Can any one tell me if they have had a baby that weighed less than 2 ponds and survived?

Question

If so, can you tell me what gestation you were? is there anyone who has had a baby that weighed less than 2 pounds and not surived, and how far along were you?

Answer 1

Not my own child, but a friend of mines birth story:


She weighed the grand total of 2 lbs. 12 oz and was only 16 inches long, due to IUGR she was closer to the size of a 27-28 weeker, her back from buttocks to neck would have fit perfectly in the palm of our hand. She spent the first day or part of the day under an oxyhood and then was in the incubator. She was breathing completely on her own and was only on supplemental O2 for 6 days because she was working too hard and had an IV for those 6 days as well. For 2 of those first 6 days she was on a CPAP machine for some apnea spells and spent a day under the bili lights for a touch of jaundice. Because of my condition I was unable to see her for the first 2 days. I was on all kinds of lovely meds including magnesium sulfate that made me drift and float and not care about anything and they were also afraid I was going to go into convulsions and other lovely things that can happen with pre-eclampsia when it gets really, really bad. I had to make due with 2 poleroids from the NICU and a collage my parents made with pictures from their digital camera.

Janessa was a week or so old before I was allowed to hold her, spent 3.5 weeks in the incubator and then she was moved to a regular cot (they said that was earlier than normal but even with the temperature down she was sweating like you wouldn’t believe), she took to the bottle and breast like a champ (and got mad when they’d tube her to give her a break), and came home just in time for Thanksgiving after only 33 days in the NICU weighing 4 lbs. 6 oz (also earlier than initially anticipated).

She has been a fighter from day one, never really having any of the problems they expect a preemie to have... the biggest hurdles for her were to gain weight, learn to eat, and maintain her temperature.

Today she is a happy, healthy 3-year-old, weighes over 30 lbs, and over 36 inches tall. She has been caught up since well before her first birthday (even walking at 11.5 months actual/9.5 corrected!) and has absolutely no lasting effects from being a preemie She is a true miracle in so many ways.

Answer 2

Yes! My oldest daughter weighed 1b 13 oz. I had her at 27 weeks.She is 5'6" and an A/B student in school. My son weighed a whopping 2lbs 8oz. I had him at 31 weeks. Healthy and a straight A student. They said I had what was called an incompetent cervics. I couldn't hold babies long. With the great advances in Neonatal ICU babies are surviving as early as 24 weeks. If you are going through this situation, I know what you feel. The hurt, the disappointment of not being able to bring your baby right home, the feeling you did something wrong. But take heart, everything happens for a reason. I believe in God, and a put my faith in the fact that he had to be in control of those situations because I could do nothing to change it. Now I don't know If you believe in that or not, but stay encouraged, stay strong and touch and love on your baby as much as possible. The doctor's said the simulation from you actually helps. I put a small recorder in with my babies with me singing, saying the ABC's or verses from the bible. That may be something you could do. Good luck to you.

Answer 3

my ex has a set of twins and his wife went into early labor when she was 5 and a half months(so about 22 weeks) and both boys survived one weighed 1pound 15oz. and the other weighed 1pound 10oz. They were in the hospital for a while but, they fought and they won. I think they are 8 now and when they started school they were a little slower than the other kids but, they are very healthy. My sister had a baby that weighed 2 pounds she was 7 months but, the baby was fine. Premature birth is happening a lot now, for different reasons. I think that preemies have a really good chance of surviving now but, it is tough to go through that.

Answer 4

I work with premature babies and the smallest baby I've worked with weighed only 12 oz at birth, that's the size of a coke can. He was born at 23 weeks gestation. I work with many babies who were born weighing under 2 lbs, they are usually born somewhere between 24-26 weeks when they are that small. All of the babies I've worked with had already been sent home from the hospital, so they all lived.

Answer 5

Yes, both of my sister in laws children were born at 22 and 24 weeks and weighed less then a pound. She had an incompetent cervix. But they were in the hospital for areally long time and had countless surgeries. They are now 4 and 5 years old and doing fine.

Answer 6

my son was born at 1lb 14oz and went down to just under a pound and he was born at 25 week. He survived, I know that it is very stress full on you but he will make it through and he might be in the nicu for a minute so don't expect him to come right home i know my son was in there for 7 months and it was a living night mare. but he is out and now if you look at him you would never know that he was a preemie. They gain weight really fast so don't worry. Here is a tip that helped my son give the baby good deep massage that help my son out it might do the same for your. Just keep your head up been there and it is well worth the wait.

Answer 7

I have had 4 pregnancies. 1 I had at 20 weeks, she weighed 15oz and did not make it because of our state laws and what can be done and when.
The 2nd I had at 29 weeks he weighed 3lbs 2oz he is now 8 years old.
The 3rd I had at 27 weeks he weighed 2lbs and he is now 6 years old.
The 4th I had at 32 weeks she is now 3 years old. There are a lot of things that can be done now. More and more babies that weigh between 500 grams and 1lb 5oz are surviving. If you are high risk I firmly believe you should be seeing a parentologist(sp), My cousin had triplets at 24 weeks they weighd about a pound. The 2 boys made it but the little girl didn't.
Good Luck to you!

Answer 8

I havent had that happen however my sister was only 6 months when they had to take her baby due to complications,she weighed only a pound. They had to keep her in the Arnolad Palmer Childrens Hospital in Orlando, Fl and she was there for 2 months she had to gain 4lbs before she could come home, she is now 2 years old and a little fire ball.

Answer 9

My sister in law had twins and they were weighing in at a little over 1000 grams each. (forgive my stupidity but I have no idea what that is in pounds) but figure if that did not even give the weight in pounds they must have been very tiny. The both survived and are doing great.

Answer 10

I was in labor for 3 days because I was only 7 months. So they kept trying to stop the labor. Finally they had to go in Cesarean because myself and the baby was in so much distress they lost his heartbeat due to the cord wrapping around his body. (by the way this was my 1st child) It was April 1992, he weighed 2lb. 3oz. they had a helicopter ready because they didn't think he'd make it. He cried using his barely developed lungs and gave it all he had, The docs checked him all out and given the weight and overall developed size of him, they called off the copter. Because he didn't appear to need kept alive because HE was able to do it by himself. The nurses gave him the name "peanut" he continued to fight in his little incubator for the next 2 months (give or take) until he was able to drink a certain amount of formula and weighed a healthier weight, (shame on me, I'm not sure of these amts.) My little peanut is now 14 and bigger than me (being 5'2" & 115 lbs.), he plays football and has joined the ROTC/navel academy though high school. Thank you for listening to my story. My miracle baby means the world to me and treats me the same in return.