[mamaXmia1090]

My twins were born at 33 weeks 2 days. My daughter Leah was the smallest, weighing 3 lbs 4 oz and Maggie was the biggest, weighing 4 lbs 10 oz. Maggie was on oxygen for two hours, never needed a feeding tube, and was home within two weeks due to Jaundice.<br><br>
Leah was in the NICU for 2 months, is still on oxygen even though she is 3 months and so she obviously has breathing issues.<br><br>
Maggie know weighs 10 lbs 2 oz while Leah only weighs 8 lbs 5 oz.<br><br>
What about your preemies?

 

[moaningminny]

Congrats on your twins! My preemie (born at 31 weeks 6 days) is called Leah too! Great name choice.<br><br>
Leah stayed for 23 days. She was basically a 'feeder and grower'. She did have apneas and bradys which she was put on caffeine for. She was a 'rule out sepsis' baby due to my fever so she did have antibiotics. She had nasogastric tube for the first two weeks and then went on to bottle and breast.<br><br>
Other than that she didn't have any major problems. She weighed 4 pounds on the nose when she was born, her Apgars were 9 and 9 and the only oxygen she needed was just a tiny bit through an oxyhood at birth and very rarely during one of her A's and B's.<br><br>
Two weeks after she was discharged she ended up back in the hospital due to having a horrible apneic episode. Although they thought that possibly she hadn't fully outgrown her apnea of prematurity they figured out that she was an extreme periodic breather and she ended up back on caffeine with a referrel to a pulmonologist. She had regular overnight oximetries but after coming off of the caffeine again she did very well and hasn't had any breathing issues since.<br><br>
She was behind in her gross motor skills and did receive physiotherapy for that, and she wore glasses for a short period of time and also had her strabismus repaired at 2.5 years old. She's been fine ever since.

 

[mamaXmia1090]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>moaningminny</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15386467"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Congrats on your twins! My preemie (born at 31 weeks 6 days) is called Leah too! Great name choice.<br><br>
Leah stayed for 23 days. She was basically a 'feeder and grower'. She did have apneas and bradys which she was put on caffeine for. She was a 'rule out sepsis' baby due to my fever so she did have antibiotics. She had nasogastric tube for the first two weeks and then went on to bottle and breast.<br><br>
Other than that she didn't have any major problems. She weighed 4 pounds on the nose when she was born, her Apgars were 9 and 9 and the only oxygen she needed was just a tiny bit through an oxyhood at birth and very rarely during one of her A's and B's.<br><br>
Two weeks after she was discharged she ended up back in the hospital due to having a horrible apneic episode. Although they thought that possibly she hadn't fully outgrown her apnea of prematurity they figured out that she was an extreme periodic breather and she ended up back on caffeine with a referrel to a pulmonologist. She had regular overnight oximetries but after coming off of the caffeine again she did very well and hasn't had any breathing issues since.<br><br>
She was behind in her gross motor skills and did receive physiotherapy for that, and she wore glasses for a short period of time and also had her strabismus repaired at 2.5 years old. She's been fine ever since.</div>
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Thank you and great name choice as well. Lol. I am glad to hear she is doing great and growing. Good luck to you and your daughter <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin">

 

[jpaigeadams]

I had a 32 weeker born very fast and unexpectedly; we never figured out why he came early and I had progesterone shots with my second pg, which lasted for 38 weeks. Anyway, my preemie was 4 lbs, 9 oz, not too bad for his age! He was in the NICU due to breathing problems. He had 2 doses of surfactant and was on a vent for 10 days. After that came out, he was on nasal cannula for another 7 days. He had a NG tube, was fed my EBF, almost the entire stay. He started trying to nurse the day the vent came out and was a champ from the beginning. He was in 3 weeks total, the first half was scary but then he really stabilized and started getting stronger and bigger. He hasn't had any problems at all. Hit all his milestones, was totally caught up by age 2. Incredibly verbal, actually! He's small, but so is everyone in my family, so not totally sure that's due to his prematurity. He has terrible teeth, but again, so does my most of my family.<br><br>
I feel incredibly lucky.<br><br>
Happy Mothers Day!

 

[baby duck]

My Cora Rose was born at 28 weeks and weighed 1 lb 6 oz. She was IUGR and was in the NICU for three months. She came home two days after her due date and is 4 now. We were told to expect problems with her teeth and eyes, but so far her vision is better than 20/20 and she has no cavities. She is still very small and just hit 29 lbs, but right now the only concern is some sensory integration issues.

