https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:41:23 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories/page/2#post-132212 Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:05:10 +0000 winniebee 132212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MadebyaPrincess: It's our first! One of my biggest worries is that this will happen again in future pregnancies...of course since they don't know what caused my preterm labor they can't say if it will happen again. It's nice to hear that your other pregnancy was fine! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories/page/2#post-126977 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:01:11 +0000 MadebyaPrincess 126977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Hi! Congratulations on your soon to be little bee! My doctor was so glad to see me go I am sure! I asked a lot of questions and fought with him a lot which he hated but I had to be my own advocate and I refused to let him scare me into doing what was easy for him. It would have been a lot better for him to have me stay put in the hospital (liability, etc...) but that did not fit into my plan. My first pregnancy (my son is almost 10) was problematic only at the very end but this one...my daughter was giving me a time! Is this your first? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories/page/2#post-126597 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:37:20 +0000 winniebee 126597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MadebyaPrincess: Wow, thank you so much for sharing your story! I hit my goal of 34 weeks (now 34 weeks and 2 days) and my next goal is 36 weeks : ) I totally get it that you felt strongly about making it to term - I found it incredibly hard to understand how and why my body would not get with the program! I'm so happy to hear everything turned out well for you. I agree that one good thing about my hospital stay was that I now know the routine for when D day actually comes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories/page/2#post-126526 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:10:30 +0000 MadebyaPrincess 126526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a lot of complications with my pregnancy (a lot) and was put in the hospital for monitoring at 29wks. I am a terrible patient so I insisted on doing bed rest at home. When I was in the hospital my doctor told me would be be delivering the baby within the next week because my blood pressure was just too high and it wasn't safe. I told him absolutely not, that was not happening and that I would get to 34wks come hell or high water. They gave me shots of steroids to advance her lungs. I was put on modified bed rest on March 28th but had to go to the hospital for fetal monitoring twice a week. They had me scheduled for morning monitoring but I kept telling them she wasn't active then and that I needed to come in the afternoon. After several 3-4 hour sessions and many many tears they finally listened to me. The one good thing to come out of all the hospital visits was getting to know the nurses beforehand. I knew exactly who I wanted and who I didn't. I had a list in my purse ;) </p> <p>The Tuesday after Easter I went in for my first bi-weekly monitoring and was told that I had no amneotic fluid and that they would be delivering Megan that day. Um, no. My husband and son are camping in Yosemite right now so that's not going to work. I called hubby who insisted on leaving right then but I told him to finish out their last day and night and leave early in the morning. </p> <p>Megan was born via c-section at 6:15pm the next day and was immediately taken to NICU. She was born 5wks and 5 days early and weighed 4lbs 5 oz. I was rather obnoxious to my doctor about how I told him she would be term. She received AMAZING care! The NICU nurses were fantastic. I went home that Sunday and the following Sunday, Mother's Day, we brought her home. </p> <p>She is a happy healthy almost one year old with no complications. You would never know she was a preemie. She is in the 50% for height and weight, has no issues with sight, sound, verbalizing, or playing. She is perfect (well, we think so!) I do think those steroids did something to her lung capacity because this girl can scream like no other! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories/page/2#post-118210 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:37:35 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 118210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Please feel free to email me if you ever need any support. I didn't know anyone who'd gone through the same thing as me at the time, and talking to someone who'd BTDT would have helped calmed my nerves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories/page/2#post-118193 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:29:28 +0000 winniebee 118193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jump Rope: Wow! Thanks so much for sharing! I have heard so many women who have had PTL scares and then have made it to their due dates. Looking forward to reading your blog entries. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories/page/2#post-118187 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:27:32 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 118187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>*hugs* winniebee!!</p> <p>I had PTL with littlest jumpre at 24 weeks. I was dilated to 1cm and in the hospital for a day. I went home on pelvic rest, and everything was fine until I was 29 weeks.</p> <p>I had PTL again a few more times throughout the remainder of my pregnancy.