How many of you delivered a second Preemie from spontaneous labor (no medical complications or reasons)?

Jaime - posted on 05/22/2012

I had my son when i was 32 weeks along, no known reason. My water broke and then i lost all my fluids. They had checked it when i first went to the hospital it was fine, but later leaked out. His heart rate dropped and so i was induced after they had stopped labor. I went on to have 3 other children full term with the help of progesterone injections. I had them as they help keep you from going into labor early.

Chantel - posted on 05/17/2012

First ler me just say - GOOD LUCK!!! Chances are you will make it past the 32 week mark, provided that youe doctor took extra precautions considering your high risk status.
I delivered my first at 25 weeks spontaneous labor. It was rough. When I got pregnant the 2nd time, I was put on antibiotics along with my prenatal regimen. My second was born at 33 weeks, which was a lot less scary than the first. Both of my sons are just fine.

Monisha - posted on 05/11/2012

I have a friend who had a 28 weaker and then delivered her second at 41 weeks......anything is possible. Good luck and congrats!

Christie - posted on 05/03/2012

Congratulations! Glad you made the extra 2 weeks, those 2 weeks can be so helpfull. Try not to stress about the CPAP and feeds little ones feel your stress and can take longer to develope! Lots of Kangaroo care will help her to! Hope she is able to get home in about a month or a little sooner!
Good luck

Cassandra - posted on 05/03/2012

Thanks so much Emily. My little girl was born at 5lbs 2oz, so she is a good weight. Despite taking prophylactic steroids at 28 weeks, her lungs are still a wee bit under-developed and she is requiring CPAP. I'm praying and hoping she is easier to feed than my last Prem bub, as I had to express for 3 months before I could establish proper breastfeeding with her! Fingers crossed the extra 2 weeks means she can come home sooner too.

Emily - posted on 05/03/2012

{{{HUGS}}} Cassandra, I'm so sorry :( you are right that in some ways it will be easier knowing what to expect but remember that every preemie is different and each has their own issues. Having had 2 preemies myself I can safely say that both NICU experiences were unique. But I was definatly a lot more laid back with #2 :) Sending prayers your way!!!

Cassandra - posted on 05/03/2012

Well ladies, I ended up having my waters break at 33w+6days, so second baby was preterm too. At least we have a better idea of wheat to expect now, but it still sucks. All I was hoping for was a healthy full term bubby I could have beside my bed with me. I count my blessings though, she is doing well and is a good weight for her gestation. We just have to get her breathing and feeding right and things will sort themselves out.

Cassandra - posted on 04/29/2012

I'm still holding onto baby at 33 weeks 4 days. Although I know I have a higher risk of delivering early, I'm quite excited to have broken my previous record. C'mon baby, just stay put! Thanks for your stories, it surprises me how many ladies go on to deliver many preterm bubs without actually knowing why.

Chandra - posted on 04/28/2012

My 3rd and 4th were both 36 weekers. I was preterm labor with them at 32 and 29 weeks. My last one i was in labor with him at 27 1/2 weeks and at 30 weeks he came, couldn't stop it and they didn't know why he was coming. My 1st 2 were my only full terms and they were 37 and 39 weeks.

Stacy - posted on 04/27/2012

My first baby was born 5 weeks early (not to bad.....he got to come home right away) after prmature rupture of membranes. My second one my membranes ruptured at 29 weeks and they kept me pregnant as long as they could (5 more days). They told me after having one preemie the risk is higher to have a second...but after that happening twice the chance of another one coming even earlier is very high. I hope all goes well with yours. The best advice I could give is to try to take it easy and if you have a feeling something is going on...make your Dr do a ffn test.

Cassandra - posted on 04/23/2012

Thanks ladies. Right now I'm at 32 weeks, so I've made it a day longer than my last pregnancy but I'm also getting Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm just hoping for at least a few more weeks yet. I never even considered the possibility of having a Prem bub the first time, but after that experience it certainly changes your perspective on things and I am so very grateful for every day the baby stays put. Fingers (and legs) crossed this time is different!

