On average how long do prem twins stay in hospital?

Bianca - posted on 12/11/2012

I've had twins two girls on 11-12-2012 just after 7 weeks. They weigh 1.5 kilos each. Living in Spain. Please advice. Thank you Bianca .

Nika - posted on 11/04/2012

I'm so glad to hear this I have been getting freaked out. I am currently in hospital 33w+2 in prem labor. they have given me 2 doses of Steroids and are continuing to give me the pill to stop my contractions until midnight tonight so i can labor tomorrow. i hope my babies do as well as yours! verry scary and exciting time!!

Ann - posted on 06/13/2009

Every NICU is different. Find out what yours has for Discharge guidelines. My daughters were born at 26 weeks and were there for 75 days and came home on oxygen. Had we transfered them to a hospital closer to our home they would not have been allowed to be discharged on the oxygen. I was fortunate that there was no weight rules. They just had to pass the care seat test as far as that issue was concerned.

Cassy - posted on 06/12/2009

My twins were in the hospital for 11 days. Because I had an awesome doctor who gave me steroid shots that helped my babies lungs develop faster. They were only on oxygen for three hours. It just took them awhile to learn to suck. It all is determined by the babies and their weight gain...

Dani - posted on 06/10/2009

my twins g/b were born at 29weeks.. they weighed 2lbs 15oz or 1340g and 3lbs 1oz or 1390g.. and they spent 9weeks and 5days in hospital.. one twin could have come home a week earlier than that but we wanted them to stay together.. at our hospital they say to expect to go home around ur due date.. maybe a bit earlier or a bit later.. twin2 had surgery at 5weeks but if he hadnt of they still wouldnt have gone home much b4 that..

Kate - posted on 06/10/2009

HI, I too have mom girls...born at 32 weeks...I am in Australia....so we do kgs - 1.5kg and 1.9kgs our girls weights - and i think they were about 2 and 2.2 when they went home...but i think it is more about breathing, weight and apneas...
seems we have quite a momo group here!
cheers
kate

Jill - posted on 05/21/2009

Wow! I have mono/mono twins too. I don't often meet other people who have been in the same situation. It looks like you have already delivered so you probably have some more information. We delivered at 29 weeks because Kaleigh went into distress. Your babies will need to breathe and eat on their own. They will also have to maintain their body temperature and heart rate. We were in the hospital for 2 months. The last couple weeks was learning to eat. They really struggled with the bottle. Apparently the sucking reflux is one of the last to develop. We were told that weight had little to do with discharge. They would continue to grow while the developed their other skills. They just had to be able to pass the car seat test. We came home on a monitor, which helped me sleep at night (what little sleep you get with infant twins), I didn't have to sit over the crib and make sure they were still breathing. Now I have 100% healthy 15 month old girls. Everything that you have gone through will be totally worth it as you watch those babies grow. It is amazing and I wouldn't change a second of it for the world. Congratulations on making it to 32 weeks, it is a scary pregnancy, and now their here!!

Tiffany - posted on 05/20/2009

My twins were born eleven weeks early at 29 weeks. Let me just say, you are in the best of hands there at the hospital! I stayed on bed rest at the hospital for four weeks before mine were born. Addison wieghed 2.8 pounds and Aidan weighed 3.4 pounds. Typically, depending on your hospital, they like the babies to be doing all of those things that you mentioned above and be at least 35 to 36 weeks gestation. My little ones went home when they were 35 weeks 6 days old. That's after they overcame their intial breathing issues, started feeding, and weighed 4-5 pounds.

Laura - posted on 05/20/2009

Not all units do the same.. My twins were born at 29 weeks and they came home at 4lb (something) each and at 33 weeks gestation.. There were another set of twins in there who were born same day as my two but at 34 weeks 5lb each but werent ready to go home.. But then the hospital which originally took the girls said they would be at least 38 weeks before regardless of what they were doing. So i am glad they were transferred to a hospital nearer me..

Mine were in for exactly 4 weeks and are now getting ready to be weaned x

Amanda - posted on 05/19/2009

Generally, they have to go more that 24 hours without having a desateration of oxygen and no brady cardias. They have to be gaining weight and eating properly. If they are born before 33 weeks, they should have a brain ultrasound before they go to make sure that everything developed normally. I was told by my neonatalotologist that I should expect to go home around my due date. Their discharge assessment is critical as well, they check their neck movement, sound and light reactions, pupil dialation, their hips and spine and their heart and breathing rates. Then they have to pass the car seat test, which is 90 mins in a car seat with the monitors going off.

My twins were born at 32 wks 6 days. They stayed in the NICU for 25 days. Addy was born at 3lbs and Emery was 3lbs 9oz. When we went home Addy was 4lbs and Emery was 4lbs 12oz.

A nurse told me that the more you are there, the better that they do, even if you are reading a book beside their incubators! I was there from 8am to 2am, all day just to see if it worked and I really think that it did. I saw so many other babies there whose poarents couldn't come all day and they weren't doing as well as they should, it really broke my heart that they were all alone. And don't be afraid to call the NICU a 100 times a day if you want, its your right as a Mommy!

