Did anyone have their baby at 29 weeks ? How is he or she now ?

[travellingmom]

Hi everyone, post from a lurker here...

One of my best friends had her baby last night. She was 29 weeks pregnant. The baby is on a respirator now at the NICU. He weighs 1 kilogram. The doctors have said the first 48 hours are crucial as to whether the baby will survive. Has anyone here had their baby at 29 weeks ? How did he or she do ? Which problems did the baby encounter ? How long did your baby stay in the hospital and how is he or she doing now ?

I'm so worried.

[munkeesmama]

29 weekers typically do really well. Alot need vents and then cpap and have issues learning to eat, and apnea/brady spells. Please read the sticky's at the top so you can best support your friend and of course direct her here! My daughter is a 27 weeker. You can view her journey at www.munkeesmama.blogspot.com if you go back in the archives to february of 2006. Good luck to your friend.

[ksera05]

I echo Elaina - 29 weekers tend to do really well.

There are a few moms on this board who have had 29 weekers - as far as I know, all of them are doing well.

[susienjay]

My 7 month old is a 29 weeker. She was never on a vent but got surfactant at birth, spent 6 hours on c-pap, and 5 days on oxygen. I did have steroids before she was born so that is probably the main thing that saved her from the vent. The Neos and nurses we talked to after she was born said that 29 weekers typically do pretty well.

Her NICU stay was pretty uneventful. She was on the TPN (nutrition given into her umbilical line) for 2 weeks while they worked her up to full feeds. She did feed through her NG tube for over 5 weeks and then transitioned to the bottle. She had been on full bottle feeds for just over 48 hours when she came home. She was in NICU 41 days total but I think that is a pretty short stay for a 29 weeker. A lot of preemies have issues with apneas/bradys but she didn't and that can sometimes keep a baby in the hospital longer. My 32 week twins both had troubles with them and they stayed an extra 2 weeks in the hospital because of them.

She's 7 months old and she seems to be right on track for her 4.5 mo adjusted age. She's rolling over really well, grabbing for things, chewing on everything, etc.

[lawgrrl]

My DS was born at 30 weeks, 1 day gestation and weighed 1240 grams at birth. We had the steroid shots before his birth, but he was still on the vent for 3 days, CPAP for a few days and oxygen (nasal cannulas) for about 2 weeks. The neonatologist that spoke to my DH and I the night DS was born said that DS was "sicker than the average 30 weeker." DS also had a IVH Grade 1 (minor brain bleed) that later resolved on its own.

The first two weeks of DS's NICU stay were excruciating. Major emotional roller coaster. After those first few weeks though, DS got on the feeder/grower track (basically defined a babe without major medical issues that needs to remain in the NICU until they develop enough to take all their feeds by mouth; gain enough weight to maintain their body temp consistently and eliminate episodes of apnea and bradycardia). DS's NICU stay was 40 days/nights.

Developmentally, DS has had no major delays (knocking wood right now). He was released from the preemie follow-up clinic at age 8 months because he was completely developmentally on track at that time. Weight/Height wise, he wasn't really even on the chart until he was about 18 months/2 years old. However, by age 3 he was in the 50th percentile for both height and weight and at age 4 he was in the 95 percentile for height and 75th for weight.

Most importantly, he started preschool this year and everyone always says the same thing when I tell them he was a micro-preemie; they say "wow, I never would have guessed." He is bright, energetic, happy and, by the way, is one of the tallest kids in the class. And, oh yes, we are very proud of him for all he has overcome and all he has taught us about perseverence, hope and love (tears rolling).

Congratulations and good luck to your friend, her babe and her family, they are in my thoughts and prayers.

[irangel]

My 27mos old is a former 29wkr. He had a 9wk NICU stay that was extremely uneventful and easy compared to my 15mos old 25wkr's 8mos stay. He was on the ventilator for 36hrs, CPAP for 3 days and then a nasal cannula for 8wks. He didn't have any infections. He had one blood transfusion and spent a few days under the lights. He had severe reflux but got rid of his feeding tube at 34wks and was nursing and taking bottles by then full time. He did have a grade 1/2 IVH. No ROP.

