Tell me the reality of delivering your baby “early” (37w)

[PaulHollywoodsSexGut]

Morning

I need your tales of (semi) voluntary “early” delivery of your babies.

I’m 36+3 today and I have an underlying heart condition that hospitalised me last week and I nearly had to deliver at 35+5. My last two babies have been 40w+.

I’ve now been discharged with drugs that are suppressing the massive arrythmias and they are heavy duty. Whilst in hospital time and again they showed that they were not affecting my baby I’m a bit scared of what the effect of taking them for the next 4 weeks could be.

If I have ONE more fierce arrythmia attack then I have to present at A&E and have been told I will be given a CS under general anaesthetic.

The other thing is the side effects of the drugs are hideous. I’ve got migraines and congestion but touched by paracetamol, I don’t sleep and I feel really “drugged up”; lethargic, in pain, tearful, unable to parent my own children. DH is on sabbatical now and is amazing, I want for nothing and he is kind and understanding.

I have an appointment on Thursday with the obstetric consultant. Considering I feel like absolute fucking shite, with the sword of Damocles hanging over me regarding risk of a crash CS I might request delivery at 37w, which for me is Monday 20 May.

I’m so so so so so scared. My family are all late bakers, I’m scared of compromising my baby both in utero (drugs) and ex utero (delivering too early, long term effects of that).

Have any of you had to make a decision to deliver early based on medical reasons and if so what was the outcome? How was baby? How did you feel?

Ideally I’d like to know from those who delivered from 35w and who basically made the decision themselves without hard core direction from medics.

I’m so scared, and am wittering. But any words help.

Early 36 weeker was bang on 7 lb and up to the ward exactly like a full term baby. 33 weeker was in hospital a fortnight... Both far too clever, far too gorgeous and long legged chatterboxes. One has dyspraxia and verbal dyspraxia but I think that it's inherit from me rather than anything linked to gestation.

Have a handhold OP. My 3rd section was planned for 37+2 - DC was a bit mucus-y (but I didn’t have a steroid injection) and was in NICU for 48 hours but completely fine - 7lbs 8oz, no health or development issues and no sign of asthma despite it running in the family. I actually managed to get some rest in a side room as they didn’t put me on the main ward as I was apart from DC!

I had my twins at 36+5. It would have been an induction at 37w anyway, as they were twins. DD1 had some breathing problems at the very start, both babies got checked over in the neonatal unit, and then once we were discharged to the postnatal ward, they were treated as normal but with heel prick blood sugar tests. They fed a bit more often than your average (formula fed) baby, I think - every 2-3 hours in the first 12 weeks - and the first couple of weeks were extremely quiet, as if they were too little to be interested in the world yet (they mostly slept). They also hated being changed - slightly too big clothes were good, and "strappy" vests from Mothercare (not just sleeveless, they look like little old man vests).
Getting past 35 weeks is the biggie. Good luck, however things pan out

Actually 37 weeks is no longer considered full term, it’s early term, but outcomes are still excellent. I had a planned section at 36 w as the baby would have exsanguianted if my waters had broken and it was no different from having a full term baby like my first. I had steroids the two days before.
I was born at 34 weeks myself by planned section for placental insufficiency and have never had any ill effects after the first ten days.

induction at 36 weeks for medical reasons, not heart related but similar circumstances weighing up the risks of drugs and surgery vs early delivery of baby. spoke to all consultants involved and came to the decision with the obstetrician that weighing it all up the best option was to get baby out and then deal with my health after that without any risks to the baby. Very fast induction only a few hours (however i had presented with preterm labour a few times that they had managed to stop and was already dilated) stay in hospital for baby was 1 week needed some phototherapy for jaundice, some help with maintaining temperature and getting to grips with feeding mainly because baby was too sleepy to feed. Baby was rooming in with me the entire time tho even when in incubator for phototherapy heat etc.
I was given the two doses of steriods in the days leading up to the induction. baby had some issues with lungs TTN they call it, but no major concerns about the breathing just some closer monitoring of oxygen sats etc

Induced with dd at 37 weeks due to gestational diabetes and my age. She was 8lb 6oz and very hairy. Spent 4 days in a hot cot but just managed to keep her out of scbu as she was jaundiced. Didn't weight bear or crawl till one, didn't walk till 17mnths. Struggled with breast feeding but I put all that down to her being a lazy sod (still is).
Hope all goes well for you.

Good luck OP, will be thinking of you.

My first was 37+3, spontaneous labour but my waters broke early so I was booked for an induction if things didn't start on their own. DD was small, only 6lbs and didn't fit in anything we'd bought for her. She found it very difficult to BF due to my huge engorged boobs and her tiny mouth. We got there in the end (10wks of hell) and I had to express a bit to soften things up before she would latch. I do think it was quite a bit to do with her size. DD also had quite bad jaundice, which also cleared up on it's own. She ultimately ended up on the 90th percentile for weight and height, and she's a bright, sociable girl, meeting all her milestones at primary school now.

DS was 41wks, 7lb 2oz and all together that much bigger. He got BFing very quickly too, which could have been a mix of his bigger size and me being a bit more experienced with it.

Good luck OP. My DS decided to evacuate the 5* hotel, and put in an appearance at 36 weeks weighing 6lbs. He became jaundiced and had to go under some lights, but some full term babies also become jaundiced and he was fine a few days later. He has had some problems with asthma, but that could be down to genetics and appears to have grown out of it now. He's now heading for 35.

I had an elective c-section at 38+1 and one thing that I think no-one has mentioned is that my milk didn’t come in as quickly because labour hadn’t triggered it, so my baby got dehydrated and lost a lot of weight and we were re-admitted. Obviously no issue if you’re not planning to b/f but if you are, maybe something to ask the midwife about - although he was my first baby so you’ll have more of a clue than I did and might pick it up sooner. Mine was also a bit snuffly and went a bit yellow but didn’t need treatment. On the upside recovery for me was very quick and easy. Wishing you as much sleep as possible before Monday and hope it all goes smoothly

I had one dc at 37 +3 and another at 36 +6. Both needed a little help to start breathing but other than that, we're absolutely fine (except the rubbish sleeping....).

Good luck OP.