Help! - Romeoville,IL

My son is 18 years old now and I had this exact situation. I was diagnosed when I was seven months. I was not very cooperative as I had two other children and it seemed hard to stay on bedrest. After one more month, my BP was at 190/110 and I was a stroke candidate. They did the amnio which determined his lungs were developed even though he was under 5 lbs. The amniocentesis is not very invasive for either mom or child. The benefits outweigh the risks. By the time I listened to my doctor, I was spilling proteins, had to be on IVs in the hospital for a week and my son was doped up for two days after he was born and I am lucky and grateful he is a wonderful, delightful child today. Trusting the doctor is the key for me today because they believe in happy outcomes. J.

I have not had preeclampsia, but have had an amnio. The amnio is safe if the doctor is good. If she trusts the doctor, then she and the baby should be fine with the amnio. Good Luck!

Hi Meagan. My name is L. and I did not get to give any advice earlier this yr. for your friend, but now that she has the baby tell her if she needs any help at all-Nanny/Babynurse Services/Babysitter etc... to please give me a call. I will even be open to calls for any kind of advice that she might need. My website is www.blessedlitleangelsnanny.com. Hope all is well.

A baby over 5 lbs can fit into newborn sized clothing and diapers, does not require "preemie" sized clothing or diapers which are both more expensive because of the speciality sizes.

I had pre eclampsia and was on bed rest for my last trimester. 5 weeks before before her due date - she was measuring 4 lbs 8 ounces - I woke up and was blind with the worst migraine headache I've ever experienced. My blood pressure was through the roof and I was in danger of having a stroke. After monitoring the fetus for 24 hours, they went in for an emergency c section to deliver the baby. She ended up being 4 lbs and when we came home she was 4 lbs even. She didnt spent a minute in NICU and she came home with me 3 days after delivery. She is definately a peanut, but is not behind developmentally at all, and in some areas, ahead of the pack.

It's all very scarey, but if you have a good doctor that you trust, my recommendation is to trust tht they know what is best. If you do not trust your doctor, change doctors immediately to one who specializes in high risk pregnancies.

Avoid "preemie" labeled items if you can - the diapers do not come in bulk, run a higher price tag and are not easily available in all areas. I live between Milwaukee and Chicago and we had a rough time with finding preemie diapers. She was in them for about 2 months before we switched to Newborn size - oh that was wonderful! Also feedings are typically in MLs instead of ounces. Tracking intake becomes very important with a preemie or a squirt.

Hope this helps.

What a great friend you are. I have a 7 month old baby boy. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at 30 wks and was in and out of the hospital for 7 wks on bedrest and spent a total of 3 wks in the hospital. She has to be very strict with her bedrest. Only bathroom visits and make sure the house remains calm. For while she is on bedrest....maybe make her some meals. I know that was appreciated when my mom and friends did that for us. Also, sodium is not that much to worry about. i am a registered dietitian and preecplampsia is very different than just regular hypertension. Preeclampsia is NOT treated with low sodium diet. I had an amnio done at 36 wks and it showed that my son's lungs were not developed. I was crushed after being in the bed for 6 1/2 wks at that point. But then two days later my BP took a turn and the headaches were awful. They went ahead and induced with pitocin and after a day and a half i would not dilate. I had been on Magnesium (to help lower the BP) and I had to end of having a c section. We were so scared that his lungs were not developed, but when he came out on thanksgiving day he was crying and was HEALTHY. The stress of having a complicated pregnancy is overwhelming, especially when there is not only risk to the baby BUT also to the MOM. That is why preeclampsia is so stressful. make sure she monitors her BP at home and she CANNOT ignore headaches or vision changes. I feel like her baby will be fine especially since she is already at a good weight and is a girl. Please wish her the best. Just be there for your friend and try to keep her calm...it is amazing what some calming support can do.

