i am now 23+6 and on bed rest at home trying to get to 28 weeks, when i will be admited to FREEMANS hospital in newcastle where my baby boy will be born because of my heart problems, Mitral valve stenosis, my valve has deteriorated in the past couple of weeks and to get to 28 weeks would be great. has anybody else had babies between 28 and 32 weeks .or a similar exprience ?? please write back with any info :):)

Thanks

hi hun my son was born may 08 at 32weeks gest. Ive just had my 2nd on monday 2nd nov and she was only 3weeks early. Well i dont relaly know what info to give you excect wat happened to my son............

he was born of aburption of the placenta, completely naturally, and spend 7 and half weeks in scbu in an incubator. He was 3lb 9oz born, and lost 6oz over the first week (petrifing, i cryed all the damn week!) Its really hard to go throught hat expierence and i wont lie and say its easy and everything will be fine, because it does effect you emotionally. Ispend everyday in the scbu with him for the weeks he was there, from 8am - 10pm i would sit and just watch him as i couldnt really hold him because of his smallness! It was heart breaking but the staff in scbu are usually great, and make sure your honest with how you feel should your baby be early. Ciaran could only dri nk about 10-20mls per feed, and was feed by tube for about 3weeks which of course is heart breaking because you know as long as they are in that incubator or on tube feed they wont be coming home soon. I felt like i was sitting there for years and then slowly but surely he got stronger, feed better, and trust me the day i walked out of that scbu carrying the carseat i felt like a milion dollars! Now to think of it it still really hurts that i missed tht special tim e with him, I felt neglected if that makes sense, and very jealous of other mums i'd see in street. Ciaran had nothign wrong he was just small and couldnt keep his temp. But now to look at him, he's my special boy no matter how many i could have in future. And hes massive!! People dont believe me when i say he was 8wk prem! He is so strong now phsyically, and isnt behind at all in development. Sorry to mumble on...........if you have any specific things you want to know please ask im always around........good luck hun, im sure everything will work out in the end, it may be rough for a few weeks, but in the end you'll have such a strong bond. i dont think id be as close to my son had he have been born normally! that sounds awful but its true! It will make both of you very strong!.xx

Thank you so much for your reply and great news about your two lovely children. I am sitting in bed trying to tell myself that Im doing the best I can for my little boy but its so boring and worrying.At first I had the choice of my local hospital or the R.V.I in Newcastle then the choice was taken away and it had to be the R.V.I. now its been changed again and I have to go to Freemans because of my heart { I will most likely need surgery straight after delivery} I have to prepare myself both for a premature baby by C section and open heart surgery. Sorry to rant on but I do feel a little better now after hearing your story and I will be glued to my sons incubator as soon as I can. Thanks again xxxx

oooh ((hugs))
It must be a worrying time for you.
I will keep my fingers crossed that you get to 28 weeks.
I have had 4 prem babies. My daughter Elise was born at 28+3 weeks and only spent 24 hours on a ventilator. she did very well and came home after 7 weeks. She is a lively 22 month old now.
My daughter isobelle was born on the 7th oct and she was also a 28 weeker. She didnt have to be ventilated at all and was doing really well. she had to have a blood transfusion due to aneamia and has had two infections, but is now in a hot cot on HDU.
the important thing is that you are given steroids for the babys lungs as this will make a big difference with his/her breathing after birth.
both my two daughters and my youngest son were born by c section and so I can understand how anxious you might be feeling. I found the doctors and nurses reassuring this time and they explained everything that was happening.
The road through NICU can be a bit like being on a roller coaster but the parents on here are lovely and very supportive.
Good luck hun and keep in touch as we will love to hear how things are going.

Maria x

sorry forgot to say check out the BLISS website as there is a lot of information and support there too

will keep in touch, thankyou so much and hope that isobelle comes through fine :).. thanks again for all your info, xx

Hi there

I had my lo prem (34 weeks) at the RVI 23 months ago!!! it was spontaneous rupture of membrames and birth - I was in the middle of a Christmas play rehersal! So it was a total shock to the system! My lo was in SCBU for a week and we were both in hospital for 10 days. He was born at 5lb6oz and lost 2lbs in 2 days!!! It is hard and will be emotional but they will do the best for you and your lo - even if youa re not fit and well to get to SCBU yourself INSIST they wheel you there and ask the SCBU nurses all your questions - they are there for you as well as lo and it is better to ask things than stew over them.

I really wish you and your lo the very best and I am sure they will take great care of you at the general! It must be boring sitting at home but you are doing the best for your lo so stick to it!

Do keep in touch!!

Sorry just realised the Freeman's doesn't have maternity or SCBU so will your baby be immediately transferred to the RVI? How soon will you be able to transfer too?

my twins were born at 31wks and they were both over 4lb and they spent 5wks in scbu,they were in a incubator for 3wks and tube feed for i think 2wks then went on to bottle,i expressed while there were in hospital,then they were moved to a cot for 2wks while they were happy with them,i agree with babamomma22,i also felt cheated out of those 5wks and every time another baby went home before mine it was heartbreaking and i just wanted to shout "why not me" the time in hospital did go very quick for me as i had nearly a 2 year old son,so i was always very busy back and forth and looking after him,the staff in scbu were fab! there coming up to 11 months now and you would not belive the size of them and there both very happy and contented babies,good luck

sarah