IUGR/Early Delivery/Coming Home ?'s

mamathompson7

I am going to have to deliver at 37 weeks if not before due to IUGR. I am currently 33 weeks and 4 days.

Our last growth u/s estimated her at 2 pounds 12 oz at 32 weeks 5 days, and she has been slowly dropping off of her growth curve for the past 6 weeks (we've been monitoring for 13 weeks).

 Now that our due date is so close, I am having a lot of worries and  questions about suck tiny babies and NICU stays.

Does anyone here know if there are hospital weight requirements, or is it more off of the baby being able to manage temp, breath, eat, etc.? Do most 37 week IUGR'ers need NICU time?

Anything else anyone can tell me?  

Cst2CstBride

It depends on the hospital. Mine didn't have weight requirements. I was repeatedly told that I would be taking home a 5lb baby, but she didn't learn to eat until 6.5lbs, so that is when she came home.

flerlgirl

The only weight requirement for my hospital is that he has to be 1600 grams before he can be in an open crib/regulate his own temp. The requirements for him to leave are that he has to be able to take 8 feedings a day by bottle or breast, sit 90 minutes in a car seat without issues, and breathe with no additional support. But I'd ask the neonatalogist at your hospital because I know it's different everywhere. GL! FWIW, my guy was 1 pound, 7 ounces at birth and he's doing well - your LO will be nice and chunky in no time

rslhmg

DD was born at 32 wks with iugr (wasn't discovered until after birth she was measuring way bigger then she was). She came home at just over 4lbs, started at 2lbs 13 oz, her nicu did not have weight requirements, like pp she just had to take all feedings by bottle or breast, sit in a car seat for 90 mins without incident, and in our case go 5 days without requiring stimulation for bradys/desats. My nephew was a 33wk 5day preemie and he had none of DD's issues but his nicu required him to be a minimum of 5lbs. The best way to find out what the requirements are would be to contact the hospital, and keep in mind that there may be a whole other set of coming home requirements depending on the situation with lo.

Pips09

Your best bet will be to call your NICU and ask. Ours didn't have a weight requirement; it was based on development. Passing the carseat test, taking all feeds orally, maintaining temp, etc. I think the assumptions is a baby will be at least 4-5 lbs by the time they are able to do these things.

MrsRKJ

Most of the pp's had the same as mine - feeding on own, maintain temp, no weight requirements, however my little guy came home on oxygen support, so breathing on their own with no support may vary by nicu/hospital.  It's not a big deal, just a few more things to transport around with us

 Good luck! 

brachysira

Just to add--it's impossible to predict what will happen.  It was very good for us, planners, to just let things happen because we knew it was out of our hands.

tngrl3

I had an IUGR baby born at 33 weeks 4 days. He was 3lbs 10oz. He had no problems other than being small. He was on bottle feeds by day 2 (not for all feeds) and I started BFing some on day 3. I pumped like a crazy person as well. Our hospital required that he be 4lbs and tolerate full feeds either via bottle or breast. He also had to pass an apnea test in his car seat. We stayed 2 weeks and went home at 4lbs 1oz. Hope that things go well and that your baby is healthy with a short NICU stay.

PS my sister had a 36 weeker that was 4 lbs 14 oz and he didn't spend anytime n the NICU 

mamathompson7

tngrl3:

I had an IUGR baby born at 33 weeks 4 days. He was 3lbs 10oz. He had no problems other than being small. He was on bottle feeds by day 2 (not for all feeds) and I started BFing some on day 3. I pumped like a crazy person as well. Our hospital required that he be 4lbs and tolerate full feeds either via bottle or breast. He also had to pass an apnea test in his car seat. We stayed 2 weeks and went home at 4lbs 1oz. Hope that things go well and that your baby is healthy with a short NICU stay.

PS my sister had a 36 weeker that was 4 lbs 14 oz and he didn't spend anytime n the NICU 

This gives me some hope! I am going to swing by the hospital on the way home from my MFM appt this week and just ask everything I can think of! Thank you ladies! 

laxkal23

CJ was born at 36 weeks and came home weighing 4lbs 11oz. Like pp said he had to pass creating criteria, but we were home 6 days after he was born (a few extra days due to jaundice)