First Milestone!!! 26 weeks!!!!

I'm 26 weeks today. I honestly didn't think we'd make it this far and I'm beyond excited we did. Coming into this at 22 weeks and a few days and making it almost a month already is just amazing to me. (We'll be in the hospital a month this coming Wednesday). The fact that I have held her in there and she has hung on through of all this is amazing to me. My child is already impressing me. She is already smart enough to know that it's not time to fit through that hole yet! That and/or the fact she is stubborn just like both her parents and doesn't feel like doing it on anybody's time but her own :)  Either way.

When we first got in the hospital back on May 5, they told us that if she came out that she wouldn't live.

At 23 weeks, they told us she had a 10 percent chance of living if she came out and a 1 in 10 percent chance of being 'normal'/not disabled.  And then they moved us thinking she was coming out soon.

At 24 weeks, they thought for sure I was going to have her and we kept getting bad news every five minutes it seemed. She only had a 30 percent of survival and would most likely be disabled.

At 25 weeks, they were a little bit more hopeful but it was mostly 50 percent she'd survive and about 60 percent she'd be disabled if she did.

At 26 weeks (today), her survival rate jumps to 95 percent and her handicap risk drops to 40 percent.

I still don't want her to come out this early BUT I am grateful for the progress she has already made by staying in there.

I think emotionally that 26 weeks is relieving a lot of anxiety I had. Knowing that I could go through all this and end up with a dead baby (excuse my bluntness but it's true) was the worst part of all this so far. I couldn't imagine ever going through that. I think that people that have gone through that are incredibly strong. And not even people who lose babies this far, even at 5 weeks I loved this baby. So I guess the fact that I know (well hope) that she will at least come out alive but with issues is better than nothing. I have been expecting issues. And there so many! It's amazing how much they develop in these last few months. It's like a computer downloading half a program or something. Well if I'm 6 and 1/2 months that 6.5/10 which is what? (have to get calculator out) 65 percent baked. So she's getting there! I might eat cookies out of the oven that are 65 percent cooked. LOL weird analogy but its true. I'd drive away from the gas pump knowing my car would get me from point A to point B if my gas pump was 65 percent full. I guess if I look at it that way it seems like a lot of progress. I mean 70 percent in school is a C which is a passing grade! Anyway I digress.

I've been reading up and talking to Peds about the realities of the situation (and once again like my last blogs - yes, Ian is here for all this and is also here when I talk to Peds but I don't like assuming and writing from his perspective just my own... but he is here in full support and awesome through all this) since basically her whole body isn't done yet. So head to toe there could be issues.

Brain - she could bleed because of temporary blood vessels that are helping something else form up there and then they go away before birth. But since they are temporary they have a bigger chance of rupturing causing hemorraging causing cerebral palsy. Her brain is also not developed yet so she could have social, emotional, cognitive, physical, learning, etc. disabilities.

Oooh I found the info at March of Dimes so I don't have to try to remember it all. Here is what they say (March of Dimes is the organizational the helps/supports premature birth babies).

From http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1157.asp

What medical complications are common in premature babies? There are a number of complications that are more likely in premature than full-term babies:

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS): About 23,000 babies a year (most of whom were born before the 34th week of pregnancy) suffer from this breathing problem (11). Babies with RDS lack a protein called surfactant that keeps small air sacs in the lungs from collapsing.

Treatment with surfactant helps affected babies breathe more easily. Since treatment with surfactant was introduced in 1990, deaths from RDS have been reduced by about half (12).

A provider may suspect a baby has RDS if she is struggling to breathe. A lung X-ray and blood tests often confirm the diagnosis.

Along with surfactant treatment, babies with RDS may need additional oxygen and mechanical breathing assistance to keep their lungs expanded. They may need the support of a ventilator or they may receive treatment called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). CPAP delivers pressurized air to the baby’s lungs through small tubes in the baby’s nose or through a tube that has been inserted into his windpipe. CPAP helps a baby breathe, but it does not breathe for him. The sickest babies may need the help of a ventilator to breathe for them while their lungs mature.

Apnea: Premature babies sometimes stop breathing for 20 seconds or more. This interruption in breathing is called apnea, and it may be accompanied by a slow heart rate. Premature babies are constantly monitored for apnea. If the baby stops breathing, a nurse stimulates the baby to start breathing by patting him or touching the soles of his feet.

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH): Bleeding in the brain occurs in some premature babies. Those born before about 32 weeks of pregnancy are at highest risk. The bleeds usually occur in the first 3 days of life and generally are diagnosed with an ultrasound.

Most brain bleeds are mild and resolve themselves with no or few lasting problems. More severe bleeds can affect the substance of the brain or cause the fluid-filled structures (ventricles) in the brain to expand rapidly. These severe bleeds can cause pressure on the brain that can lead to brain damage (such as cerebral palsy and learning and behavioral problems). When fluid persists in the ventricles, neurosurgeons may insert a tube into the brain to drain the fluid and reduce the risk of brain damage.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA): PDA is a heart problem that is common in premature babies. Before birth, a large artery called the ductus arteriosus lets blood bypass the lungs because the fetus gets its oxygen through the placenta. The ductus arteriosus normally closes soon after birth so that blood can travel to the lungs and pick up oxygen.

