What to expect if twins born at 34 weeks

Hi There,

I've been on bedrest for the past few weeks due to rising blood pressure. My doctor has told me that the blood flow to baby b has been negatively impacted and I may need to give birth soon, depending on how things pan out. I'm no expert, but it doesn't sound good to me... and I'm trying to get mentally prepared to deliver soon. I just wondered if anyone had given birth around 34 weeks? If so, what types of things should I expect? <_<

 

I delivered at exactly 34 weeks. I had steriod shots at 30 weeks when I went into ptl and I think that helped my girls a lot. They were kind of small for 34 weekers, but I'm a small person so my doctors weren't concerned. In the delivery room there were two full NICU teams for each baby. I did get to see them before they went to the NICU, something I was very thankful about since I didn't see them again for over 6 hours (long annoying story).

Meara needed oxygen and the CPAP, but Ana was able to breath on her own and actually had her first bottle at 6 hours old. I tried to nurse Ana that night, but she was so tiny and couldn't latch (this was with the help of lactation nurse), so I started pumping for them that night (not that I got anything, but again, thats another story). Meara pulled out the CPAP early the next morning and did fine so the pulmonary team said that she could go without.

We got a lot of conflicting info while in the NICU. Obviously they can't tell you when your babies will come home, but one doctor predicted by the end of the week and another said not until their due date probably. They were in isolettes for over a week and then when they were transferred to an open crib they put the girls together in one big crib. I know some NICUs don't do this, but we were very grateful that ours did.

We had some setbacks along the way. Ana who was nippling all her feeds initially became very sluggish and had to be tube fed. Meara was tube fed for several days. Ana had a very small bleed in her brain (common apparently in preemies) so we had a couple of ultrasounds, but were reassured it really was small. Meara kept pulling out her IVs so they ran out of veins in her arms and hands and had to have it in her head (hard to see but didn't bother her).

In the end the girls came home after 2 weeks weighing just a little over 4lbs each. They came home because 1) all their a's and b's were self resolving, 2) they were able to maintain body temp in an open crib, 3) they were nippling their feeds and 4) the nicu was completely packed. Seriously this was a reason they were discharged. Usually they want to see absolutely no a's and b's for at least 48 hours, but since all theirs were self-resolving they sent us home because they were so many full-term sick babies admitted that week they were beyond capacity.

GL and hang in there. 34 weeks is not such a bad place to be in terms of prematurity. When the NICU fellow came to talk to me when I was admitted at 30 weeks for ptl, she said that if I could hang on until at least 33 weeks things would be so much better for the girls. Thankfully all the meds worked and I was able to hold on, and I think thats why our NICU experience was fairly uneventful. -Leighann

 

My girls were born at 34w 3 days by C-section. It was crazy in the delivery room. They girls were taken out immediately after both were born. I got to see each and give them a kiss before they left. DH went with them and stayed with them in the NICU. I didn't get to see them until after I was able to get up and go to the NICU.

Carli needed some help breathing and was on a C- pap for around 30 mins. Mine were both on the small side. I think the biggest thing was all the tubes and monitors they were hooked up to. They both had IV's, heart monitors, blood pressure cuffs. They had trouble maintaing their temps and were in isolette's and needed feeding tubes. They were there 17 days total.

But remember every baby is different and your's may not have had the problems mine had. Good Luck and keep us updated.

 

Have you gotten the steroid shots yet? Is it too late to get them?

 

Every baby is totally different. My twins were born at 34 weeks, and were so different.
DD was fine - never needed oxygen or anything. She was just a little small - 4 1/2 lbs.
DS had many health issues and was in the NICU 3 weeks. He had heart and lung problems and was on an oscillator (super-duper ventilator breathing machine), kidney issues, could not feed until 2 1/2 weeks old, etc. Now he is a totally normal healthy 18 month old!!
Being in the NICU is stressful, but your babies will recieve excellent care. Don't worry too much. Take each day as it comes.
Good luck to you!!!

 

I had my girls at 34 weeks 6 days and no steriod shots. They stayed in the NICU for 1 week and no extra oxygen or feeding tubes or breathing tubes. They were just there to keep their temp up and eat enough. They were 4lb 2oz and 3lbs 15oz when they were born.

Wishing you a smooth and easy delivery when the time comes.

 

Wow... It sounds like there's a lot of variation in what can happen. I haven't had the steroid shots yet, but I'm going to ask my doctor at my next visit. Thanks for your stories. I'm trying not to get stressed out, but it does freak me out!

 

We had a short NICU stay for our girls(15 and 21 days) and THEY HAD TO HAVE O2 FOR A very short period. We had the steriod shots

 

Like pps have said. Ask the doc about the steroid shots. My granddaughters were born at 36 weeks. My daughter had had pre term labor since like 22 weeks so was given the shots aaround the 30 week mark. The nurses at the hospital said they can always tell which preemies have had them and which havent. No NICU time for either baby.