 

[justmama]

My 34 weeker was 5lbs 3oz at birth, had antibiotics for PPROM and was a "rule out sepsis" baby as well. More antibiotics.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/eyesroll.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="roll"> Obviously we got a raging case of thrush by the time she was home at 2 weeks old. She had some apnea issues and came home on a monitor until 6 months of age and had some feeding issues in the NICU and required the NG tube until day 8. She's 5 now and has some sensory quirks but nothing too off the wall. She doesn't have an official diagnosis but since RSV in her first year she's had some issues with her lungs whenever she gets a cold. But it's nothing severe.<br>
My 33weeker was 4lbs 12oz at birth and needed only supplementary blow-by oxygen for the first few hours. No feeding issues. She mostly needed to gain a little weight and learn how to maintain her temperature and she was home by 2 weeks old as well. She now has asthma at 2 years old but is well managed on inhaled steroids for the most part until she gets sick.

 

[WednesdayO]

My daughter was a 29.5 weeker and weighed 2lbs 2oz. She was in the NICU for 3 months and is now a healthy 5.5 year old.<br><br>
The main reason for the long NICU stay was inconsistency with feeding. She'd eat really well and then go for a while and not eat worth a darn. She came home on oxygen, but we knew that was going to happen no matter how well she was eating.

 

[BetsyNY]

Let's see--my twin boys were born at 27 weeks. Dennis was in the NICU for 82 days; Conan was in for 90 days.<br><br>
Problems in the NICU: Dennis was ventilated three times and had surfactant for "wet" lungs. Conan developed a grade IV IVH w/ PVL and had some breathing issues as well. Both had significant A's and B's as well as severe reflux.<br><br>
They are now nearly 4.5. Conan has PDD-NOS and Dennis has ADHD, SPD & anxiety. They're both pretty healthy, though, and they're really cool little guys. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/joy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="joy">

 

[Crunchy Frog]

Wow! My preemies were 33 weeks 3 days.<br><br>
Keith weighed 4 lbs 1 oz, and Carlin weighed 3 lbs 9 oz. Keith was on nasal cannula for 1 week, while Carlin started on nasal cannula but had to go on the vent at 1 1/2 days. He was on the vent for 3 days and then back on the nasal cannula til around 10 days.<br><br>
They both came home at 3 weeks. Keith was 4 lbs 10 oz and Carlin was just under 4 lbs.<br><br>
They never had feeding tubes, but weres started on TPN and gradually transitioned to oral feedings.<br><br>
They had no real issues at all once we got them home. They're now 15 months, and I think they are both over 24 lbs.

 

[ArcticRose]

My DD was born at 32 weeks 3 days. Her Apgars were both 9. She weighed 3lbs 3 oz, and was 12 inches long. She was in the NICU for 5 weeks, on Cpap for 5 days, and then mostly just gaining weight, regulating temp, and learning to eat. She had a feeding tube right up until the day before she came home. She came home on bottled breast milk, but switched to the boob after a couple of weeks of effort.<br><br>
She is now 16 months, happy, healthy and right on track! She hit mile stones on time according to her adjusted age and has been slowly catching up with her birthday peers. She still doesn't have more than a few words, but she points, claps, blows kisses, etc. and babbles aaalllll day long. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngtongue.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Stick Out Tongue">

 

[Bokonon]

DS was 32 weeks 2 days, 3lbs6.5oz, Apgars 1 and 8. He was on CPAP for less than a day, and was in the NICU for 6 weeks learning to eat and bradying and desatting, LOL. He came home at 5lbs10.2oz and has been healthy ever since.<br><br>
He catches every cold that comes his way it seems, but I always have too (I was low birthweight but not a preemie). I nursed him to 22 months and he's only ever had 1 ear infection. He had significant gross motor delays and didn't walk until just before his 2nd birthday despite a year in physical therapy, but he's caught up for the most part at almost 5. He's average in pretty much all ways. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
DD was 34 weeks 1 day, 4lbs8oz but dropped down to 3-11, as I had been on IV fluids and mag. sulfate for a week before delivery, so her birthweight was likely artificially inflated. So she was probably a bit growth restricted but her birthweight doesn't look that way. Her Apgars were 5 and 9, and she actually went up to the room with me at first, but was admitted to the NICU later that night.<br><br>
She spent 10 days in the NICU. She couldn't tolerate her feedings for the first 3 or so days because of mag. sulfate toxicity, and she had jaundice, then learned to eat, but didn't gain weight for a few days. She then gained 2.4 oz. in one day, so we got to bring her home on Mother's Day last year. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> She never needed CPAP and never had any apnea or bradys, and only desatted after feeding on her first day. She had blow-by at birth.<br><br>
She's been very healthy as well, and while she's a little on the late end of normal, she's been meeting all her milestones. She was a VERY high-needs baby but seems to have turned a corner in the last month and is much more enjoyable.