</p> <p>In the end, Little Jumper had to be evicted by a scheduled c-section, and I never dilated past that 1cm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-118177 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:22:29 +0000 winniebee 118177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandsandmore: Thanks so much for your thoughts! I remember your story well....I can't imagine experiencing your loss. I've been a very good patient so far and just lay on the couch all day long : ) Made it yet another week to 33.5 weeks and now feel very confident that as long as I bedrest until 36 weeks, we can get there. Just 2.5 more weeks to go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-116403 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:20:17 +0000 sandsandmore 116403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Please do whatever the doctors tell you to do. And though there are a lot of positive outcome stories from the NICU, not all are. I don't want to scare you, but please take the NICU and prematurity seriously. I had identical twins born at 27 weeks. One died at 5 months of age -- still in the NICU, he never came home. As others said, every day counts and you're already doing well. Keep going, no matter how bored you are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-111437 Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:13:56 +0000 winniebee 111437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm bumping this thread in the hopes that others have stories to share!</p> <p>I'm now 32.5 weeks and every day he's not born is a blessing. Bedrest is sort of depressing, but I know I'm doing everything I can to be the best mama possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104671 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:07:03 +0000 winniebee 104671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StbHisMrs: Thanks, that's really helpful. My doctor said if my contractions progress back to 4 or more an hour (I was having them every 5 mins at the hospital) to call. When you were on rest were you laying or were you able to sit up? I'm supposed to be mostly laying until next week. Hope things with your LO are going well : ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104512 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:18:34 +0000 StbHisMrs 104512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was hard, I couldn't tell when to go in and when to stay home. My Dr. can't explain it either, he was baffled because I wasn't progressing. I stayed at 1cm and about 70% for a very long time.<br /> I'm sorry you're going through this, movies, internet, and friends and family helped me.<br /> Just know that it doesn't 100% mean that you'll deliver early, and worrying will stress you out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104412 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:27:36 +0000 winniebee 104412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StbHisMrs: glad to hear you made it to term! I had the steroid shot and contraction meds last week and now resting at home for at roughly 5 more weeks. How did you deal with the anxiety over continued contractions? I still have them but they are less regular and milder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104407 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:15:46 +0000 pastemoo 104407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StbHisMrs: ACK!! Glad LO made it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104398 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:55:31 +0000 StbHisMrs 104398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started having preterm labor at 29 weeks, I was put on bedrest until I reached 35 weeks. I continued to have timeable mildly painful contractions the rest of my pregnancy. I can't tell you how many trips to L&amp;D we took, the longest was a 5 day stay complete with steroid shots and magnesium sulfate YUCK!!! Our lo stayed put until 1 day past my due date, we had to induce. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104391 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:38:55 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 104391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Of course I'm counting for you as well! I'll be holding my breath until 34 and then again until 39. Hugs! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104390 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:37:29 +0000 winniebee 104390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: Thanks!! Seems to be working so far so good - I've cooked this LO a whole extra week since going to the hospital! Tomorrow will be 31+4. Not that I'm counting or anything ; ) Thanks for checking in...hope life at home with C &amp; M is well! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-104287 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:41:18 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 104287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: Just wanted to give you some more encouragement. Sounds like bedrest is going pretty well :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-102181 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:02:31 +0000 winniebee 102181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>wow so many great stories here! Makes it all seem more doable.<br /> I'm 31+1 (yes every day counts!) and bed resting at home and reading these stories are so helpful! Thank you so much for sharing : ). My sister delivered her first at 34 weeks out of and thigh she spent 2 wkd in the Nicu she did remarkably well, too. Hoping we make it that far! </p> <p>I have many follow up questions for some of you so will write more later : ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-102144 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:24:31 +0000 volksgirl64 102144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I mentioned this on the May Due Date thread, but a friend just delivered her baby at 28 weeks, she weighed just over 3lbs! She's been in NICU since but is now over 5lbs and doing great! She had an infection they fought, but seems to be over that and is getting bigger every day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101875 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:02:57 +0000 singingbee 101875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know! It surprised me. I'm not sure how long he stayed in the NICU. I know that I was a full term baby and I weighed about 1 lb more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101864 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:51:51 +0000 Mrs. Bee 101864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennimac: wow that is a really big baby for being born so early! almost the size of a full term baby! