Earliest Twins born and end up ok

Hi All,

I have posted before about how baby a was measuring small. The last time measured 2 weeks ago she was still smaller but had gained weight. Yesterday I went and she only gained 3 oz in 2 weeks, making her 1lb 12oz at 29 weeks. The doctors are obviously taking precaution. I got a steroid shot yesterday and will get another today. I will go back on the fetal heart monitor on Friday. Its a day by day at this point. Just wondering if anyone else had any similar stories and if they babies had to be born what are the outcomes? Baby B is measuring 2lb 12oz, so they are about a pound different. I didn't get to ask the doctor specifically what the reprecutions are of keeping them in there longer. I know he mentioned that sometimes babies thrive better outside the womb, which I understand, but if they dont deliver them what will happen? Any stories, advice, feedback would be great, obviously I am freaking out. Thanks!!!

 

Each baby is different so it is hard to say the outcome. But it is good that you have made it this far along and have received the steroid shots. The littlest babies are sometimes the biggest fighters!!

I found more info regarding preemies on this forum. I never found a lot on this forum that was helpful even in the NICU section. And sometimes I didn’t want to come to a place with a lot of mom’s who carried to 38 weeks and had huge twins. It was nice to find a place where all the mom’s had preemies. There are many mom's of twins on the forum.

I wish the best for you and your babies. The NICU is a wonderful place. You hope to not need it but those that work in the NICU are among the most caring and loving individuals.

 

Hi Kristen,

I don't have specific info on this, though I'm sure others do. I do know someone who delivered a singleton at 24 weeks (the earliest week of viability - which you are well past) and she is now a healthy, happy little girl. There was time in NICU but she now meets all of her milestones and you would never know about her early start. It sounds like your Drs are being very vigilant and will talk with you about what is best as decisions need to be made.

While it's not medically validated, I have also heard about people having a good motherly talk with their babies. You could tell them what you want and hope for them, that you will give them everything you can while they're on board and then when it's time to come out, you'll get them the best care and love them up as best you can. I mean it can't hurt, right? It will help you hold a vision of them being well taken care of and okay, which is important.

I know this must be terribly difficult but you have lots of support, here and otherwise. I am certainly sending a HUGE hug your way. Take good care and keep us posted.

Amy

 

Thinking of you!! :grouphug:

I personally know several mom's on here that have delivered quite early and had good out comes...it was a tough road to travel but their children are all now growing thriving toddlers and older now. I hope some of them will be on to give you some answers and support. Please keep us posted on how things are going!!

 

I didn't deliver early but have a micropreemie. My girls were born at 34 weeks and weighed 2lbs 13oz and 4lbs 9oz. We had a scare at 26 wks and 30wks on delivering early. Jessy only gained around 3oz a week from 24-34 wks. She is still tiny and has more health issue. Ate the doing biophysical profiles and making sure the baby has good umbilical cord flow? They were doing this twice a week from 26 weeks on. Are you seeing a high risk doc?

 

:wavey: I have a micropreemie story that can offer some hope.

My twins might be one of the earliest born from TS, that I know of. My DD was born at 25w3d and weighed 1 lb 10 oz. She was 12.5 inches long. Her twin brother was not born for another 10 days at 26w6d and weighed 2 lbs 7 oz and was 13.5 inches long. Thankfully I had the steroid shots at 24w when I had an emergency cerclage. :good: I totally credit them and a lot of prayers to my twins being born healthy. My DD only was on a vent for 4 days, that is great considering she was born at 25w3d. DS NEVER went on a vent. Neither of my twins had any surgeries during their NICU stay, I know we are very lucky. DD had a few blood transfusions and DS had one. DD also had a mild infection and that is it. :Clap: They both came home from the NICU (together) 5 weeks before their due date. :clapping:

They are now almost 6 (you can see the picture of them in my avatar, the blonde and red head) and are doing fabulous. They have absolutely no lingering effects of being born so early and no health issues. And actually were totally caught up on all milestones by 18 months. :good: I know when I was going through it all I really needed to hear success stories because the hospital didn't give me much hope (it was pretty depressing actually). I know we are very lucky and my twins truly are miracles.


:hug: Hang in there I know it's tough.

