How early is too early

[kayjaybabe]

Id like to know others mums veiws on how early is to early. Im just hitting 35 weeks ive had a horrible pregnancy with braxton hicks for the last two-three months along with constint back pain cramps unable to eat, most of the time im bed bound as i have no energy and are prone to fainting if i try and do simple tasks as in grocery shopping or dishes. My baby has been in the breach position head down since 27 weeks n she has fully dropped my conrations get so bad they cripple me n have me in tears. I have only put on 4 kilos this whole pregnancy and my pelvis back and legs are not able to support her weight i have been reffered to physio's to try n help but its all only getting worse. But my m/ws and docs dont seem to think its bad enough for me to go early althou im at the stage where i cant stand to wake up in the morning. Im thinking of demanding them to induce me for week 36-37.

Hello, I'm not an expert but didn't want to read and run and you are obviously having a very tough pregnancy so I just wanted to offer some support by replying. It sounds like you are in some pain so I can't blame you for wanting out early! I'm only 31 weeks with DC2 and I have days like that too, though it's mostly ok.

In terms of what's too early, I don't think there's a straight answer. DD1 was born at 36w6, after an induction following premature rupture of membranes. She was just a tiny bit pre-term then, but her Apgars were 9 then 10, she weighed 6lb4 and we went home the next day... so she was in good shape. One of her little friends was born at 40 weeks and weighed a bit less than DD so, given they put on weight and fat over the last few weeks, she may have been quite tiny if delivered earlier. Other babies born a bit pre-term might need help to strengthen their lungs.

So I think I'd really be guided by my midwife/doctors - it's a shame you don't feel they are fully appreciating your levels of discomfort, can you keep trying with them?

I thought breech meant feet-down? If your baby's head is engaged and down though then he/she's at least in the right position.

I'm sorry not to be more helpful but I hope you feel better soon and your birth goes smoothly. After that, all the pain will hopefully be forgotten!

I don't understand what you mean by 'breach head down'?

I had a horrendous pregnancy with ds and wasn't induced until almost 42 weeks. Its hell I know but personally, if baby is growing ok, I'd wait as long as I could certainly to 37 weeks.

Ohh sorry i ment got out of breach and went head down at 27 weeks! Id love to wait till full term as i no its healthyer for my DD but my body just isnt handling it the doctors have told me numerous times my body isnt supporting her weight right but just tell me to 'take panadol' what i didnt mention before is that due to a car accident 2 years ago one of my back bones was shifted out of place which is not helping with the back pain. I deffently dont want to go in earlyer then my36- 37 weeks but some people even say that thats way to early and i just want other mothers advice to keep in mind.
Im a little worried that my body wont be able to support her weight if she gets much bigger as im a small build and still fit my normal size eight ive only gained 4 kilos the whole pregnancy :/

Ime 37 weeks is the minimum they want you to get to, ds was born at 34 weeks, I lost my waters at 33, I was in early labour for that week and just wanted him out, but it's so much better for them to stay in until term. He was born poorly and in NICU after I spontaneously went into labour.
Looking at him in the incubator and not being able to hold him, the best you can do is go as long as possible.

Sorry your pregnancy has been so horrendous so far :(

I was due to be induced early last time due to diabetes, and my consultant did a sweep at 37 weeks, so she was happy enough for me to go then. I think that's the real deadline, when the baby stops being 'premature' and becomes 'pre-term'. I can't imagine any doctor choosing to induce before then unless it was dangerous to the baby not to.

Could you maybe talk to them about induction as soon as you hit 37 weeks, then you'd at least know you only had two weeks left?

I had a very similar experience to you. I went into labour at 34 weeks, they stopped it but was still having continuous painful contractions. I was begging for some kind of help but was only offered paracetamol. I was so angry and didn't feel I was getting any sympathy/help so transferred hospital. I was monitored and finally they did something when they saw DS was distressed so gave me an EMCS. He came at 36 weeks, he did have to spend 2 weeks in NICU buy he is amazingly well now and is bigger then most babies his age!
It really angers me that Drs have such a huge hold over you and your body during such an emotional time. Obviously you don't want to put your baby in danger but they should be able to give you suitable pain relief and support!! If I was you I would speak to the senior dr and explain your concerns. If your this drained now how will you be when it comes to the birth? Explain this to them and be forceful but polite. Good luck!!