[Amys1st]

Hi and Welcome and extend a congrats to the new mama.
Yes its true the first 48 hours are an emotional rollar coaster. Mine is a 25 weeker (well 24 weeks, 6 days so a 24 weeker but really 25) and she was 1lb 12oz. Hopefully he will be off the vent really soon!

Do read the stickys at the top and encourage the new mama to pump but not stress about it. Also, guide her to here for support. I know these bunch of mamas are the best!

[OGirlieMama]

My twins were born at 29 weeks. Katie was on a ventilator for about 2 weeks, Lilly was on a CPAP machine (you can find the acronyms in the sticky up top) for 10 days or so. They both eventually moved to oxygen via nasal cannula (that little tube in the nose you always see on TV etc.). Lilly spend 63 days in NICU, Kate 65 and she had to take her supplemental oxygen home for another 3 months. Both of them had a PDA (check the sticky again) which closed without surgery - just medication.

17 months later, they are doing great with no residual problems that we can observe. They are healthy as could be, walking and meeting all their milestones.

I hope your friend's son will be OK. It is a scary road, but there is every reason to believe he will make it!

[angie7]

My twins were born at 30 weeks. Alivea was never on a vent but a few days after birth did have to have a cpap for a week. Kaytlin was on a vent for 6 hours then on room air the rest of the time. I did have 2 steriod shots at 27 weeks. Both did really well, we didnt have any major problems with them other then tons of apnea and brady spells. They both came home on monitors until they were 7 months old.

Now nearly 15 months later, they are both doing very well, you would never know they were born around 3 lbs each. Kaytlin is walking and talking, and Alivea is right behind her. So far we havent suffered any long term effects from being preemies.

Good luck to your friend and her baby. Being in the NICU is a rough road and she will need all the support and help she can get.

[travellingmom]

Thank you so much for your responses ! I will direct her to this thread when she comes home.

[boscopup]

My 29 weeker (29w4d) will be 3 at the end of this month. You can't tell he was ever a preemie. He's developmentally normal for his actual age, he's the same size as kids a year older than him, and he's very healthy.

I had steroid shots starting 4 days before he was born. He was 3 lbs 13 oz (more the size of a 31-32 weeker). He came out screaming. They gave him surfectant and he was on O2 overnight, but sometime during the next day, they took him off it and he was breathing completely on his own for the rest of his stay. He was fed my milk via a tube until he reached 32 weeks gestation, at which point they started him on a bottle. A few days later, we started breastfeeding with a nipple shield. He had some apnea and brady episodes, but outgrew them before going home. He came home at 33w3d gestation, so just 4 weeks in the NICU. That's a short time for a 29 weeker though. Once we were home, he was perfectly fine - just small and sleepy. Once he hit his due date, he acted like any other baby his adjusted age and always has.

[Sheal]

29w 3d

My now 6 yr old was born at 29 w 3d gestation. He spent 9 hours on the vent, had the surfactant (he was spontaneous labor\birth). He has SID - sensory integration disorder and ADHD (both not medicated, I don't believe in medicating). He met a few milestones late like rolling over and crawling but met the walking milestone on time.

He's healthy, happy and vibrant and doing well in school as a Gr1 student.

I also just recently had a 33 week prem as well (10 weeks ago) and he's doing phenomenal (4 weeks really makes a difference compared to my 29 week babe).

My first prem and second prem both had bradycardia and prem apnea. My 33 weeker has obstructive apnea and GERD (he's still on home monitor for the apnea).

Other than that both boys are phenomenally healthy and happy!