 

I had my boys at 33 wks 6 days. Jesse was 4 lbs 9 oz and Joshua was 5 lbs. Pretty good sizes for their gestation. I had been in PTL since 20 wks and had the steroid shots during one of my hospital visits at 27 wks. We had a 2 wk NICU stay. Mainly for A's and B's. I hope you can keep them in there a couple more wks. But getting to 34 wks is really great!!!!

 

mine were born by c-section at 34w1d due to pre-e - i'd had steroid shots around 25 weeks. The boys were in the NICU for only 6 days. they never had any trouble breathing, did not need O2, but were kept to make sure they could hold temp and would feed. your orig post was a few weeks ago so hopefully you've had a chance to ask for those steriod shots. I believe they made a huge difference for us.

 

QUOTE(SilvrHeart @ Nov 28 2007, 12:15 PM) [snapback]512374[/snapback]
mine were born by c-section at 34w1d due to pre-e - i'd had steroid shots around 25 weeks. The boys were in the NICU for only 6 days. they never had any trouble breathing, did not need O2, but were kept to make sure they could hold temp and would feed. your orig post was a few weeks ago so hopefully you've had a chance to ask for those steriod shots. I believe they made a huge difference for us.


Howdy - my wife popped last Friday at 33 weeks, 6 days.
DW knew at 12:30am; I found out at 1:30am; we were at the hospital at 2am.
Ladies, after seeing 9 hours of labor *without* an epidural, followed by 9 hours *with* an epidural, my advice: get an epidural.
We got the steroid shot, probably too late to be effective.
18 hours after water breakage, Vaginal delivery for both (I know, wow).
DS was 4lbs 13oz, DD was 4lbs, 5oz. A NICU pediatrician was in the operating room, one for each. We had an anaesthesiologist plus assistant (in case of C-Section). Our OB was training two new OBs; we had 3-4 nurses to help out and monitor heart rates/sonograms. Plus DW and myself and we had about 12 people in the OR!
The kids came out 17 minutes apart; she was head-down, he was *breach* - yet he was delivered, feet-first!
The APGAR scale, at 1 and 5 minutes: she was 8/9, he was 3/8.
He was "grunting" (not giving full cries);
They did not need O2 or ventilators.
They went to the NICU shortly after birth to get plugged in.
They are still there, now.
We have seen them many times in the last week, DW mainly, since she can drive herself to the hospital. I am stuck at work (new job, no vacation saved up).
Anyhow, they latched 15 hours after birth, with some success.
They got DW's colostrum and are now getting full meals of breast milk.
They got feeding tubes (we were told to expect that).
DW is there twice a day, feeding them and pumping.
DW pumps at home, every three hours. She's tired already.
I have spent the last several nights at the NICU, after work, holding, feeding and talking to them.
Good stuff.
We want them home *now*
They tell us two more weeks.
Maybe I'll tuck them into my jacket.
Better, I'll stay patient and let them get the attention and growth they need.
Best of luck to all.
-H.

 

I went in to PTL at 33 weeks, had a mag drip and steroid shots, held off labor til my water broke at 34w1d.

Had Matilda vaginally, with help from forceps after 2.5 hours of pushing. She was nice and healthy, crying, etc, but small. 4 lbs 1 oz, 16.5 in, and her apgars were 8/9. Never needed oxygen, but did get some jaundice that bili lights cleared up. In NICU 9 days. Oscar's heart rate would drop each contraction so he was delivered by c-section. Unresponsive, not breathing, no moving etc when born, immediately intubated, didn't even get an apgar, was on CPAP by midnight (born at 9:58 pm) but developed pneumonia and was on the jet vent by noon the next day. Ended up having 2 blood transfusions, a PDA, and on the vent for 11 days. He was a bit bigger than Matilda, 4 lbs 11 oz, 17.5 in. Both had feeding tubes at first, but Matilda was off her's around a week old. Oscar had them for nearly a month. He came home at 1 month, on oxygen, 60%, 80% for feedings, and an apnea monitor b/c he was having As and B's (apnea and bradycardia, aka stopping breathing and heart rate dropping). Off that by early May, or 2 months old. Finally able to fully breast feed around 3 months old.

 

Congrats on the birth of your babies. I hope to hear they are home with you soon!

 

I had my babies at 34 weeks 4 days and they were fine. They only needed NICU for 10 & 12 days for feeding. They weren't on any breathing treatments/machines etc.

Baby A weighed 4 lbs. 14 oz. & 18.5"

Baby B weighed 6 lbs. 2 oz. & 20"

This is them almost 2.5 years later with their big brother of course...He's 4.