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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Are babies born at 36 weeks usually okay?

27 replies

0MammaBear0 · 27/08/2023 08:22

Hi, I'm currently 35+4 weeks pregnant and this morning I lost all of my plug. I did a quick browse on the Internet and I read to call my midwife, so I did. She told me to keep an eye for any sign of labour starting and that baby might come in a week or 2. If my baby were to come now or soon would she be okay?

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USaYwHatNow · 27/08/2023 08:30

9 times out of ten, absolutely fine. Sometimes they need a tiny bit of help with their breathing, and will likely need some extra observations, but generally the 36 weekers I've seen do very well.

For context, my baby was born at 37 weeks on the dot due to pre eclampsia, and he was 6lbs 2 with a little bit of jaundice, but fed well, had good observations and we went home after 3 days. 🥰 He's a happy one year old now with no issues.

shangelawasrobbed · 27/08/2023 08:43

This is from the Tommy's website:

"Medical advances mean that we are getting better at treating preterm babies but the chances of survival still depend on gestational age (week of pregnancy) at time of birth.
Less than 22 weeks is close to zero chance of survival
22 weeks is around 10%
24 weeks is around 60%
27 weeks is around 89%
31 weeks is around 95%
34 weeks is equivalent to a baby born at full term."

My little boy was born at 34+1 and we had a 2-week stay in NICU/SCBU. He had prolonged jaundice and struggled with feeding (he was tube-fed to begin with), and he needed a little bit of oxygen to help with his breathing for the first day or two, but he had no serious problems and is doing really well now. It was scary at the time because we weren't expecting him for another 6 weeks, and COVID meant that no one else could visit him while we were in hospital, but it all worked out okay. He's 20 months old, eats like a little piglet and runs around like a lunatic!

I'm sure you're little one will be fine, the hospital will be used to dealing with babies born a few weeks early x

Twimum23 · 27/08/2023 08:46

My twins was born 8/7 at 33wks 7wks premature but born fine no problems spent two weeks in nicu as were a bit small 3.9lbs and 4.1lbs my smallest only done like 12hrs of light therapy for jaundice but other than that they fed really well and shocked everyone with how well they done and now they both over 8lbs

maria2bela1 · 27/08/2023 09:06

Generally yes, lungs are likely to be fully formed by 36/37 weeks, and if drs doubt this, they'll usually provide steroids to boost baby's lungs.

Bramblecrumble22 · 27/08/2023 09:11

36+5, no NICU required, just jaundice treatment. Good luck.

kshaw · 27/08/2023 09:14

Mine was 35+4 and I'd lost my plug 35+1. She weighed 7lb11, we had a week stay in hospital for jaundice and she was on antibiotics as I was strep b positive but other than that was perfect - good luck!

Vomitcomet · 27/08/2023 09:15

Yes mostly fine. But also, early labour itself can take a long time, especially if you have a prodromal or long latent phase.

take it easy, baby might be here soon, or might not 🤷‍♀️

savemyears · 27/08/2023 09:15

Bang on 37 weeks and we didn't even have to go to hospital (accidental home birth). He was pretty tiny at 5lb12oz but you wouldn't know it now to look at him. He had a little bit of jaundice which sorted itself out quite quickly.

shelbaby · 27/08/2023 09:15

Generally yes maybe need some steroids for their lungs and a short hospital stay.

Plugs can grow back. Sometimes it means nothing. Other times labour is coming.

I lost mine at 37wks over the course of a few days and I still ended up induced at 41 wks. Lost it with second baby at 37wks (there was a lot more this time and some blood) my waters broke that night and labour started right away, she was born next day.

savemyears · 27/08/2023 09:16

Also, with my first, the plug went a week before she was born and then she was induced so you still might have some time yet

WhatTodoALL · 27/08/2023 09:44

I had my second at exactly 36 weeks and he was completely fine. We went home next day, no problems at all

ChangingTheNarative · 27/08/2023 09:45

My little one was born at 36 weeks and 3 days and she was absolutely perfect, she didn't need any help and was brought home the next day.

110APiccadilly · 27/08/2023 09:47

I had a tricky pregnancy and was told if I could get to 34 weeks the long term outcomes would be identical to a full term baby. So might need a bit of support at the start but would almost certainly be fine ultimately. (DD was eventually born at 37 + 0 and is fine.)

Justme10 · 27/08/2023 09:48

Another who's DS was born at 36 weeks he was 5lbs12oz and we were home 24hrs later.

Pacificisolated · 27/08/2023 09:55

The stats on babies born from the early third trimester are astoundingly good. Modern medicine is truly amazing. I had no idea until a friend unexpectedly had her baby at 30 weeks. I honestly thought the baby was going to die until (through tears) I started googling and was quickly reassured.

Mrsjayy · 27/08/2023 10:00

0MammaBear0 · 27/08/2023 08:22

I had both mine around this time dd1 was fine small a bit of jaundice but fine, dd2 was in baby care for a week. I hope you are OK

GreenAventurinee · 27/08/2023 10:15

My son was born at 35 weeks. We’d had the steroid injections weeks earlier but he still needed help in nicu for a week. There was never any serious issue though and there has been no problems since we left hospital. Hes always been extremely healthy and happy 😃
If your baby needs a little extra support, don’t be surprised and don’t worry.
But a lot of the time they won’t even need that.

so exciting! 🤍🤍🤍

GreenAventurinee · 27/08/2023 10:16

Also, I lost my plug at 29 weeks and didn’t go into labour.
He was born planned C-section at 35 weeks

CustardCreamm · 27/08/2023 10:19

35+1 - we did spend a few days in transitional care and needed treatment for jaundice, but absolutely fine now 3 years later.

Mrsjayy · 27/08/2023 10:22

My eldest is in her 30s back then . Babies were kept in till they were over 5lLbs, that's not the case now,as long as they are healthy they get home.

StopThatBloodyNoise · 27/08/2023 10:24

My 1st baby was born at 36 weeks. He was 6lbs 14, and was 18 inches long. He had no hair, eyebrows or eyelashes. He was fine. He's now a broad man of 6ft 2.

dikwad · 27/08/2023 10:31

Mine was born at exactly 37 weeks weighing 9lb 7. He was absolutely fine and we went home the same day. They might just need a little extra observation but are usually fine!

Nursemumma92 · 27/08/2023 11:14

I lost my plug at 32 weeks and had baby at 41+2 so you may have plenty of time yet. Baby should be fine at that gestation but they will likely offer you steroids for their lungs if you do go into labour before 37 weeks (depending on how quick it all happens). Take care x

Original poster

0MammaBear0 · 27/08/2023 12:03

Thank you all for your reassuring replies, a couple of hours after losing my plug I've started having very mild irregular contractions, I'm going to call the hospital now and see what they tell me to do... Just now I've also lost a tiny bit of sticky hard fragment of the plug so I think that was what my body regenerated since and it hasn't stuck either. I hope I'm still a couple of weeks off and I get to reach full term 😅

OP posts:

Babyroobs · 27/08/2023 12:15

My ds was born at 36 weeks. Had some initial problems due to a meconium plug blocking his bowel and was in ITU for a week or so having his bowel unblocked but I'm not sure this was related to being born early.

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