Christie - posted on 04/23/2012

My first baby he was born at 42 weeks 8lbs 14 oz from there for some reason we went down hill, next one he was 36.4 7 lbs 4 oz almost not prem no stay in NICU,, next one she was 32 weeks 5 lbs 3 oz this was twin to twin transfusion her twin was 2 lbs and is in heaven she was in NICU 2 weeks,next one she was 28 weeks 2 lbs 14 oz she was in NICU 3 months, and the last one was 24 weeks and he was 1 lb 5 oz he was in NICU 172 days then moved to childrens hospital theres for 69 days and then he came home a week and then we started the in and out of hospital all different amounts of time for stays! More time in then home hes now 18 monts 11 lbs 7 oz and many medical difficulties! They still don't understand why!
And for us the NICU is 4 hours away and I lived there with babies until I could bring them home my husband and family members and friend helped with the other children at home!
Good luck hope all works out for you

Kerry - posted on 04/18/2012

hi ive had 5 pre term babies born at 36 weeks, 33 weeks, 26 weeks, 28 weeks and 30 weeks consecutivly, each with different reasons why they were early. every baby/pregnancy is different. the obs/gyn docs can do a few tests to try and find a reason but more often than not there is no reason, if your worried id suggest you ask for the steroid injection as a precaution and scans every 2 weeks to rule out iugr and also an infection screen. for extra reasurance babies born at 32 weeks have a very good chance of survival and if your given steriods baby should just need fattening up

Kelly - posted on 04/17/2012

My first son was born at 29 weeks after PROM and ?partial placental abruption at 28 weeks. During my second pregnancy I was monitored closely, but had no problems and my second son was born at 38+3 weeks. I hope all goes well for you this time around. It is possible to have a full term labour after a premmie.

Emily - posted on 04/16/2012

Sounds like your obgyn is on the ball and watching you very closly. That is good because they may be able to catch thigs soon enough so even if you do start to have any changes they may be able to stop things or buy you a little more time. I know what it's like to not live near a NICU. The one both kids were in is close to an hr from home. Very hard the second time around when I had to spend 3 weeks in their attached "grown-up" hospital in the preterm labor prevention ward and #1 was @ home with daddy. Then visiting everyday for the 28 days he was in the NICU. I will be sending "closed" thoughts your way and here's to hoping you go over and have to be induced ;)

Cassandra - posted on 04/15/2012

Thanks Emily. My OBGYN has been doing routine (internal) ultrasounds to check my cervix, and so far it all looks good. I have already had the steroid injections @ 28 weeks, and antibiotics just in case I went into early labor. I'm really hoping this baby will not come early as we live a bit of a distance from the hospital, and visiting a bub in the NICU will be harder this time. I know I'm in the higher risk category, but I'm praying it's different this time. It seems many women with a previous preterm labor do go on to have another one.

Emily - posted on 04/15/2012

My first one was 34 wks and they thought it was spontaneous labor, I had no warning or issues with my pregnacy up till my water broke and she was born 4 hrs later. I was told it was a fluke and had no reason to worry about it happening again. 7 years later with #2 I was in for a standard prenatal exam @ 28 wks and I asked if there was any special tests they could do to see if I might go early so to make me happy my doc did a vaginal swab where they can test to see if you may go into labor with in the next 2 weeks (fetal fibronectin test). Big shock, it came back positive! Later that evening I started having contractions. I was admitted and was already 2-3 and 75%!! They then decided that I have a weak cervix...spent the next 3 weeks in the hospital on full bedrest till #2 was born @ 31 weeks. Sorry I can't give you better news with my experience but know that there are ways to check if you may go early with the fFN test and they can also do a vaginal ultrasound to look at your cervix to see if it's thining or dilating (less invasive that a mannual check and less likely to "help" things along if you have started thin out)