Hi M.,

I am a SAHM of 2 children. My daughter who is now 11 was a preemie. I had severe preeclampsia and my daughter was born at 26 weeks, she weighed 1lb 8oz when she was born. I was put on bed rest in the hospital and they monitered my protein levels in my urine and watched my blood pressure. The day the doctors decided to schedule me for a c-section my protein levels had tripled. I can't understand why they would want to do an amnio. They can make the decision whether to deliver the baby if her blood pressure or her protein levels are too high. With me, I also had a ultrasound done before I went into surgery to determine how my daughter was positioned. My daughter stayed in the ISCU for 2 1/2 months. A couple of things I would say are positives for your friend are that she is having a girl, (girls fair better than boys when born prematurely). Also, since she is 34 weeks and the baby weighs 5lbs 6oz is a very good thing. It is wonderful that they have you. When you have a preemie you need all the support you can get. A really good book that helped me is called Newborn Intensive Care by Jeanette Zaichkin. All the best to your friend.

Hi! I was pregnant with twins and developed pre-eclampasia at 32 weeks. I had the magnesisum sulfate and meds to help the development of the twins lungs. I was on strict bed rest. I could not even get out of bed for the bathroom. By the way, I was hospitalized during this time. Anyway, I was told to lay on my left side. This helps the blood pressure. This really works! My blood pressure came down and I ended delaying the delivery for almost 2 weeks. I ended up having a c-section because my sons heart rate kept dropping. He was probably squeezing his cord. I delivered at 33.5 weeks. The children weighed 3 lbs 11oz and 3 lbs 15oz. Their apgar scores were both 8 and 9. Neither of them required oxygen or feeding tubes. My daughter suffered from jaundice. The doctors told us that at 33-34 weeks is a good point to be at for lung development. Congratulations to your friend!!!
L., mommy to 5 1/2 girl/boy twins

Hi M.,

first let me say what a good friend you are!

I have not had experience with preeclampsia, but I did just deliver my 4th baby at 34 weeks via emergency c-section. I had ovarian torsion (which they did not see until I was open) and during observation at the hospital (torsion is excrutiatingly painful so they gave me meds for pain and kept me for observation) the baby's heart rate dropped and wouldn't come back up - they woke me and wheeled me into surgery before I even knew what was going on. My baby was born at 5 lbs 12 ounces, and did not need ANY special care. the head of the NICU was in the delivery room to check baby right afterwards and she found no reason for the baby to not be in my room or regular nursery with all the other babies. The only thing they did was a car seat check where they observe baby in their car seat for one hour to make sure there is no problem with breathing.

I had an amnio with this pregnancy for my downs syndrome risk, but mine was much earlier. I would really be curious what they plan to check for in the amnio. It takes a while for the results to come back and it doesn't sound like she has a lot of time. I won't pretend to be an expert in the field... but if I were her, I'd be asking a lot of questions about the amnio and why it's necessary.

If they decide to take the baby now, chances are extremely good that everything will be fine. If i were her, i would ask my OB to deliver the baby via c-section now without the amnio- especially if they are concerned about mom's kidneys and general health.

what can you do to help?
having recently delivered a baby, and also having a 14 month old, a 9 yr old and 11 yr old, I was thankful for help with the other kids so I could concentrate on caring for baby and recovering from surgery. If she has older kids, offer to help with them. maybe you could run some errands for them - grocery store, diaper runs, pharmacy pick ups. Make her some things that are easy to eat... get her some fresh fruits/veggies, banana bread, coffee cake, a big huge pot of soup.

Also, keep an eye on her mental health. this is a lot of times overlooked by family/friends. She is having a less than ideal birth experience...she may not get the labor/delivery she imagined, she'll be exhausted to boot... this can all take a toll on the strongest of women. It is normal to feel some swinging emotions as i'm sure you remember, but it shouldnt last too long. post partum depression isn't only feeling sad - sometimes it is seen as being short tempered, snapping at people, insomnia, anger... urge her to see her OB if the signs are there, and make sure she understands it's OK to get help and she's a better mommy when she feels good.

oh - p.s. - it's very imprtant to get a shower every single day when recovering from a c-section... if she finds she doesn't have time,... give her a hand and take over baby duties for 30 minutes so she can shower.

just some ideas from me... I really hope your friend is going to be ok and again, kudos to you for being such a great friend!

