just got news that my sister's water broke today. She was driven to a hospital an hour away with a more advanced NICU. We are trying to figure out if she was 28 or 29 weeks. Have not had a chance to do that. i know these weeks are really critical she was due Feb. 1. Please help me if you have experience in this area. Does broken water call for delivery within 24 hours this early or is that only when you are more advanced in your pregnancy? What I really want to know is, are there instances when water breaks that they will try to keep baby in for days and weeks?
update, she is 28 weeks and 3 days.
What are your experiences with babies born this premature?
They didn't deliver the baby last night. She texted me to say she was stable, but have not talked with her yet. So looks like even with risk of infection they do try to keep baby in as long as possible. She will still be on hospital bed rest until its safe to do a C-section. She has two other children and one very needy 18 month old mama's girl. So she feels so very bad about leaving her other baby. My parents are taking care of the kids. Sadly her husband is currently struggleing and loosing his battle with a drug and alcohol relapse. My mother confided in my she thought she was going to leave him after the holidays. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if stress was the cause of this complication. I fear for those kids if dad has to take over since he likely sees her absence as a chance to drink and get high without her knowing. I know it sounds like we have a trashy family but I assure you thats not the case. I'm relieved the baby can stay and develop a while longer, but boy there are still so many problems for my sister to face. I hope all of this wakes her husband up.
I don't know all of the details of how early birth goes down, but I do know that the baby can be very happy and healthy. I have a friend who delivered at 27 or 28 weeks and she now has a perfectly healthy and normal 7 year old girl. If you were to look at her now, you wouldn't even know she was born early. She is even the same size as all her classmates . . . and very bright!
There are too many variables to give a blanket statement about a 28 week baby. Their outlook is much better now than years ago. Usually preterm babies go home about their due date. They can go home a bit earlier or much later. Girls are stronger than boys. Being stressed before the birth is a good thing to mature them. The steroid doses are good. It's a great thing to be where the NICU can care for the baby from the start.
Keep praying. For strong lungs and no infections.
Thx for the update! Sounds extremely stressful. You might want to let her doc know about all the stress of her situation.
Hi Jane, my middle child was born at 26 weeks, 1lb 11oz. I won't say it was EASY, but now that he's a perfectly normal 18 yo college student, I CAN say the possibility exists for it all to work out, ok?
It's scary, I know. I do not know exactly what plan her docs will follow. But you can TRUST them, ok? You just play your cards as they're dealt, day by day, or even hour by hour. Try not to put too much stock in the statistics.
Just BELIEVE. And pray.
Best to you and her. I hope you'll keep us posted.
:)
They will frequently delay delivery as long as is feasibly possible...... if they can, they will also give steroids which can help mature the baby's lungs. She will be kept in the hospital until she delivers, I believe, but every day they delay it may help some..... she will be closely monitored, as will the baby.
I don't know how long they will delay it, though.
factors that influence ... girls are more developed than boys so a girl premie will do better than a boy .
was mom sick/ did she have an infection? if the water broke cause mom had an infection.. than the baby may be quite sick.
my friend had a 27 week premie and he did absolutely great.
My sister in law had twin girls just last year at 28 weeks. I want to say that she did break her water and they kept her in the hospital for a little while before doing a c section. The girls are doing great now but did have some complications at first. There are so many advances in technology and such that babies born earlier have a better chance now than they did years ago. Good luck to your family I'll say some prayers for your sister...
I would expect they'll deliver the baby... wishing the best for them :)
I'm sure they'll try to get 1, hopefully 2, doses of steroids on board as well... baby girls tend to fare better...
If possible they will try to stall labor and delay delivery. It depends on how the baby is doing in utero and how mom is doing (no fever, infection, blood pressure ok). They will likely play it day by day, hour by hour.
It is quite amazing, only 30 years ago 28 was considered only borderline viable - today they have something like a 95% survival rate and most of these kids will do GREAT.
Good luck to her and your family!
A little late with my answer but...if she has premature rupture of membranes but no labor they will keep her in the hospital on antibiotics to prevent infection and they will give her steroids to help develop the baby's lungs. The goal will be to reach 34 weeks (which rarely happens but every day counts). Once she reaches 34 weeks, they will either induce or perform a c-section. If she starts laboring they will, in all likelihood, deliver without any attempts to prevent it.
The survival rate of babies born at or after 27 weeks is 95%.
I had a preemie. We were advised that the two best things you can do for your baby are provide breast milk and practice kangaroo or skin on skin care (which is sometimes difficult with all the equipment but if you want to do it the nurses will usually try to accommodate).
Best wishes to your family.
One of my coworker's grandsons was born at 30 weeks. Her water didn't break but they did everything to stop her labor. I believe he was in the hospital for two months before they would let him go home but he was fine.
