Our Journey as a Parent of a Premature Baby
Our baby is a 24 weeks premature baby born weighing 800 grams or 1.7637 Pounds (Ib). I will share the NICU journey, preterm birth complications, and a lot more about my preemie through my blogs. Now my baby is 4 years plus, goes to kindergarten, and is like any other full-term healthy child.
Main reasons for premature birth our shocking story!
We want to share our story and experience to raise awareness about the challenges and realities of premature birth. we want to offer support, hope, and encouragement to parents of preterm babies who may be going through the same experience.”
Pregnancy Journey
It was our first pregnancy. We did not have any idea what is normal and what are alarming signs. Around 5th week of pregnancy I started spotting twice thrice in a month and I consulted with my gynaecologist she said within first 12 weeks spotting is common don’t worry but when even after 12th week of pregnancy i was spotting I consulted with doctor and she asked me to go for sonography, reports were normal and doctor again said don’t worry everything is ok in sonography. Because it was my first pregnancy I blindly trusted my doctor and got busy with my daily routine and started avoiding spotting.
Read medical reasons for preterm birth from World Health Organization WHO https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preterm-birth
My Biggest Mistake
Spotting in pregnancy is not normal, I should have seek second advice from another doctor, after my baby’s premature birth at 24 weeks when I was going through my medical file I realized my gynaecologist did not even mention in my medical file that I ever was spotting during pregnancy, it means every time I was meeting her she doesn’t know I have any complication or problem with my pregnancy. Another unknowing mistake I made was when my husband and I asked our doctor if we would travel she said yes you can. We travelled to 4 different cities during 4-5 months of pregnancy.
When situation went out of control
On 23rd week of pregnancy I started bleeding heavily, I immediately rushed to hospital same doctor said your cervix is dilated we need to proceed for emergency cerclage before my husband could reach to hospital from office emergency cerclage was done.
Next day I was still bleeding. The doctor said after the cerclage some bleeding is normal they will observe me for 3 days if everything goes well then I can take discharge and throughout pregnancy bedrest at home. I was hopeful that under doctor’s supervision my pregnancy will reach full term.
Read more from “Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pretermbirth.htm#:~:text=Preterm%20birth%20is%20when%20a,born%20in%20the%20United%20States.
Preterm birth at 24 weeks
At the hospital by the evening of the third day, contraction started. It was my first pregnancy. I didn’t even realize it is labor pain and soon the baby is going to come. The doctor gave me an injection to stop labor pain and contraction stopped but after 2 days water broke. According to doctors it was now almost impossible to stop labor.
Doctor suggested it to us in advance before the baby’s birth. We have to shift our extremely preterm baby to an advanced medical Centre because they don’t have expertise to handle such a critical case. It was a difficult time for us as a parent, private hospitals were out of our budget and semi government hospitals did not have beds available.” It was a scary and unexpected turn of events, and I was feeling overwhelmed and anxious about what was to come.”
“My labour and delivery experience was intense and emotional. Despite being early, my contractions were strong and painful. After 35 minutes of labour, I delivered my baby boy via natural birth at 24 weeks weighing 800g extremely preterm birth, low birth weight. When preterm birth happen, It was a moment of uncertainty and fear about what was to come.”
Immediately after my baby was born, he was shifted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In the NICU, he was placed on a ventilator to help him breath
Because he was extremely premature his lungs were not developed and he has respiratory distress syndrome. The doctor gave him steroid injections to speed up the development of my 24 week preemie’s lungs.
He required close monitoring of his vital signs, as well as regular blood tests, x-rays and other medical procedures.
Emotional Trauma
Indirectly people were saying my baby is not going to survive.
Dietician at the hospital was suggesting to me how to take care of myself for the second pregnancy.
Visitors were talking about their miscarriage experience. My heart was broken due to my baby’s critical condition.
Usually when a baby is born, families celebrate, in our case we were in trauma, what will happen next, will our baby survive, will he be able to see? Will he be able to hear? If yes, what if the baby has any long term medical health issues or any abnormalities, I continuously cried for 2 days.
Baby Transportation at advance medical Centre
Right after the baby’s birth we were clueless and directionless about where to go and what to do. Then we started contacting people we know working in the medical field. It took us 3 days to find a bed in an advanced medical Centre in our budget. After 3 days of baby’s birth.
We shifted our 24 weeks premature baby to an advanced hospital and we were hoping if everything goes well, from here the baby will come directly home.
Our baby’s NICU Journey https://mamalovefamily.com/our-inspiring-103-day-nicu-journey/
Suggestion
If you feel your doctor is not listening to you or not paying enough attention go for second advice, specially in India gynaecologists have a long queue of patients and mostly are pregnant but for you, your baby is one and your baby is precious so go for second advice if you think you need to.
24 weeks baby’s journey after discharge.
If you know, a team of doctors can’t stop preterm birth and any time a baby will come please choose a hospital where the NICU is in good condition, where a ventilator is available and they are able to manage the premature baby’s medical requirement.
To cope with stress take one day at a time, when a premature baby is born it feels like everything has shattered. Take one day at a time and take care of your physical and emotional health too because if you are in better condition you will give the baby positive energy to grow and recover faster. This time will pass and you will come out stronger at the other side
F&Q
What is premature baby age?
Extremely preterm: Baby born at or before 25 weeks of pregnancy.
Very preterm: Baby born before 32 weeks of pregnancy.
Moderately preterm: Baby born between 32-34 weeks of pregnancy.
Late preterm: Baby born between 34-36 weeks of pregnancy.
Can a premature baby be normal?
Typical pregnancies last for about 40 weeks. A baby born before the 37th week is considered premature or preterm. Thanks to medical advancements, over 90% of premature babies now survive, and the majority go on to have normal development.
Main causes of premature birth?
Certain factors increase the chances of preterm birth. These include a history of delivering a premature baby, carrying multiple pregnancies, using tobacco or substances during pregnancy, and having a short time gap of less than 18 months between pregnancies. Moreover, complications during pregnancy can lead to the need for early delivery, resulting in preterm birth.
What happens if a baby is born in 7 months?
Can a 6 month premature baby survive?
A full-term pregnancy typically lasts between 37 and 42 weeks. When babies are born at 24 weeks gestation and are admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), about two-thirds of them will survive and be able to go home. As for babies born at 30 weeks gestation, a remarkable 98% of them will survive.