 

I delivered my first set of twins at 28w 4d (lost on in utero to TTTS). The surviving twin weighed 2lbs 12 oz and spent 9w 3d in the NICU. The NICU staff can work wonders with our little miracles.

I am now currently pregnant with twins again and there was almost a pound difference at 28 weeks and now there is only about 7oz difference 4w later. There is always a possiblilty that the ultrasound measurements are a little off.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

 

Yes I was going to come back and say due to positioning, u/s measurements can be up to a lb off. In fact they measured the girls 2 days before they were born, jazz was the same weight but jessy was 10 oz more

 

A girl I knew here had hers at 25w6d and they're healthy almost 5 year olds now. They were in the hospital a very long time, but had very very few complications and went on to live a normal life without any major issues. My good friend had hers at 25w2d and they didn't survive.

 

My girls were 30 weekers and I consider us a success story. Samantha had surgery for gastroschisis (a condition not related to prematurity). Alexis was in the NICU for 35 days and Samantha was in for 55. It was a tiring time, but we made it. Both of my girls are caught up developmentally and they're bright and active two year olds.

 

My girls were not preemies, they were born at 38 weeks. My pregnancy had been text book with both babies almost perfectly the same until my 28 week visit. At that visit it was found that my baby A had not grown in the 2 weeks since my last visit and her fluid level was low. At that point I was put on bed rest and seen twice a week. Knowing that if things got worse they would deliver. Her fluid level remained low but she grew slowly but surely. At 37 weeks it was estimated that she would be in the 4 pound range and that baby B would be in the 6 pound range. When they arrived baby a was 6.9 and B was 6.8. So my tiny baby was actually a touch larger than her sister - I think it was just her squished position on ultrasound?

 

Mine were born at 37 weeks, so not early but baby B always measured 1lbs or 1.5lbs smaller then him brother my whole pregnancy. At birth Baby A was 6lbs 9oz and Baby B was 5lbs 2oz

 

Thanks SOOO much everyone. All these stories give me hope. I am doing everything I am being told to do. They haven't put me on strict bed rest, but told me me to do all the resting I can. On Friday they will put me back on the fetal heart monitor and see how that goes. Every time it has been fine. I am not sure the next measurement yet,but I will keep you all posted. Thank you so much for responding it means a lot!!!

 

Kristen-I went in to preterm labor at 31 weeks and went on bed rest and medication to stop my contractions...it worked!! I didnt deliver until 35.5 weeks and mine needed no NICU time at all.
I hope your appt. on Friday goes well, please do keep us posted!

 

Our girls were 29.5 weeks and had no problems at all. No vents - just cpap for a bit. But they never needed oxygen - the cpap was always 20%. Which is wonderful for 29.5 weeks. And we didn't get the steroid shots. They were in for 6.5 weeks and came home with no monitors or anything. At the time it was super stressful, but looking back now I realize how lucky we were and how easy it was compared to many preemie stories. The girls were 2.8 and 2.14 and are now perfectly healthy 5 year olds. DD1 is even "advanced" on all her testing in school.

 

Are they mono di or di di?? This is the key question. IF they are mono di- you have a much larger problem on your hands. Praying!

 

Hang in there! We had our boys at 27 weeks 5 days and they weighed in at 1 lb 11 ounces and 2 lbs 1 ounce. The boys had acute onset TTTS and needed to come out as our little guy was really struggling. They had long, uneventful NICU stays and just turned 2 years old and doing great (my husband just did the whole Your Baby Can Read with them and they can read 50 words...so I don't worry so much about their brains anymore). I found it all so scary but keep asking questions and you will make it through! We're rooting for your little ones to stay in as long as they can, but not any longer

 

Every baby is different. I met a mom who had twins at 23 weeks and they survived. I do not know what issues they have, but they appear to be normal, one of them wearing glasses.

 

Ultrasounds can be very very off as well. Less than 24 hours before I delivered, my girls were measuring 1lb 7oz different and only delivered 8oz different. I wish you the best of luck!

 

Thanks! I will go on Tuesday for a measurement again. As of right now I am seen 2x a week for monitoring. SO far everything looks good. Fluid levels are good and movement is good. I guess we will see what Tuesday brings. I will be 31 weeks at that point. Also I am carrying faternal twins so I am not sure if that is mono di or di di? I think di di?