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101863 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:50:51 +0000 singingbee 101863@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a friend that her water broke at 26 weeks. She was in the hospital for 6 weeks and gave birth at 32 weeks and 3 days. Her son weighed 5 lbs and 11 ounces at birth and now is a rambunctious 1 1/2 year old, who runs around all over the the place. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101840 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:09:52 +0000 BananaPancakes 101840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mother went into labor with my twin brothers at 30 weeks. They stopped labor, put her on bed rest, and she went until 36 weeks. They were both around 5.5 lbs and very healthy. So if she can do it with twins, you can do it too!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101790 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:29:54 +0000 Mrsbells 101790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My cousin's wife delivered a baby boy at 32 weeks. He was soooo tiny but they both did great and now he is a big bog and has started school and you would never know he was a preemie </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101736 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:50:50 +0000 tequiero21 101736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: please keep us posted! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101675 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:37:53 +0000 lemondrop 101675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you do end up with a baby in the NICU, the nurses are amazing! </p> <p>We had only a very short stay there, but they were without a doubt one of the most positive parts of my whole birth experience. It was hard to leave my son for even a little while, but knowing that he had the best care took a lot of stress away. They were so supportive of breastfeeding, and were very helpful in working with me on getting a good latch. </p> <p>My nephews go to picnic reunions with the NICU staff from their hospital. These are truly some special people! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101522 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:09:13 +0000 Ms.SK 101522@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you for this post - I am 22 weeks with twins and was just put on bedrest as my cervix is shortened to .6. I will keep checking to see more positive stories, they really help. Please keep posting everyone!</p> <p>@winniebee good luck, if you get bored PM me, I'm not going anywhere. We may help each other make it through. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101468 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:49:08 +0000 MsMini 101468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After 6 years working in NICU, I have seen way more success stories than not! At 30 weeks your baby has all the major organs formed, and they just need time to get bigger and stronger. Every week you can get ahead is amazing, the fact that you got both shots of betamethasone is awesome! </p> <p>At this point, you know your baby is otherwise healthy, so even though having your baby before 37 weeks would mean some NICU stay, your little one will be just fine. </p> <p>The NICU has lots of practice in handling the little issues perm babies present, and can teach you everything you need to know to get them ready to go home and care for them afterwards. They also will be awesome at walking you though what to expect if your baby does come early, part of our "unit orientation" after a perm baby is born is a booklet with all the things to expect, and we will walk you through the usual course of a baby born at whatever gestation yours is.</p> <p>If you have any questions, just shoot me a wall message here, or a PM on WB, and I can let you know what to expect at the different gestations! Like Mrs Jacks said, every day you can keep your baby in is awesome for them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-pretermpremature-success-stories#post-101422 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 14:07:23 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 101422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've had tons of NICU experience, though no premie of my own. Here are my pearls of wisdom for you. Whatever they tell you to do with respect to your bedrest, do it! I went to term despite the fact that I had been on bedrest with concerns for pre-term labor for a month. Bedrest really helps. Hydration really helps. Whatever other instructions they give you... just do it!</p> <p>Second, every single day you cook that baby inside you helps. 30 3/7 weeks is better than 30 2/7 weeks. Every day counts! Shoot for 34 weeks and then if you make it to 34, try for 39. Large 34 weekers do really well. 39 weeks typically avoids all the late preterm complications. </p> <p>Any premie can have complications. When I was a resident, the numbers we quoted were that 50% of 24 weekers survive, and 50% of the survivors have serious life long complications. The numbers continue to improve each year, but making it to 30 weeks means WAY less complicated babies than babies born in the 24-29 week range. So give yourself a pat on the back already!</p> <p>Ask for help and support. Learn how to knit, watch movies and have friends and family over (but only if they promise to do a load of laundry or bring you dinner!)</p> <p>Hugs and hopefully Mini will weigh in too. She's a NICU nurse. </p>