How will she do if delivered at 34 - 35 weeks?

[fairibell]

After loosing our little girl last year at 26 weeks, due to severe rapid-onset pre-eclampsia - I am now 34 +6 weeks with signs of the pre-eclampsia returning very soon - my consultant thinks I will be delivering within the next week. scan showing her about 4lb 11 (was about 4lb5 two weeks ago, so gorwth slowing down).

So any advice would be appreciated - my consultant said once 2 kilos and 35 weeks dont automatically go to SCBU, but obviously will if a problem - oh and had steriods at 26 weeks (apparently now only give them once!?)

So did you little one go to SCBU? when did they come home? any problems? anything really!

thanks so so much

Sarah

Sorry about your loss Sarah. You must have had a stressful pregnancy this time round. But at 35 wks you are almost there and there shouldn't be any huge problems.

My son was born at almost 36 wks. 1 wk further on than you I know. He was tiny, but apart from low blood sugar and jaundice he was ok. His breathing was fine and he scored only a little below average on the apgar scaled. We were kept in 'Transitionary care' for 4 nights and then it was arranged that the HV would come to be the next day even though it was Sunday.

My son was 2.51 kilos btw at 35+6

The first week home from hospital was tough as he lost a bit of weight, but after that, he thrived. I breast fed him, but I supplemented it with formula as I really felt I needed to make sure first and foremost that he put on a bit of weight. That seemed to me to be the most important thing. It didn't interfere with Bfing later either.

I hope you are not too worried. Your baby must be about 5 lbs inside you now (my son was 5.12 in that system). When I went in to labour just before 36 wks (only just I know) but nobody made me feel I should be desperately worried.

GL HOpe you are OK, and you can start enjoying your baby soon.

PS I did not have pre-eclampsia though, I just went into labour early. I hope my story is a little bit relevant and reassuring though.

Ds was delivered at 36 weeks dead on (no particular reason, he just wanted out He was 5lb4oz - bit further on that you, but not that much, & I'd had the steroids as I beld throughout the pg so they were nervous he might be an early escapee.

Other than being taken fairly straight off to be checked out by the paeds (for about an hour) he didn't need anything particular. We were kept in for 4 days to keep an eye on his weight gain, and he did struggle a bit with bf in the early days (just very sleepy) - otherwise, no issues. He didn't spend any time in skbu - just with me.

my twins were born at 35 weeks, of their own accord, weighing just under 2 kilos each and didn't end up in SCBU, although we were in for a week due to jaundice. Good luck!

we were in hospital that is, not scbu!

We have a lot of friends who have delivered a month early (some even earlier) and none of the babies have suffered any long-term ill effects. Some of them had problems feeding at first, and some of them had a short time in SCBU, but all of them left hospital within a week and none of them had any problems once they left the hospital (thought it was worth repeating ). DH and I actually breathed a sigh of relief once I was 30 weeks with DD, because we knew that the chances of survival without problems increase rapidly after that.

ds1 was born at 34 weeks weighing 4lb6. He was born yelling. Went in NICU for 24 hours, briefly on a ventilator. Then into SCBU, couple of days on CPAP (assisted breathing thingy). Came home after 14 days (was fully breastfeeding by then). Is now 3.3, no probs at all.

Ds2 was 33 weeks, 4lb9. Went into NICU on a ventilator for several days but they think he was affected by my losing a lot of blood during his birth, and the GA. Then SCBU. He also came home after 2 weeks, but with a nasal feeding tube in. Which lasted another 2 weeks. We didn't ever get really going with bf'ing though, but that was as much me as him.

Oh yes, both jaundiced. Ds2 had a day under a light bed.

I only had 1 lot of steroids with each. And with ds2 I'd had them at 23 weeks.

I'm trying hard to think of problems here . Ds1 had reflux (which went away by 6 months). Ds2 has a little hernia on his belly button, which is healing now (he is 5 months). I was told that both are more common with prem babies.

The first few months are harder than with a full-term baby. Just little things like waiting 12 weeks for your first smile. At 5 months, ds2 is behaving like a 3-month-old, whilst my friend's baby who was born the same week is starting to sit, and put things in his mouth, and burble. It feels like a longer slog.