Good Luck!

Ema - posted on 05/19/2009

my twin girls were born at 30wks [TTTS] i went in to labour and the [TTTS] hadnt been diagnosed during pregnancy. my girls were 3lb 15 1/2 and 4lb 10. They never needed oxygen. The thing that took the longest was establishing breast feeding. they would have been home sooner if id have bottle fed. they stayed in for 5wks. And obviously that was with the complications from the [twin to twin tranfusion syndrome].. HARDEST EVER THING IVE DONE IS BEING DISCHARGED WITHOUT MY TWO BEAUTIFUL BABIES!!!!!!!! Good luck you will be fine when your little darlings arrive.

ema..x

Katelyn - posted on 05/18/2009

I am 37 weeks and my babies are already 6lbs 2ozs and 6lbs 10 ozs. Yours were very small.

Kelley - posted on 05/18/2009

My girls were born at 35 1/2 weeks weighing 3lbs 14oz and 3lbs 15oz, they stayed in the hospital for one week and left weighing 4 lbs

Ora - posted on 05/10/2009

I has my twins at 32 weeks and they were each around 3 lbs. My daughter was in there 3 weeks and 1 day, my son 5 weeks and 1 day.

Sarah - posted on 05/09/2009

My twins were born at 31.5 weeks. They were born 3'4 and 2'14. They were in the nicu for a month so they could gain weight and breathe and eat on their own. They came home a week apart and both were about 4.5 lbs when they were released from the hospital.

Cari - posted on 05/07/2009

My twins were only 4 weeks early. My son was 4.6 lbs and my daughter was 5.6 lbs and both had to stay in the level 2 nursery for 10 days. You never know what will happen, when I went into labor, my doctor said they were both almost 6 lbs and should be able to stay in my room and come home with me. When they were born they both had to be recussitated, but only ended up on a small amount of O2 after the first day. They kept them on IV for 7 days as to not stress their breathing while trying to feed them. I think it all depends on how the babies do immediately after birth, and no one can predict what will happen no matter how far along you are..

Ann - posted on 05/07/2009

hi ya i had my twin daughters at 32wks they stayed in for 3wks, twin 1 was 3.13 when born and twin 2 was 4pound, both had 2 be fed by tube for bout 2wks but they was both healthy

Shelley - posted on 05/07/2009

What having twins has taught me above all else is that no two babies are the same! Therefore, there's really no advice that can help you. You'll just have to wait and see how your babies do. Good luck! Mine were born at 36 weeks, weighed 4 9 and 4 14. They didn't have to go to the NICU and were taken home after 4-5 days, the same time I went home. They lose a little weight in the few days after birth, so they were a little less than their birth weights when I brought them home. I hope your babies are strong little fighters and get to come home quickly!

Stephanie - posted on 05/03/2009

Also...my girls' weights were:
Allie 4.14
Madison 3.10

When Maddie was able to come home, she weighed 3.9!

Stephanie - posted on 05/03/2009

My girls were born at 35 weeks. Allie stayed in the NICU a week and Madison stayed a week and a half

Tanika - posted on 05/03/2009

I had my boy/girl twins at 27 wks. My son was 2lb 15oz stayed in the NICU for about 5 wks and my daughter was 2lb 5oz stayed in NICU for about 8wks. My twins had to learn everything from opening their eyes to sucking. They usually have to stay in the hospital the rest of the term which for twins is 36wks but yes it does depend on their breathing and feeding. Maybe yours wont have to stay but a couple wks at the most. If they do don't ever be disappointed that their there its for the best. Trust me I know!! Take Care and I wish you all the best.

Liz - posted on 05/02/2009

I had a c-section with my twins and I was out in three days.

Katelyn - posted on 05/02/2009

they will let the babies leave if they are over 4 pounds but they will keep you in their longer than a one baby delivery to make sure you can handle everything okay and that they don't have jaundice oh and longer because of the C-Section.

Liz - posted on 05/01/2009

It all depends on the kids. My twins were born at 33 weeks 6 days. My son came home after eight days, my daughter came home after 12 days.

Jenn - posted on 04/29/2009

I had my twins at 5 hours shy of 34 weeks. At first they said they would stay for 2 weeks but they were both 5lb 14oz and they began feeding right away. They did need oxygen for a month and one had a feeding tube for about 48 hours, but they were only in the NICU for 8 days. They went home at 35 weeks 2 days and they are just fine! They are 18 and 20lbs now! Just depends on the babies, at my hospital at least!

Lesa - posted on 04/29/2009

My twins were born early and they let them go home when they reached 5 lbs and they could breathe on there on. Good Luck!

