Preterm Labor.. Encouraging Stories.

Read what Dawn said carefully. Print it out and give it to your cousin!

The computer was my life saver during bed rest. Almost 5 weeks and I went from working full time executive job plus mentoring after work to dead stop. It was VERY hard on my emotions. But, it is extremely important that your cousin grasp the life long impact this can have. A couple of weeks of boredom is nothing compared to the life long impact those extra weeks in her womb can do for her baby!

There are bed rest support web sites. I watched movies, I chatted on line, I wrote thank you cards for my baby shower, I chatted on line. At one point I was not allowed to sit upright so I listened to books. I felt horrible and hopeful all at once. I tried to focus on the fact I was "sacrificing" for the benefit of my baby. (When I look back I think laying in bed is sacrifice? But, at the time I felt like a prisoner. If it is your first child it is a shocking shift in your mind to totally focusing your world on the needs of another person you haven't even met yet.)

My daughter was born at 5 lbs 2 oz. She struggled some initially and is still prone to getting ill more than her sister, but she's doing great.

My sister's baby was born at 4lbs 6 oz and was in intensive care her entire first year of life. She spent the year between one and two living in a rehab. It was horrible and heart breaking for her mother, but she just graduated from college last year and is getting married in the spring! A child the doctors told my sister to institutionalize, that they said would never walk or understand.... So think positive! Support your cousin in whatever way you can! Food, housework, whatever, simply visiting would probably be great.

Oh, yeah, I couldn't even bathe for a while and my sister found all of this stuff they use in nursing homes to keep your hair clean and it was a HUGE morale boost for me. I also got a shower chair so I could bathe once a week....

Good luck!

i went through this with my son he is 14 months old now and started preterm at 30 weeks. i was on bedrest and bored! lol i took everything easy lots of side laying (when i layed down) soaking in tub for comfort and just really taking it easy. (while taking take of my daughter) i ended up having a heck of a time bc i contracted for nearly 10 weeks. I went into the hospital 3 days before my due date bc the contractions had become to the point that the baby was coming. BUt they ended up stopping. MY uterus gave up bc it contracted for so long. i had to have pitotcin to deliver my son BUT he was 2 days before my due date and weighed 7 lbs 11 ounces. so even though it was kinda crappy he held on lol

I was on bed rest for preterm labor (but not that early) and had a healthy baby. Mine started at 32 weeks. I was on bed rest for 4 and then my water broke at 36 weeks. My baby was small and had some difficulties eating and gaining weight, but no problems with his lungs (understatement). He did end up as a colicky baby and has asthma (family history), but other than that he is now an active,healthy, intelligent, successful teenager.

As for bed rest, I watched movies and read a lot. Can she download or rent movies? I played some computer games. I did bicep curls with soup cans to maintain some strength and muscle tone in my arms. I had friends visit me. What about a Nook or Kindle? Puzzles, word games, etc. I tried ironing while lying down and burned my arm. )-: I just kept telling myself I was doing it for the health of my baby. I had a chart of fetal development so I knew which body parts or systems were developing and considered each week we made it a huge success. I took it day by day, week by week.

BTW, that was my first baby. With my 2nd I started having contractions at 19 weeks, but never went into full fledged preterm labor. I had to work part time, rest a lot, and drink a lot of water, but was never on official bed rest. He made it to 38 weeks. Just so she knows every pregnancy is different. Best wishes to your cousin and her baby.

I've known a few women in the same situation and the baby was fine! Three pounds, 8 oz., is very encouraging!! The only advice I can give is for her to understand that "bedrest" means just that "BEDREST"!!! If she's feeling anything needs to be done around the house, it can wait! That baby is more important right now. If she's afraid to ask for help, tell her to suck it up and ASK!!! I was on bedrest for two weeks because of pre-eclampsia and I wasn't one that liked asking for help but I did and I'm glad I did!!! I had a healthy little boy that was totally worth it.

As for boredom - I had puzzle books, videos, little travel games, puzzles, etc. Stuff like that kept me busy and kept my mind occupied. As for TV, I don't have cable so I would watch whatever was on. Our city just recently got ME TV - it shows all the old shows - I love it!!

Good luck!! My prayers are with her and her family!!

I had pre-term labor with my twins (13 years ago). It is hard, but she can do it! I was put on Brethine which made me want to crawl out of my skin, but kept those babies in! I was put on bedrest at 29 or 30 weeks and they were born at 37 weeks (full term for twins). In fact, when I got the ok from my doctor that "any time would be safe", I started vacuuming and other "light" household tasks in hope of starting labor, but then it seemed to take forever :) They were 5.12 and 6.6, which is amazing for twins!!

As far as what to do...I did my nails once a week, read lots of books and magazines, organized our entire filing system (my husband brought me one crate of files at a time :)), made lots of lists, watched TV (Grey's Anatomy is good these days). Maybe a Nook would be a good idea? Keep lots of snacks in a mini-refrigerator where she can get to them easily. Pack up her favorite drinks and snacks in a pretty basket. Visit her! Maybe a bible study or book club where you meet once a week at her house if that sounds good to her. Bring her the occasional treat (Panera's or her favorite restaurant food). Anything that you enjoy indulging in, she probably will, too. If she has a laptop, she can have hours of addictive Mamapedia :)

I had both of my children early, albeit at 35 weeks. I was on bed rest for only a month and a half with my 2nd. He was born healthy. My daughter was also born healthy 3 years previously. I myself was ____@____.com weeks back in the early 80s. I wasn't ill but had to be kept in the hospital to get up to a decent weight; 5.5lbs is when they let me go home after 3.5 months in the NICU. Definitely stress to her how important bed rest is for her little one. If she has a love of any movies, get them for her. Get her anything she is passionate about that she can do in bed. I'm home during the day but I don't generally watch daytime TV. Perhaps she can get into reading some new, even non-baby-related books?

I will send out positive energies and be thinking positively for her and her little one.

One of my girlfriends was in the same boat a few months ago... and she's not one to stay still either ;) She brought her work with her to the hospital and was selling the nurses jewelry, LOL!! Who does that?!

Anyway, while she's in the hospital, smuggle in jello and little snacks, some cross word puzzles and coloring books and magazines. When she gets home, just make sure she's resting. Get some other family members on board and while she sits on her butt doing NOTHING like she should be doing, offer to do some housework; vacuum, pick up, prepare meals, do laundry, etc. Nothing is worse than sitting there not being able to do anything and watching the house work pile up!

You can sit with her and paint her nails, do puzzles, watch movies... just be there to talk. Help her husband or SO get the nursery ready. If she hasn't already had a baby shower, bring it to her!

Babies are resilient, but she needs to be listening to her doctor and taking care of herself. It's not about her right now, it's about that little bambino cooking to perfection!

I know lots of people who had preterm babies that survived beautifully. My BFFs son was born at 31 weeks and weighed just over 4 pounds... he's taller than me now ;) My girlfriend had twins at 29 weeks, they're fine. My daughters dad had 2 other kids, one born at 20 weeks and barely weighed over a pound, the other was born at 29 weeks and they're both just fine (other than having a crappy dad, LOL, sorry couldn't help it!)...

There's hope :) She should take care of herself and rest easy :) You're a great cousin for caring so much!! Prayers!!