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Join our Postnatal Clubs forum to find parenting advice for newborns.

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Preemies anyone?

25 replies

mum2monkeys · 27/08/2006 19:14

Hi everyone, I'm new here and I was just wondering if anyone else had a preemie? Had my ds at 30wks+5, his due date is on tuesday! He's doing fab now but would be nice to share, here some other peoples experiences

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TitianRed · 27/08/2006 19:29

Our DD born at 29 weeks. Was in hospital for 6 weeks. Now almost 19 months and fantastic. Not walking unaided yet though but she's bigger than her cousin born full term 2 weeks after her. More susceptible to chest infections and colds but she's a real fighter and an absolute gem. How is your little one doing?

mum2monkeys · 27/08/2006 19:56

He's a little champ 3.2kg now so bigger than his sister was at term - don't know if that counts, get a bit confused with all the adjusted age stuff - was there anything they told you to do regards colds etc? 1.4kg at birth, was in hosp for 6wks too, still has problem with reflux but doing a lot better

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TitianRed · 27/08/2006 20:02

DD was 1.42kg at birth! Drs just told us she would be more susceptible to coughs and colds but not really what to do about it! We have kept her off nursery at the slightest hint of illness, just to be on the safe side and also tried to keep her away from others with cold symptoms. She has been on antibiotics 3 times and it takes her much longer to shake things like colds off. DD will have check ups every 3 months until she is 2 and, so far, the Drs have been really pleased with her progress. I take it from your use of kg that you are not in the UK (or perhaps you are younger than I and more used to metric!)

mum2monkeys · 27/08/2006 20:27

I'm in France, they've been fantastic here had my first visit with paed last week and she's great she also works at the hosp with preemies so that's reassuring. I'm lucky to be sahm, but have some very sickly cousins who live close by - not sure how to go about telling people they can't visit when sick or if they do they have to be careful - don't want to end up being totally isolated.

What do you do if you get sick, also have 16mth old dd, she's pretty tough but does get the odd cold.

Did you b/f? I decided not to my dp is away in summer for 8wks, and with my dd I just didn't think I could hack the expressing, travelling to hosp and looking after dd on my own.....feel a bit guilty now b/f my dd for 6mths and if anything ds probably needed me more

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mum2monkeys · 27/08/2006 20:34

Over here they go to drs every month fo the first year anyway,and after that it's quarterly. ds has evaluation at xmas back at hosp think it's the physio. My dr has said not to tell schools etc that he's preemie as they'll treat him differently and there's no need. He just looks so strong now, I wonder if I'm too relaxed and should be worrying more?

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TitianRed · 28/08/2006 12:57

I didn't BF as couldn't manage. I think you feel guilty whatever you do. I looked at bottle feeding in a positive light in that Daddy could get involved from the start and, in fact, DD and he had a closer relationship earlier than my DH did with our son. As regards people keeping away when they are ill, I think if they love you and care about your child they won't mind.

I don't see any point in your mentioning your child's prematurity to his school when the time comes, unless they bring up any development issues. Our Drs have said that DD should have caught up by age 2 anyway.

Whereabouts in France are you? I did a 6 month 'stage' in Bourbon Lancy (Saone et Loire) whilst at uni and still have friends in the area. Sorry if I'm being too nosy!

janenevie · 28/08/2006 13:13

Hi ladies

Evie was born at 36 weeks and was small (4lb10oz) as she had stopped growing due to pre-eclampsia.
She is 10 weeks old now and although small for her age is doing really well our only problem has been reflux.
Still BF although it hasnt been easy had difficulty with expressing at first as all the bottle teats we could fine were too big for her!!

mum2monkeys · 28/08/2006 17:59

Yeah I've tried really hard to look at the positive things about f/f, like I know how much he's had to eat and easy to stick to routine that hospital had him in.....My DH has been away for the last 8wks and v nervous around ds now, he pretended that he wasn't bothered by ds being a preemie all the monitors etc but obviously was, Ds is now bigger than dd was at birth - it's his due date tomorrow....

Have the whole reflux thing too, what do you do when b/f, easy when f/f just add a thickener - G has motillium too.

Unfortunately don't think the ILs do love me, easier for them to stick the neurotic label on me..... My bil thinks that the more bugs a kid is exposed to when little the tougher they'll be

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mum2monkeys · 28/08/2006 18:00

TR - I'm in Nice, not too nosey ay all

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mum2monkeys · 28/08/2006 18:01

And well done Jane for b/f, know how tough it is

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janenevie · 29/08/2006 12:59

mum2monkeys: Havent been doing anything for the reflux, sometimes I express and add cooled boiled water when the gaviscon has made her constipated!
Should you be using thinner then with reflux? No-ones said anything to me!?!

