Twenty-nine weeks into Susan's pregnancy, our dream of having a healthy child crumbled. T.J. was born 11 weeks early. Although he thrived in the NICU and has since grown into a happy and healthy little boy, his early arrival caused us to question the perfect picture we had created. Would we be able to have more children? If we did get pregnant, would the baby be healthy? Would another pregnancy land us back in the NICU, with a sick child and enormous hospital bills? The questions so frightened us that we have not yet tried to have another baby. I'm sure that we are not the only parents of a preemie who have panicked about having another child.
No doctor can guarantee that your next child will be born full-term. However, there are steps that you can take to give your baby the best possible chance at a healthy birth. Helen Harrison devotes a chapter of her preemie Bible, The Premature Baby Book, to the dilemma. The information she provides is excellent; since only a portion of her suggestions will be presented here, we strongly recommend that you read the section for yourself. The following tips and suggestions are a compilation of those found in Harrison's book and an article written by Kerry Bone for the preemie newsletter Early Edition, which can be found online at http://home.vicnet.net.au/~earlyed/feb/f... :
1.) Realize that another child will mean a high-risk pregnancy. Ask yourself whether you are prepared to go through what may be necessary-bed rest, numerous doctor appointments, another NICU stay, etc.-to have a healthy baby. If you opt not to take the risk, consider other means of bringing children into your home.
2.) Before you get pregnant, find an obstetrician who is experienced in dealing with high-risk pregnancies. Ask other mothers who endured high-risk pregnancies whom they would recommend. Interview suggested doctors until you find one with whom you feel comfortable. It is important that your doctor be someone you can talk to and trust.
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