Giving birth to a preemie...

Im going to be giving birth early since my son has a diaphragmatic hernia and the doctor says he really doesnt think he will be inside me for longer than 36 weeks so I have to have steroid shots and all of that. My question is what is it like giving birth to a preemie? What happens differently? What is the same? Is it easier, or harder? Im just trying to figure out what to expect.

*watching since I also will be giving birth by 36 weeks*

Just be prepared for the fact that he may have to stay in the hospital and you'll have to go home without him. Prepare yourself to give him lots of cuddly skin on skin contact since that helps preemies develop and also be prepared since he'll be on the small side and it can be kind of scary looking at and holding a preemie baby.

I went into labor at 35 1/2 weeks. I actually had an incredibly easy labor, almost nothing, didnt feel any contractions until they broke my water. I wouldnt have known I was in labor if I hadn't gone to my dr that day . I dialated quickly , pain free till 8 cm, then the dr. broke my water ( I was slowly leaking) I had pain for about 30 minutes, Dr. checked me, I was at 10 and the pushing began. I pushed for 2 1/.2 hours, because she was face up so she was stuck under my pelvic bone, which was no fun ( Esp. drug free , lol ) but overall I had a pretty good experience. They took her away from us really quickly to check her all out, but she was very healthy overall, a few minor issues but nothing to serious. We had to stay in the hospital for about a week because of jaundace and her not gaining weight but other than that, she was good to go! Good Luck to you!  

thanks, Im sure my son will be in the NICU for quite some time because of his other complications. Im just hoping to see how preemie birth is different from full term birth. :-) when you post could you tell me how many weeks you were? thanks bunches! :-)))

Also watching because I'm at 2 cm and steady contractions (on Breathine for now) at 35 weeks, so I don't know if I'm going to make it too far...

i went into labor at 32 wks, i didn't really feel the contractions but started bleeding and my water broke, i didn't have any pain then it all kinda came at once, they checked me i was 10, he was transfers so they did a c section, he stayed in teh nicu for a month, but i did it pain free.

i had a c-section at 33 weeks. I wanted to have her natural, but they wouldnt let me because her heart rate kept dropping!!!!!!! Its a lot different from having a term baby cause they are so small. well mine was a little smaller than normal, she was only 2 lbs, but there were a lot of other problems!!!

well he is already head down so at least I SHOULD be able to push him out by myself. i really really DONT want a C section becuase I want a large family and if somthing happens ( God forbid) I dont want to wait tooo long before trying again although I will need some time. man life is crazy sometimes. He is already 4 lbs 5 oz which is ok. BUt Im hoping they can get him up to at least 6 lbs. he is a fat little guy! You can see his fat rolls on the ultrasound. hahah. :-)

Nothing is really different about actually giving birth to a preemie. You'll be watched closer, there will be more professionals in the room, but it still comes down to laboring to a 10 and pushing a big thing out of a little space! A lot of preemie labors end in c-section, so although that isn't what you want, I'd say be prepared for it anyways. I hope that your little one can make it to 36 weeks, that way his other complications don't have to be further complicated by prematurity - good luck!

Quoting pvlubov~Lipstick Mafia:“ Im going to be giving birth early since my son has a diaphragmatic hernia and the doctor says he really ... [snip!] ... to a preemie? What happens differently? What is the same? Is it easier, or harder? Im just trying to figure out what to expect.”

Like Jessica said, most end up in c-sections.. like mine, I have a 30 weeker. There's not really too much that you canexpect, just roll withwhatever comes yourway.At 36weeks they might not even need to be in the NICU, but dont be disappointed if they doend up in there..at 36 weeks they probably wouldn't stay too long. I'm probably nottoo much help but if you need someone to talk to, the girls in here are great  

I was 33 weeks when I delivered Andrew. My cervix would not thin out so I had to have a c section. Hopefully you will be able to wait until 36 weeks.

Quoting BrittanieY:“ Also watching because I'm at 2 cm and steady contractions (on Breathine for now) at 35 weeks, so I don't know if I'm going to make it too far...”

I started having steady contractions at exactly 35 weeks. I was 2 cm and 70% effaced. They gave me steroids and I refused the Breatheen, but I still didn't actually go into labor.. I had her at 37 weeks, but that's only because they augmented the labor with pitocin.

My labor was absolutely wonderful. They started pitocin at 12:00 noon, she broke my water at 12:30, and Lily was born at 4:24. Not even four and a half hours! It only took me two contractions to push her out. And I didn't have an epidural.
All the nurses were talking about my labor, and my doctor was bragging about it  

Quoting Devotchka:“ I started having steady contractions at exactly 35 weeks. I was 2 cm and 70% effaced. They gave me ... [snip!] ... her out. And I didn't have an epidural. All the nurses were talking about my labor, and my doctor was bragging about it  ”

That's good to hear  . I've started to loose my mucus plug yesterday, so who knows when she's coming now! I'm just a little worried because they measured her at she's weighing a little less than she should at this stage...I know the ultrasounds can be really off, but I just don't want her to be too little!

Quoting BrittanieY:“ That's good to hear  . I've started to loose my mucus plug yesterday, so who knows when she's coming ... [snip!] ... less than she should at this stage...I know the ultrasounds can be really off, but I just don't want her to be too little!”

That sounds exactly like my case. She was measuring small and didn't seem to be growing much, that's why they augmented it   and I think I lost my mucus plug at 36 weeks, all at once with bloody show, and still didn't go into real labor  It was so hard to wait, I felt like she was teasing me. Just stick it out to 37 weeks for the baby's health. Good luck !!