I went 3.5 weeks early with my son- no labor, just a very slow water breakage (pPROM technically). Labor was induced with Cervadil then lightning fast. So he was borderline premature. We got lucky as he is perfectly healthy. But I'm a little worried about #2 I have due in January...
If you gave birth around a month early, was your next one earlier, the same or later (full term)?
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LO1 (girl) was late at 41 + 1 and I had to be induced which resulted in Csection.
Lo2 (boy) came at 37.5 weeks, super fast that I was told to push as soon as we got to hospital. It was an unmedicated vbac.
LO3 (girl) was kind of like my second vaginal delivery so everyone and their moms said she would come early. At 37 weeks I was 1-2cm dilated so we were anticipating and waiting forever. I ended up being induced again at 41 weeks (very small dosages bc of precious csec) and I had a second vbac with epidural and it was assisted by the doctor using forceps because she was in sunny side up position
So...all deliveries are different
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DS1 was 35.4
DD was 36.3
DS2 was 38I had progesterone shots after the first
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J was 39 weeks by the ultrasound date, 39+3 by ovulation. 2 hour 20 minute labor.
R was 38+2/37+5. 2ish hour labor.
From what I googled, you're likely to go early, but may not be as early. So plan to be home for Christmas just in case
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I have a coworker whose first son was six weeks early, but for her second, she had to be induced at 41 weeks. Personally, Iām hoping my second comes a little early, but not quite as early as L. Like you, we were lucky heās okay!
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With my first, I had a slow water leak at 37+6 and had a cesarean delivery the next day after an unsuccessful induction.
With my second, I had a repeat cesarean at 39+2. I had false labor for about two weeks leading up to his birth, so I was more than ready to have him out.
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My first was delivered at 37w 5d, forceps delivery due to cord around the neck 14 hours after water breaking. Second was 39w, 5 hours from I think this is active labor to delivery.
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One of my friends went at 35 weeks (vaginal, but he tore her up pretty bad) with her first, and 32 weeks (emergency c section because she wasn't supposed to deliver vaginally again) for her second. They're done having kids, but her doctor recommended against having more because she would be likely to go even earlier.
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@waterbear: did you have progesterone shots by any chance?
@LAZB: I'm agonizing about getting the progesterone shots. I've asked every single doctor at my practice and they agree I'm a gray area asto whether I need them. Frankly I don't want to do them but I don't want a preterm baby. I feel like any decision I make I could regret. -
@pachamama: Why are you against them?
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Iām super interested in seeing the replies here too as our son was also PPROM at 35 weeks. DW is almost 32 weeks now with our second and is taking progesterone until 36 weeks...fingers crossed. Our son was fine but super small (4lbs13oz) and it was a little scary. Our ob says it might happen early again but might not so we are trying the progesterone as itās the only thing to do to try and prevent really.
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@pachamama: fwiw my friends turned down the shots because she thought her first was a fluke. She still beats herself up (nearly 5 years later) for not taking the shots since her second was even earlier and required an extended NICU stay. He is absolutely fine and not behind in any milestones since I met him when he was 2, but I know how mom guilt can get you too.
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@LAZB: I can't find any studies that thoroughly and objectively researches the effect of the progesterone on the babies. it's a lot of hormones to be injecting a fetus with and I would just like to know for certain there's no long-term negative effects.
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@muffinsmuffins: it's such a tough call. I was so close to term so that's why OBs aren't really pushing it. If I went at 35w I would definitely do the shots personally because I keep seeing we're very likely to deliver the next babies early.
@Sams Mom: this is exactly what I keep thinking of. My hospital does not have a great NICU.I can't stop crying. I know I'm being dramatic but I'm really struggling with this decision.
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@pachamama: you arenāt injecting a fetus, it is maintaining your progesterone levels. I donāt know the long term effects, but I do know that prematurity can have long term effects, so I trust my doctors recommendation.
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@LAZB: my thinking is anything injected into me could affect the baby, especially synthetic hormones. And the OB I'm closest to told me yesterday after we talked about it said if it were her, she probably wouldn't do it. So that threw me a little The others OBs just read off the ACOG recommendation and say do it. I do agree that prematurity is more of a risk than effects of the shots. But I'm not sure ya know? I wish there was more research into the baby, not the mom.
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DS came at 35 weeks so this time I am on the shots (Makena/ P17, started at 16 weeks) so I can hopefully get to at least 37 weeks.
