Preterm Labour

[Elle]

I had a bit of a scare last week and found myself at 30 weeks and in preterm labour thankfully after a week in hospital and many doses of niphedapine (sp?) they were able to stop the contractions. It is still very frustrating now as every slight niggling gets me extremely nervous there is something going on that shouldn't be - this is my second child and with my first I was only in labour for 2 hours so the hospital has said that as soon as you feel something get down to the hospital fast so there is no risk of having a premature baby at home!!! This as you could imagine has not helped with the anxiety that I am feeling.

I have now had both the steroid shots and I had an ultrasound at the hospital last week that showed that bubs is weighing around 4 1/2 pounds. I have now hit the 32 week mark which I have heard is a great milestone if the preterm labour does start up again so I know that should I deliver at this stage he would have an extremely good chance of survival with minimal if any problems.

I just wanted to hear from any other ladies who have dealt with this problem in their pregnancy. I wanted to know that if your labour was stopped like mine when did you end up delivering? My doctor has asked me to prepare myself for an inevitable early delivery, hopefully around the 35 week mark but I also asked if it was a possibility to go right up to 40 weeks and she said this was highly unlikely but possible.

Any stories or advice would be great.

Thanks

[mumof2girls]

Hi Elle
I went through a similar experience with my first daughter, I had chronic morning sickness from week 6 until the day I had her, (I was 6 month pregnant and weighed 6 1/2 stones). When I hit 30 weeks I went into prem labour and they managed to stop it, this continued about 3 times a week for the next 2 months and then they decided that if I went into labour then I could just have her. She must of been playing games as soon as the doc said this everything stopped and she was actually a week late!!

After 14 hours & 5 minutes out popped this beautiful little angel who was perfect in every way. Mind you I was suffering with a third degree tear and had to have over 200 stitches. As much trouble as I had getting her here she was a perfect baby (yes they do exist) and she is now a teenager and is still an angel

I went through exactly the same process with my second daughter and she was born 2 weeks early but was still a healthy little angel as well (although I died on the table with her) to say the least she was my last little miracle

Know this probably doesn't help much all I can say is when the bub decides it's time to come then there isn't much you can do about it but enjoy the experience!

A friend of mine had a baby at 26 weeks (a twin) and he is Australia's smallest baby, he was right on 300g born although he hasn't spent much time at home as he has some lung problems and needs hospital treatment he is thriving and doing well.

Good luck Hope all goes well!

[WeThree]

My membranes ruptured with my third baby at 28wks (probably because i had only just come out of intensive care and all the stress on my body etc, but thats a different story!) anyway i was transferred to RPA where i was told to prepare myself for my baby to come early. i was taken on a tour of the nursery so that i could see what my baby and i would be in for.(i didnt have to have steroids as they had given them to my whilst i was in icu in case they had to deliver my baby then) I was told that if the baby didnt come i would have to stay till 32wks (my local hospital didnt take babies till then) anyway she didnt come! lots of close monitoring revealed that she still had some fluid around her and that there was no sign of infection(this is what they have to look for most of all if your water breaks early) i was given constant antibiotics to try to avoid any infection and at the first sign of one i would have had to have had a ceasear. This was the hardest thing i ever had to do in my life. my husband still had to work(he had used up all his leave when i was in intensive care) so i could only see my children on the weekend(my poor little 15mth old!) anyway to cut an already looong story short i ended up going to 38 wks and probably would have gone full term except that they decided to induce me as i was having trouble with my pelvis and they decided that i had been through enough(i wholeheartedly agreed!) i went on to have a fabulous 4 hr labour and my little girl was absolutely perfect(a little on the small side, but that was to be expected after everything she had been through) she is the most wonderful baby, sleeps right through etc. So it is possible to go full term, have a good labour and have a healthy gorgeous baby even though you have been through all that you have been through, but if you do still go in to early labour, dont worry, now that your baby is past 32 wks there is basically a 100% chance that everything will be perfect with your little one(it sounds like she is already a good size too. which is great) good luck, hope to hear good news soon!

