After getting an ultrasound to check the position of the baby (head down), Nicki is admitted to a room in the delivery suite at 2am. The goal is to hold off labour for as long as possible. The waiting commences…
This is a day of watching the clock, waiting & hoping.
Premature babies have 2 major complications: inability to breath due to reduced lung development & lack of surfactant (lubricant to stop the lungs sticking together when empty), and brain haemorrhaging which can cause developmental problems, cystic fibrosis, and others.
To improve the baby’s ability to breathe, Nicki is given a corticosteroid: she requires 2 doses, 24-hours apart. The baby needs to be held off for 48 hours for full effectiveness….
Holding off labor involves taking a tocolytic called Nifedipine (actually a heart medication). This reduced Nicki’s contractions to only one every hour or more.
This was a tough day – the circumstances of admission, coupled with the fact that we hadn’t yet even met the new obstetrician (Chris Wilkensen) meant that we were at the simple mercy of the public system. It’s generally good care: but there was very little discussion, explanation or consultation – the residents who saw Nicki were there for only a few seconds. This is where having your own doctor makes a huge difference.
