AW: Update 2 and positive 35 weeker stories to get me through?

vstevens

I posted yesterday about being admitted to L&D and the scary 8 minute decel. Well last night in the middle of the night LO decided a 9 minute decel would be even more exciting for everyone. He's stable again, thank god, but cannot tolerate me being on my back at all any more.

I'm waiting to hear more from the team here this morning on the action plan. In the meantime, I feel REALLY silly for asking this given all the micro preemie moms and babies I know through this board who have achieved such amazing things, but if anyone has some good stories to share about healthy LOs arriving around 35 / 36 weeks, it would go a long way for my mental state. I've researched so much for this kid, but I have no personal experience with prematurity / NICU and the unknown is scaring me.

TIA ladies - what would I do without J14?

BuckeyeMommy4

Thinking of you! DD1 wasn't quite as early. She was born at 3am at exactly 37 weeks. She was perfectly healthy at 6lbs. 11oz.. There are lots of babies born at 35/36 weeks that are perfect and need no NICU time. Hopefully if you have to deliver, your LO is one of them!

ac1259

I'll be praying your LO is born healthy whenever he decides to come:) my DD was born at 36 weeks and perfectly fine!:) we got to stay at the hospital 1 extra day because of jaundice but other than that no complications..she was 6 lbs 12 oz at birth.

ScarlettDahlia

I don't have any experience as a FTM, but I just wanted to say that I'll be thinking of you and LO! 

MrsGraham06

A woman at church had a baby at 35 weeks (she is now 4 weeks old). Other than a brief stay in NICU for fluid in the lungs everything was fine. I don't know how big she was, but she's growing like crazy

tahloulah10

No experience to share as a FTM. Thinking of you and sending positive thoughts!

nolagal79

No experience but am sending tons of positive energy your way!! Sounds like you have a date devil LO on your hands!!

BEAUNAL

DS was born at 36 weeks exactly, was 6lbs 8oz and has not had one single problem .... well except he had so much hair it looked like a toupe.
It sounds like you are in great hands. Continuing to send thoughts and prayers!

susieandmarty

My friend had her daughter at 35 weeks and needed no nicu time and they kid is so smart and perfectly healthy!

traumalady

No personal experience but as an RN in the newborn nursery I have seen quite a few 35 weekers come straight to the nursery and need no NICU time. Sometimes they just need a little more help maintaining their body temperature so they have to stay in isolettes but that's usually only for a day or two. Good luck with everything!

brideandbreve

No experience with preemies, but sending lots of thoughts and prayers your way that everything is okay!

karah4816

If you remember, my babies were born on Wednesday at 34 weeks and although we had a scare with my son, my daughter has been very healthy the whole time. She's only in the nicu until she can get her weight high enough to not need the warmer. Having a baby in the nicu is hard because you can't be with them all the time but it's less scary and depressing than I thought it would be. And your baby might not even be there long. Mine were a week earlier and will be coming home by the end of the week.

bethughknee

Thinking of you! My mom was a 35 weeker in 1961 and she's basically the most awesome and badass person I know. She's the best example I can think of.

I've had a few friends deliver around 35/36 weeks and I don't remember any of their babies even doing NICU time. I think if he decides to evict himself, you are in a good position, lady! Keep us posted pleeeeeeease.

KimberlyTX

My friend had her son at 35 weeks last summer. He spent a few days in the NICU, but has no problems and is a healthy (and nice and big) one-year-old now. I hope you get more baking time, but if not, it should be ok!

lmills730

One of my close friends gave birth a few weeks ago at 35w exactly. Her little boy was perfectly healthy (6lb) and left the hospital with her and her husband 3 days later. FX you have the same experience!

bensmommy518

I have a couple friends with early babies (4 weeks early, 5 weeks early and 6 weeks early).  All are amazingly healthy now and the only one who needed NICU time was the 6 week early one.  He was so early because his mommy had HELP syndrome and had an emergency c-section and he only needed a few days and came home only 1 day later than he would have if he were born full term. 

I am keeping you and your LO in my thoughts and praying for a healthy baby for you.  Hang in there momma. 

cja06

Thinking of you! I have a friend and all three of her children were born at 35/36 weeks. Her body just wasn't equipped to take them to term. All are very healthy and as I recall spent very little time if any in the NICU. Hang in there. We're sending lots of positive thoughts your way.

stellar77

My DD was born at 36 weeks. She weighed in at 6 lb. 7 oz spent one night in the NICU and Praise the Lord has been as healthy as can be.

