We are 24 weeks, 0 days today. And I believe, if I understood my OB correctly, that today is the first day they would try to intervene if the baby made an early appearance.
I have no desires for her to come anytime soon, but it feels like a big milestone that they would even try to save her life at this point. I feel her moving around a lot these days and sometimes you can see her bulging through my stomach, like she's doing a dance in there or something. She is so obviously alive. And I am so definitely falling in love with her, that it helps to know that if she came now they wouldn't just say "Sorry," but would actually at least try to save her if she came.
It would be a very dire situation, as evidenced by this chart I found through the March of Dimes:
| Length of Pregnancy | Likelihood of Survival |
| 23 weeks | 17% |
| 24 weeks | 39% |
| 25 weeks | 50% |
| 26 weeks | 80% |
| 27 weeks | 90% |
| 28-31 weeks | 90-95% |
| 32-33 weeks | 95% |
| 34+ weeks | Almost as likely as a full-term baby |
| Sources: March of Dimes, Quint Boenker Preemie Survival Foundation | |
But still. There would be a chance. I have a section on my blog roll now linking to preemie blogs and there are a few folks with live babies born in the under 25 weeks gestation category. It's not an exhaustive list but lists some of my current favorites.
So, Ms. Magpie, if you came - please know we would now be able to try to save you! But please, please just stay in there. Stay healthy. Stay in there. We've got about three months to go, you and I. I want to meet you, but not until then!!
Mo
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I remember exhaling a little once I reached ths stage. I hope baby stays put for many more weeks to come!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am just incredibly happy for you guys!
yay for 24 weeks!!! Hoping lil girl stays put for Momma a bit(ok a lot) longer!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah for making it to 24 weeks! Little is in there for the long haul. Love reading your posts.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely wonderful! I continue to be so excited for you. Isn't it amazing that, even for 24 weekers, the survival rate is 39%? Wishing you a happy and healthy 16 more weeks!
ReplyDeleteGreat job making it to 24! I have to say that survival is one thing and the incidence of developmental delays is quite another. It's a sliding scale with studies showing slight learning delays at 37 weeks to an assortment of alphabet soup conditions the earlier a child is born. Of course, all children are different and you can have a 23 weeker with absolutely no issues and a 36 weeker with speech delays. I have 29 week twins and I think they are delightful, although my son has some lingering issues. That being said, as a preemie mom, I would advise you to be aware but not worry over statistics. Just take it a week at a time. There will be plenty to worry about when Magpie is born, be she preemie or fullterm. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on viability, Mo! This is such a big milestone. Interesting how the chance of survival jumps week to week.
ReplyDeleteSo I agree, Magpie. As much as we're all tickled pink you are doing well...stay put...we'll make a bigger stink once you are full term. ;)
So happy for you Mo. I am exactly 24 weeks today too, and breathing a sigh of relief along with you. Glad you had a great vacation, and will take your dr's advice about drinking tons of water. Best of luck to you and your little family.
ReplyDelete24 weeks is wonderful, though I fully hope to see you posting about being large and uncomfortable (no offense) in, oh, maybe another 14? Here's to Miss Magpie, though: over halfway there!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on this huge milestone! I look forward to many more from you!
ReplyDeleteViability is a huge milestone! Im just so thrilled you are here!!!
ReplyDeleteWhew! Viability! Congrats! Such a wonderful place to be. Yes, she definitely needs to stay put for another 3ish months, but they would absolutely save her if she came now, and that is a WONDERFUL place to be in. Woot!
ReplyDeleteStay healthy and happy momma!
I agree -- aware and not worried about stats. However, my doctor was happy at 24 but she said 26 weeks is the BIG one. That's just two more weeks! There's no readon to think you won't go all the way to 40.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 24 weeks, that's wonderful! I would also like to add that it's not actually a rule to try to save a baby at 24 weeks (as in, don't save a baby born at 23w6d 11 pm vs 24w0d 1 am). I read quite a few blogs and some of them do have babies born earlier, and they were saved too (with different levels of issues or none). I assume it depends more on a baby, it's health and weight. One blogger had a baby at 23 weeks but she was a good size and they saved her as well (she does have one health issue but nothing she cannot overcome) The statistics are more to be aware of but not to linger over, I would think. Either way, big congrats and happy next three months of baking!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that chart - viability has been very much on my mind as I approach 23 weeks. I'm so glad things are going so well for your little Magpie. I'm sure she'll be hanging around in there for many more weeks!
ReplyDeleteThese big benchmarks are so important, just getting to each one feels like you can allow yourself more expectations, more hope. It feels so good, after weeks and weeks of restraining yourself.
ReplyDeleteThe last few months are easier once you know it could be okay "even if"!
