pPROM at 33 weeks, please help! Dr wants to induce and I am resisting.

[NeivaKai]

I'm needing some emotional and informational support. My membranes ruptured last sunday, but as a trickle, not a gush, and I have been losing liquid ever since. I was being seen by a homebirth midwife, as I have a previous full term birth I had at home. I was so looking forward to doing this at home well, but my midwife recommended I go to the hospital to be checked out. They have been observing me for two days, almost three, and my fluid levels are low, but baby looks fine and I have no signs of infection. They are saying since everything is good, lets induce. I am terrified. I don't feel its right, but my partner does, all the doctors, my mom...I am getting so support to wait. I am being given antibiotics that are now making me sick, and tested positive for GBS. I have had some great treatment, and some horrible treatment, all in a few days. I am so against having my babies in the hospital, I just want out of here, but no one is supporting that whatsoever. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice at all? Thank you so much in advance, sorry if its a little jumbled, I am being given antibiotics right now and am feeling very ill.

Also anyone who has advice about a preemie at 34 weeks, experiences with waiting for an adverse sign to induce, ect would be greatly appreciated.

[henriksmom]

I know that it is a very scary time for you right now because I went through the same thing last year. But when they label you high risk the baby's (babies') life (lives) become more important than you wishes. Nobody wants to let their control go in a time like this but you have to think about what is best for the unborn infant.

When membranes rupture really early they would rather see the baby grow inside than in an incubator. Every day inside is like one to two in the hospital. But after 32 to 34 weeks the doctors have to consider that an infection can seriously harm your babies. At 34 babies have the ability to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time.

My membranes ruptured at 28w 2d and went into labour 29w 6d. My son was about the size that you babies could be, around 4 lbs. He stayed in the hospital for a long time but did fairly well. His major issues were Jaundice and an umbilibal hernia. He never learned how to breastfeed and I have been pumping for almost 13 months.

I think that at 34 weeks you will have a better prognosis, although I am not a doctor and every baby is an individual. But generally from what I have read 34 weekers do fairly well. I know that you are scared, I was too. It is so very unexpected. But you have to have your babies in the hospital since there are no interventions at home when you need them.

I am hoping for the best outcome for you and your babies. Stay stong and positive even when it is extremely difficult.

[moaningminny]

I'm sorry How far along into the 33 weeks are you?

My membranes ruptured at 30 weeks 6 days. I was told that if I made it up to 34 weeks without going into labour, I would be induced at that point. That's the point where the risk of infection is greater than the troubles that preemie issues can cause. As far as I was told, it was pretty standard to wait up until that point unless signs of an infection were present.

I was on bedrest, IV antibiotics and was discharged home after five days in hospital. I had a homecare nurse come and visit me the next day and do a NST, and the day after that I was not feeling movement so I went back into hospital. DD was born at 31 weeks 6 days.

She spent 23 days in the Special Care Nursery and other than her apneas and bradycardias was basically what they call a "feeder and grower".

I wish you the best of luck.

[Bokonon]

My daughter was born at 34 weeks, and did very well, especially in comparison to my 32-week son.

I had severe preeclampsia and was on magnesium sulfate for a week before her birth, plus another week earlier that month, so while she was born in pretty good shape (Apgars 5 and 9), she had to go to the NICU a few hours later because she was lethargic and vomiting from magnesium toxicity.

She also had jaundice, so spent a couple of days under the bili-lights, and then just needed to start growing. She was 4 lbs 8 oz at birth but dropped to 3-11 right away. Once on an IV while the mag. was leaving her system and she couldn't tolerate oral feedings, she got back up to around 4-2, but didn't gain much until her 9th day when she gained 2.2 oz., and then she was discharged on day 10.

I did have the steroid shots at 29 weeks, which may have helped her lungs a bit. She didn't have any of the typical preemie breathing issues.

I pumped for her, but her latch was excellent from the beginning, and I was able to stop pumping a week after she came home. She's never had formula, and at 4.5 months, she is 15 pounds!

My son was 32 weeks and spent 6 weeks in the NICU, but had some breathing and feeding issues. I had steroid shots the day before he was born, and his Apgars were 1 and 8. I was able to get him exclusively breastfed by 4 months, and he nursed to 22 months. He is a happy, healthy, and very smart 4yo.

At 34 weeks you are in a really good spot. Baby may have some NICU time, but it likely won't be long at all, and you may even be able to leave the hospital with your baby.

It does sound to me like it's in your best interests, and the best interests of the baby, for you to deliver sooner rather than later. Waiting until things go south could be disastrous.

Good luck - I hope this helps some.