She'll be 5 Christmas Day.

vstevens

These stories are so freaking awesome - I've read them about 10 times already! Thank you for all the positive energy ladies!

Just talked to the attending - since LO looks perfect between episodes, they are comfortable letting me continue on here because they don't think the decels are causing harm for now. So knock on wood I'll get at least a few more days...every day counts at this point

forevergraceful

I don't have any experience, but I wanted to say good luck and I am thinking of you and your LO. 

jhjocelyn

I've worked with premies born 31 weeks and 33 weeks after they were home, I focus more on home life and development and all three were just fine and on track very quickly. I'll be prayin' for you and your lo!

JaneW2

In 1899 in rural England, a little boy was born weighing just four and a half pounds.  Everyone said a baby that small couldn't live, but his grandfather disagreed.  The old man tucked the baby into a boot-box lined with cotton wool beside the fireplace to keep him warm, and fed him milk with an eyedropper until he was strong enough to suckle.

And it worked.  The baby thrived, and grew up, and eventually raised four children.  One of them was my grandmother, also born under 5 pounds, also tough as nails, still going strong at 85.

I grew up with this family legend, the tiny tiny baby who managed to thrive and the old man who gave him a chance.  Since learning that my baby is growth-restricted and might well be born just as small, this story has been a great comfort to me.

3boys=love

My DS2 was born at 35 weeks and he is doing amazing. He is hitting all of his milestones right on target (he does have an early interventionist working with him because any preemie born on my area automatically gets one) and she is impressed with how well he is doing. I forgot to add he did spend 11 days in the NICU but his lungs were not developed. Are they giving you the shot for his lungs just in case?

twobluelines

My coworker gave birth at 35 weeks 10 years ago due to full blown eclampsia.  She had to spend longer in the hospital than the baby did.  Now she is a very active 10 year old.  Babies at 35 weeks do really well.  hang in there for as long as you can and know that your baby is going to be fabulous when he is born - no matter when that is.

LuGal623

No personal experience as I'm a FTM but my close friend had her little girl at 35 weeks in March and she only stayed in the NICU for 3 days for monitoring.  She is continuing to thrive now!  I am thinking of you and your LO and know you are in good hands @vstevens

mrsjenni

Aww, I'm sorry you're going through this mama!  I hope LO hangs on a little longer in there, but I know that you and your docs will make the best possible choice for your babe!  My best friend's son was born at 35 weeks and spent a week in the NICU (he's now a healthy 5 year old), while my niece was born at 36 weeks and was perfectly fine to go home with my sister when she left the hospital!  (She just turned 2!)

Hang in there, hun!  And don't ever feel bad about asking for advice/hope when your baby is about to be born early... mama bears worry no matter what... we all just want a healthy baby!

Firefly9

My little guy was born at 34w5d, and when they told me he was coming, might have underdeveloped lungs, and would most likely need NICU time, it was the scariest moment of my life.  However, we got *extremely* lucky and when he was born, they checked him out, and determined he was just fine and didn't need to go to NICU at all.  He could breathe, regulate his body temperature, suck/nurse, he did everything he was supposed to do.  We even got to go home with him after a typical delivery stay.  We had to keep him home and away from people for a month, but that wasn't bad at all.  He was a little delayed meeting milestones, but by 9 months or a year, he was caught up.

Sending you lots of good luck vibes!

SunflowersBride

Just wanted to say you and LO are in my thoughts @vstevens!  I don't have any experience, but I'm sure you are in good hands, and I'm glad to hear that things look great other than the decels.

SvedkaStoli

I know that I am not exactly the person that you were asking but I can tell you that my nICU sees a lot of babies in 34-36 week range and they have very few problems. The doctors just need to make sure that the babies can breath and feed. That usually takes less than a week. And I will be thinking of you! J wishes you luck as well.

mommabird77

I don't have much experience, but wanted to tell you I am thinking of you and LO!

lolinshag

My siggy pic? That is DD when she would have been 37 weeks. She was born at 35w6d and was the most awesome baby ever born! (Ok, I may be *slightly* biased...) she needed no NICU time and came home with me. She was 6lbs 7ozs and 18 ins long. And here is a picture less than 24 hours old. 

She is now in the terrible twos and is up for rental. Anyone have any teenager they want to scare away from sex? You can borrow my DD! I will even throw in her dad as a bonus! 

