If your 39 week+ babies ended up in NNU or SCBU ...

[nappyaddict]

Did you have a "normal" delivery, induction or CS?

Did you have a "normal" pregnancy or did you have any problems?

[Weekipper]

My DD spent a few days due to suspected meconium inhalation, and low blood gases. She was born 41+1 'normal' delivery. Straightforward pregnancy.

[NellyBluth]

Completely normal pregnancy - well, I had HG but DD was absolutely fine, grew normally, no signs of anything going wrong. Started labour normally at 40+6, though it was very slow and as we didn't drive, I eventually insisted I stayed on the antenatal ward as it had been two days of nothing and I was already exhausted. I had started throwing up again and midwives didn't believe that I wasn't keeping water down and wouldn't give me any anti-emetics (like an idiot I forgot to pack mine) so I had about 24 hours with no liquids. No one checked me during this time, which is why I partly blame the hospital for what happened.

Turned out DD had started a random infection, nothing suspect and consultants later confirmed it was just a 1/1000 chance of her getting something. But because my labour stopped, she had 24 hours to brew that infection and got iller and iller and no one realised until I finally hit 4cms, asked for an epidural, and finally someone started monitoring DD (seriously, no one listened to her heartbeat once during the time I was on the labour ward) and it turned out we were both tachycardic and she was really quite poorly, so rushed for an emcs and she was in NICU/SCBU for five days - grunting when born, very high infection score, low sugars and all that.

Bit of a shock actually - we knew right from the start that she wasn't seriously ill and just needed some help for a few days so no one was worried about her as such, but when you go into labour at 40+6 with a healthy baby and pregnancy, it's quite odd to suddenly find yourself with a baby in NICU.

[kitsmarch]

Normal pregnancy, although a weird episode at 35 weeks where I had some bleeding and contractions. Also, the day I went into labour at 40 weeks I had felt no movement, in spite of encouraging with cold drinks, caffeine, etc. I was just about to call the labour ward when my waters broke in an explosion of meconium.

Tried for a VBAC but tachycardic reading on the monitor and I had an emcs. Baby born non-responsive and an awful 8 (yes, 8) minutes in theatre whilst we waited for the missing crash team. The button was pressed but no one came until one of the theatre staff opened the doors and yelled down the corridor. Baby had meconium inhalation and septicaemia. One day in NICU, intubated, and 3 days in SCBU. Blissful reunion on day 5. My baby is now a well and perfect four year old. Miraculously no issues.

My previous babies were premmie twins and I remember thinking I'd have none of that this time with a singleton. No feeding tubes, no SCBU, so it was a real shock to have a full term baby in NICU. Not what I was expecting at all. It was a reality check that sometimes things just don't go to plan and very shocking for that. On the flip, I'm truly, truly grateful that I have three healthy children. Not everyone coming out of NICU gets that.

[Minesril]

Normal pregnancy apart from high blood pressure. Forceps delivery.

Baby had to go to NICU because he had very high renal dilation on his kidneys. Due to the hospital being one of the worst in London, they didn't tell us that he would have to go to NICU until he was two days old, even though they first noticed the problem (including the extent of the problem) at a growth scan I had. So that was horrible news especially as we had to be transferred to a different hospital.

Seperation was a nightmare - I was on the post labour ward being monitored for my BP so couldn't always be at NICU for feeding time. When I was there it was difficult even holding him because of all the wires attached to his body. Also really horrible seeing all the premature babies some of whom had been there for several months.

I think it would have been far easier to try and prepare for the situation had we actually been told while I was still pregnant that he would have to be monitored for a few days, but in the event it came as a massive shock.

Anyway he was discharged and joined me on post labour when he was six days old, and the next day I was discharged too. Leaving hospital together was easily the best moment of my life!

[rallytog1]

Similar to Nellie - my 9lb dd was born at 40+12 and whisked off to scbu an hour later. She'd got a strep-type infection and my waters were "offensive", which I understand was the cause.

She needed a lumbar puncture and antibiotics, then we were put on 'transitional care' after about 36 hours, which is where she was well enough to be with me on the ward but still had more regular monitoring and care from neo-natal staff for another 3 days or so (think that may be a particular service to my hospital, not sure if it's universal). Neo natal discharged her from their care after about 4 days I think.

I was under ga for the first few hours and then didn't see her in scbu itself. My dh found it stressful and scary, but I do think there was never a panic or genuine concern that she might not be ok. The neo natal nurses were joking with my dh about struggling to find a vest to put her in, as they normally had much smaller babies!

[rallytog1]

Oh, and I had a totally normal easy pregnancy. Delivery was induction, prolonged labour and emcs.

[olympicsrock]

I too had a normal pregnancy, induced at 40+12, crash c section due to meconium and decelerations. He went to scbu for 24 hours but is perfect now.

[hazeyjane]

Normal pregnancy

Elective caesarean at 39 weeks.

Ds was about 9lb, but grunting, unable to suck. In NICU for 2 days, SCBU for 8. Had respiratory distress, jaundice, and a heart murmur. He was on oxygen, cpap and tube fed. He has a genetic condition, although we didn't know this at the time.