[liberal_chick]

Originally Posted by moaningminny

I'm sorry How far along into the 33 weeks are you?

My membranes ruptured at 30 weeks 6 days. I was told that if I made it up to 34 weeks without going into labour, I would be induced at that point. That's the point where the risk of infection is greater than the troubles that preemie issues can cause. As far as I was told, it was pretty standard to wait up until that point unless signs of an infection were present.

I was on bedrest, IV antibiotics and was discharged home after five days in hospital. I had a homecare nurse come and visit me the next day and do a NST, and the day after that I was not feeling movement so I went back into hospital. DD was born at 31 weeks 6 days.

She spent 23 days in the Special Care Nursery and other than her apneas and bradycardias was basically what they call a "feeder and grower".

I wish you the best of luck.

The bolded is what I was told as well. My membranes ruptured at 20 weeks and I was able to stay in the hospital on strict bedrest until 30 weeks, at which point other things came up and ds was delivered via c-section.

[justmama]

My water broke at 33 weeks with my second two pregnancies. I stayed pregnant until 34weeks on hospital bedrest with iv antibiotics and constant fetal monitoring and betamethasone shots with the first PROM baby. She was a healthy 5lbs 3oz and stayed 11days in the nicu with no breathing issues. She needed feeding help(NG tube for 8 days) and was on an apnea monitor until 6 months old but was otherwise healthy and fine. I did not go into labor and was induced with pitocin at 34weeks. She nursed sporadically and came home bottle fed and too sleepy to nurse effectively. She was exclusively nursing by 3 months old and weaned at 22months. My second PROM baby I was induced after less than 24hours of iv antibiotics and intermittent fetal monitoring because I WAS contracting and she wasn't handling the low fluid supply well. She was 4lbs 12oz at 33weeks and stayed 11 days in the nicu with no breathing issues, no apnea issues, no feeding issues, and just needed help maintaining her core temperature. I never had time for the betamethasone shots with her. She was exclusively breastfeeding when she came home and is still nursing at 20months.

[waldenmommy]

It is perfectly normal to want the rapidly developing nightmare to end, but you and your baby need to be in the hospital. I was under the care of a MW until my membranes ruptured at 35 weeks and we did induce. Honestly, the inductionw as my easiest labor and I did it without drugs! Do you have a doula or can your HBMW act as a doula for you in the hospital? I bet that would be a big help and offer lots of emotional support. It would not be responsible to go home, as complecations to preemies can arise during L and D and a hospital is better equipped to deal with them, plus the NICU team can be RIGHT THERE when the baby is born. With the little ones, seconds do matter.

Hospital births are not evil and they are needed for certain situations, such as premature births.

Your baby will likely be in the hospital for a few days to a few weeks. He or she may need breathing and feeding support.

[NeivaKai]

I ended up being induced yesterday, and things went pretty good. My son was born without drugs, except for me receiving pitocin. He is 4lbs 12oz, 34 weeks 1 day. So now he is in the NICU but I nursed him three times today, and he is having a steady oxygen saturation of 100%. He pooed and peed already. I was actually able to nurse him after he came out, skin to skin, 5 minutes after he was born. It was absolutely amazing!

So even though it was a battle within my soul to induce, and during my labor I had to fight my urge to keep him within me (I was at 9cm for 5 hours) I am happy I made the decision to bring him out.

I will be looking to this forum for advice, because I already have questions about how much contact is too much, ie overstimulation. I am going by my son's lead though, and it seems he LOVES to be held.

[sbrinton]

I didn't have time to read the previous posts, but here are my 2 cents...

My water broke at 29 weeks. I had been having preterm labor for a long time at that point and I was on hospital bedrest. The plan for me was "expectant managment" - in other words, stay on bedrest as long as possible until you go into labor or until there are signs of infection or baby is not tolerating the low fluid levels. The plan was to induce at 34 weeks if we made it that far. We made it 11 days to 31 weeks.

I have another friend who had a homebirth midwife whose water broke at 35 weeks. She did not go to the hospital. Instead, the midwife did bloodwork every day, listened to baby 2 times a day, and the mom took her temp every hour. She made it to 37 weeks and had the baby at a birth center.

The standard at most hospitals is to induce after pprom at 34+ weeks, but to do expectant managment before then.

[Spirit Dancer]

Honestly, if you are showing no signs of infection, I would go home and rest, hydrate and keep an eye out for any sign of infection. To greatly reduce the risk of infection do not have ANY vaginal checks, baths (just showers) or anything that could introduce foreign bacteria into the vagina. Doing this is very effective in reducing the risk of infection. If the baby is fine, and you have no infection I positively would NOT be induced at 33 weeks. Good luck with whatever you do.