Talk to me about 35/36 week babies

[themysteriouswife]

I'm in preterm labor. The OB is trying to decide if I should go home on strict bed rest or to the hospital. Contractions are slowing down and my cervix is closed but soft. She seems reassured baby is overall healthy. Their main concern at this point is lung development. I have to be monitored another few mins then I will have an u/s.

Any good stories about preterm labor stopping? Babies being born with zero issues?

[kellykapowski]

My mom had a placental abruption at 34-35 weeks with my sister. She was born via emergency c-section and weighed in at 4 lbs 13 oz. She needed a blood transfusion because of the placenta issue. There was a lot of blood lost. Having said that, they sent them both home in 4 days and she has had zero issues since her birth. And that was 24 years ago.

I also had a friend who had both her daughters at 36 weeks. Neither had extended hospital stays, and both are healthy thriving little girls.

[ijack]

It's really hard to know for sure, but the odds are definitely in your favor that everything will be just fine

[cabbagecabbage]

My niece came at 34 weeks and was in the NICU for 4 days mostly for jaundice if I remember correctly. She has zero issues. My sister went into labor with her next pregnancy at 23 weeks and they were able to hold off delivery for a full 6 weeks.

[eddy]

Leo was 36 weeks on the dot. He did have the steriod shots.

He was perfect. Besides size there was nothing to indicate he had been a late term premie.

[sweetday]

May 29, 2015 11:52:24 GMT -5 themysteriouswife said:

I'm in preterm labor. The OB is trying to decide if I should go home on strict bed rest or to the hospital. Contractions are slowing down and my cervix is closed but soft. She seems reassured baby is overall healthy. Their main concern at this point is lung development. I have to be monitored another few mins then I will have an u/s.

Any good stories about preterm labor stopping? Babies being born with zero issues?

I had an emergency section at 37 weeks.  

He is in the BOOTD thread modeling for the camera.   

Sending you good vibes. 

ETA: 27 - not 37

[starlily]

DD1 was born at 35 weeks exactly. She had done breathing issues initially, so she ended up in NICU for 5 days (but she was off the vent/oxygen after the first day).

DD2 was born at 35 weeks, 1 day. She didn't need NICU and we were both discharged 2 days later.

Developmentally they've both been fine. Things like rolling, sitting up, etc. were appropriately timed based on their adjusted age. After the first year with DD1, we stopped using adjusted age and she hit milestones on track with her peers.

Both of my labors were spontaneous. With DD1 they made an attempt to stop it because I was 34 weeks, 6 days when I went in. With DD2 they didn't try to stop it at all.

Good luck! Healthy thoughts for all of you!

[linz]

Usually lungs are done around 34 weeks. If anything you might have NICU time for learning to eat but I imagine it'd be short. My twins were born at 33 weeks and were in for 4 weeks. They were both breathing on their own, just had trouble bottle feeding. I have a friend who's twins were born at 35 weeks and they were there a week. Each baby is so different.

My water broke and they tried to stop my labor but within 10 hours I had contractions so they let me deliver. It is scary but your baby should be a decent weight too.

[IrishBelle]

DD1 was born at 36 weeks with no issues. My water broke, got the to hospital and discovered she was breech and she was born via CS less than an hour later. She was small but had no issues. We went home from the hospital after 2 days.

Good luck!

[nabum]

DS was born at 36-4 and was totally healthy.

[lauralala]

DS was born at 35 weeks 2 days, and the only issue he had was some jaundice. He was only in the hospital 2 days - no NICU time at all. He was 5 lbs. 4 oz. As far as I know he did not get any kind of steroid shots or anything - his biomom showed up pretty far into labor, and he was born a couple of hours later.

He was small, under 10% until he was over 2, but there were a lot of factors to account for that. He never had any sort of issues relating to when he was born.

Good luck!

[boxerdog]

DS was 36w exactly and only spent 24 hours in the nicu for slightly low glucose and then had mild jaundice. He is perfect now.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

Big hugs! I'm hoping baby stays put for a little longer just for your sake but things will be fine.

[Dezi]

DD was 36 weeks. She had a hard time transitioning after birth. She does suffer from asthma and bronchitis. Her bronchitis this year landed her in the hospital with pmemonia. We just really careful about keeping a close eye on her when she has a cough.

[BaliHai]

This isn't a personal story, but my cousin just had her baby a week and a half ago at 33 weeks. The previous week she'd gone in for contractions caused by dehydration (plus a kidney stone), and they discovered she was already 1cm dilated. The next morning, she was 2cm dilated. They gave her meds to stop labor, gave her steroid shots for baby's lungs, and she was released the following day. She went into true labor the next weekend, and baby was born 4lbs 11oz but perfectly healthy; he actually did so well that they got to take him home a few days ago! It's amazing what they can do for preemies these days. Thinking of you!

[scorpio72]

Did you get the steroid shots for lung development?  I had preterm contractions, not full blown labor, at 34 weeks and was put on bedrest.  I got steroid shots at 34 weeks and shot to stop the contractions (blanking on what they gave me at the moment).  I was able to make it to 37 weeks to the day when I was induced. 

