Small baby at 34 weeks

[lemongirl1985]

Hi, has anyone been in similar situation please and can share their story? I'm 34 weeks pregnant and currently in hospital due to hypertension. They ruled out pre-eclampsia and put me on labetalol. I've had numerous growth scans and currently the baby is on 3rd centile down from 5th. I have asked if this might be due to my blood pressure, but they don't think so. The placenta and cord all fine. Fluid around the baby fine. They mentioned possible early induction and gave me some syringes for harvesting colostrum but also keep saying the baby is happy and healthy. I'm monitored and well looked after and try not to worry but days like today, I've been seen by so many people it feels like something is wrong or might go wrong even though they say it isn't. Someone I know has just lost a baby late in pregnancy and it's messing with my head I have to admit even though I'm generally quite "though" and not an anxious person.

Don’t really have much advice but my baby is on the 3rd centile and has been since 28 weeks, but no issues and all appears to be healthy. I’d try and take it with a pinch of salt as the scans can be quite inaccurate and even if not, doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with your baby I’ve had so many appointments too which I think makes you more scared!

I’m having a c section at 37 weeks (on Monday) due to babies size, have they suggested this to you?

@Thefaceofboe

Don’t really have much advice but my baby is on the 3rd centile and has been since 28 weeks, but no issues and all appears to be healthy. I’d try and take it with a pinch of salt as the scans can be quite inaccurate and even if not, doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with your baby I’ve had so many appointments too which I think makes you more scared!

I’m having a c section at 37 weeks (on Monday) due to babies size, have they suggested this to you?

Hi, thanks for your reply. They did mention an early induction as possibility but not the section. Did they give you a choice or advise c-section due to the baby's size? What is your baby's current estimated weight if you don't mind me asking? Good luck on Monday! 🥰

@lemongirl1985 I was in a very similar situation, though I did have pre eclampsia from 32 weeks. I was on the maximum dose of Labetalol that could be given but the pre eclampsia kept getting worse and I had to be induced. My baby didn't cope well with it and was born by emergency c-section at exactly 35 weeks. She weighed 4lbs and had very low blood sugars, which they put down to all of the medication I was on for the pre eclampsia. She's now a very healthy 2 year old and you'd never know she'd been premature - she's thriving.
It's a scary time when you're in hospital and going through everything. I hope it all works out well for you.

[quote MrsHemsworth]@lemongirl1985 I was in a very similar situation, though I did have pre eclampsia from 32 weeks. I was on the maximum dose of Labetalol that could be given but the pre eclampsia kept getting worse and I had to be induced. My baby didn't cope well with it and was born by emergency c-section at exactly 35 weeks. She weighed 4lbs and had very low blood sugars, which they put down to all of the medication I was on for the pre eclampsia. She's now a very healthy 2 year old and you'd never know she'd been premature - she's thriving.
It's a scary time when you're in hospital and going through everything. I hope it all works out well for you. [/quote]
Thank you for your answer @MrsHemsworth!
How long did your baby stay in the hospital and did you manage to breastfeed? Did the baby latch at all? Lovely to hear all is good now :) 🥰

We were in for a week and a half - 5 days in SCBU to stabilise her blood sugars then the rest on the ward trying to establish feeding. She spent the first week being fed my expressed breast milk through the NG tube and thankfully did get my colostrum. I was desperate to breast feed but she was so little she just couldn't latch. I think she only ever managed it twice when we were at home but would tire herself out. I expressed for the first 5 weeks then weirdly, on her actual due date, my milk completely stopped coming through out of nowhere! It was so weird!

Hi, thanks for your reply. They did mention an early induction as possibility but not the section. Did they give you a choice or advise c-section due to the baby's size? What is your baby's current estimated weight if you don't mind me asking? Good luck on Monday! 🥰

Sorry should have said, it would normally be induction I think but I also have a low lying placenta so this wasn’t an option. I was 36+2 on Monday and baby was weighing just over 4lb. They’ve estimated under 5lb at delivery x

My baby was measuring small from 28weeks always below 10th centil.

Same as you everything looked good with cord and fluid etc so baby was just measuring small.

I was induced at 38 weeks and she arrived at 5lb6...she was measured pretty much bang on with growth scans so I know people can say they are way off hers was accurate.

She is perfect and had no issues, was born on Friday and breastfeeding with no problems 😊