Okay, this coming from a Peds RN with some OB experience. First, relax. Tell your friend to relax. At many hospitals 34 week babies do very well, go home at the same time or a day later than term babies (36 weeks is term-some say 35). If they to an amnio- they use ultrasound to guide baby and gravity plays a part in where they sample. THere is only a slight risk of the needle hitting baby. Tell your friend to stay down on bedrest, keep taking any medicine they give her religiously, watch SODIUM in foods she eats, do exactly as she is asked and if they do the amnio, they will be able to tell if baby's lungs are developed. THey can also give steroids if they feel birth is going to be early, this helps the lungs develop faster. I went into preterm at 30 weeks, but then baby would not come out at 37 weeks and i had to be induced! Figures it was a boy! Just try to relax, watch all sodium (it's in drinks like gatorade, pre-made foods and foods especially from restaurants). It will help keep BP down for mom. Good luck to your friend!

I had to have an amnio with my last son. I was 35 at the time. Don't be afraid of the needle hurting the baby. They used an ultra sound to see where the baby was so it would be safe. It doesn't hurt that bad either, just like someone pushing gently on your tummy. It is best for your peace of mind knowing that the baby is safe or if surgery is needed. Good luck, Barbara Nolte

I think they check lung development - that is usually the major concern. They did the same with my cousin and everything went fine.

M.,
tell your friend to follow the doctor's orders and stay in bed, only getting up to use the bathroom and then right back to bed. As far as the danger of an amnio, the procedure like everything in life has risks, but it is done with an ultrasound so the doctor does not hit the baby or harm the baby. The amniotic fluid is then analyzed in the lab and the maturity of the baby's lungs can be accurately determined. If the baby is mature enough, regardless of the weight, the doctor may choose to induce her now and end the danger of pre-eclampsia hurting your friend. The doctor is doing what is best for both of them; I hope all works out well. I hope this information helps!

M.,
The amnio is to check for lung maturation - to see if the baby can breath outside the womb without artificial means. I had an amnio at 35 weeks and a scheduled c-section the next day. My little guy was 5 pounds when he was born and dropped to 4# 8oz before leaving the hospital. Thankfully he is growing and thriving very well and had no complications when he was born.

The amnio is uncomfortable, but it is a very routine procedure with very few risks associated with it this late in pregnancy. Unless the doc can find a good pocket of fluid to go into they won't do the procedure. They use an ultrasound to guide the needle so you can either choose to watch or look away. It is very quick - under 5 minutes from start to finish.

As for having a a preemie, your friend will need preemie diapers and some clothes. Babies r Us has a nice preemie section. Also, a bouncy chair that vibrated was the only thing my guy would sleep in for the first month or so - that might be helpful. Soothie pacis were also good.

Best of luck to your friend!
T.

You sound like a wonderful friend, that is great. No experience with premies. More than anything, make dinners for them to freeze and eat, or go get some Dinner by Design gift cards. People forget that the parents need to be taken care of too, who will more likely be too exhausted to cook!

Hi There,

At 34 weeks the prognosis is very good. In most cases the respitory system is pretty much developed, and they tend to do well. My premie was 4 lbs 12oz and 24 weeks as well, is now 5, and totally doing great-
The first month is a little rough, with more than average feedings, but iy goes by fast.
Good luck to your friend, who is lucky to have a caring friend like yourself. (:

K.

Hello M. W,
I am a mother of two beautiful girls, 10, and 8 who were both preemies- 2lbs, 12 oz., and 2lbs, 13oz. I also had Pre-eclampsia with BOTH girls. My condition started in the 20th week of each pregnancy. My OB told me this only usually happens in the first pregnancy, and 10% in those.

