There are many signs of premature labor. If caught early enough most are premature labor is painless and it can normally be stopped with treatments that include bed rest, fluids and medications that calm and relax the uterus. The signs of premature labor include:

• Contractions or tightening of the uterus in a noticeable pattern
• Lower abdominal cramping that may feel like period cramping
• Increased pressure in your pelvis or vagina
• Increased discharge
• Leaking of fluid
• Vaginal bleeding
• Decreased fetal movement

If you are further than your seventh month or past your 30th week of pregnancy your baby will more than likely survive with a short stay in the NICU. If born before your 30th week of pregnancy your baby could survive, but will probably need an extensive stay and extra care in the NICU.

If you have signs of premature labor you should call your doctor or midwife immediately to describe to them what is going on. They will either instruct you to come in and be seen, or to lie down and see if the signs fade.

If you have to go to the hospital you will be prepped as if you are in labor, given a gown, and an IV will be started. You will also be hooked up to monitors and will probably have your cervix checked for dilation. If you are in labor and it isn’t too late to stop it, then you may be given medications to stop the contractions. On rare occasions you may be hospitalized for the remainder of your pregnancy, which could be days, weeks or months in duration.

If labor has progressed and cannot be stopped, you will probably be given steroids to help your baby’s lungs quickly mature giving your baby a better chance of survival outside the womb. You will then need to deliver your baby and trust the hospital, your doctor and the NICU staff to take care of both of you until you can both go home.

The danger in eating fish comes from ingesting too much mercury during pregnancy. Some studies, including a recent one done in Korea, conclude that high levels of mercury in a woman’s blood stream during pregnancy can be transferred to her unborn baby through the umbilical cord, causing birth defects, and in some cases, premature birth. In fact, women with high levels of mercury found in the cord blood are 3-5 times more likely to deliver a baby prematurely, i.e. before the 37th week of pregnancy, than women without mercury in their cord blood.

However, many experts disagree if the warning about eating fish includes ALL fish, or if certain types of fish are okay to eat occasionally during pregnancy. Some believe that salmon and other small fish are okay to eat during pregnancy while all bigger fish like tuna, swordfish, mackerel and shark should be avoided. The study in Korea concluded that “woman who never had fish during pregnancy had 4.6 micrograms of mercury per 1 liter of blood, while the mercury level of women who consumed fish more than four times per week had an average mercury level of 8.3 micrograms” although it never stated what type of fish the women ate, or commented on what kinds were considered safe during pregnancy.

Mercury risk to pregnant women and their unborn babies can also be found in other places too. There are also dental procedures that involve the use of amalgams that can put an unborn baby at risk. A dental amalgam is a mixture of mercury, and an alloy of silver, tin and copper. Mercury makes up about 45-50 percent of the compound. Mercury is used to bind the metals together and to provide a strong, hard, and durable filling that is used to fill cavities in your teeth. Because of the high amount of mercury, it is suggested that you not get fillings during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary, and that if you have to get fillings, that you try to avoid getting more than three until after your baby is born.

Many people don’t realize it, but there is actually a large percentage of mercury in the air that we breathe in daily in many parts of the world. Air pollution makes it very hard to steer clear of mercury and more effort may be needed in staying away from all fish and avoiding the dentist’s office during pregnancy, Take as many precautions as you can when it comes to mercury, in order to have the healthiest pregnancy possible, and to help avoid a premature delivery of your baby.

If a woman’s blood pressure starts rising it will generally start in the third trimester, although some women experience it in the second. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, can be an early sign that a woman has or is getting preeclampsia during her pregnancy. Another sign that can indicate pre-clampsia is protein in the urine.

There are still a lot of questions in the medical community regarding how and why preeclampsia starts. The best explanation seems to involve the placenta, not growing the appropriate blood vessels through the uterine wall to help sustain the pregnancy. In addition to causing the high blood pressure, it can lead to blood supply problems in your unborn baby, as well as liver and kidney problems in the mother-to-be.

Preeclampsia only occurs in about 5% of pregnancies, most of them being the first pregnancies for the mom-to-be. Pre-eclampsia can begin gradually or come on suddenly and can range from mild to severe. At its worst pre-eclampsia can cause death or serious injury to both mother and the baby. Sometimes it is necessary for the doctor or midwife to deliver a baby prematurely, in order to save both of your lives.

High blood pressure alone does not mean that you have or will have preeclampsia. There are many other signs that your provider will be looking throughout your pregnancy. These include an elevated level of protein in the urine, swelling of the hands, feet or face, sudden weight gain and blood clotting. Signs of severe preeclampsia include severe headaches or vision problems, breathing problems, abdominal pain, or a reduction in the need to urinate.

Depending on the severity of a woman’s pre-eclampsia it may be treatable with medication to prevent seizures or with high blood pressure medication. Delivery of the baby, whether early or at term will also lead to the preeclampsia going away.

So what is the NICU and why would your baby have to go there? The NICU is a specialized nursery with specialized nurses that is put in place to help babies who are born with problems. The most common reason for a baby to be placed in the NICU is because they are born premature, or too early to survive out of the womb on their own. It has special equipment designed to quickly stabilize your baby and help him get healthy enough for you to take home, as soon as possible.

Reasons your baby may go to the NICU vary, but can include:

• Being born prematurely
• Difficulties occur during birth
• Problems arise within the few days immediately following birth

Only the youngest of babies are treated in the NICU, normally babies who have not yet been sent home from the hospital. If you are sent home with a healthy baby and he later has to be hospitalized in intensive care, he will generally go to the pediatric intensive care unit, or PICU.

Babies who are sent to the NICU are normally given more hands on care by the nurses, and rarely is the nurse taking care of more than 2 babies at a time. However, not only does your baby have his nurse taking care of him, there is also the nurse in charge of the shift to help, as well as other additional doctors and nurses who specialize in different areas of neonatal care. These may include:

• Neonatologist
• Medical residents and students
• Respiratory specialists
• Nutritionists
• Physical Therapists
• Pharmacists
• Other specialists
• Hospital Chaplain
• Social Worker

Depending on the problems your baby is experiencing you may meet all or just a few of the above hospital staff during your baby’s stay in the hospital.

Be sure to write down all your questions if you are not at the hospital when you think of them to ask immediately. You will have many questions arise regarding the health and care of your baby including, “What is wrong with my baby? How long will my baby be here? Is my baby ok?” You will have new questions and concerns coming up daily that you will want to get answers too as soon as possible. Remember, besides taking care of your baby, the nurse is there to answer your questions and reassure you.

The NICU is likely to seem very much like another planet when you walk in. There may be several babies in the NICU at once. It will probably be very quiet in there as parents sit with their babies and talk to them, and the nurse’s move around quietly taking care of babies. At times it may be very bright in the room, although often it will be darker while the babies sleep. Even though there are parents with their babies and nurses moving around, it will seem silent as the many machines around you are beeping.

If your baby is going to be in the NICU for a while, it is important that you find ways early on to make it manageable for you. Explore the hospital, the cafeteria, the surrounding restaurants and hotels so that you know quickly and easily where you can stay if needed and where you can eat. Find a quiet place in the hospital where you can lay down to rest during the day if necessary. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Try to remain positive for your baby, and keep yourself rested so that you can properly care for your baby when you bring him home.