DS1 was born at 36 weeks and had to spend 10 days in SCBU. I just don't think he was quite cooked. He was also quite small - 5'4. Good luck

Thanks so much for your advice ladys i have my m/ws appointment today so ive deffently got a few more questions to ask her :)

I have had and am having a shit time too. I can barely walk and have felt for the past couple of weeks like this baby is hanging out of my minge. I'm nearly 37 weeks and having regular growth scans as baby is big. I'm almost hoping that she's got big enough for them to want to induce asap at the next one. She was 'apparently' 7lb 8oz at the 36 week scan.

Wow see they wont even do any more scans on me and havent since 20 weeks, i misscarried only 2 weeks before i fell pregnant this time (unplanned) and i guess the fact i am going through so much pain and discomfort with no support from doctors or m/ws i feel as thou well lets just say all i want to do is down a bottle of castor oil have sex for hours on end and find as many bumpy roads as possible. My last appiontment i was 32 weeks the m/w measured lenght felt around for a few mins checked bubs heart n breathing n then clarified it all with "you and your bub are perfectly healthy and in a great position for 36 weeks"... I just turned around and said that would be great if i wasnt only 32 weeks n all she said back was oohhh well ahh this lil girl really wants to come out doesnt she n laughed!!?? When i checked myself in at 29 weeks as i was having horrific back pains and cramps the docs wouldnt give me a straight answer they didnt even check over me nothing then they told me to take some panadol and rest up, by this stage i was in tears and the doctor litrally said to me "now on a normal day are you usually happy or are you usually quite sad, maybe depressed? Its not uncommon for women to aquire depression throu later stages of pregnancy"... Now by this stage i wasnt depressed i was furious i went in their with cronic pains and they try to put it down to me being depressed... I was a sore emotional normal pregnant women... All inall my docs / m/ws are not helping me with anything and now that its getting close to crunch time im getting quiet restless.

You sound so miserable :(.

I think its a balancing act. "Term" is generally considered 37 to 42 weeks, but there was some research out a couple of months back that during the 3 weeks from 37 to 40 weeks babies do still develop quite significantly in utero - IIRC a substantial amount of that was to do with brain growth. If they're planning an elective CS for something like a breech presentation then it will normally be scheduled for 39 weeks. Not all women/babies will go to 40 weeks, but I think the consensus is there's a big difference between a spontaneous labour at 37 weeks and an induction.

In addition, if you try and induce before the mother's body/baby are ready it is a lot more likely to lead to a long, hard birth. Once you've started induction there isn't really a way out until the baby's born.

That said, if the mother is in pain and/or has health issues that are being directly impacted by pregnancy then that should be taken into consideration and a compromise should be found that aims to relieve the mother's distress with minimum impact to the baby. Whilst the ideal would be to wait and labour spontaneously, most babies born after 37 weeks will do absolutely fine.

Do you have any supportive Health Care Providers sympathetic to your situation? Have you talked to your GP? I think you need to try and find a consultant who is likely to sympathetic and will actually make you feel as though you are being listened to and taken seriously. They may still not recommend induction as early as you would like, but at least you should understand why they want to hold on and what might change that advice.

If your GP isn't helpful you could also ask to talk to the Head of Midwifery or a Supervisor of Midwives - they should be interested in making the women cared for by their team feel supported and they have the authority to fight your corner for you. You might also want to talk to AIMS, who should be able to advise on how to get more support (although how much energy you've got for letter writing and being bolshy belligerent assertive at this stage I don't know.

Whatever happens (and whenever), I hope the birth itself is straightforward and your symptoms ease quickly after your baby's out :)

(ps - if you do decide to try for a natural induction, please please please don't take castor oil. Its far more likely to make you feel really ill than it is to bring on labour - and if you do happen to go into labour while recovering you'll have a really miserable time.)

Ended up having DD on the 18/12/2011... 5 weeks early!! I guess she was just as ready as mummy was!! Lucky everything went great she is doing fine and their was no need to induce i was already 3cm dialated wen i went to hospital with cramps and slight bleeding!! 16hours later bub arrived :)

Congratulations! Glad your baby made a safe arrival, hope you are feeling better too?