Anyway, I did NOT have an amino. I was on complete bed rest for 9 weeks ON THE LEFT SIDE is best. Boy that was fun... I don't recommend having an amino, unless there is another factor involved. Preemies, especially girls, do VERY well after they hit the 4 pounds and 3l- 32 week gestation age.

In MY opinion, I would not have it done. My daughters were given "Surfactant", a drug used to help the under-developed lung mature faster- through a breathing tube. (It looks worse than what it is.)Your friend, even though her body won't be completely ready to produce the level of breast milk she would if at full term, she can still pump the best milk the baby needs right at birth,(called Colostrum). I was not a big fan of breastfeeding at first, although it was very beneficial to my daughters. (Please don’t think I am not trying to push breastfeeding and/or pumping if she wasn’t planning to! - it is a very personal decision). The Breast milk has an advantage over formula because it contains proteins that help fight infection and promote growth. Special fortifiers may be added to breast milk (or to formula if breastfeeding isn't desired), because premature infants have higher vitamin and mineral needs than full-term infants. Nearly all premature babies receive additional calcium and phosphorus either by adding fortifier to breast milk or directly through special formulas for preemies.
I attached a link to follow about the amino.

http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/Prenatal%20Testing/pre...

Also, something I was itroduced to at Christ with my 2nd, called "Kangaroo Care" it is a great way to bond between mom (&dad) and baby.The beby can hear her heart beat and comfort her just when she was in the womb . Kangaroo Care, also known as skin-to-skin care, the baby is placed on the parent's chest, only in a diaper and cap covered in a blanket to keeep her temp up. The baby's head is turned to the side so that her ear is against the parent's heart. If needed, Vent tubing and wires are taped to the parent's gown. Usually, two nurses assist in the transfer from warming bed or isolet to the parent's chest. If you are interested, here’s my story; it may be helpful?

With my 10 year old, I was having mild contractions (they must have been mild, I did not feel them at all.) her heart rate decreased very low, to 70- 85BPM. Should be 130-170. They watched the d-cells, (drop in heart rate) for an hour and a half so, and then decided to do a C-section. I told my OB, "This was not the plan I had in mind!" My husband made it back to So.Sub Hospital right after the surgery. I was terrified; this being my first baby, my husband just left to go home for the night- prior to all this happenings, my blood pressure was getting higher and higher, and knowing she (and I) wasn't ready for this. My OB's were great. They held my hand for the support I greatly needed and calming me down. I was put completely under. Jessica was born at 29 weeks, weighing in at 2 pounds, 12 ounces, 15 inches long. She was so little and fragile- her skin so thin, you could almost see through. She was given "Surfactant", a drug used to help the under-developed lung mature faster- through a breathing tube. She looked so helpless lying on her back. She did great; vent for the first 24 hours, ( to make sure everything went fine. She started the sucking reflexes pretty quickly. She stayed in the hospital for 5 1/2 weeks. She came home weighing 5 pounds. Through those weeks, she did better and better. The only problem we had was my body wasn't ready to produce enough breast milk she needed, so we supplemented with pumped milk, and special preemie formulas.

The second baby was the “second copy” I could follow the first pregnancy to the week. With the exception I had very high levels and was risk for sezures and stroke-went into ecpalmispia, and we knew what to expect and handle the birth a little better.

They both are doing great. (with the exception of going into the tween years!)
Please feel free to email me or your friend email me if you have any questions!

I apologize to all who read this, and said, wow that was a long story!
I wish the very best to you, The new Mommy and Daddy, and family.
-S. B

I understand your worry, but your friend seems to be in a pretty good position right now. My sister had preeclampsia and needed to deliver at 30 weeks. Her daughter was under 2 lbs. Thank goodness everything is fine now, but it was very scary.

As for premie needs, I'd just help her find some premmie clothes and just be there to provide some support. Good luck to them.