Have you had a tour of SCBU? They should have advice on expressing milk if thats what you want to do, too.

Be positive honey, At 4lb11 she may well be fine! I was born at 37 weeks weighing 4lb5 28 years ago and I went home 2 days later! perfectly healthy just a bit scrawny lol! My mother had pre eclampsia too.

Oh, agree with fruitfuloffruit that the longer wait for the smile can be tough - it's amazing how much of a 'give back' it is when your baby starts smiling.

If you want to bf is worth being aware that the suck reflex may not be strong - think it normally kicks in 35/36 weeks, so you may have a slightly more uphill battle there. Not insumountable though (& talk to your mw about cup feeding if you want to avoid bottles)

My twins were 35 weeks - 5lb11 and 6lb11. They were both fine and were with me and breast feeding from the start.I took them home after 4 days - although I had to insist on that despite there being no problems- just kept being told they were pemature!
ds2 had a hernia on his tummy button, but to be fair that didn't happen for a few weeks.
They are now 3 and off the top of the charts for growth.
Good luck.

Can't add personal experience but DD has two close friends that were born at 32 weeks - separate families but born on the same day! We have known them (and their parents!) since they were all 6 weeks old. Now, at 5 years old, you would never, ever know.

HTH and good luck

The outcome can be variable but:

Lungs are usually 'fully' developed by about 32-33 wks. Because of this they don't actually give steroids after 33-34wks as they are not necessary - even if you havn't had them before.
That is the big thing to wory about.

I know triplets that were born at 34+something. One of them went straight to ward with the mother. The other 2 went to SCBU for 7-10days whilst feeding established.

Obviously all babies are different - but I wanted to reassure you that the best case scenario is that you have your baby and see no real difference to you delivering at 37wks+

I had DS1 at 34 weeks. he was 5lb 7 and had no probs at all except it took a while for him to get his sucking reflex but not enough to need any intervention. DS2 was born at 35 weeks and he was 6lb 3 and again had no probs at all.

Try not to worry (easier said then done) and at your stage the brain and lungs are developed. SCBU is possible but unlikely in my experience. Don't forget the scan and the weight are very rough indications. I was told my babies were small all the way through my pregnancy and both times after baby was born i wasa told they would have been big babies if i'd have gone full term??

Fingers crossed so much for you. It must be so frightening.

However - my nephew was a 36 weeker - no reason really. Can't remember his weight but he was in SCBU for a few days. Had a convulsion/fit the day after he was born so was tested for meningitis but it was negative.

He was 4 in February and is a really funny little guy. Totally his own man. Potty trained late but that was just stubborness!

Will be thinking of you.

My nephew was born via emergency c-section at 34 weeks because of pre eclampsia. my sister was given all sorts of medication to lower her BP but it rose to dangerous levels (180/120). He was in the scbu for four weeks, he was given CPAP (a continuous pressure breathing mask) for about 2 weeks until he was a bit stronger. He fed well and was allowed home at 38 weeks and she had to stay in the house with him until he was 42 weeks to protect him from infection. he had to drink milk for prem babies to make him grow, he was only just over 3lb when he was born so he really was a little dot. He was allowed home once he reached 5lb and he's now 18 months, he's doing very well. He's a happy little boy, he doesn't walk yet and can only say a few words but he's getting there. My sister expressed milk for him. Where I am babies only go tho the SCBU if they need to, there were 5lb babies on the postnatal ward after I had ds. It really does depend how they are after delivery. I hope you don't have a hard time. Stay strong.

While this didn't happened to me, my god-daughter was born at just over 30 weeks, and was in SCBU for a good six weeks. She is now thirteen, top of her class for English and you would never ever have a clue.

Good luck,

I am no expert but I think you are beyond the point where there are serious problems. My neice was born at 31 weeks and she has had problems (not serious) with her lungs but every day counts at that stage.

I have had 3 friends who delivered at 35 weeks and they were all fine, only one went to SCBU.

Good luck and so sorry for your loss last year.

Thank you for all your messages - hearing both the positives and the negatives really help

Btw, I never even had steroids as nobody knew he might come early, so you're probably 'further on' at 35 wks than I was at 36. Or equal!

