for those with 26 weekers

[CAarmywife]

im just wondering how they made out, how it was (tubes, etc?), size, etc. i found out i have dysplasia again and where they would have to do the leep if it was absolutely necessary is in the cervical canal and another area and my dr told me that with my pregnancy preterm problems with y kids my kids, having the leep done in the canal where the dialation is it could cause me drop a baby out at 26 weeks. (i had preterm labour in the 20 something weeks with both kids, i needed meds to stop my contractions with my last at 22 weeks and she was born at 36 weeks). i know that is supppper early and im worried that if i dont get on this baby wagon and my condition worsens where health wise i need to have this done ill cause my baby to be early and im worried about the effects that would have on it. my marriage isnt the greatest right now we are working on it so obviously no baby wagon right this instant but we were thinking of waiting 6 years and have 2 more and she said in her opinion she would not be waiting that long so maybe a year. she said my condition could get resolve itself but also that if it doesnt it would be wise to have my children before i need to have this procedure. 
wwyd? knowing what u went through u would put off having a baby for that long and go through having such an early baby or would u try for it as soon as u could (once marriage was on track of course)

[MommyLuvsBray]

It's scary when you have a baby that soon. My son was born at 26 wks and 4days. he was 2lbs 8.5 ozs and 38 cm long. he couldn'tbreathe on his own. He was intubated for 2 days. then it when to a mask, then a week later just two prong things. He had 2 ivs in his belly button and a pic line that ran from his wrist to his shoulder. and he had a feeding tube.

he looked kinda odd. his skin was almost see thro, his nipples had no color to them, his ears when paper thin and pressed to his head. this back, shoulders, face and head was covered in hair.

His heart rate dropped alot. he was on caffeine for that. it was only 1 ml, but it was equal to 12 cups of coffee.(craziness).

he had fluid behind both his ears, but no one knew it. so i was told he would be deaf for the 1st 6 months of his life.

He had to have a bi lateral hernia repair at 9 months old. I was told a lot of premies have hernias.

 

It's going to be hard no matter when you choose to have another one. Personally I would say get it over with. ( just bc that's what i have chosen to do.) I just look at it as, its only going to be harder on you the longer you wait. The fear of having a very early premie could make you not want another one at all.

[SpiritLady]

My youngest was born at 27 weeks but my water broke when I was 23 weeks along anyway I already had 2 kids was delighted to have my 3rd but once I found out this might happen with other pregnancies I decided that was enough it's not fair to put children through that stuff my youngest had to. I would love to have more but like I said I think knowing the problems there is noway in the world I'd put another baby in jeopardy. Don't want to sound rude that is just my opinion.

[momofthree109]

Quoting SpiritLady:

My youngest was born at 27 weeks but my water broke when I was 23 weeks along anyway I already had 2 kids was delighted to have my 3rd but once I found out this might happen with other pregnancies I decided that was enough it's not fair to put children through that stuff my youngest had to. I would love to have more but like I said I think knowing the problems there is noway in the world I'd put another baby in jeopardy. Don't want to sound rude that is just my opinion.

I agree, even if I were not done, this made sure I was.

[honeyblips]

My son was born at 26 weeks, right on the dot. He weighed 1 lb. 8 oz, and was 13.5" long. 1st: He couldn't breathe on his own, and because there was not time for steriod shots he didn't get the head start a lot of babies get. He also spent quite a bit of time on high levels of O2. We spent 2 weeks switching back and forth between a traditional ventilator and an oscilator. Then he was moved to cpap. For some reason a week later we were able to move to nasal cannula, but were switched back to cpap. He then spent  another 4 weeks on cpap and was then moved to an oxygen hood. We could go to nasal cannula because the cpap had irritated and dried out his nostrils so bad that his nose would just bleed. He spent another 3-4 weeks under the oxygen hood. During his 12 week NICU stay his was only breathing on his just over a week before he came home. 2nd: His nervous system was so raw and immature that we couldn't touch him. And when we talk to him, we had to whisper. That lasted probably 3 weeks. His little body couldn't handle the extra stimulation, and I wasn't even allowed to hold him until he was 4 weeks old. 3rd: His skin was very thin, and translucent. You could see all his little veins. In fact he was so early he didn't have butt cheeks, or nipples. 3rd: His digestive system had to be jump started. I think his first feeding may have been something like 3mL of breast milk twice a day. So he was fed through a tube until he was 10 weeks old. They let him start nippling once a day at 9 weeks, but they start that slow because sometime bottle feeding causes them to lose weight. Anyway- we had to stop his feeding several times because he wasn't tolerating them. That was a long journey. He had a couple of infections, and at least 6 blood transfusions. I lost count, but I'm pretty sure it was more. He also developed retinopoathy of prematurity. Babies born that early are at high risk of retina detachment, very serious brain bleeds, infections, their PDA in the heart not closing, an NEC. Having a baby born that early is definitetly a trial. He is almost 3 and although we are blessed it isn't over. He required PT for 2 1/2 years, he wears glasses and has fairly severe asthma. That's in a nut shell everything we have faced.

Once Aedan was out of the woods we decided that my risk of developing preeclampsia/hellp was too high. My risk of death was too high as well. Unfotunately, I didn't immediately get my tubes tied. And although we were actively preventing pregnancy we found out we were expecting our 3rd baby. Our youngest daughter was born on July 31, @ 31 weeks. This time I didn get my tubes tied, I'm not sure my body can handle the stress of another pregnancy. This time I also developed preeclampsia/hellp for a 3rd time. For whatever reason my body doesn't handle pregnancy well. So my advice, if having a child with your condition would risk your life choose adoption. Your life is too high a price too pay. So is your marriage. Having a 26 weeker just might be the end of a marriage that is already rocky. It isn't easy when you have a strong marriage. I do have some pics and video if you would like to see them. Just let me know and I will post them. Having a micropreemie and watching everything they go through all the while not knowing if they will even survive is heart breaking. It's not something I would wish on anyone.