Worried about having another prem

[principessa76]

Janie - Yes, I'm a dentist ..... hence my control freak tendencies. You didn't go OT at all. I really appreciate your posts - thanx. Yeah I have gone back to work. I started back in Jan with just 2x 3hr sessions a week. I'm really lucky my Mum has DS one morning and DH has him the other. I wasn't keen to go to work but I own my own practice and I've got long term patients lining up to see me.... nice to be popular

Liz - I'll be going to see my FS/OB at the beginning of Oct so I can start back on Clomid (and acutally O ). I'm going to have a looooong talk with her about my concerns. I'll ask her about accupuncture and see what she says - I'm sure she will have had patients that have tried it. If something like that can help me then I'd definitely give it a go.

[Early Kids]

I hear you on the in-laws thing. I have a thread on hear in the punching bag room called 'I'm too lazy' DP's Uncle told me I was too lazy to push out a baby thats 'normal' size (funny though Tristan was 6lb 13oz, bigger than I was and I was term) and thats why I have them early. Father-In-Law has also made comments aong the line of, I wouldn't know what 'true' labour was like because Brendan was so small.
Some people just have no compassion at all.

[Liz]

Geez what stupid things to say! Tallon was only 6lb at 37 weeks, so his sister beat him in the size dept by a mile! And FWIW.. no birth was easier than the other.. they both had HC of 34cm hehe. Just she came out with more chub on her!

[Janie]

That sounds like a nice workload hun, but it must be busy, especially if your oldies are queuing up to see you! You must be booked a long way ahead (unless you're super-speedy LOL)! So you have other dentists working for you? That's nice to know you have people who can pick up your slack when you have another bub etc.

[principessa76]

~Sally~ sorry to hear you've got insensitive in-laws too. What is wrong with people? I should be used to mine by now (DH and I have been together for about 14 yrs) but I never seem to get used to their behaviour and I never seem to be able to not let it affect me. As soon as I get pg again they'll start...

Wow ~Sally~ and Liz you had some decent sized bubs! My DS was only 5lb6oz (HC about 33cm). Must be comforting to see a "normal" sized newborn even though they came early.

Janie - Those 2 short shifts are well and truly enough for me. It seems like there's always so much to do once I get home from work that it makes for really busy days. Sometimes I'll come home on the days my Mum has DS and she's done washing and folding....no such luck on DH's babysitting day It seems he's incapable of even putting his dirty dishes in the dishwasher! I'm booked up at work a good 6 weeks ahead at least. I've had some trouble finding a good dentist to work for me but now I've finally found someone and she works full-time so I can pretty much do as I please and know that the practice is still open and my patients are being looked after..... a nice arrangement

[Early Kids]

It was very strange seeing a 'normal' size bub in an isolette thats for sure! And very starange to see one in the ICU... Brendan was 1545grams (3lb 6oz) and Tristan was 3090 grams (6lb 13oz) so it was a bit of shock for me when Tristan had to go to the NICU... becuase he looked so 'normal'. Even though he was early I didnt expect him to have breathing issues, I'd had the steroids at 26 weeks. I often wonder just how big he would have been had I made it the extra 6 weeks

Sorry taking over a bit there
All the best principessa76

[*Beema*]

principessa76 - I too am worried about next time, we have decided to wait a while longer before we start to try again, we are thinking more of a 2.5-3 year gap between bubs.

I really hope you can get past 35 weeks, it may be hard to keep positive about getting further and I know that I will struggle, but hopefully I will have the support network around me at the time to keep me positive. I am also packing my bags early, hoping that I won't need them

It sounds like he just wanted to get out! I had a scan 1 1/2 weeks before DD was born and aside from her being head down we had no indicators then. I also had no signs of impending labour, my belly was very low but that isn't a guarenteed sign. I am very tentative thinking about next time, We are aiming for a 9month pregnancy but we are prepared that we many not get there. We know that we have been there before and I have got a lot a friends with bubs from 24 weekers-FT all with very different experiences and a number of which are going for number two a quite a few have made it to FT, so I am hoping to join the FT list!

DD was born at 33 weeks and weighed in at 2350grams, so a good size for the gestation and she had a pretty good run in SCBU, we brought her home at 35 weeks 1 day.

We had weight gain problems for quite a few months, slow gainier then started losing weight at 10 weeks old, and we are going through some mobility issues now but they aren't to do with her prematurity.

Speaking with my OB she said I have a 50% chance of having a prem and 33% it will be between 31-35 weeks (hoping for the later or FT ). I had PPROM, CTX started 45 min later, got to hospital 45 min after that and DD was born 45 min later, when I got to hospital I was 7-8cm and CTX 3 min appart, there was no stopping her!

Reasons we think MAY have caused of mine are PPROM (obvious one ), Septate Uterus and Amniotic Band, the last two have possible side effect of Pre Term labour. But my OB has also said that she cannot be certain of any of them.

We will be monitored weekly from 26 weeks, to hopefully see any signs.

Sally ~ I think that the effect that the steroids have finishes after 2 weeks, so you would have needed additional dosages close to Tristans birth for them to have an effect.

Wishing you a long and healthy pregnancy when the time comes.
Take Care
xxoo

[principessa76]

~Sally~ - Thanks for your well wishes. Thanks also for sharing your story - much appreciated.

*Beema* - Thanks for sharing. Fast labour for you too! Scary for next time. I'll be staying close to home that's for sure. The odds for next time your OB gave you are interesting. I wonder what they were based on? My OB told me that every woman has a 5-10% chance of having a prem and that my chance next time was double that - so at the most a 20% chance. From what I've been reading though I think your odds sound more correct. Interesting that you have a couple of factors that may have contributed. Hopefully next time you won't have the amniotic band - can't do much about that uterus though Me, no possible contributing factors at all. My aim is for about 18months between pg so I'll be hoping to be UTD before the end of the year. We're not going to start trying until mid to late October. Your DD looks like she's a great weight now. You've done really well. My DS is only a lean little fella - 9.5kg. He's above average in height though and is EXTREMELY active and has been for the last 6months. He eats like a pig so there's not much more I can do - I already add butter to all his food! Its funny I've got friends who have never really bothered weighing their bub but I think the whole low birth weight thing has made me very conscious (I'm avoiding the word paranoid ) about his weight. All the best - I've got my fingers (and legs) crossed for us both next time

[nickers]

i dont think there is any way possible to not worry about having another prem after you have had one.
I had my first son at 33weeks due to PPROM. so i guess different reasons create different outcomes on future babies. Ruptured membranes for instance occurs to about 5% of woman pre term.
Once you have had it happen once your chances increase by about 4 times (so say 16-20% chance of it happening again)
I fell pregnant again when DS was only 9months old. I gave birth to my second DS at 38+3 weeks after ruptured membranes at 38+1!
i did worry and stress through a good portion of my pregnancy but with good doctors etc i think helps and good support

[Amity]

My first was a 34weeker and my second was 9 days late.... better managed and medicated pregnancy.

I did worry my head off though...

[*Beema*]

My first was a 34weeker and my second was 9 days late.... better managed and medicated pregnancy.

I did worry my head off though...

Divy can I ask what was the reason for your prem?