Preterm babies but no need for neo natal care

[JadeyG]

Hi Ladies,

This is a random post so I apologise but I’m hoping to get some reassuring stories from some of you. I had my first DD at 33+6 due to preeclampsia and she spent 16 days in neo natal (3 days in NICU and the rest in special care) and although I know this is not a very long amount of time compared to some babies I found it very traumatic while she was there. I’m now 32+5 weeks pregnant with my second DC and things are going the same way. I almost had an emergency section at 27 weeks so was given steroid injections and had a magnesium drip which thankfully brought my BP down. I’m not on the maximum dose of all my BP meds and it’s on the rise again so the docs have said I’m going to need to be delivered very soon.

So my question is, how far along we’re you in your pregnancy if you have a preterm baby that did not need to have neonatal care?

I’m sorry for the intrusive question and rambling post but I’m determined to get myself to Boxing Day and need a goal in mind for how much longer I would need to progress in my pregnancy for there to be a chance that she would not need special care (I know I probably won’t make it much longer but I can dream).

Thank you - and sorry again for the long post!

Jade

35 weeks and weighed 5-7..
Bf the next day. Slight jaundice but just needed sleep under a lamp.
Stayed in a week with ds beside me in a bay of 4 beds..

37 weeks so only just prem; spent a few days on the ward due to jaundice (and I think the nurses could tell I was feeling a little wobbly/unprepared). I admit he didn't feel prem, he was small (5lb) but turned into a chunk pretty quickly.

My baby was born at 35 weeks after waters broke. She weighed 5lb 1oz and was slightly jaundice but no need for special care, just had anti biotics through a drip for couple of days

36 weeks, we both stayed in hospital a week after in a transitional care ward, but that was because baby wouldn’t breastfeed. Health wise baby was sightly jaundice bit no treatment needed.

36 weeks and spent 5 days in NNU and 2 days in transitional care but that was only because of low birth weight of 3lb 9oz (IUGR). Didn’t need any treatment, was mostly to establish feeding.

Thank you ladies! That makes me feel so much better. I'll be 35 weeks on 27th December so I'm determined to at least make it till then

35 weeks and baby just needed a little special care but stayed with me and was taken down to neonatal for checks and some treatment then brought back.

36 plus 5, and was home in 12 hours

35 weeks, he just needed intravenous anti biotics and was home in 3 days. Good luck. He weighed 5lb 5oz.

35+1. She had 24 hours in neonatal, but that was only so they could do a blood transfusion. Then 24h in HDU, then 10 days on a transitional ward, home for 36h then back on a children’s ward for 4 days.

She had feotal anemia, and needed a lot of photo therapy for jaundice as a result. They were less worried about the jaundice after two weeks, as it can’t pass the blood brain barrier at this point.

35 weeks with DS. Stayed with me straight from Emergency c section. I was raging as they kept us in for a week even though he was feeding fine - only lost 6% of his body weight dispite having tongue tie. But he did develop some jaundice around day 4 and need light treatment but mild enough I had the special cot next to my bed.

Oh and she weighted 6lb 11oz. The staff kept asking what it felt like to have a tiny baby! As she was only 2oz smaller than her 38+2 sister she didn’t feel tiny to me

I nearly had to deliver my twins last week at 29 weeks and the NICU doctor came down to speak to me and explain things

So.....

With a Singleton baby - there is a cut off at my hospital below which SCBU is guaranteed - baby has to be over 36 weeks and over a certain weight (I think 5 lbs) to go on the normal ante natal ward. Below either of those it's a SCBU stay and also depends on how baby is breathing for itself and also managing own temperature - if struggling with either of those it's NICU. Between 32 and 36 weeks could go either way to SCBU or NICU depending on how baby is doing. Below 32 weeks it's straight to NICU

My first was born at 33 weeks and spent a week in NICU and then 2 weeks in SCBU. With my 2nd he was born bang on 35 weeks and I was told by my hospital that was their cut off for a NICU stay. If he’d been born at 34+6 he’d have had to go to NICU even though he was 6lb and totally fine as that was their policy. With my 3rd she was born at 35+1 and also no issues got to just stay with me in hospital and we were home within 3 days.

I've had a few prem babies but my 34 weeker was five pound and came home next day with me

I had two micro preemies 26 and 24 weeks (both now fine) but with my second a very prem birth was anticipated so I was given a lot of into and My hospital NICU policy was 35 weeks and over 5lbs was generally the no NICU time needed cut off - though obvious to each case is assessed individually.
Best of luck!

My DD was born at 36 weeks and weighed 6lb11oz! She was jaundice but just needed a bit of time under the lamps. No need for antibiotics, help with breathing or anything else.
I do think a big factor is whether they’ve had time to give you the steroids and for them to kick in. I was admitted to hospital at 35+5 in suspected labour and the very good doctor could see the direction things were going and gave me the steroids then and there. By the time she was born 3 days later they had obviously taken effect and apparently greatly reduce the chance of them needing help breathing.

Thank you so much for all of your replies. I really appreciate them! My first DD was born weighing 4lb15 (a really good weight for her gestation) and according to my growth scan (although I know there is a margin of error) this baby should weigh just under 4lb12 already which is a very encouraging sign. I know there is no guarantee that DD won't end up in nicu or scbu but I'm trying to think positively and not scare myself by my previous experience (which I'm sure wouldn't help my bp haha).

Thank you all again!

Also, according to the hospital I'm going to there are no rules about gestation and weight for admission to nicu or scbu - as long as they can breathe independently, feed independently and maintain their own temp they can stay with the mother. (Or at least this was the case 3 years ago when I had my first)

35 + 3. 6 lbs. No special care at all. 3 days on ward then home. Breastfeeding was a nightmare - syringe then endless, endless pumping/feeding for months. She was very slow gaining weight. Hospitalised for a week for a strange infection at 3 weeks. But she was my first and I had no idea what to expect. HV said to me "don't worry she will catch up by the time she is 2" - came as a shock, didn't know she had anything to catch up with. Now fiery 10 yo.

Good luck!