AIBU to ask consultant for at 37wk ELCS?

[PineapplePrincess]

Will be 37wk pregnant on Tuesday, with a consultant appointment planned for tomorrow. Actual due date is 19 March, but going for a ELCS and have been deliberating dates with the consultant from 5 March onward.

Have had the most horrendous cold/flu over the course of the last 10 days and SPD has gone from bad to worse, where I’m at the point I can hardly move without the aid of crutches. On top on this I am now stress incontentent. To say I’m miserable is an understatement.

I half expect the scan tomorrow to suggest I’ve lost amniotic fluid due to coughing and incontenance. This happened with my DS and prompted an early delivery at 38wks.

Even so, DH and I are thinking of requesting the baby comes this week, rather than delaying much longer. Would this be an unreasonable request?

If there is no medical reason the consultant won't book the section early, optimum timing for elective section is 39 weeks
(I'm a dr but not obstetrics)

If fluid is fine why does baby need to come out early?
Surely they will say no want baby in for a couple more weeks minimum

Yeah, it's a bit unreasonable. The last few weeks of pregnancy are shit but babies do much better staying in until 39 weeks. There's quite a bit of development in that last couple of weeks.

Consultant had previously said she would happily schedule for a March ELCS, and has looked at theatre dates from 5th onwards. I had been holding out for the 19th, but feel that is now unrealistic.

We did discuss a February date when my health was better, and she did caution that baby might end up in NICU, but would depend on weight etc.

Speaking to others, they have suggested terms is 37wks and given my health it may be better to think about bringing date forward. Albeit, I appreciate they are not health experts.

I’m just not how well I’m going to be able to cope for another few weeks in this state.

I've had a NICU baby and I wouldn't do anything that would risk having to go through that again... obviously it's a fairly emotive topic for me but I'd think you were incredibly selfish to put your baby at risk because you're uncomfortable and incontinent.

Another NICU mum here ... medical staff are brilliant but it was a horrendous experience please don’t have the baby early for te reasons stated.

There is a huge difference between a baby born at 37 weeks due to spontaneous labour and a ‘cold section’ at 37 weeks. Just because 37 weeks is technically term (classed as ‘early term’ in some countries), it doesn’t automatically mean that it is beneficial to be born at this time.

If you are or have recently been unwell, are you really up to coping with a newborn if you don’t need to?

Although term is 37 weeks evidence shows that babies delivered by ELCS prior to 39 weeks have higher rates of respiratory complications and NICU admissions which is why the surgery is usually planned for 39 weeks. If there was a medical reason to bring that forward a course of steroids would usually be recommended to try to reduce this risk

I wouldn’t choose to deliver my baby at 37 weeks personally, why risk the baby having to go to NICU? It would be awful if that happened. It’s rubbish getting through the last few weeks of pregnancy when you’re in pain and feel bad but there’s not much longer left to go now and you’ll be better to get over your cold / flu properly before the baby is here. There’s no saying the incontinence will magically go when the baby is born either so it would be silly to have an earlier delivery for this reason, that might take some time and work to improve. SPD is awful but you’re almost there now, even keeping baby in until 38 weeks will be better than 37. It really is a case of putting the baby before yourself and that’s what motherhood is all about once they are here as well! Good luck x

I had a planned section at 37 weeks due to growth issues and even then I had different consultants debating whether it was the right move. DC was perfectly fine, although a bit quiet at first, and I had steroids before hand, but DH and I were really worried about lung issues. I'd try and hang on a bit longer if you can, even though it is miserable for you.