early.
DS2 I was really sick with gastro, ended up in hospy at 33 weeks, on a drip for a week, they thought I was going to go into labour then because I was having contractions and had an irritable uterus. Well he ended up staying put and I thought :smiliedance: this baby is going to be born at a normal time. I was home for three days when my waters broke :thumbsdown:
Then i started getting contractions and everyone thought he would be born in a matter of hours. Then they stopped. I was told they wouldn't induce labour, because my waters had broken I was on anti bs and just had to wait until I went into labour naturally. They also told me a lady had already been waiting 7 weeks, and I wasn't allowed to leave the hospital until I had my baby. So here I was, had a toddler at home, not knowing when my baby would arrive, but knowing if he came now he would be 6 weeks early, but if I didn't have him my other baby would be without mummy.

Anyway I ended up going into full on labour the next morning, and after 30 hrs of start stop labour he was here. He was even posterior, and I've never heard of a premmie baby being born naturally in the wrong position so he must really have wanted to get, or my body wanted to get him out.

There was no explanations. I will never know if it was the gastro or the because it's just the way my body works.

We have decided not to have anymore in fear of bubby #3 coming even earlier. But I've also heard a few stories where thier bubbies have been totally different.

Maybe in a few years we will change our minds, but for now thats it for us :hugs:

[onabreak]

My DD was born at 29 weeks and the doctors couldn't tell me why. They said my placenta was healthy and that DD just wanted to come out early.

I am now pregnant with my second and have been stressing that I will have another premmie. I am 29 weeks today :smiliedance: and no sign of DS coming out early yet.

I am going private this time with my own OB so she can keep a close eye on me as I do not want another premmie baby. She said the only reason she can think of that my DD came early was because I had bleeding that my placenta may have started to come away.

:fingerscrossed: I make if full time this time round.

[HoopDeeDoo]

:yelclap: :smiliedance: Good Luck!! I'm sending you vibes so your baby will stay put! :D

[DoubleDelight]

My twins were prem for a very specific reason and the odds of it every happening again are 1 million to 1.

Twin 2 had a reverse flow in his umbilical which lead to IUGR and if unmonitored would have killed him.

[Shajbm]

Hi Doubledelight, how early were your twins? Mine came via elective c-sect at 32 due to TTTS.

[DoubleDelight]

Hi Shajake

My two were diagnosed at 28wks with the goal to get them to 32wks. We fell 2 days short they were born at 31+5

[Shajbm]

Hi Doubledelight. I'm glad that you only had to endure the knowledge for a couple of weeks. We found out about the TTTS at 15 weeks. From then it was weekly scans and monitoring till 32 weeks.

[DoubleDelight]

Shajake it was bad enough having to wait and see for those few weeks it must have been torture.

How are your two doing now?

[Shajbm]

Doubledelight, Ben and Matthew are going strong. Matthew has a temp now and I'm just waiting for him to doze off so that I can finally hit the sack. I'm sure he'll be up again soon though.

Have yours hit all their milestones at the right stages?

[DoubleDelight]

Shajake Sorry to hear that Matthew isn't well. Notice the time of your post, looks like its been a long nite :( I've found with milestones that Taea has been hitting them around chronological age whereas Bailey tends to hit around corrected age. As he was the sick and smaller twin this is to be expected. He is coming on in leaps and bounds atm and is such a funny little thing. Taea is definitely still the boss but he's starting to give her a run for her money.

Taea is started to show signs of being ready for TT so it should be an interesting time for us.

[Shajbm]

Ohh the dreaded TT. Hated when Jake was TTing but now it's the best thing. I think I'm starting to see the same with Ben and Matthew. Matthew now has broncialitis and I'm hoping Ben doesn't get it. My suspicion is he will. See the MCHN again on Monday, can't wait to see how much they've grown.

[lovetohelp]

I think it is one of those things, where you will never know why they come early. My first sone was born at 35 weeks 5lbs 13oz, my second son was 28weeks 2lbs 13 oz, and my third was 30 weeks 3lbs 2 oz. They could not find anything wrong with me. I have since donated my eggs and my recipient has made it to 33 weeks so i think it may just be one of those things.