So true about the smiles! My son smiled 6 wks after his due date!! He was ten wks then I think. So not terribly late, but at least I'd been warned not to expect him to smile when he was six weeks born iyswim.

I had my DS1 at 35 weeks, having had the steroids at the same time as you. He was 6lb 3 (apparently would have been over 9lb if I had made it to term), his biggest problem was jaundice which took a while to get under control and affected his initial feeding, but when I got home I managed to get the breast feeding going with the help and support of my midwife and DH. We stayed in hospital about a week and a half till we got the jaundice sorted and he put on a bit of weight and he had every check performed on him and found no issues. He is now a big burly 5 year old! Good Luck!

I had ds at 33 weeks by emergency cs, he spent 3-4 days on a ventilator, was in hospital a total of three weeks. Was 3lb 10 at birth and 4lb 11 when he left hospital.

He's a a short lad but then im short too! He's nearly 11 now.

My dd was a week late and was only 5lb 5, with no problems.

I had my ds at 34+3 by cs due to pre-eclampsia. His lungs weren't very developed despite me having the steroid jabs at 31 weeks (this is fairly unusual) so he was ventilated for 4 days, briefly on CPAP and on lo-flow oxygen through nasal prongs for weeks. To begin with I expressed milk for him and he was tube-fed, but we managed breast feed before he came home. He was in SCBU for 7 weeks. It was tough but very much worth it! He is now nearly 2, still breast-fed and very gorgeous. No lasting problems at all.

If you want to breast feed, be prepared - SCBU nurses and ward mws not always very helpful or forthcoming. Keep telling them, ask for help expressing and ask about donor breast milk (if you would rather that than formula) if your baby needs a top up before you get going with expressing.

Really sorry about your first baby, it must have been very traumatic, but brilliant that you have made it this far - at nearly 35 weeks you may have a brief stay in SCBU but there should be no lasting problems. Good luck and let us know how you get on!

My ds was born by cs at 34+6 at 1.2kilo due to pre-eclampsia and IUGR. He was in SCBU for 4 wks but I think that was more to do with the weight than anything else. He had nothing else majorly wrong with him bar respiratory distress at the birth (for which he was on CPAP for 12 hours) and a little bit of jaundice later on. As soon as his weight hit 4lb 10 he was allowed to come home. Your lo seems to be a good weight at the moment which is excellant news.
As for breast feeding. I was only able to express for 3 1/2 wks before my milk dried up. This was because of a mixture of exhaustion of running up and down to the hospital and lack of contact. I found my SCBU nurses very supportive in the decision to bf - all really advocated it or the donor milk if I couldn't lactate. One word of advice I would give is if you have to express, limit your visitors, it makes it far easier and you don't feel guilty for leaving visitors alone.
All the best and let us know how you get on x

My dd was born at 36 weeks, weighed 6lb 1oz and was treated no differently after delivery than a full term baby

DS was born at 30 weeks due to severe pre-eclampsia/HELLP syndrome, spent 8 weeks in SCBU and needed assistance to breathe at first (CPAP then low-flo O2) and was very jaundiced needing blood transfusions etc. It was a rocky road but we got there. Every day counts for a lot in terms of gestation and I was always told the odds are VERY good once you are over 32 weeks. PE can complicate things if blood flow has been compromised at all often resulting in IUGR but by the sounds of things your LO is a good weight which is a great sign.

DD was born at 36 weeks again due to PE. She spent 1 week in SCBU because of initial breathing difficulties (in spite of 2 course of steroids, one lot at 27 weeks and a second lot at 35 weeks).

Both of mine had difficulties feeding at first and it took DS in particular ages to get his suck reflex sussed (until he was equivalent of 37 weeks gestation). I did manage to breatsfeed both of mine but it was tough at times- lots and lots of expressing at first, then using nipple shields to get them to latch and then finally weaning them off nipple shields at approx. 4 months old. I'm still breastfeeding DD now (10.5 months old).

Both of mine are fine now and an absolute joy, And PE hasn't left me with any lasting effects either (although took 4 months for blood pressure to stabilise and to be allowed off BP meds).

Good luck thinking of you and your LO lots xxx