Amanda - posted on 04/29/2009

My twins were monochromatic but not monoamniotic. They were born 31 weeks 6 days and they weighed 3 lbs 10 oz and 3lbs 14 oz and they stayed in the NICU for 4 weeks. They had to be gavoge (spelling?)feed and they had to maintain their temp, swallow and breathe on their own. My boys also had jaundice and apnea problems. I hope all goes well and I hope they are healthy ::O)

Kristy - posted on 04/29/2009

My girls were born at 33 weeks , 3lbs10oz and 4lbs12oz, identical but had there own sacs (TTTS), my water broke, they were delivered under 4 hours the smaller one came first, the second one was breach and had to be pulled out feet first. Because the bigger one had a harder delivery she had more complications, she had to wear a c-pap to help her breath and spent 2 weeks in NICU which also held her back from learning to eat. The smaller one was sent to a different hospital after 5 days in NICU and graduated to IMCN. Pre-term babies aren't all born with the suck, swallow breathe reflex and they need to learn how to eat and breathe on there own before they are allowed home. At our particular hospital they had to go 72 hours without any apneas or 'bratties' and had to be eating on there own without the tube in there nose. They didn't necessarily have a 'weight requirement' The nurses let my little one home first even though she was so small after almost 4 weeks, the bigger one just needed more learning time from having the cpap on for so long, she stayed for 6 weeks..everyday the nursing staff would warn us that they say for preterm babies to expect to stay until there due date/ corrected age. It was hard having them in two different hospitals and leaving them every night but the staff were excellent, answered all our questions..we knew they were well taken care of and obviously needed to be there, we felt safer when they did come home because we knew they were ready.

Sarah - posted on 04/23/2009

my twin girls were born at 34 wks on there own they wanted out! lol they weighed 2 lb &3 lb i was in hosp for about 6 wks they wernt feeding on there own & needed oxygen once they breethed on their own they were put in another area of the neonatel unit then transferd to another hospital closer to home once they started feeding on their own they were sent home but wat i found the nurses didnt realy want to offer the bottle first & see how they go they mainly wanted to tube feed them if i didnt push for bottle feeds i probably still would of been in there a lot longer then i was with them

Sian-Ady - posted on 04/22/2009

I had mine 9 weeks early (went into spontanous labor) They were born 3lb 1oz and 4lb 1oz, My son stayed in for 4 weeks and my daughter stayed in for 6 weeks, It all depends on their health and if they can maintain body temp, and sustain feeds through a bottle for 48 hours if a nasal tube has been fitted, Also they like them to be 35 weeks. This was the case with the hospital I had them in.

Hope this helps

Jodi - posted on 04/22/2009

I had mine at 34 weeks due to preterm labor. They were born at 4 lbs 8 oz & 3 lbs 16 oz & the smaller one actually came home first after 9 days & the other at 12 days. For us it did not matter what their weight was, but that they were eating on their own, their temps were stable & they had no breathing problems.

Sherri - posted on 04/22/2009

My twins were delivered at 33 weeks and they were 5'8 & 4'5. I did receive a 2 doses of steroids and when they were born they were breathing great and eating good. They stayed in NICU for about 10 hours under observation then were sent to my room with no problems. It is very iffy and I wish you healthy, hungry babies! I do hope they come out screaming (the most beautiful sound in your case)!! Try not to worry to much.

Christine - posted on 04/22/2009

My twins are identical as well however they had their own sac. I had an emergency c-section. My guys were born 8 weeks early (32 weeks) and spent 7 weeks in the NICU. They both weighed the same at 3lbs 7oz. They both came home on the same day and both weighed 5lbs 5oz. They had to learn to suck, breath & eat at the same time. Learning to breath while they were eating took the longest time to learn for them. They also had to do a car seat test. I think it was 1 or 2 hours that they had to sit in their own car seat & be able to breathe on their own the whole time - and they passed the 1s time!! Depending on where you live (I'm in RI) it depended on that car seat test & eating - not as much as their weight. My Gavin was very healthy & just needed to grow. My Jesse had the c-pap for about 5 weeks and the gavage tube for 2 weeks. Overall Jesse was a very healthy baby too. The hardest time I had was being discharged and having to leave them behind. I visited the hospital every single day - for 49 days and I cried every time I left especially when I was alone. It was not easy by any means. I also pumped every 3 hours and they were bottle fed. The hospital would tell me "oh, they will be home in a few days" - finally I had to tell them to just surprise me when it was time because I could not handle the assumptions. One night the doctor came up to me and said "would you like to take your babies home tomorrow morning?" Then I cried from excitement!! It's a very emotional rollercoaster and I wish you and your babies the best of luck.

Delphia - posted on 04/22/2009

What you heard was right. I had mine at 34 wks (they weren't monoamnitotic) and they had to stay in the hosp about 3 weeks. They were 4lbs 14oz each, but they weren't able to digest the formula too well and didn't figure out how to breathe and suck at the same time for at least a week or so. Although they didn't need any help breathing they did have some apnea and bradycardia (slowing heartrate) issues -- but they cleared up on their own after a few weeks. They came home without monitors and healty. Since yours will be 2 weeks early, hopefully they won't have to stay more than a month. The worst day of my life was me being discharged and not being able to take them home. :(