C-Section

[misscampbell]

hi, I went to mr obs today and I will have an elective c-section on Monday at 37+4... the reasons are that my baby is too small,I was scheduled for a c-section anyway due to having a high risk pregnancy... but i am very worried that it is a bit to early and my hubby wants us to wait for another week. I am so confused and a bit stressed! help

hi, I went to mr obs today and I will have an elective c-section on Monday at 37+4... the reasons are that my baby is too small,I was scheduled for a c-section anyway due to having a high risk pregnancy... but i am very worried that it is a bit to early and my hubby wants us to wait for another week. I am so confused and a bit stressed! help

You are officially term at 37wks. Sometimes - if there are potential medical probelms baby is perhaps better out than in.

Do you know how small they think your baby is?
Have they monitored growth for a while and is baby just not growing properly, or has baby been small from the beginning.
Is small baby related to the reason you are a high risk pregnancy?

These are some questions you need answering

It is worth breaing in mind that growth scans are unreliable and can be a pound or two out.

And the benefit of taking the baby out early must be set against the disadvantages of doing so, immature lungs, baby not quite finished.

Make sure you ask your questions before you have your procedure.

have been there.

is your placenta starting to fail? If this is the reason then your baby is better out.

Growth scans are unreliable, btu I think this applies more to bigger babies?

Statisically, if you dip below the 5thC then you have a higher risk of a stillbirth

I bled through pregnancy and had a growth scan at 33 weeks. Ds2 was 9thC but they adjusted the growth curve to reflect DS1's weight and myself and DHs build. Thus, the adjusted curve was 25thC which the midwife reckoned was fine - so I wasn't called back for further scans. They missed a partial praevia. I insisted my section was brought FW to 38+5 - just as well. The surgeon siad the placenta was failing, didn't expect the praevia so nearly sliced through it........
He said if I'd waited until 41 weeks, or waited for a VB, he reckoned DS would have been stillborn.

ask if it's safe to wait for 38+ - your consultant will know it's better for your baby, but he's clearly got a good reason to deliver before then

I was induced at 37 weeks with my first and at 36+4 with my second, both times because babies had stopped growing in the womb.

Even so, dd at 37 weeks was very definitely fully grown and ready to come out, nothing at all premature about her (though she had a hairy back like a little monkey ).

Ds at 36 weeks did look a little small (his balls seemed enormous in contrast to his legs!), but had no problems breast-feeding and caught up within a matter of weeks.

If your baby is not growing in the womb, then the consultant may have a good point and it may be safer outside where you can feed it up.

but 37+4 is term dont be scared not too early at all.intra uterine growth reduction is valid reason for CS

good luck