Premature Twins - not sure what to expect!

Hi All,

I am currently 32 weeks pg with identical twin girls. I had hoped to reach 35 - but I am now being told that due to reduced placental function and blood flow, my babies are likely to either be delivered next Tuesday September 4 or the following September 11 - which will either be 33 or 34 weeks.

Currently they are weighting 1.66kg and 1.48kg. I am terribly upset they are not very big and I am so worried about what this will mean longterm and what we should expect at birth?

We have elected not to breastfeed these babies but want them to have the very best start at life. I am hoping if we get to 34 weeks - we may have weights of 1.75kg. Can anyone tell me what to expect of babies born this small? How long will it be before we can hold them, how long may they be in NICU or SCN?

I am not even sure what clothes I should be providing - can they wear clothes when they are that small or just a nappy?

Any advice would be very much welcomed.

X

I can only tell you what I saw at our local NICU/SCN. There were twins born at 30 weeks, currently 34 weeks, wearing clothes from home, having cuddles from mum, and sleeping in a humidicrib. Just as I was discharged, they went to open air cots at 34 weeks. So it is going to depend on your babies, but at 1.5+ kilograms they are going to do pretty good, even from birth (usually). I know it is scary, but medicine these days is phenomenal. Thinking of you xoxo.

hey there
congrats on your impending birth of ID twins
my twins were born at 30 weeks but my besties twins were born at 34 weeks so I have seen them grow

at 34 weeks their suck/swallow reflex kicks in so that is a great milestone to make!! That may mean that they wont have to be gavage feed for long (tube through the nose)
I know that you have decided not to breastfeed them, but if you can express some coloustrum (liquid gold) for them whilst they are in hossy, it really will be a big benefit for them.
as 36 weeks is considered full term with twins, 34 weeks although not ideal, is a pretty good gestation to reach
at 33/34 weeks the chances of long term issues is around 5 % so great odds
yes they will be small, but they grow!!! trust me
my 30 weekers twin who came home from hossy at 1.8kg and 25cm long is now as 70Kg and he is 9 years old and 160cm tall.
Most hossys like to keep them in until they hit the magic 2kg mark so you may find that they will be in hossy for around 4 weeks to put on weight and get their feeds going. They will feed 3 hourly for quite a few months after they come home to try and catch up their weight so be prepared for that as well. Also when you come home, their weight will be watched more closely so more MCHN appointments/ pead appointments just to make sure they are doing OK. This is more to do with them being ID twins than the prem factor as well.

They shoud be able to breathe without artificial ventilation such as CPAP(like a ventilator) but they will be in isolettes for a bit (humidcribs) to regulate their body temps for a couple of weeks. Ask if they have a twin bucket for them when they get to an open cot!! its a big double plastic container to be in instead of 2 single ones. Twins do so much better when they are in contact with each other!! You will find that they will start to give you some steroid injection soon to help mature their lungs in preparation for their birth. Ask about this if they havent told you yet.
also their valve in their throat may be underveloped so they may still possit heaps- get heaps of cloth nappies for spews and keep them close by!!
As for clothes- you will need a couple of 00000 but only get a couple as they wont last long (like 2 weeks) and probably 0000 for home. They wont be in clothes until they are possibly out of the humidicribs anyway. Clothes without feet last longer as they tend to grow out of the length of clothes first before they weight!
umm thats all i can think of at the moment, but dont be afraid to ask
get in touch with your local Multiple birth association- they will be your godsend!!!
WA have some pretty active groups so look on the ABA website and give them a call now to get their info and on their mailing list etc. My group were my sanity saver!!
hang in there hun- for every day in you is 2 days less in NICU/SCN so longer is better- keep baking!!!!
xxxx

Can you ask for a quick tour of your hopital's SCN so you can get a feel of what it is like? The staff should be able to show you an isolette ( humidicrib) and explain a bit about what will happen, show some of the equipment etc, so it is not all new when they are born. Most hospitals wuld be happy to do this. Can't believe you are having them soon, enjoy your last weeks of pregnancy hun xx

Thanks for your responses and advice guys! Det your insight is really appreciated and Saffy - I know I cant believe it happening so soon either - but then I cant believe your already almost 22 weeks - so time flies!

I am still desperately hoping to get to 34 weeks - my OB saysthere is zero chance of going beyond 34 so I guess that's my best case senario. I did ask if I could have a look through NICU and they don't let you in unless you have a baby in there to limit the spread of germs or infection according to my Dr so I guess we will have to wait to have a look.

Next scan is tomorrow so I guess we will know more then.. Fingers crossed we can hang in there for another few weeks x

I hope tomorrow goes well!

TTL- best of luck with your twins.

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know that Lily Grace and Ruby Rose were born on September 11 at 9.04am and 9.05am.

Lily was born at 1.8kg and Ruby at 1.6kg. They are still in the SCN but are now out of humidicribs and in a double cot - and had their tubes removed yesterday - so are now sucking each feed:) looks like they could be coming home this week and so we have a lot of work to do to get ready.

I just wanted to give you an update and thank you for your continued support. SCN is an eyeliner and I hope most mummies and daddy's never have to experience it:)

X

I'm sorry you went through that. Its such a stressful time but its great news to hear they are out of the humicribs and sucking.
That's. really fantastic :)
beautiful names. congratulations

Glad they're doing so well and coming home :)

Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful girls Lily & Ruby!

It's a heck of a journey isn't it :)

Enjoy their homecoming :hug: & lots of baby snuggles

Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby girls!! They say nicu is a rollercoaster & I think every parent who has had ababy in there would agree. Hope your little girls get to come home with you this week how exciting!! They sound like they are doing really well, I hope your going well too xx

Thanks so much guys - your support and kind words mean so much.

I was too scared to visit here for about 10 days - I didn't know which group I belonged in, how to share how I felt when my BB group was still so excited about their babies being 5 weeks away and I didn't want to rain on their parade:)

My amazing DH pulled me out of the biggest hole. When I didn't want to see my babies - he understood and didn't force me, he let me cry, he let me scream and most of all he just kept loving me - which after 3 days - helped me remember how to love my girls.

NICU terrified me. I now go there every day and look forward to it. Our Dr's are amazing, the other parents are amazing, you friends here are amazing.

Just thank you. X

Big hugs - so glad they are coming home ;)

Many hugs hun xoxo

Wow, they sound like they are doing so well!! Congratulations, I hope you are home with your babies very soon..