Chances of needing special care after 37 weeks

[Amberc]

I am planning an elective C section due to medical reasons at 37/38 weeks. I have been covered by insurance but not for any aftercare in SCBU/NICU. Does anyone know what the chances are of babies needing extra care after this gestation (full term I guess) or had any experiences of this. I need to make an informed choice. My obs said 'extremely unlikely' but I thought I would ask the MN gurus!

Mine were born at 35+6 and didn't need to go into special care. Good luck.

Our twins were born at 37+4 by c section due to pre-eclampsia. They were both fine but due to pressures on the ward they got cold and one had to be warmed up in SCBU for what we were told would be a few hours. We hated it because once he was in they seemed to enter a regime of feeding that was so excessive he got sick and lost fluid and ended up on a tube feed and drip. it felt like a vicious circle. As far as we were concerned he couldn't cope with the volume and only after we complained did they agree that he needed his mum and released him after 6 days. He was absolutely fine. The key message is to ensure you get all the care you can on the delivery ward. The midwives go to whoever shouts loudest, not necessarily where they are needed. Overall though babies born at 37 wks will be smaller but completely developed and just fine. They are such fighters. Good luck xxx