My daughter will be 5 this August and she was born at 27w2d and spent 61 days in the NICU. As I'm sure you know, girls do much better than boys who are born early, so you have that on your side. I work on a NICU committee with the mom of a 24 week girl. Her daughter is 6 and has no lasting effects. My almost-5-yr old also has completely caught up. I'm the one that still has issues. ;) Congrats on Magpie's milestone. It is the latest of many. :)
ReplyDeleteGo, Magpie, go!!!!! I'm betting she won't make her appearance til closer to 41 weeks ;)
ReplyDeleteWow Mo, HUGE milestone! And things just get better from here. I think at 24 weeks I finally started to breathe. Here's to more smooth sailing for the next at least 14 weeks!
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Mo! That's so huge! I'm hoping things keep going smoothly all the way to a good, ripe 40 weeks.
ReplyDeleteI spent a lot of time looking at that March of Dimes chart between 20-28 weeks. Even though they're low early on, isn't it amazing how the odds of survival more than double between 23 and 24 weeks? And there's another big jump between 25 and 26 weeks. Day by day. Day by day. Grow, grow, grow Ms. Magpie!
ReplyDeleteI just recently found your blog and I am rooting for you and your lil one to grow all the way!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great milestone to have reached. And every week the chances get so much better. So glad all is continuing to go well...
ReplyDeleteYay Magpie!
ReplyDeleteBIG milestone! Way to go!
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, there's a mom in my multiples club who had her twins at 22w6d and both are healthy four year olds now. There were a lot of issues early on and continue to be some lingering feeding issues for one of them, but they are here. When I had my triplets almost three years ago at 30w6d, her twins ranked as the youngest surviving twins in our NICU's history.
One of the neonatologists told me that now the survival rate for babies born at 30 weeks is the same as for full term babies. There could of course still be health issues, but the survival rate is the same at a high level NICU. That made me feel a lot better about my little peanuts.
I hope your little one stays in there for a good LONG while yet and that you have a health and uneventful remainder of your pregnancy! I could not be more excited that this is finally happening for you!
what a milestone you have reached, and i can not imagine a more deserving couple!! your blog puts into perspective that you never lose track of how precious this journey is. you guys are amazing. i hope that you have found/can find as much peace & joy with your pregnancy as possible. you've got a lot of support behind you. the world will be celebrating with you when miss magie arrives!!! :)
ReplyDeleteyour blog makes me so happy just to know where you are with all that you have been through. thanks for sharing your journey. biggest hugs to you three!
*magpie* :)
ReplyDeleteA huge milestone! Stay put, Magpie...no early arrival for you. I don't want you or your mamma and daddy to have to experience NICU life.
ReplyDeleteMany hugs.
Great news!! I remember I had a small quarter of an exhalation at viability, I didn't really relax until I was holding him in my arms and I was in absolute floods of relieved tears.
ReplyDeleteGo Magpie, go!!!!
Great news! However I look forward to reading about your easy delivery of a 7lber in another 16 weeks!
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ReplyDeleteI'm a little disturbed by the fact that they would not try to save a baby born at 23 weeks. This seems so wrong, especially with a 17% chance of survival. There are babies who've been born at less than 22 weeks and survived. Is there a reason you're concerned about premature labour- I'm not sure there's any connection between your fertiity troubles and early labour, is there?
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! 24 weeks came so fast! I am 23 weeks tomorrow and just looking at your chart has helped me breath a sigh of relief. Congratulations on viability! So very happy for you :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on viability! I went into labor at 22 weeks and had my daughter at 30 weeks, and she's doing great now at age 3. Those stats don't account for much better stats at better hospitals - we were at a world-class NICU and their stats are much better than that.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that you've made it so far - This is just the first of many, many milestones you get to celebrate with your little girl. I hope the next 16 weeks (give or take) go smoothly and easily!
ReplyDeletehooray for the big milestone!
ReplyDeletebut yes, you want to keep her in there as long as possible.
when I was admitted at 28 wks with signs of early labor, I had The Talk with a NICU pediatrician and it scared the hell out of me. all the issues and risks. (and I knew it was worlds different from PPROM at 21 weeks, which is what happened the first time). but at 33 wks when I was in labor, The Talk was much different, her odds of long-term problems far lower.
stay put ms. magpie!
Btw, no babies have survived a 22 weeks - that's propaganda that I'm sorry the earlier commenter believed and spread. It's really disturbing to those of us who have lived through having a preemie.
ReplyDeleteMo i have been following your journey, and it always puts a smile on my face. I have immunology issues as well and I' would love to know who your obstetrician was here in nyc. Is he a high risk one? I love how you talked about him and his staff.
ReplyDelete