Deblondie1

Sending positive thoughts! I know a couple of moms that had 35/36 weekers. One baby born at 35 weeks was kept in the NICU for a week due to her low weight. The other 2 babies I know were in the NICU overnight for observation and went home with Mom and Dad. 

 Here is a link to the preemie blog. While the birth stories are for earlier preemies, it has a NICU life section just in case. https://preemiemomblog.blogspot.com 

 Keep us posted and I hope he settles down for a week!

jldubb0626

Thinking of you! My son was born at 37w and came home at 4lbs 11oz. So, while he was a little later, he was about the size of a 35 weeker. He required no NICU time or anything and has been a perfectly healthy little boy since!

last14real

I'm another who does not have personal experience, but I have two friends who had boys the same year as my DS one was born at 34 weeks one was born at 36. The 34 week one was bc Mama has a heart condition and due to circumstances they had to take him. I think he was in the hospital for a little over a week I believe but is a happy, healthy 2 yr old. Only medical issue is that he is allergic to gluten, but I don't think that is bc of being a preemie (haven't researched it). The second baby came at 36 weeks bc Mama's water broke and they couldn't stop her labor. She also has some serious medical issues as well, but baby was born at 5 lbs 13 oz. I remember that bc her son was 4 weeks early and the same weight as mine who was only a week and a half early:) He was in the hospital for a couple weeks due to various issues, but he is fine now. He is three and has not medical issues that have cropped up. Also both of my friends boys are bigger than mine size wise. So even if your LO has to stay in the hospital a few extra days, it will be ok. 

Arrgcr

DS was born at 36 weeks. He weighed 8.5, 14 in head and shoulders, and we only stayed for three days while they ran crazy amount of tests on him to determine why he was so healthy and... Normal. Mine and my husband's family both have a history of large babies. He did have jaundice, was a hairy beast, and wanted to sleep a lot. We had to wake him up every 3 hrs to make sure he was fed. He would also fall asleep fast while feeding and we had to wake him up often. He did love breastfeeding.

He had no NICU time. No breathing problems. Nothing. He did have a umbilical hernia and a 'water sack' on one of his testicles after being home a couple of weeks.

ashybear

My best friend's LO was born at 35 weeks and had to spend just a little time in the NICU until he was big enough for the car seat. He is now the healthiest, sweetest 2 1/2 year old you could ask for. Thinking of you!

Siblynika

{raises hand} pick me! Pick me!

My brother and I were born six weeks early (twins, obviously). I was born perfect (still am- wakka wakka) and he only needed the breathing machine for two days to help his lung development. We were both a little over four pounds.

This was 22 years ago, your LO will be just fine

Jackapatamus

My DS was born at 35 w 5 days. He was 6lbs 3 oz. my hospital sends any baby less than 36 weeks to the NICU for monitoring. We ended up being there 15 days, he had apnea, and sometimes would stop breathing, ( he was lazy) he was also jaundice. But, we were in an open isolette (most of the time) and he could maintain his temp, and breast feed. I won't lie, it's not easy, but for us, we felt like we were one of the lucky ones, we made it 35 weeks. Our little guy came home on a heart monitor and oxygen. (Oxygen was a precaution, and we stopped using it once her turned 4 weeks old). And is the healthiest, almost 4 year old on the block! He never missed a milestone- and has always been right on track. Fx your little one will miss out on the NICU experience!

jhunter89

I was a 34-35 weeker, 6lbs 7oz, no breathing problems, a touch of jaundice but really that was it. I think I was in the hospital two weeks. My mom was able to BF once I came home, no other lasting issues, and I hit all my milestones right on time  

AnnikaD20

My mom and one of my good friends are NICU nurses, and frequently say "once you hit 32 weeks you're golden," meaning that the risk of major medical problems is really low after that point. They've also let me know that 35/6 weeks is about the time frame when most babies don't even need NICU time at all. You have a really good chance of having a take home baby at that point. If they do need a little NICU time, it will probably be short (usually a couple days or less, almost never more than a week), and it will be for issues that are relatively minor and easy to treat. Sometimes even full term babies need to go to the NICU, so there are no guarantees, but you're at the point where your LO is probably going to be completely healthy and perfect.

kwinkle1980

My doctor told me yesterday that I am n the "safe zone" now at 34 weeks. She said that babies born after 34 weeks usually don't need a NICU visit or anything.

Hope that helps!