DS developed a hole in his lung during delivery and had to be in the NICU for 5 days.  The hole healed in 24 hours but he was pretty jaundiced which kept us in the NICU for a few days.  He's a perfectly healthy 5 year old today.  

At 34 weeks you're in a pretty good spot.  Yes, you may have a few more days in the hospital but odds are in your favor for a perfectly healthy baby.  

[EmilieMadison]

 Most Drs do not actively stop labor after 34 weeks, so if you are in fact in labor, you will likely be having the baby. The good news is that most babies born at 35 weeks do great! Some need a little bit of time in special care nursery or nicu, mostly to help them regulate their temp and until they have a stronger suck reflex, but not all babies even need that. My DD was born at 35 weeks and never needed any special care and roomed in with me from the beginning. 

I was having preterm labor at 33 weeks with DS and was given shots of Terbutaline to stop contrax. They said if it had been closer to mid-34 weeks they wouldn't have done anything. He ended up being born at 38 weeks

Good luck to you and baby!

[sh10]

My DS was 35 weeks, 3 days. He was in the NICU for 18 hours to stabilize his sugars. He was 6 lbs, 1 oz. He was a slow eater so nursing was a pain, but everything else was fine.

[themysteriouswife]

She sent me home since the contractions are milder and further apart. My cervix is thinning. They aren't going to do anything to stop it at this point. I'm on bed rest. Fingers crossed this is an uneventful weekend.

Thanks for the reassuring stories.

[themysteriouswife]

May 29, 2015 13:59:57 GMT -5 incogneato said:

Oh, and with DD2 I had contractions at 33 weeks and was told to go home, try to keep my feet up and stay hydrated. I did so and spent the next 6 weeks having contractions sporadically every day until she was born at 39 weeks on the dot. So hopefully your LO is just testing things out but will stay put!

I really hope this is the case. I rather be tired and cranky than an early baby. My body is just blah at the moment. My back is killing me

ETA: cranky should be crampy.

[BAMFMrsB]

DS came at 34w1d. He weighed 6# though so he was the hulk of the preemies in the NICU. He would not eat at first so he stayed there for 3 weeks. He had a lil jaundice and was on the breathing machine for a few days but he's never had lung issues or missed his milestones.

It's not ideal or recommended but it's not the super scary situation it was even 10 years ago.

[shepoz]

I started preterm labor at 30 weeks with DD. I got the steroids then just in case and was hospitalized for a night to monitor. Once I hit 34 week, they took me off all meds and said if she comes, she comes - they wouldn't be too concerned.

You should be fine if baby decides to come. Like PP said, maybe a small amount of time in the NICU just to be on the safe side (don't let that scare you, please!!). Happy thoughts for you!!

[Coopertown]

DD was born at 35 weeks. She had issues learning to eat (her neonatal doc has a theory that the instinct to eat kicks in around 36 wks 3 days - and she was right on for my DD) which led to a 12 day NICU stay. But other than that, she was perfect.

I was a wreck initially, but the doctors and nurses were very reassuring. Fingers crossed for a relaxing weekend!

[zzuvet]

I have 2 36 weekers. They both were a little jaundiced and low birth weight but were out of the NICU in 2 days with dd1 and 3 days for dd2. Very healthy kids.

[liverandonions]

My daughter was born at 35+6, 6lbs 9oz, and required no nicu stay, no oxygen or lung help and she was not jaundiced. She had a little trouble latching only. She's otherwise perfect good luck!!

[WOT?*]

GD1 was born preterm, serious enough that she was sent down to Seattle Children's from Bellingham (so about 90 miles) for jaundice and oversight for her first week. She's now a thriving 11-almost-12 year old tweenager who loves reading, clothes, computers, her friends and being silly.  She's petite, and her younger sister towers over her (but then her mom and aunt were the same way, as were my younger sister and I and my mom and her sister so I don't blame the low birth weight for that.)

[gogadgetgo]

Ds1 was born at 35w5d. No indication of labor before my water broke. He was good at birth (very sleepy and not interested in nursing) but ended up in the nicu for jaundice for a few days. No long term issues and he's totally normal now.

Hugs lady!!

[Kristinmo]

((hugs)). Tell your H and A to take good care of you for the next couple of weeks. Mysterious Baby is grounded until full term.

[Kristinmo]

Oh and with Anna I went into preterm labor at 33 weeks (dilated to a 3) and spent 4 weeks on bedrest. She was born via induction at 41 weeks. Hope your bedrest is equally successful but at 35 weeks there is very little risk.

[themysteriouswife]

May 29, 2015 15:35:58 GMT -5 Kristinmo said:

((hugs)). Tell your H and A to take good care of you for the next couple of weeks. Mysterious Baby is grounded until full term.

Are you kidding? I got up to go pee and H jumped up and tried to put me back on the couch. Lol a is rubbing my feet when she walks by. They are being good eggs at the moment. H already told work he's home until Myles is here.