Need Input from the Pros

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

First, let me just say that over the last few weeks I've developed a profound appreciation for what nurses do on a daily basis. Whatever your are paid is not enough and all of you are deserving of praise for the sorts of situations you face every day. It didn't take long to realize that neither my wife nor I have the sort of mettle needed to be a member of this profession.

I hope nobody minds this outsider posting to your forum. Here's our situation.

My wife is pregnant with our first. During a routine exam at 24 weeks 0 days, her doctor (who we both really like) discovered she was 1 cm dialated. She was immediately admited to the hospital. Here's what has gone down so far:

Day 1: given steroid shot should baby arrive early, strict bedrest starts.

Day 2: another shot. Ultrasound revealed cervix at 1.7cm with some funneling

Day 4: Ultrasound shows 2.76 cm with minimal funneling

Day 7: ultrasound shows 3.1 cm with almost no funneling. Doctor allows my wife to get up for bathroom breaks and to take 3 minute showers.

Day 14: ultrasound shows 2.74 cm with minor funneling, wife put back on strict bedrest (only allowed up to for BMs)

We are now at 26weeks and 2 days. During this time, there has been no change in dialation, still 1 cm. She has had no contractions other than the occasional Braxton Hicks and those are few and far between. She's pregnant with a girl, which I understand can be a plus.

After the last ultrasound, our doctor decided against sending her home until at least week 28. Her opinion at that time (now 3 days ago) was this:

"...28 weeks is extremely likely at this point and I think 32 weeks is very do-able."

I've done a lot of research and my concerns are what sort of long term problems we can expect depending on how far along we get. My feeling right now is that I don't want to subject a tiny baby to the tortures of heroic, life saving efforts.

I guess my question for those in the know is this:

- given the info I provided, what's your gut feel for a likely outcome, both number of weeks we can hope to get and the sorts of short and long term problems for our little girl?

Thanks so much for your time,

Stressed Daddy to B

Specializes in ER.

Wonderful!

My sister had a 28weeker a couple of months ago, the worry and concern was at times overwhelming, and nothing we could do that would help. When she did have the baby she was ready to take the blame for every problem and spent days crying when the docs told her about possible severe mental retardation. The baby turned out to be fine (above average in my opinion ;) ) If anything at all goes wrong make sure your wife knows that she needs to take more credit than blame, for surely if she hadn't cared for herself things would not have turned out so well.

After 34 weeks...well some babies are mature enough to go home on schedule with mom, but need extra TLC and attentiveness from mom and dad for a few months. We consider 36 weeks to be term and low risk at my hospital, so you only have a short way to go.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Things look better everyday. Thank you for being so kind to keep us updated. Soon, very soon, you will be holding that precious little person who gave you so much to worry about!

Dear Dad,

Thank you for sharing your progress with us. The nurses on this thread have given you excellent support and advice as have your doctors and caregivers. I'm a 20 year NICU vet and there's not much left for me to add. Care has improved so much for preterm babies now that you can be comforted in the thought that everything can and will be done to give your little girl the best outcome possible. I pray that you and your wife will be blessed with a healthy daughter.

I hope I'm not boring anyone by now with weekly updates.

We're now at 32w1d and the little one is on a nightly routine of kicking mommy as hard as possible between 9pm and 11pm before tuckering herself out for the night. Not sure if there's fetal response at this point or not to voices on the outside, but she seems to kick less when I'm talking to my wife's stomach. Actually, she did manage to kick me in the face a few nights ago so she may find it annoying for all I know....

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Another week down!!!

As I said before, one advantage (OK, the ONLY advantage) of having a high risk pregnancy like this is that it affords you and Mom the opportunity to get to know your little one so well before birth. I'm sure you've chosen a name by now and use it when you talk to her. You are also forwarned that 9-11pm is likely to be an active time for her!

Both my girls "elbowed" me mercilessly from inside the womb. I could literally watch their pointy little elbows transverse my tummy as they turned. To this day, when we snuggle, I still get "elbowed", and always remind them that they were doing that to me long before they were even born!

Congrats on another week!

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

WOW the strides you have made. Keep up the great work, you are nearly "home free" now.

I hope I'm not boring anyone by now with weekly updates.

We're now at 32w1d and the little one is on a nightly routine of kicking mommy as hard as possible between 9pm and 11pm before tuckering herself out for the night. Not sure if there's fetal response at this point or not to voices on the outside, but she seems to kick less when I'm talking to my wife's stomach. Actually, she did manage to kick me in the face a few nights ago so she may find it annoying for all I know....

Not at all - I'd be disappointed if we didn't get the updates and final result:) !

Your baby absolutely can hear you and respond! Remember the thickness of mom's belly-skin, fat, muscle, uterine wall-- is not much at all (...of course, depending on her size.) And while baby is floating in amniotic fluid, there is still good sound conduction. Imagine you are in one room with the door closed and the tv is on several feet away in another. While you may not get it all, you probably can understand most of what is said. Now, you are only inches from your baby! Though she won't know what you're saying, she is picking up on you and your wife's speech, the tone of your voices. As the weeks go by they will eventually become familiar to her. Babies are just amazing!

This is wonderful news! I began reading your posts from January and just wanted to say that I am a mom of a 27-weeker (a girl) with no problems to report at 3-1/2 years old! :-)

(My water had broken at 24 weeks and I had lost so much fluid that the OBs thought I would have delivered within 48 hours. We held out on bedrest for 3 more weeks. I delivered because my placenta began to abrupt.)

Here's hoping to a safe labor, delivery, & healthy baby girl!

Jennifer :)

I hope I'm not boring anyone by now with weekly updates.

We're now at 32w1d and the little one is on a nightly routine of kicking mommy as hard as possible between 9pm and 11pm before tuckering herself out for the night. Not sure if there's fetal response at this point or not to voices on the outside, but she seems to kick less when I'm talking to my wife's stomach. Actually, she did manage to kick me in the face a few nights ago so she may find it annoying for all I know....

That is stressful!

The steroids are going to help out lung wise, but you know every day in utero is very beneficial.If the baby comes in the next week or so, it's going to be a long road, although a very doable one.

If your wife goes home on bedrest, make sure her enviroment is to her advantage. Phone, TV, snacks, water all in reach. Rub her back, buy her books and magazines. get her a laptop.

Here is a site for bedrest support:

http://www.sidelines.org.

Lots of info for both of you!

Good luck!

Another week checked off the calendar. Today makes it 33w0d...or 9 weeks of total bedrest.

She has an ultrasound appointment with the high risk specialist on Friday and a routine appointment with her doc today. I suspect that the results of Friday's ultrasound, while important and not to be dismissed, will not be as crucial should it look like her cervix is showing signs of shortening or funneling like it did back at 24 weeks.

At her last appointment, the doctor told us should we get to 34 weeks, we could have the delivery at the hospital where she spent a month on bedrest, and which is closest to our home. Her opinion was that at 34 weeks, the non-NICU hospital would be properly equipped and if by chance we did need to transfer we'd address it after delivery. In addition, while my wife was still staying at said hospital the nurse that heads up the L&D wing told us that they'd have no problems delivering a 34 weeker.

Until then,

Still Stressed, But Not Nearly as Much

Yeah!!!

Every day is a good day!

Have you been setting up the baby's room for mom? Has she got you painting or wallpapering? If you've been waiting, now would probably be a good time to take care of that.

+ Add a Comment