@pachamama - I was also hesitant to use them because I was afraid they would affect my anxiety levels, which is why I think DS came so early. but after talking to a lot of people who used them (and also many many friends who did the shots first trimester as itās protocol for IVF/IUI) i decided to go for it and it has been really fine. itās a hormone you produce naturally so everything I read was that, worst case they just donāt really work and you still deliver early. -
@pachamama: we didnāt find it hard to decide at all. We did IVF so we are used to all kinds of medication, but I would say we both just wanted to do what we could to avoid another 35 week baby or earlier. It may not work but at least we tried and I would regret it if we didnāt. In your case I would weigh your fears of preterm labour and having a preemie vs. Likely unfounded concern over using synthetic hormones for a short while. Sure, anything you have effects baby but that also includes the air you breathe, water, food, and other pollutants...meaning thereās risk everywhere IMO.
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@pachamama: I didn't take progesterone since I missed the PPROM window and my son was born full term. Did your doctor say why she wouldn't get the shots?
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My water broke spontaneously (no contractions, had to be induced to get labor started) about 4 wks early with #1.
#2 arrived (fast & furious) through "regular" labor that started after a same-day membrane sweep at 39 weeks (so still early, just not as early).
#3 was delivered by induction 3-4 weeks early due to IUGR, so I didn't get to find out what would have happened naturally.
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@lioneyes: I also have almost unmanageable anxiety so that will be fun
@muffinsmuffins: I do like that it's bioidentical and I think the risks of Makena outweigh the benefits. It's just there's NO long-term research and that unsettles me.
@PinkElephant: Did your doctors suggest the shots bc you went 4 weeks early?
@waterbear: she's kind of hands off in terms of meds which I like about her and she says she doesn't know if it could affect the baby negatively. She said I was "barely" pre-term again and again. If my ovulation was miscalculated for example, and he was literally 2.5 days later, the suggestion of shots would never have been brought up. So basically I would be doing shots bc he was questionably early, it's not like I was 33 weeks. -
@pachamama: No, the shots were never suggested to me. My first two were born overseas (Hong Kong), so tat may have been the difference. The third was born in the US, but Perhaps because, like you, my first was healthy (just small), and my second, though I made it to 39 weeks, was only a few ounces bigger, no one suggested shots for her pregnancy either. DD3ās pregnancy was heavily monitored for her slow growth, but no shots were recommended.
Also, I agree with what you said above - due date is often kind of arbitrary, based on your first dating scan...my due dates always shifted at subsequent scans, but not quite enough to officially change my due date.
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10 days early with #1
10 days early with #2 (but it was an induction for medical reasons)
17 days early with #3 -
My first was born at 36w2d. I did Makena shots with my second to avoid that happening again (my doctors left it up to me, and I knew I'd feel very guilty if I didn't do them, and my second came even earlier). My second was also born at 36w2d! I have no idea if they helped or if that was just the way it was always going to be.
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My first came at 34 weeks - spontaneous rupture of membranes. I took Makena with my 2nd. He was born at 39+5.
If I could have taken Makena with my first, I would have. My son has some problems because of his prematurity and the guilt that I feel every day he struggles outweighs any risks that I found. I would give anything to go back and stay pregnant to full term.
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@psw27: my first was like yours. Completely out of the blue. How were we to know? Please don't blame yourself. And they never offer makena to 1st borns anyway.
@sharpie: do you have any indication of what caused preterablr? I had pPROM but what is really interesting is I kind of made my midwife do a cervical check that afternoon. They can be pretty aggressive. 6 hours later my water broke. I always wonder if it was because of that -
@pachamama: I know, it just sucks. He's really struggling lately so I'm feeling particularly melancholy about it. It's been 4 years almost but I still wonder if there was something else I could have done.
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@pachamama: No indication at all. My first was also PPROM for seemingly no reason. However, with my second, I had 4-5 weeks of preterm labor before my water broke. Again, whether the Makena helped or not, I have no idea, but it certainly didn't hurt.
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@psw27: gosh I'm sorry. I'm sure certain periods and milestones will be harder for him and at other points he's going to thrive. My husband was 7 weeks early in 1982
) and his early years were rough (behind in reading, speech therapy, leg braces, wouldn't breastfeed,, you name it). And now he is physically a goddamn specimen- triathlete, never ever sick, wonderful reader and learner etc but I totally do understand the guilt and it is profound. But taking emotions out if it and look at the situation objectively- there's no way to predict these things. Isn't prematurity such an odd thing? Like how do we have NO idea? My OB is like we pretty much never have a reason. I'm like How?!! If I had an answer I'd feel better.
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@pachamama: it's hard being in that gray area of preterm.. I'd feel conflicted too. However, as someone who has a preemie (my 2nd was a 25 weeker) I'd give anything to go full term. My 1st was born at 39 weeks so they wouldn't offer me Makena even tho I kept going into preterm labor with the 2nd. I'd have taken it in a heartbeat, and I dont like taking unnecessary meds either. That being said, I understand your situation is way different from mine. I hope you and your doctors can figure out the best course of action for you and baby. Every baby/delivery is so different.