Oh, and my first prem spent 6 weeks in NICU and the second prem spent 5 week, 2 days in NICU and DS prem 1 was 3 lbs 7 oz at birth, second ds was 4 lbs 10 oz at birth

[Khourtniey]

I have a 29 weeker.. He was a super baby. He was 3# 11oz at birth.. (Almost 2kg) He did extremely well.. Had a few problems in the NICU (infection, anemia, apnea and bradies) but overall did very well. He only spent 3 weeks in the NICU and came home on no monitors (even though he was still having brady episodes).. He dealt with severe reflux for a long time but seems to be almost completely over it now. He is almost 3 years old now and nobody can even tell that he was a preemie.

Oh yeah he was never on a vent or CPAP.. only o2 for a little while

[Khourtniey]

Originally Posted by boscopup

My 29 weeker (29w4d) will be 3 at the end of this month. You can't tell he was ever a preemie. He's developmentally normal for his actual age, he's the same size as kids a year older than him, and he's very healthy.

I had steroid shots starting 4 days before he was born. He was 3 lbs 13 oz (more the size of a 31-32 weeker). He came out screaming. They gave him surfectant and he was on O2 overnight, but sometime during the next day, they took him off it and he was breathing completely on his own for the rest of his stay. He was fed my milk via a tube until he reached 32 weeks gestation, at which point they started him on a bottle. A few days later, we started breastfeeding with a nipple shield. He had some apnea and brady episodes, but outgrew them before going home. He came home at 33w3d gestation, so just 4 weeks in the NICU. That's a short time for a 29 weeker though. Once we were home, he was perfectly fine - just small and sleepy. Once he hit his due date, he acted like any other baby his adjusted age and always has.

Your 29 weeker sounds like mine.. Mine was 3# 11oz.. and 17 inches long.. He also came out crying.. not very much tho.. but he didnt have any breathing issues.. I had a LOT of steroids before he was born.. and he only spet 3 weeks in the NICU. He started bottle feeding when he was a week old because he was doing so well. They did not want to start him until he was 32 weeks but I kept telling them I know he can do it.. and he did! So I brought home a 32 weeker.

[rainbowsprite]

I know very well a boy who was born at 29 weeks, he will be 13 years old (yes, years old..) next month and is great at football!! You would never know he had been born so early.

[alliteration]

30 weeks and 3 days. No developmental problems.
Born at 3 lb 1.5 ounces, lost some after the first week (just like any other newborn) had cpap, IV feeding, I learned to pump milk. He had some hernias that needed correction, but all is well.
Luckily I was able to breast feed.

[LM96]

My daughter was born at 29 weeks after a placental abruption. I received both steroid shots and she never needed to be on a vent, CPAP, or even oxygen (amazing because I live at a higher altitude and the doctors warned us that she was most likely going to O2 at the very least due to the lower level of O2 in our air).

She was under lights for a while (a couple of weeks) for jaundice and they did end up giving her formula for 24 hours to finally clear it up. She was also anemic and was/is on iron. She had her first bottle around 32 weeks and quickly got the hang of eating. She even transitioned to being exclusively breast fed when she finally came home at 37 weeks. The only thing that was keeping her in the hospital was that she was having brady episodes where her heartrate would drop. If she hadn't been having those, we could have brought her home around 35 weeks. When we brought her home, she was still having some, but only when she was eating so we had to be fairly vigilant while she was eating.

She is now 5 months old (I think my sig is out of date) and is doing wonderfully. You wouldn't know that she was a preemie just by looking at her because she looks like a normal 3 month old.

We'll keep a close eye on her development to catch any problems early, but other than that, we don't have any issues.

[jkpmomtoboys]

My almost 7 year old was a 29 weeker, also born after placental abruption.

He had very immature lungs, even for a 29 weeker (and even with the steroids). He was on the vent for 5 days after surfactant and came home 50 days after he was born.

His only issue is that he has trouble with his oxygen diffusion rates and therefore has a diagnosis of bronchopulmonary displasia. As far as I can tell, this doesn't affect his day to day activities at all. He's involved in numerous sports and is the brightest in his class.

We are very, very fortunate...I would agree with OP's who said that generally 29 weekers do very well...