keeping the baby in...

I know this seems a bit of a strange question, but how does one avoid going into premature labour.


I know that one is near term you can do more exercise, have more sex, eat spicy food, etc to get labour started.

My mum and the doc both say it's better for the baby to stay inside as long as possible preferably till 39 weeks..


are there any do's and dont's?

I know....


First pregnancy.. so kind of getting nervous about it all.

I had my second at 36 weeks - and it as fine, aside from her being in NICU for an extra week due to poorly developed lungs. My father was the one who insisted that I deliver right away (he's an OB) and he overrode the opinion of my doctor in Seoul.


how far along are you? Is your cervix dilated? Unless you have any CAUSE like an extra low-lying baby, or a partially dilated cervix, or preterm labor, your baby will want to stay inside as long as possible as well.

HKCC - sorry i did'nt quite see your response there.

I'm now at 34 weeks - cervix is not dilated as far as I know - and don't really have any specific reason to worry about a preterm baby.

A friend of mine had her baby at 35 weeks, my niece was 3 weeks early, I was born 3 weeks early - so just wondered if there was anything you should avoid doing to get the baby to stay in there..

very unsientific ... i know.

Wow!! feb 6 - so close!! I know you're having quite a rough ride.


I'm due on the 27 of feb - i'm going to have a c-section - doc says to wait till the 20th of feb..unless i go into preterm labour, membranes rupture or have some problem

Hi cara -


funny you mention GA. you'll have to tell me all about it. I don't want to have any more c-sections (my last one was a disaster due to the spinal epidural) but VBAC in Seoul is out of the question - it's just not done. That and my dad recommends, given my age, to have the C-section anyways. So - I asked him today what about having a c-section with the GA instead of the spinal because I don't want the spinal again (I had a miserable experience, and had to have 5 spinal taps post surgery to block off my spinal headaches - horrible horrible time.) Dad assured me that I should just have the c-section in the US (which may not be possible given the situation) and so I wanted to know about GA. Please tell me how it is. There are slightly more side effects - I know - but I'm just curious how bfeeding goes afterwards and whatnot.

Goddess Kali,


I had cause to worry about preterm labor, as my baby was lying very low, I had to be on partial bedrest for some of my pregnancy. He did come two weeks early but was just fine, I squeezed by the 38 week mark. He was in a hurry to come out!


Good luck with everything and enjoy the last few weeks of your pregnancy.

Cara: I had a laparoscopic myectomy (removal of uterine fibroid) about two years back.


the procedure was done under GA - although the GA itself was not particulary traumatic and you do go into blissful unconciousness - the 24 hours after surgery was no fun at all - yes you do sleep most of the time and do feel very groggy. You also throw up a LOT.


However, the phase does pass - rather quickly and if your doc thinks that's the best way for you to go...i guess you should go ahead. Don't be scared.


Dani R - Thanks!! Can I ask if you had your baby in GZ or in HK?

Cara, first of all, I'd like to apologise. I keep forgetting to give you the name and author of the book. I think the title is "Caring for premature babies" but I'll try to keep a note of it in my diary for Monday when I get to work.


I had an emergency c-section (@ 33 weeks gestation) 2 years ago with my little girl and I was under GA. The operation was less than an hour long because I got in at 4.05am and got up in the recovery room at 4.50am. What I remember was that a dr came around to say I had to have the operation NOW. I was already on IV drip so they didn't have to do that but they quickly inserted a catheter, spreaded my arms and gave me a really cold gas to breathe on (the feeling was like sticking your head into the freezer and breathing in). I could feel the gas for 2 seconds and then I was knocked out completely. The next thing I knew, I was already in the recovery room.


GA was good for me in that I didn't have to worry about the pain or anything. I wasn't aware of what took place so I couldn't feel scared or nervous. I didn't have the dreaded feeling that I was being cut open either because I was asleep. It was blissful. Hee hee.


I'm not sure about the throwing up bit becuase I didn't have that feeling and didn't throw up. When I got up, it felt like how we usually get up in the morning. I wasn't tired and was alert enough to say immediately, "How's my baby?" I didn't even ask about me. The nurse kept saying, "Do you need a steroid shot?". I didn't.


I don't want to underestimate the seriousness of any operations and drs do say that they prefer not to go down the GA route because it makes both mummy and baby drowsy but for my experience, both of us were FINE.


And as for BF, I was pumping milk (well colostrum) the very next day - it was only like 10mls or less. Hardly worth the effort. The first day I coudln't because they kept me in the recovery room (they didn't have beds for me until 9.30pm that night and by then it was time to sleep). But the next day I could still pump out colostrum. By the 3rd day, I was leaking milk and could breastfeed my baby but she screamed so I decided to pump out the milk instead (to keep my supply going). I was told to stay at the nusery and attempt breastfeeding throughout my time there but my baby was a preemie and I was so afraid she wasn't getting enough milk (guilt) so I preferred pumping.


My c-section under GA was wonderful. My current period cramps are 10 times worse...... but with the experience, the thing that I found hardest to deal with was my emotions. The guilt I felt and still feel about the early arrival of my little girl. She's doing so well now. Everyone says she's smart.... but I really find it so hard to let go.


With my next baby (when I'm successful conceiving - hopefully soon), if I have a choice, I wouldn't mind going down the GA route again. Only downside is not being able to hold my baby immediately after birth.


What's the verdict in HK anyway? After a c-section, do they usually recommended another c-section? Or would they force us to delivery naturally (if previous problems were not present)?

I know if you go public in HK, you are set for VBAC unless there are extenuating circumstances (like Cara's) where a vaginal birth is impossible -then it is c-section. But public there is no schedules c-section.


I do know that HK is quite successful at VBAC (I remember hearing something 90% but don't quote me on it) so I am quite keen to move back and try for one in HK - although that may not be possible. HAHAH.


Korea doesn't do it - and according to my dad, they are now far less done in the US do to the litigious nature of the people there - no doc wants to risk being sued in case something does go wrong.

Hi Cara,


My apologies for my late reply. Mother in law went on a last minute trip to China so I had to take a few days off work to care for my little girl.


Good luck with your c-section, I'm sure you'll do well :-)


When I said my period cramps were 10 time worse. I was referring to the pain of my periods in comparison to the c-section. Meaning, I could bear the pain of the c-section (which felt like a knee wound but in my tummy) more than my st**pid period cramps. The cramps are as bad as before I got pregnant. They say the cramps should subside after you give birth, but goodness me, I don't feel it. It's still the same. This month, I just told hubby that I was dying. However, if you haven't experienced cramps after your first c-section, then you should be okay with this one. The cramps are un-related to the GA.


Good luck okay. You're talking to someone who uses a fork and a knife to cut raw meat (from a very bad experience with knife when I was young - my teacher had to call an ambulance) so if I can go through it, anyone can ;-)