 

[OneWithTwo]

my daughter born at 32wks was in the NICU for 20 days. My son born at 32wks was in the NICU for 42 days.

 

[Amys1st]

My Maggie was born at 24 weeks/6 days/ 18 hours but is considered a 24 weeker. She weighed in at 1 lb 12oz. 10 inches. All her apgars were 9<br><br>
I was having a healthy pregncy when she somehow slipped her foot in the birthing canal and caused me to dilate. I went into my OB office fully dialated, not knowing. Since she was a footling breach, I had an emergency c section within 45 minutes. Otherwise, she would have been born still.<br><br>
She was rushed to the NICU at another hospital. She was vented immediatly. She had by nicu standards, a pretty uneventful stay. She was vented for 2 weeks, had an open PDA (normal for micros) that closed after 2 rounds of meds. Then a staph infection blew it open again. Closed by meds the day before the scheduled surgery to close. Went off vent, had a few setbacks by infection and went home 3 months and 3 days later on my father in law's birthday which was 4 years ago yesterday.<br><br>
She went home on a small amount of O2 and monitors. She hated the monitors and one day in frustration, pulled them off her. She thrived after that. A few weeks later after we washed her, she would not let us put back the O2 on so that was the end of that! The home nurse said, usually the baby will tell you when they are done. She did!<br><br>
She nursed for a year, I baby wore her etc. She hit her milestones right at her corrected ages other than rolling all over the place the first week she was home which would be 38 weeks.<br><br>
Maggie is now 4 and tall for her age. She had a speech delay, but the therapists didnt think it was because of her preemie status. It could be second child etc. Personally I think Maggie just has a lot to say. She went from not speaking to speaking nonstop. I mean non stop LOL.<br><br>
People think she is going into kindy this fall but she has another year. I was told by other preemie parents, micro preemies sometimes are tall for their age. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/joy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="joy">

 

[Cinder]

Janelle was born at 34 weeks, she was in the nicu for only a few hours, from about 6 hours after birth till about 9 hours after birth, her only complications were fluid retention, needing her lungs suctioned/stomach pumped from swallowing too much stuff at birth (this was done cause she was refusing to swallow anything, all though she could suck), figuring out the suck, swallow, breath thing and maintaining body temperature. They kept us both in the hospital for a few extra days, me due to anemia and having a fever during delivery (water broke then I ran a fever) and her to learn to eat better and such. We brought her back to the hospital cause she stopped breathing (angel care monitor went off, she was bluish, had to shake her to make her breath again) one night around 6 weeks, turns out she had severe reflux that was causing apnea, got that properly medicated and no real issues since, except a ton of failure to thrive diagnosises that we have dealt with with 3/4 of our kids regardless of gestation. She is 7 1/2 now and perfectly fine, she's skinny and kinda on the short side, but not tiny anymore (she was for the first 5 or so years) doing great in school both academically and socially, etc.<br><br>
River was born at 36 weeks, no nicu time, no extra hospital time, no issues except grunting at birth but pulse ox and the like were fine. He is 1 now, around 13lbs 13oz depending on the scale (endo said 13lbs 10oz ped said 13lbs 13.8oz, and we got 2 other measurements in between those during the same week)...he had issues with low tone and qualified for PT at 9 months old, but now at 12 months old they dropped his PT down to 1 session per month and switched it to OT and they are only keeping it so he stays in the system so if he regresses, has sensory issues pop up, or anything else, he's already in the system and therapy can be revved up immediately due to family history(which is a qualifier for EI services in this state, I had no clue!) (Kincaid and Travis, are two perfectly healthy full term babies, have had a lot of issues both were diagnosed on the spectrum at 2 1/2, Kincaid lost his spectrum diagnosis at 6 but still has a diagnosis of global dyspraxia, auditory processing disorder and otherwise health impaired). He has had more issues with failure to thrive than Janelle and Travis did, and we are trying to figure that out, but other than size, he is perfectly on track for a typical 1 year old, he has about 6 words he uses correctly, he is VERY social (huge for a mom who has/had 2 sons on the spectrum), plays peek a boo and patty cake, can craw, pull up, cruise, walk holding hands, walk behind push toys, and take 1-2 steps in between furniture...so no delays as of right now at all.