 

Deleted ... I don't think my original post was useful to the discussion ... so sorry ...

 

Are they the same sex, because if they are you won`t know if they are actually frats until they are born and have them tested.

 

Really??? wow. I had no idea. They have 2 sacs and 2 placents but yes same sex. Very interesting!

 

I am a di-di identical twin. Back in the day (early 70s) my mom was told we were fraternal because we each had our own placenta and sac, but we are identical (confirmed by DNA test when we were 29--oh yeah, and all the pictures nobody can tell us apart in!). If the embryo splits before implanting you will get di-di identicals and I want to say it's anywhere from 25-40% of ID twins that are di-di (not sure of the exact percentage)...

I hope your appointment on Tuesday goes well and the babies keep looking good!

 

my twins are di-di, they said all along that they were fraternal but they look a lot alike so we'll have to wait and see. Same sex and blood type so no freebies. Good thoughts to you for your appointment. I had mine almost 3 weeks ago at 32 wks (did have steroid shots too), one was born 2lb 12 oz and the other 3lb 1oz and they have been doing wonderful. They do say girls do better than boys too. good luck!!

 

Our ID boys were di/di too - and are definitely ID (we did the DNA test, but even if we hadn't there's no question at all.) We were also told they were fraternal because of the 2 scas/2 placentas - plus the fact that we had frats already. But surprise - they aren't! Our girls on the other hand we were told were ID because they were mo/di, but they are definitely fraternal (one redhead, one brunette) and their placenta must have fused super, super early. So you just never know!

 

the main concern is if they are mono di- the size discordance is a problem. Size difference in di di twins (fraternal or not) is far less concerning.

 

Well it turns out that I have been admitted to the hospital. Baby A has grown, but they are noticing the blood flow to the placenta is not great. I am on bed rest and they are monitoring me twice a day for 2 hours each on the fetal heart monitor. This is only day 1 and so far everything seems good. They also gave me another dose of steriod shots. I am 31 weeks so now its just a day by day. I am already going stir crazy. I feel unfomfortable and want to go home I know I am in the best place I can be so I am trying to keep that mentality. ANy other similiar stories? How long were you on bed rest for before the babies were born? Thanks1

 

Goodluck and you really are in the best possible place. Keep reminding yourself that and I hope they stay in for longer, as well as you don't go too stir crazy.

 

I was on bed rest from 24-34 weeks due to poor blood flow to jessy, with a total of 2 weeks( 3 stays)served in hospital. First stay was for suspected pre-e and steroid shots, 2nd stay was for low movement and so was the third. We did twice a day u/s with the fetal monitors on 2-3 times a day.

So glad baby a grew. What is estimated size now?

 

Hey Kristen,

As you say, you are in the best place and it sounds like you are being well monitored and cared for. Nonetheless, I am sure it's pretty tough physically, emotionally etc. I recall reading several stories here about people being on hospital bed rest and making it quite a bit further until the babies came so hopefully those ladies will chime in. That said, if they decide you need to deliver earlier, that can be the best for the babies in some cases. I know people who delivered at 27, 28 and 30 weeks who all have healthy babies/toddlers/kids so there are lots of positive examples out there. Hopefully you can get some good books, crosswords, sudoku, whatever to keep your mind on other things. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Thanks everyone. So far it looks like I am staying here until the babies are born. They have been monitoring me and that has all been good. They wont remeasure for 2 weeks, but as of right now Baby A is 2lbs 6oz and Baby B is 3lbs 4oz, so still almost a pound different. I guess we will see. They will check the doppler/cord blood flow tomorrow again.
Thanks for all the feedback. It is greatly apreciated!

 

Hang in there! You can do it!!

 

It's crazy that they wont remeasure for a week. If you have low fetal movement insist On an us. Try to not stress as much as possible. If you can't sleep tell them they gave me ambien when I was in for a week

 

I'm sorry you've ended up in the hospital for the rest of your pregnancy, but, as you said, it's the best place to be for you and the babies.

I hope everything continues to go well and that Baby A keeps doing fine while you're on bed rest.