[Mumof2+1]

Hi Elle,
I was just about to post a topic about this when I saw yours.
I am 32 weeks pregnant today with my 3rd.
On Tuesday I was admitted to hospital because I was having contrctions every 15mins, luckily after a night of rest they went away.
I had a 2.5hour labour with my first who was induced on my due date because of toximia. I went into labour at 27weeks with my second and was given the same medications as you. I stayed in hospital for 2weeks. The medication was able to stop me dialating but could not stop the contractions. I then had contrctions every 10mins for the next 15weeks. Finnaly at 2weeks overdue I was given some prostoglandin gel to get me dialating again. The doctors said although I was having contractions I wouldn't dialate on my own due to the amount of medication I had been given earlier to stop the labour. I went on to have a 3hour labour.
Have not had any real contractions since Tuesday but lots of Braxton ones.
Bubs is very low and I have terrible pain in my grion. My Doctors think I will prob have bub in the next couple of weeks.
Until I read your post I was very worried how bub would cope if I were to have it now. You have put my mind at ease a little.
Keep us updated with how you are going please.
I wish you all the best & hope you and bub stay well.

Trish
Taylah 8yrs
Jacob 6yrs
32 weeks pregnant

[kimnjim]

Hi Elle,

Just to let you know, my sister had twins at 30 weeks. She was in labour for 2 days before she went to the hospital. She was goven steriods and also stuff to try and stop the labour - it didn't work!...

She had them at the royal womens in brissy. they weighed just under 3 pound each. They spent 2 months in hospital - originally in the intensive care nursery then just in the special care nursery.


they are now almost 20 months old and the most beautiful things in the world! they have a few very small comlplication like severe reflux but nothin compared to what they could have had!

The reason they came early was because the boy had a ruptured placenta... he knew it was time to come or something worse could happen.... the girl also had tubes etc around her neck...

I think they know when they have to come... and you need to relax (easier said then done i know)... but often it is better for them to be out then in!... at least we are able to monitor them a lot easier when they are out!

in the city there is a lot of support out there... just don't try and do it on your own... it is very difficult and you will need al the support you can get if you do end up going early!

All will be fine! i wish you the best of luck and hope everything goes ok.

[pippa]

Hi Elle,

Im a neonatal trained nurse, for those of you who don't know what that is- I work in the neonatal (newborn babies) intensive care unit at Princess Margaret hospital in Perth WA. Im sorry to here that you went into preterm labour, but you have done all the right things having steroids etc. I know it must be hard though and you will worry at anything. I don't have kids (but we are trying) but I see preterm babies, some much younger that 32 weeks and most of them do really well. With technology the way it is these days we perform miracles.

All the advice I can give is rest up and try not to worry, if your baby was born now it would be fine, but hopefullly you can keep it in for a bit longer. Good luck and keep us posted on how you go, I willl send good thoughts.

[Elle]

Thank you all very much for your replies.

Well I am now 33 weeks and so far bubs has stayed put but like you Trish I have had regular braxton hicks contractions. I never experienced these with my first pregnancy and I did not started having them until after I went into labour.

Also I am too quite low and when having an internal ultrasound at the hospital you could actually see bub's head pushing up against the cervix.

As each day passes I feel more prepared for bubs to make his appearance, if he can just hold off until 35 weeks that would be great!

Will keep you all posted on the progress and also good luck to you Trish, I hope your bubs stays put aswell.

[Mumof2+1]

Hi elle,
Don't take this the wrong way, but it's good to know I'm not the only one going through this.
We must be due around the same time. I'm almost 33weeks now. Going back to the doc 2morrow. Have been told my cervix has started to soften but fortunatly is still closed, other wise going Ok. Will know more soon. Hubby is getting tired of hearing all my complaints, poor man has to go through so much. LOL
Keep me posted with how you're doing.
All the best
Trish

[Elle]

I understand exactly what you mean Trish, it is good hearing someone else is experiencing the same things as you.

Well it sounds like your body is getting prepared but as I have been told, now that you've had the steriod shots and reached that all important 32 week mark things should go well so it may not be that long until you have your beautiful bub in your arms. I have a check up next Monday so I will find out how all is going then.

And about those complaints, I know what you mean I am getting sick of hearing myself complaining let alone my poor partner! When I think about it going a month earlier does actually sound quite appealing.

This is my last week at work, I have mixed feelings about it. I wasn't supposed to finish up until the first week in May but after the preterm labour my doctor asked me to finish. Although I will enjoy not having to commute each day (its about an hour and a half train ride each way) I don't like the idea of sitting at home driving myself insane waiting, work has been a good distraction over the past couple of weeks.

Anyway keep us all updated and take care.

[Mumof2+1]

Hi Elle,
Glad you understood me.
My doc was sick so I see her 2morrow.
Have been feeling realy sick in the tummy 2day and the pain in my pelvis is spreading down my inner thighs.

A Quick question if you don't mind.
For the past week I have hardly been eating, nothing to do with feeling sick, just don't feel hungry. I have to forse myself to eat for bubs.
Have you any idea what might cause this?

Take care.
Trish