'Early term' babies - did you worry?

[mummyjah]

My baby was born at 38+0, possibly due to an infection in pelvis (uti and swab came back negative though). Normal labour. I have since scared myself silly googling the possible developmental/health problems that such early term babies can have (organs. inc. brain still not fully developed, etc., etc.). Has anyone else had similar worries/noticed anything delayed/odd about their early term children or is google doing its usual job of turning up nonsense?Basically, is this a genuine concern?

I understand mummyjah. Even though I've had a 26 weeker previously (and hence 38 weeks felt very very good) I was still told about the potential risks of delivery at 38 weeks by the obstetricians before my planned c section at 38+2 (even though they agreed that those risks are pretty minor). And yes, I think that 38 weekers are less good at breast feeding and more likely to get jaundice - happened to mine too. Having said that at 9 months she is now just wonderful and developing totally normally - ahead of her peers in many respects. So I don't reckon you should put this out of your mind and enjoy your baby.

do reckon not don't!

HCPs say silly things sometimes. The problems your baby has are seen lots in babies born even at 40 weeks. Jaundice in particularly common in babies born after 40 weeks (something to do with breaking down haemoglobin). Enjoy your LO, and remember to take what HCPs (esp HVs and GPs) say with a large pinch of salt. And stop googling!!!

My DD born at 36+3 - she was very small, struggled to BF and initially felt like she was not progressing as fast as her peers in antenatal group. Oddly, I didn't think to worry about any of this or anything developmental at all until someone (doc? HV? can't remember) said 'Oh, don't worry, early babies, she will catch up by the time she's two'.

She is now 15mo and walking, talking lots (miles ahead of antenatal group in this area), went from 2nd centile to 25th, chatty, outgoing, social, super-smart, hilarious, brattishly naughty - so, completely normal.

Don't worry. Enjoy.

my sister had her baby that was 3 weeks premature, he is 10 years old now and the only problem he has is a bit of asthma but then lots of kids do

DD1 was born at 32+1. She tends to get every cold, chest infection and stomach bug going and has an inhaler. However, she is near the top of her class in every subject (not at the top but near enough for me to be happy) and is a beautiful 13 year old now. She's the shortest in her class but I'm only 5' 3" myself so I'm not worried about that.

I was born at 34w and mum was told I'd develop behind my peers - well my periods began at 9 and I went to the grammar school so didn't do too badly!

dtd were born 2 weeks ago at 36w +5 and the SCBU nurse assured me there should be no lasting issues with either of them despite being 4lb 6oz and 5lb 15oz.

PS. Haven't had problems bfing the twins despite early birth. The smaller one actually latched on herself during skin-to-skin cuddles.

sorry but i'm another vote for please stop worrying, you had a full term baby. Not all babies hit their milestones spot on - some are early and some are late.

My son was born at 24 weeks and suffered brain damage from two bleeds, plus has terrible lungs because keeping him alive on a ventillator damaged the barely developed lungs he had. 38 weeks would be a breeze.

I know you were genuinely worried because early full term births are linked to higher incidences of all sorts of things - but this is moving from a 40 week risk of say 0.001% to a 38 week risk of 0.003%. It might sound like triple the risk, but actually you're more likely to get run down by a bus between home and your GP surgery. About 1 in 9 babies are born premature or sick, with a risk more like 1%, 10% or even 90% depending on the particular circumstance. Please leave the developmental worrying to parents who have more reason to be concerned - those whose children are disabled, have suffered damage that will last a lifetime, and have not met their x month milestones even at x years old.

And another vote here. I do appreciate that reading about such studies when you are hormonal and with a very young baby is extremely anxiety-inducing, but you need to get this in perspective. You did not have a premature baby or even a particularly early-term one. As Michaela says, some of us have been given chances of our babies having developmental issues of upwards of 90%. In your journey as a parent you will encounter no end of potential worries, and very tiny statistical risks of undetermined issues in the dim distant future really need to go right off your radar, or you will send yourself round the twist!