When the ductus arteriosus does not close properly, it can lead to heart failure. PDA can be diagnosed with a specialized form of ultrasound (echocardiography) or other imaging tests. Babies with PDA are treated with a drug that helps close the ductus arteriosus, although surgery may be necessary if the drug does not work.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC): Some premature babies develop this potentially dangerous intestinal problem 2 to 3 weeks after birth. It can lead to feeding difficulties, abdominal swelling and other complications. NEC can be diagnosed with blood tests and imaging tests, such as X-rays. Affected babies are treated with antibiotics and fed intravenously (through a vein) while the intestine heals. In some cases, surgery is necessary to remove damaged sections of the intestine.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP): ROP is an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye that can lead to vision loss. It occurs mainly in babies born before 32 weeks of pregnancy. ROP is diagnosed during an examination by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) several weeks after birth.

Most cases are mild and heal themselves with little or no vision loss. In more severe cases, the ophthalmologist may treat the abnormal vessels with a laser or with cryotherapy (freezing) to protect the retina and preserve vision.

Jaundice: Premature babies are more likely than full-term babies to develop jaundice because their livers are too immature to remove a waste product called bilirubin from the blood. Babies with jaundice have a yellowish color to their skin and eyes. Jaundice often is mild and usually is not harmful. However, if the bilirubin level gets too high, it can cause brain damage.

Blood tests show when bilirubin levels are too high, so providers can treat the baby with special lights (phototherapy) that help the body eliminate bilirubin, thus preventing brain damage. Occasionally, if bilirubin levels rise very high, a baby may need a special type of blood transfusion.

Anemia: Premature infants often are anemic, which means they do not have enough red blood cells. Normally, the baby stores iron during the later months of pregnancy and uses it late in pregnancy and after birth to make red blood cells. Infants born too soon may not have had enough time to store iron.

Babies with anemia tend to develop feeding problems and grow more slowly. Anemia also can worsen any heart or breathing problems. Anemic infants may be treated with dietary iron supplements (drugs that increase red blood cell production), or they may require blood transfusion.

Chronic lung disease (also called bronchopulmonary dysplasia or BPD): Chronic lung disease most commonly affects premature infants who require ongoing treatment with supplemental oxygen. The risk of BPD is increased in babies who still need oxygen when they reach 36 weeks after conception (weeks of pregnancy plus weeks after birth adding up to 36 or more weeks). These babies develop fluid in the lungs, scarring and lung damage, which can be seen on an X-ray.

Affected babies are treated with oxygen and medications that make breathing easier. Sometimes they require support from a ventilator and are weaned slowly from the device. Their lungs usually improve over the first 2 years of life. However, many children with BPD develop chronic lung disease resembling asthma.

Infections: Premature babies have immature immune systems that are inefficient at fighting off bacteria, viruses and other organisms that can cause infection. Serious infections commonly seen in premature babies include pneumonia (lung infection), sepsis (blood infection) and meningitis (infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord). Babies can contract these infections at birth from their mother, or they may become infected after birth. Infections are treated with antibiotics or antiviral drugs.


What happens when babies are born at less than 28 weeks? Fewer than 1 percent of babies in this country are born this early, but they have the most complications (1). Most of these babies are born at extremely low birthweight (less than 2 pounds, 3 ounces). Almost all require treatment with oxygen, surfactant and mechanical assistance to help them breathe.

These babies are too immature to suck, swallow and breathe at the same time, so they must be fed through a vein (intravenously) until they develop these skills. They often cannot cry (or you cannot hear them due to the tube in their throat) and they sleep most of the day. These tiny babies have little muscle tone, and most move very little.

Babies born this early look very different than full-term babies. Their skin is wrinkled and reddish-purple in color and is so thin that the blood vessels underneath can be seen. Their face and body are covered in soft hair called lanugo. Because these babies have not had time to put on fat, they appear very thin. Most likely, their eyes are closed, and they have no eyelashes.

These babies are at high risk for one or more of the complications discussed above. However, most babies born after about 26 weeks gestation do survive (about 80 percent at 26 weeks), although they may face an extended stay in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) (13).

Survival rates can vary greatly depending on factors other than gestational age. Factors that can improve survival rates include higher birthweight, female sex, history of prenatal treatment with corticosteroids (drugs that speed lung development) and singleton birth (not part of a twin or other multiple birth) (14).

Unfortunately, about 25 percent of these very premature babies develop serious lasting disabilities, and up to half may have milder problems, such as learning and behavioral problems (15).

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So now you know what she's facing if you wanted more information. We were told all of this by Peds. We were also told that this early that if I were to give birth, she would come out probably bluish purple, probably not crying, really really really REALLY tiny and they would barely show her to me and rush her to the other room to care for her as a patient. Good to know ahead of time but still think I'd freak out if I had a blue baby not crying.

So those are the happy optimistic stats, the reality stats and then there's me. Just a mom holding in a baby.