@psw27:
I hear you on the guilt struggle! I blamed myself for a long time for my sons prematurity and still wonder if there's something, anything I could have changed to keep him in longer.
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@tiramisu: for what it's worth, you are making my decision to do the shots easier. I really needed a little push. No one in my life, not my husband, not my 39 week pregnant friends complaining about being pregnant, not even my OBs really understand the gravity of this decision. I just went and read your posts (sorry, am I creepy?!) about your tiny guy and it made my heart ache. How is he doing??
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@pachamama: I know. When they tested my placenta I almost hoped they would be like OH it was this, no worries, that won't happen again. But no, it was just like we don't know why. So that made my second pregnancy a lot more anxiety ridden. I know my big guy will be okay - he's very smart and determined, just struggles (plus he's almost 4, so he's a threenager right now... which is rough in general!)
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@tiramisu:
I hope your little guy is doing ok!
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@pachamama: yep, I know, no one quite understands what a tough decision it is unless they've been in the situation too. Even my DH didn't quite get how I felt either. Plus it's hard with the drs not giving definite answers. It's like someone just tell me why did it happen and is it likely gonna happen again? Maybe it was a fluke? And are the shots going to for sure prevent it and also not affect baby? Its a tough choice, I feel you.
Aww thanks for asking about my little DS. Lol, dont worry its not creepy. It sure was a very rough time for him as well as put alot of stress on our family. We are extremely fortunate that he is doing very well for a preemie. He still gets lots of therapy but is catching up to his milestones. He's still really tiny but overall pretty healthy. I saw you mention above your DH was a preemie and is totally healthy as an adult! That's so awesome!! Gives me hope my little guy will get there someday. -
I went into pre term labor at 32 weeks with DD had her at 36 weeks. For DS I had makena shots. They found no reason for my preterm labor, I felt it was stress but who knows. It was explained to me that your progesterone drops and that sends your body into labor. That is why they give the shots to prevent. But I was also told I would not have been a good candidate if I had prom because there was no conclusive evidence it helped prevent that just that it helped prevent contractions and labor from starting. I didn't want to take them and I still don't want to if we have another but there is no question I will. The unanswered questions will always be there with DD. She has always been behind and she was born on the latter end of Premie. But she was late to do all physical milestones, still is at 5. And she is speech/ language delayed. She didn't have more than a couple worlds until after 3 and couldn't put 3 words together for a "sentence" until way after she turned 4. DS I stopped the shots early because he was so big so 35 weeks they gave the ok to stop. And he baked until 40weeks. No delays no issues at all.
I think they don't have studies on the long term effects because it is a hormone that you naturally are suppose to have during pregnancy and they are "replacing" what they think you are missing I guess?? Idk. I would do it a million times to not have to see my child suffer with any issues. But nothing is a guarentee I guess.
Good luck with your decision.
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@pachamama: I would do the shots because 1. I think they are likely to help and 2. If your anxiety is anything like mine, knowing that you did everything you could will be very calming regardless of outcome. An extremely anxious mom is a much greater risk to baby than the shots are! But really, I just came here to say I think itās so pure that you just referred to your husband as a āgoddamn specimenā
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@pinkb: yes to all this. DS was also late preterm but he has had a lot of troubles: had to be on puffers whenever he got sick for 2 years, significant speech disorder/OT/PT that has been going on since 18 months and late for motor milestones. Is it all connected? Who knows, but it wasnāt even a question of yes or no for us. I would do anything to avoid that again or it happening even earlier.
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@pachamama: LO:37w & LO2: 36w! Random and no explanation- they just wanted to get here in a hurry!
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@Truth Bombs: I have terrible anxiety. I'm just imagining getting to 24 weeks and every day would basically be agony thinking about if he was going to come early. And the "specimen" remark lol... he's teaining a lot and very toned and strong right now and he jokingly called himself that the other day and I died laughing bc he's so humble. Here he is running 10 miles and I'm stuffing my face with bagles and ramen.š¤·
@pinkb: I agree, I am definitely comforted by the fact progesterone is something that we produce naturally and it's not some foreign pharmaceutical.@tiramisu: I'm so glad he's doing ok and catching up. Seems like these developmental years are the hardest, where you see delays the most. To add to my husband, he has very skinny shins and we always joke they didn't quite grow to their max in the womb. It's so cute tho. Even though my calves are way fatter than his.
I hear you on the guilt struggle! I blamed myself for a long time for my sons prematurity and still wonder if there's something, anything I could have changed to keep him in longer.
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