My "I" was a 35weeker.

Hi Kristen and Cindy,

I'm not a preemie parent, but I am a preemie aunt.  My little niece was born on Dec 13th at 28 weeks.  She is doing great so far.  Prayers are working:)  Here is a link if you are interested:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/addisonearls

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hi, Kristen! I am not a preemie mom, but I am a nurse in the preemie ICU. Does that get to count (smiling)? Hope your little preemie is doing well.

Kristen,

My twins were 35 weekers and also refluxers.  Hope all is going well with yours, we discovered along the way that it gets easier as they get older (ours are almost 5, Yikes!) hope you find the same is true.

Rebecca

PS- They still are dealing with reflux, but the older they get the less severe it seems and they can tell us what is going on now, so we just use PRN meds :)

29 weeker and 33 weeker preemie mama here. One was a micro and the other wasn't. Both spent 6 weeks and 5.3 weeks in hospital. One is 7 yrs old now and the other is 10 mo old now. Both had bradycardia and preemie apnea. One has a PDA or patent ductus arteriosis (the 10 mo old) and GERD (gastro reflux disease). My oldest has ADHD and SID (sensory integration dysfunction) and was the micro preemie.

They are the only two preemies out of the 5 children. My second oldest I spend 10 weeks in hospital on bed rest to prevent having a 24 weeker. The third was an uneventful pg except for a true double knot in his umbilical cord, the fourth was born in the cawl as a frank breech (feet first) with prolapsed cord at 37 weeks and was an emerg c\s with uterine rupture. My 33 weeker was also an emerg c\s. The first three were natural births.

S

My son was a 24 weeker. 1 lb 10 ozs:  8 mos in the hospital.

I had a ruptured placenta  and my son was 27 weeker 2lbs 8 ounces. He is 21 now and has CP and is developmentally delayed.  He is also Hydrcephalic with an intercranial shunt , and had years of dealing with epilepsy and asthma, but symptom free from both for over 5 years now.

That is him in my pictures below.

My twin girls were 27 weekers (1 lb. 6 and 1 lb. 13) and spent 3 and 4 1/2 months in the hospital.  They are now 17!  Except for a few lingering issues, most are resolved.  They both are extremely nearsighted, had pt/ot through 8th grade (one still has speech entering 12th and she gets resource room).  They were also diagnosed with Russell Silver Syndrome (a form of dwarfism - probably unrelated to the prematurity).  In one there are some minor lingering sensory issues, but she's learned to cope with them.

Now, they are honor roll students, play in the orchestra, sing in the choir and work at summer camp as counselors! 

My twin boys were 5 weeks early (born at 35 weeks) 16 years ago.  They were both almost 5 1/2 lbs.  One was on a respirator for a week and the other was very slow to begin gaining weight.  They came home at 2 weeks and 2 1/2 weeks old.  We were very blessed.  The only residual effects that we know of are a bit of sensory integration disorder, that may or may not be due to them being premature.  They have little trouble with it now, except at movies, dentists, and eye doctors.  Video games and rock concerts are no problem  :o)

I am the mom of 2 preemies.  My daughter was born at 32 weeks and is now 16 1/2 and my son was 35 weeks and is now 8!!

I was full term, but weighed in at 4lb 11 oz!

Hi,

My son was born at 31 weeks at 3lbs 8oz.  He stayed in the hospital for 1 month, due to having NEC (an intestinal infection that could be deadly).  But, a little before memorial's day he came home at 4lbs 10oz.  He was still so small.  Now he is 19months (17 months adj.) He is a wild boy with beautiful light brown curly hair. He is my light.  Prayers do work!!!!

I am a mom of 3 preemies. My triplet daughters were born at 30 weeks. 3lbs 9oz,  3lbs 4 oz  and 3lbs 3oz.

One has CP due to a medical error when she was 9 days old and dropped under 2 lbs. Otherwise they are fine and are 12 now. For those who are having difficulty imaging their preemie babies as healthy children away from all the tubes and hospitals-it will come. It is difficult having to share them with everyone when all you want is to just take them home and start your new life together.

My wishes and prayers for all preemie parents/extended families out there. It's a long hard road but well worth it. Those tiny babies are amazingly resilient. You can do this, even if they have problems. Worry and doubt are not productive. Love and devotion are.

Now you wish they were big and healthy enough to make noise...soon you will be wishing for peace and quiet! :D

Preemie mom to my daughter and her angel brother.  We're also a heart family.

I am a gramdmother of a preemie and a retired  nurse, my only granddaughter wt 2.2 lb [kilo] at 27 weeks her mom had

eclampsia, a mad rush in rural oklahoma 2hrs  to childrens hosp  in okc to del her at the best place .the helicopter was not available

because they didn't know how bad mom was, had to stop at hosp on way to stableizer her, police escort for my son  and he had to take

the 3 older boys with him, but everything was ready for mom straight to OR.  a volunteer for my grandsons so my son could focus

on what was happening to his wife and dtr, I got a call at 2am in calif and flew out asap. 

that was a yr ago she is now 15lbs and so far not problem in sight, unless you count being a tad spoiled and a daddys girl. 

mom went back to work 3 weeks after [english teacher] if she just sat, students were very helpful- ndn women rock! 

 THANK GOD  FOR THE RONALD MACDONALD HOUSE!!!   it was a life saver.  in many ways.

My twins were 35 weekers 5 lbs 8 ozs and 5 lbs 13 ozs(they came home 2 days after I did! Didnt find out one had a heart condition until he was 2 months though)  almost had them at 24 and 27 weeks though. My oldest was 36 weeks he had health issues and had to stay in the NICU for 2 weeks. He was 4 lbs 8 ozs when we took him home.

my daughter's sister was a preemie. She is now nine, i dont get to see her that much but i worried that her mom is too worried about her health...i think she thinks there is more wrong with her becasue she was early, not because there is anything wrong with her. i know she can be more sick then others...but she never seem to be any sicker then any other...though her mom says she as this this and the other thing. what can i do if anything to know that is is ok and the mom is over worried...or do i just say out. they child is not yet worried about be sick but i am worried.

I have a 24 weeker, 1lb 4oz (now 9) and a 35 weeker (now 6) and they are both miracles!

My son was born 10 weeks early.  There was so much wrong with him.  Yet the wonderful care of the nurses and doctors helped bring him home after 2 months.  My granddaughter was also a premmie...16 weeks early.  She only weighed 1 lb 9 oz.  Today she is a straight A student and has wonderful social skills.  My heart goes out to all parents of premmies because it is such a trying time.  You feel so helpless.  The nurses and doctors who care for our premmies are very special and I feel have a special place in heaven!

Dawne