my midwife came to see me at home yesterday as my oh insisted i tell her about losing my mucus plug saturday morning and waking up in agony early hours of sunday having very strong contraction every 2/3 minutes for about 30 mins. she came over and said i was in slow labour and it is just a matter of time before Ruby arrives, she also said i had started to dilate but only slightly and i if when i see her thursday i have dilated more i will have to go into hospital, i have also leaked some amniotic fluid.

i will be 31weeks +3 days on thursday, has anyone had their baby close to this?xxx

Kenny was 33+1 so a little bigger than Ruby. She has done well hanging on and every day is a bonus and makes a difference. No amount of information or support will stop you worrying, its natural but try to keep calm. I hope things settle again and if you have any other questions I will be happy to try to help.

Good luck
xxxx

Thank you Denise, it's odd i don't actually feel worried like i thought i would - sounds awful i know but i just want her out now.
This pregnancy has been so hard i am really struggling to cope now, and just want my body back- i don know how selfish that sounds which makes me feel very guilty.
How much did Kenny weigh when he was born?Xxxx

Hi Zoey, my lo was born at 32+2 by emergency c-section due to pre eclampsia. She was a little bit underweight at 3lb 5oz. Because they thought it was likely she would be early(they were trying to get me to 34-36 weeks!!!) I had the steroid injections to help mature her lungs and these must have worked as she did not require breathing assistance.
She was in special care high dependency for 3 1/2 weeks and then I spent 3 nights with her on transitional care trying to establish breast feeding.
The staff we had on scbu were smashing. She spent her first 9 days in an incubator then moved into a cot. Whilst she was in the incubator she was only held for short periods but these were very special. You soon get used to the wires and alarms going off in the unit.
I was lucky that she was healthy and just needed to grow and mature enough to suck and swallow etc. Despite this everyday I had a pounding headache by the time I came home which I think was due to tension and expecting her to have some sort of a setback.
Looking back now it seems like a strange type of limbo that I was in and she didn't really feel like mine until she was home.
I think it also puts into perspective birth plans and wishes etc- if your child is at risk all that just goes out of the window and is irrelevant!
Please try not to wish her out too much as every extra day that she spends inside you decreases her risks so it is worth it to try and persevere.
Wishing you lots of luck and that you manage to keep her in for a bit longer.
Helen.xx

Thanks Helen, i was told two weeks ago that she already weighed more than 3.5lb so i am guessing she is pretty close to 4lb which is what my oh weighed at birth 22 years ago. i am hoping she will stay put another 2/3 weeks.
I had steroids at 27weeks so i am assuming her lungs would be okay? though i have been told may need another one, also i have to have another anti d jab before labour.xxx

I think the steroids last for a certain length of time(I'm thinking a month but I'm not sure) and they should give you some more if they think birth is imminent after this time.
I hope I didnt sound too lectury in other post its just that every day counts towards a positive outcome for your lo.
Good luck!xxx

o yeah i totally know what you mean and i do feel so guilty for being selfish, i just have had a bad pregnancy, lost 2 babies(was having triplets), had severe sickness 24/7 then had bp probs kept fainting, have had pains caused by a d&c years ago, constant headaches,nosebleeds, threatened labour at 27 weeks,lost plug&amniotic fluid,severe heartburn, now all the pains are really depressing me some days i just dont want to wake up anymore, i know it sounds weak and feeble and Ruby will be worth it i am just struggling each day at the moment. i want her to stay in as long as possible but i just dont think my body is coping with carrying her, feel a failure.xxx

Keep positive Zoey it will be worth it when you see Ruby although it is easier for others to say it if they haven't been through what you have been through. Kara was born at 34+4 so a few weeks more than you at the minute. She weighed 3lb 12oz when born so she was pretty small even for 34 weeks. She was perfectly healthy and just needed to grow and feed. She was in hospital for 2 weeks and came on amazing. She got home when she was 4lb 2oz. She is now 8 months past and haven't got her weighed in over a month but I think she is over 15lb now so catching up rightly.

Fingers crossed Ruby holds out a bit longer but if she doesn't you and her will be fine.

Louise

Oh Zoey it does sound like you've had a terrible time. Try not to feel guilty it will be worth it when you have Ruby, though I have to confess that I didnt feel that overwhelming love at first sight for Grace -it took a while. I think,even though she was healthy I was afraid of losing her and wouldnt let myself love her until I knew she was safe.
I felt guilty that I hadnt been able to keep her inside for as long as she should be but theres nothing I could have done about it and there isnt for you either, its just one of those things thats uncontrollable.
I'm on ttc forum but will keep checking to see how you are doing.
Good luck, Helen.xx

So sorry to hear that your pregnancy has'nt been a good experience for you. It sounds like you have been on a rollercoaster and your emotions must be all over the place at the moment.
I can really sympathise with you as I had a rough pregnancy too, (spent most of it with head in toilet). My little girl wanted to make an appearance at 22+5 weeks, but stayed put until 28 weeks.
She is doing very well and is starting to catch up with her peers. It was all definately worth it and i love her to bits.
having the steroids really helped her lungs as she was only ventilated for 24 hours and on Cpap for about 3 days.
My son was born at 32+3 weeks and he is now a healthy 4 year old with no problems.
So good luck and i hope ruby stays put for a bit longer, but if she does make an early appearance, she will be fine.
Maria x

Thanks ladies, it os so reassuring to hear how well your babies are doing. I was in hospital all day yesterday and Ruby's heartbeat was a concern it was very slow- but seemed to improve. they monitored my contractions, they are stronger but still irregular and i havent dilated and further, have lost sopme fluid which they want to monitor but not enought to be concerned about, so its just the waiting game now.xxx

Zoey glad to hear you are ok. You are not having a nice time at all. It will be be over for you soon hopefully and you will be back to normal. It will be worth it when you hold Ruby. Fingers crossed for you.

thanks hon, just cant wait for it all to be over now.xxx

hi zoe its tori here i had my lo jack 6wks early you may remember. he ended up staying in hospital for nearly 3 wks due to him being so early. he was fed Thur a tube for 13days and was in the neonatal unit i could not stay with him in the unit was lucky i got a place to stay in the children's bit only thing is its very rare that happens. not trying to scare you but its nice to have a bt of a heads up. hope everything goes well but one thing i found in the unit maybe coz im a young single mum the nurse do take ova alot so remember she is yours not theirs sound strange but your understand what i mean
tori&jack XX

Yeah i know what you mean Tori, i didnt know you had had Jack 6weeks early,hope you are both doing okay chick?
My mum is going to take over so much i am already dreading it ,lol.xxx

Amelia wa 5 weeks early and was fine. needed help to begin with and incubator to regulate her temp. 48 hours of phototherapy. Born at 42 mins past midnight on the Tues morning and we came home on the Sunday. She now 3 months today and weighs 11lbs!!!!!!!!!!!
d x