Small baby, induction or c-section at 37 weeks?

[Magenta82]

Hiya, my baby isn't growing as much as she should be, its looking very likely that she will need to be delivered at 37 weeks, I'll find out more on Tuesday when I'll be 36 weeks and have a growth scan booked.

I spoke to the doctor this week who told me that the long term risks to a small baby come from having a compromised birth and that they would be monitoring me to make sure she didn't get into difficulty and if she did I would need a cesarean.

It looks like my choices are induction with close monitoring and the possibility of her getting into difficulty or an elective cesarean. If I go for the induction things will probably be fine, but could more easily go wrong, the cesarean will be harder on me, but easier on her.

I'm also thinking about all the covid rules and the fact that DP will only be able to visit for 2 hours a day so I will be spending either the time it takes to go into labour, or the recovery from the cesarean pretty much alone which is making me really anxious.

I guess there is also the chance that my baby will be kept in and I wouldn't want to leave her.

What would you do?

I was induced at 35+5 due to small baby and I had steroid injections at 34 weeks. They had me on the CCG monitor through the whole labour (hormone drip) to keep an eye on baby’s heart rate. It did keep dipping every now and then as it can be hard on small babies. I didn’t need a c-section and she was born at 36 weeks weighing 3lb 9oz. Spent 5 days in NNU and 2 days in transitional care. No help needed for breathing - just to establish feeding.

I also considered a c-section for the longest time but glad I went with an induction instead.

Hi everyone, yesterday at 37+2 I had a really heavy bleed, they admitted me for observation and decided that because I was coming in for an induction next week it was better to do it ASAP. Within 2 hours of the pessary being inserted I was 3cm dilated, fully efaced and having constant contractions that didn't give the baby a chance to recover. Her heart rate dropped and the lack of gap to rest meant she couldn't recover. The pessary was removed, the team got her stable and the doctor offered to break my waters so we could cautiously try to deliver, but every time I contracted and her heart rate dropped I panicked. There was a good chance she wouldn't cope with labour, so I opted for a cesarean. She was born this morning weighing just under 5lbs and is absolutely perfect, no issues, she was crying before she was fully out and is feeding g and sleeping well.

Congratulations!

@Magenta82 congratulations and glad everything is ok!