Small baby - c section at 37 weeks, worried

[Somethingvague]

Hi,

Today I had a growth scan at 36 weeks following on from one 2 weeks ago. Baby is measuring about 2 weeks behind. They have told me they want to do a c section next week due to growth concerns.

It's all a bit of a shock and I'm very worried. Nobody can seem to say why baby is small. I'm 5ft9 and OH is over 6ft and we were both big babies. I'm so worried there will be something wrong. I'm also worried about breastfeeding- I fed my son for a year and was hoping to do the same again. But more than that I'm just worried about her general health. My son was induced at 37+6 (under totally different circumstances and size was fine) and had terrible reflux too which I've always wondered if it was linked to being a bit too early, and it was really hard. I wish she was allowed a bit more time to grow more first. Plus worry about the actual section and recovery. It's all unexpected.

I don't know. It's all a bit of a ramble. Has anyone been through similar and what was the outcome?

Thank you.

Still feeling very worried about things. Keep having little tearful moments. I wish I'd been in a better position to ask questions when I was speaking with the doctor, rather than getting teary, sniffling under a mask and being without my OH. I'm swinging between being so scared there's something wrong with her and she's going to be unwell, or wishing they'd let her stay in even an extra week longer. Likely to be next tuesday when I'll be 37+3, but won't find out for definite until Friday.

I had a small baby at 37 weeks, emergency c section due to hello syndrome. She weighed 5lb 2. Was corrected to 36weeks.

She was very tired all the time and for the first few months we had to wake her on a schedule to feed. She struggled to take breast and bottle. But we got enough inher that there was no concerns and I was able to fully breastfeed by 4months. She didn't have jaundice and only went on a heat pad in NICU as I was too ill. Stayed in hospital for 15 days but again half of that was due to me.

She is now about to start primary school, she does suffer with breathing in the colder months and she is only just in 3-4clothing at 4.5😄. But she is doing really well and 4 going on 14!!

Sorry hellp syndrome not hello

DS1 was 5lb 0oz - born by c section at 35 weeks due to pre eclampsia. He was a very long, baby (still got legs that go on for miles) which made him look even scrawnier. He spent a week in SCBU, but that was due to his temp dropping too low in the freezing recovery room we were in. That then led to him being very sleepy, struggling to wake long enough to feed, jaundice and needing a tube up his nose to give him milk for a few days. Once he was awake and feeding well he was fine to come home with me, though we had to get his jaundice checked at an outpatient clinic for a few weeks until it completely resolved.

The midwives were brilliant at helping me establish breastfeeding and pumping milk for those first few days. DS may have started off small, but by 6m he was on the 99th centile for everything (hence the constant feeding!) I remember one HV being concerned that he was growing too fast, until she visited us and saw DS's father (who is 6' 6"). 'Ah, that explains a lot' she remarked, and decided he was just destined to be a big lad despite his birth weight. He's never had any health issues since, touch wood, and he's 6' 2" at age 14.5 now.

My ds suddenly stopped growing at 35 weeks. I had to go to the hospital everyday for 2 weeks including weekends to spend half an hour on the ctg monitor.

I had a sweep on the Monday at 37 weeks and he was born on the Wednesday.

If he wasn’t born by 38 weeks I would have been induced.

He was fine. Weighed 5lb 3oz and was teeny but spent the normal amount of time in hospital.

Thank you for responses again. My blood pressure etc is all fine luckily. I feel like I'm wishing they would at least let us go to 38 weeks though.

I was told my eldest was going to be 5/6 lbs. he was 9 lb 3 looked squashed and angry when he cane out lol.
Really hope you are ok and are able to feel reassured x

37 weeks is considered full term. Anything after that is a bonus so try not to worry too much.

I had threatened pre-term labour with dd at 28 weeks which required the steroids. Dear god they burned!

She wasn’t born till 38 weeks so I got lucky

Ds was 37 weeks and apart from a low blood sugar to begin with, honestly he was fine. Sleepy so had to wake him a few time’s to eat but he was ok

Just as an update in case somebody googles this one day! Baby was born via c section today! She is a dinky 5lb12oz, but so far seems healthy and feeding well. They said that she had a short cord and that blood wasn't flowing through all the strands properly (even though this had looked fine on scans), and they have also taken the placenta away to be tested. So, glad they got her out when they did!

Congratulations @Somethingvague! So pleased to hear it went well.

Congratulations OP! So pleased little one is here safely and hope you're both doing well

So glad to hear this! Was following this thread as my little one is sitting at 5lbs 10oz at 36 weeks and they are considering induction...so pleased everything is fine for you x

Congratulations, enjoy the squishy newborn cuddles!

Lovely news congratulations