[Waggamamma]

Normal delivery of 9lb5oz baby at 41+1. I had group b strep and recieved iv antibiotics in labour. Baby with me on post natal ward for ten hours but he was very cold and his temp refused to rise so was transfered to nicu to be put in an incubator for hypothermia. Suspected septicemia and he was given iv antibiotics.

He warmed up quickly but then got dehydrated so needed to stay for some wet nappies first. We were in 5 days in total.

[boopdoop]

I was induced at 40+12, ended up in cs after an hour of pushing, due to position and size (10lb 7oz), was all fine and then at 10 hours old started vomiting green vile. Was taken into scbu for 2 days to monitor and feed through tube, then kept on ward for another 4 due to infection around umbilical chord, then allowed to go home.

Was never really really ill thankfully, and still being meant tongue tie was spotted and fixed, but wasn't great to not have him with me on the ward, and to see him with tubes etc, and not to be able to feed him myself for a couple of days. All fine now, 8 months and no problems.

[MabelSideswipe]

No probs during pregnancy. Labour was augmented with syntocinon. They suspected he has inhaled meconium but there was bugger all wrong with him and he was out of SCBU the next day. Really delayed bonding though and still feel sad about it.

[Teatimecakes]

Elcs at 39 +2 for malpresentation. A difficult delivery due to position and size (9lb 7oz) was very, very I'll at birth with 0 Apgars. 2 days in scbu. He's now a very cheeky and bouncy 2 year old with no ill effects at all x

[Mamab33]

Similar to pp emcs. It is a shock...still upsetting to remember!

[MelanieWiggles]

Ds1 - normal pregnancy, ended in emergency c-section for fetal distress. He was brought to NICU with suspected meconium inhalation. Was out within 24 hours thankfully.

Ds2 - normal pregnancy, VBAC delivery. All seemed fine. I alerted the midwives when I realised he had not woken in 24 hours. Turned out he had ABO incompatibility and was in NICU for five days.

[TinyCaterpillar]

Totally normal pregnancy and spontaneous labour started at 40+3, DD born 40+6 so a long labour. Midwives weren't great and in hindsight I feel they missed a lot of warning signs that something was wrong. She was born totally unresponsive and didn't breathe for 5 minutes. Once she was breathing she was taken straight to NICU before I got to hold her or really look at her, which was awful. She had a lumbar puncture for suspected meningitis/ septicemia and spent 1 day in NICU and 5 days in SCBU with pneumonia. It was a massive shock to have a full term baby in SCBU, something I was totally unprepared for and the hospital didn't do anything to support me with the situation. It really affected bonding but luckily BF was unaffected which helped bonding later (this did involve being awake almost continuously though for the BF schedule which was gruelling, again no support offered...).

[golemmings]

Normal pregnancy; second time around. Under consultant care because of 3rd degree tear (and pph but nobody told me that).

Ds was largish. 9lb 8. 40+14. Not quite back to back but sort of sideways like dc1. Bradycardic with the chord round the back of his neck. Too late for forceps. Apgar of 3 and 6. Resuscitated. Given to me at an hour and a half old. At 3hrs admitted to nicu with poor tone. He was heavier than the other babies combined. Fitted over night. Tested for meningitis. Tube fed for 24hrs. Then allowed to feed and released from icu onto the post natal ward with me at 48hrs old with ongoing antibiotics. Discharged at 4 days. I spent the next 12 months very worried and scared but at 3 he's fine and fabulous.

[PeteHornberger]

Second pregnancy, straightforward with no problems, spontaneous labour at 40+ 4, 9lb 4oz DS born after a straightforward water birth. We were all set to be discharged the same day when the midwife spotted he was making a noise whenever he took a breath. She asked a paed to have a look, who said he should spend a night NICU as he was struggling to breathe and his breathing was erratic. They also tested for infection and the infection marker came back borderline high. So he spent one night in NICU and then 4 more days in SCBU. Luckily no infection and breastfeeding established well, they just couldn't work out why his breathing was quick. Chest x-rays and an ECG didn't show anything controversial so they discharged his once his course of antibiotics were finished.

As a PP said, was very odd being in NICU/SCBU with a strapping 9lb child, especially as most of the others were prem and pretty poorly. The nurses were very sweet and very good at their job - although they couldn't seem to understand why I was worried about DS - it was almost as if because they had seen children who were much more poorly that they couldn't understand why I was getting upset about my son being ill, just because he wasn't as ill, IYSWIM. After being up for 24 hours straight, giving birth and then sitting in NICU with DS, I had a little hormonal, knackered cry on DH's shoulder and a nurse asked me why I was crying - I did find that odd!

[RightyTightyLeftyLoosey]

Really bad (hospitalised 4 times) HG all through pregnancy, but other than that pg normal.

Started labour at 40+1, all going well, nurses were running the water in the pool even! Then my blood pressure went through the roof and DS was in distress, ended up having an EMCS under general anaesthetic.

DS was in SCBU for 2 weeks as had frighteningly low blood sugar, they had to make their own IV solution by mixing them as the ones they had were too weak. There was a plan to move him to GOSH but in the end it seemed to resolve itself after fighting to BF him more and they reduced his IV and we went home.

He is now 2.7 and jumping all over DP as I type!