Advice baby born at 36 weeks?!

[relly1]

Hello everyone, anyone got any positive stories or advice on babies born at 36 weeks? My waters have slowly gone from 34+4 weeks and I've had steriods and antibiotics and still on the antibiotics now, I've been in hospital for a week due to cramps etc, I'm finally home in bed rest as labour is progressing yet so they want to induce me Friday so I'm bang on 36 weeks. I'm petrified of this with the risks etc , what did the after care look like , how long did you or baby stay in what was everything like? I'm so anxious and feel so sick!

I had DS1 at 37 weeks owing to pre-eclampsia, so a bit later than you but not by much. He needed two days in SCBU to help with feeding issues and he spent some time under the jaundice lamp. We spent 7 days in hospital after he was born. At the time it was very stressful but he is doing absolutely fine now and has put on weight well.

I was induced and had my DD bang on 36 weeks. Had steroids too. She was kept in for a week but that’s only because she was IUGR and only weighed 1.6kg - they wanted to make sure she was gaining weight and didn’t have any metabolic disorders.

She had a feeding tube to begin with but only was there for 2 days so we could establish feeding, needed no other additional help. Perfectly healthy (but still tiny) 4 year old now.

@ForeverTired89 did you still with her or did you have to go home?

Hope everything is going ok today, just to add to my previous message...
When she had the light treatment we were in the 'transitional ward' in the SCBU so I was allowed to stay. To get out of the jaundice cycle (you need to feed to clear the jaundice, but the jaundice makes you tired so it is hard to feed, so you get more jaundiced which makes you more tired and so on) she needed a feeding tube so was admitted properly to the SCBU where there aren't any provisions for parent accommodation. By this time I was medically well, so was discharged whilst she was being looked after in the SCBU.
I am not going to lie, it was not easy leaving the hospital without my baby with me BUT the staff were truly amazing, we were allowed to visit 24/7 (even at the height of COVID!) and they gave us a direct phone line to the ward where they gave us updates upon request. She was only in there for 3 days and then discharged home.

My 4th was a 36 weeker.

I also had gestational diabetes.

She was born 8pm on the Sunday night and we were home by lunchtime the next day.

It was all fine here!

I stayed in hospital longer with my 39 weeker!

@relly1 I was discharged but could come and go as I pleased. I had her on the Saturday, then on Wednesday night I went back in for 3 nights in the transitional care unit before she was discharged.

My second was born bang on 36 weeks and was absolutely fine ♥️ Actually inexplicably came out weighing 7lbs 4oz! But no time in the NICU, and no additional needs whatsoever. He's now a lovely, happy, healthy 5yo. They gave me a steroid shot for his lungs as I went into labor but honestly, it is totally possible for it all to be okay

I was wondering if anyone had any words of advice or a similar experience at all… firstly, this is my first baby.
I’m 36 weeks today and my waters broke at 2am this morning with no contractions. I was advised to come to the hospital for monitoring and antibiotics which I have done. Cervix was checked at 4am and no dilation at all and contractions didn’t start until around 6am very sporadic without much of a pattern and now have stopped completely. I’ve been told they are going to keep me in for 72 hours on antibiotics and if no baby then I’ll go home and have an induction next Monday.

Now my question is has anyone else been in this situation?
Do I wait until Monday and hope that baby either comes naturally in the meantime or via induction on the Monday or do I question whether to have a C-section now or potentially wait and still need one next week (they’re saying wednesday).

Any past experiences or advice is welcomed!
I’m quite relaxed about the whole situation but just a little unsure on next steps really!

Thank you!

@Lottierae93 you will get better advice if you make a new thread. I’m surprised they’ve said they will let you go home if your waters have gone as my hospital delivers babies within 48 hours if this happens close to full term. In your shoes I would ask what the induction would involve but probably choose a csection if it’s the drip

Oh thank you! It’s my first time posting so I didn’t realise I’d put it on a previous post 😅
yeah that’s what I questioned as well…
it will be the drip… not overly keen on induction anyway!

Talking from experience my waters broke at 34 weeks I was on steroids and antibiotics etc for 2 weeks then had my baby at 36 weeks. If you can push to wait till 37 weeks I'd do that , I had my son at 36 he came out and had wet kings needed special care in the nicu which I was always told he would with been born at 36 weeks but he was in there for a week and my mental health struggled , he's 3 weeks and mentally having him at 36 has really took a toll on it I had both my others at 37 weeks and that 1 week really makes a difference x good luck x

When my waters went at 33+6 my doctors told me this: if they go and continue to go in her experience you will likely have baby naturally within 48-72 hours - a week at the latest. If they go and then stop then more likely be able to go full term. but that's just her experience and no scientific evidence behind it.

In my case i didn't have any contractions for 44 hours hours after my waters broke and she arrived bang on 48 hours to the minute after they broke.

If they want to wait for induction to monday it's unlikely that you will be able to push for a c-section before then. they like c-sections even less than induction as more likely baby will have breathing issues etc.

Good luck