TitianRed · 29/08/2006 13:18

We were given a thickener for reflux but only put in about half of what was recommended as DD was getting tired out trying to suck such viscous liquid from her bottle! Think it was called 'caravel' or something like that. Also tried to have her as upright as poss when feeding and keep her upright for at least half an hour after each feed.

mum2monkeys · 29/08/2006 17:57

yep that's exactly what I do, only use a half measure, made tha mistake of trying without anything once...won't do that again.....changing the subject a little - my little bub was readmitted to hospital, had noticed his breathing was very rapid, turns out his heart valve has reopened, they're giving him another course of ibuprofen if that doesn't work they will operate feel totally torn in 2 my dd is totally traumatised she had to come to hospital with me gets very upset about bed time, guess she thinks if I can abandon one baby she could be next and hate leaving my little guy so much harder now he's been home and the nurses are no way near as nice as in neonatal....nobody gives him any love when I'm not there have you got any positive heart stories?

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janenevie · 29/08/2006 18:23

mum2monkeys: Sorry to hear about your LO I'm sure it will all be OK!
My niece was also prem and she had heart prob for about 1 year, shes 12 now and thriving!!!!

TitianRed · 30/08/2006 12:04

m2m - this must be unbelievably hard for you and my heart goes out to you. Be assured that your baby knows how much you love him. Is there a nice neonatal nurse you can open up to or any support groups within the unit? Your DD's reaction is natural, bless her. Just keep up all the love and hugs and she'll be okay, I'm sure. Best wishes to you all. x

MrsFio · 30/08/2006 12:07

mum2monkeys, hope your little boy gets better soon x

mum2monkeys · 31/08/2006 11:35

Ok TR you, said if people love and care about my child they will stay away - having really HUGE problems with my mil and bil, they just don't get it, Mil coming over in Nov, she will be staying with my bil who has 2 boys under 3, the eldest goes to creche and is basically sick from september to april....my dp has asked her to come inthe new year when our ds will be bigger stronger and hopefully there will be less bugs going around, that way she will be able to see and spend time with all of her grandkids, but no she has said she's coming in nov, my dp then explained that as she was staying with Bil if either of his kids were sick that she wouldn't be able to come and visit us, and too risky to take our dd to see her as we don't want her getting sick either and that this was what the drs had told us as a cold could end up as pneumonia which is potentially life threatening and could also end up with ds having longterm respiratory problems. Mil then phoned Bil and told him that my dp was saying that she couldn't see her grand kids, Bil then phoned dp to say that he should back off his mum!!!! And was I just being a bit crazy My dp handled it very well but why don't they understand, I can't believe they aren't supporting my dp, don't care if they hate me - I think they're all emotionally retarded anyway - but why are they giving my dp a hard time

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mum2monkeys · 31/08/2006 19:48

bump

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RTKangaMummy · 31/08/2006 20:04

My DTs were born at 27 + 5 days

DT1 {2lb 13oz} died after 5.5 hours

DT2 {2lb 12.5oz} was in NNU ITU for 3 months on Oxygen

He came home 4 days after EDD day

He is now 11 years old and just about to start senior school

mum2monkeys · 31/08/2006 20:14

How was your first year? Did your ds get readmitted after he came home?

Can't begin to imagine how hard it must've been losing DT1, just having a preemie can be hard enough without having to grieve as well. Good to here that your ds is totally caught up now

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RTKangaMummy · 31/08/2006 20:18

Yes he had broncilitus {sp} at least twice in 1st year

He was DX with ASTHMA when he was several months old. Cos of the damage to his lungs while in ITU.

He still has Asthma but it is under control now.

We always went by his corrected age

RTKangaMummy · 31/08/2006 20:19

So yes he was admitted into hospital each time with broncilitus for ages each time

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whoopsfallenoveragain · 31/08/2006 20:26

Ds was born at 33 weeks weighing 2lb 15oz he will be 5 next week and starting school on Monday!
We were lucky that he didn't have any problems other thank needing to learn to feed and growing. He came home after 4.5 weeks but was readmitted on his due date to have a hernia op
He is still small for his age but a real cheeky monkey!!

Bronze · 01/10/2006 21:03

Hi my daughter is currently in SCBU. She was born 3 months early but weighed a good 2lb 12. Shes now 8 weeks and weighs a grand 5lb 6.5.
Hello to all you other prem mums
Bron

chipmonkey · 01/10/2006 22:17

Hi, ds3 was born at 32 weeks, weighing a massive 5 lb 3 oz. I was fairly militant about breastfeeding from the start but had already had breastfed ds1 and ds2 till they were 12 months. ( They were both full-term) Ds3 was bright as a button from the start. Got great support about bf from an Asian doctor, an Asian nurse and a canadian mw. The Irish nurses ( I'm in Ireland btw!) were incredibly lukewarm about bf but I do find that ds3 is hardly ever sick now so I'm glad I listened to the foreign staff rather than the home-grown ones! However if he had been my first I don't think I would have been as competent at expressing. I had expressed for ds1 and ds2 when I went back to work and knew what breast-pump worked for me etc. Also I didn't have a toddler at home; ds1 and ds2 were 6 and 8 and it was easy for them to understand about the expressing. I would imagine that to be difficult with a toddler climbing all over you!
He's 19 months corrected now, walked a little later than the others, talked later than ds1 but earlier than ds2! He is very wilful and is the least biddable of the 3 but I think that may be to do with his character, rather than being premmie!
My neighbour had 2 premmies, one at 25+ weeks and one at 32 weeks and they are both very smart, lovely children with no health issues at all.

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