Hello ladies,
I'm 35w2d pregnant with b/g twins and this is my first pregnancy. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I was around 26w pregnant and I also have a bicornuate uterus.
I had a crazy day yesterday at my OB check up. Went in for a routine biophysical ultrasound and checkup and turns out baby A wasn't moving around much. She has a heartbeat but her movements were very very less. The doc said she would monitor them for sometime and if things don't look good she'll do an emergency cesearean, as I have gestational diabetes too and they do not want to take any sort of risk.
Later, by the grace of God all went well and she started moving a little. Apparently, she doesn't have enough room to move around and on that baby B is on top of her. Later, they monitored me for a couple more hours and discharged me.
My question to you all is have any of you delivered at 35w? If yes, how many days did your babies end up in the NICU? How're they doing now? When I had a long chat with the on call obgyn she said babies who are 35w and 36w end up in NICU and have breathing and feeding difficulties. I'm really scared. Today again I have to go to MFM to get a biophysical and growth ultrasound done. Depending on how things look today, the doctor would decide what to do next. It's hard not to think and harder not to worry. Please advice and help! Thank you so much. I'm really really scared.
Re: Anyone delivered at 35w or 36w???
I delivered just after midnight, so I was 36wks, 1 day. DD weighed 5lbs, Ds 6lbs 9oz. They cried at delivery and never needed SCN/NICU. I did get steroid shots at 30wks due to the growth discordance, but I don't know if that helps after 4 wks (so I think their lungs would have been the same by then with or w/o the steroids). The biggest struggle we had due to them being 'late pretermers' was breastfeeding. It took us 3 months of struggling and pumping before they learned how to properly latch. DS had to have his circ re done and DD had an umbilical hernia that has closed on it's own. Those issues could also be related to them being 36 weekers. They're now 15 mos and you would never know that they were born a month early!
Good luck!
Wedding Fall 2007 Off OCP's since 9/08-started with BBT charts Saw Ob/gyn May 2009 Blood work normal except single copy of MTHFR Clomid 50mg May 2009 Clomid 50mg + IUI June 2009 Femara 5mg + IUI July 2009 Normal HSG July 2009 Femara 5mg + ovidrel+IUI August 2009 Femara 5mg +ovidrel + IUI September 2009 November 2009-normal lap December 2009-met with RE December/January-Injectible med cycle with IUI-Abnormal sperm morpology found-only 0-1% normal All Head defects. Jan/Feb 2010 1st IVF with ICSI-5 week chemical pregnancy
Feb 2010-male infertility doc says DH's anatomy and blood work are normal so nothing he can do.
FET July 2010-BFP! Twin m/c @ 5.5 wks
Dec/Jan 2011 IVF #2 Only 4 eggs retrieved-Ganirelix dose messed up BFFN
Feb/March 2011 IVF #3 ER 3/9 9 eggs, 7 fertilized, ET 3/14, No frosties. BFN
IVF #4 ER 8/22 9R,7F ET 8/25-3 embies, 1 frostie! Beta 9/2= 54, 9/6=274, 9/8=625, 9/12=2953, 9/16 greater than 10,000. B/G TWINS born April 2012 @ 36wks & 1 day!
July 2014-going back for the frozen embryo! ET 7/28, heartbeat seen at 6wks1day with SCH. Miscarriage confirmed at 6wks4days
I know these final weeks are so terrifying and exciting. Best of luck to you and your LOs.
12dp5dt: 765; 15dp5dt: 1979; 17dp5dt: 3379...TWINS!!!!!
Our perfect baby boys were born at 36w1d!!
My babies were born at 35w4d. Baby A weighed 6lbs8 and Baby B weighed 5lbs3. A needed oxygen for just 2 hours after birth and B breathed room air from the beginning. They spent 4 days in the NICU/SCN on IV antibiotics and for monitoring, and then spent 2 days with us in our room before they were discharged. Baby B was struggling to maintain his weight so the extra 2 days were for that. We also got a pretty slow start to bfing because of their feeding and weight issues, but I persevered with pumping and putting them to the breast, so I was able to BF and pump for 6 months (though I supplemented a bit the whole time....at my best, though, they only got one bottle of formula a day).
All in all, though, my babies have been super healthy, growing and meeting milestones on time, and, besides Baby B being on the small side, you'd never guess they were a month premature. I feel like there can be a ton of variation at this age (like some babies do great at 35/36 weeks and others might need more NICU time), but, in the long run, your babies would probably be fine if they needed to be delivered at this age. Good luck and try not to worry! You've done an amazing job getting this far and you get to meet your babies soon!
Mine were born at 36w1d and were 5lbs 1oz and 4lbs 9oz. Baby B was taken to the NICU right away because of her size and Baby A joined her the following night because of pulse ox concerns. The were both released at 9 days old. The never had breathing assistance and were just on monitors. They both weren't great at eating, but got better over time.
Keep in mind that when your doctors talk to you they're likely giving you the worst case scenario story. I was admitted a few times prior to delivery for high BP and they had the NICU doctors come talk to me and it was all very scary. When I had to have a c-section early I felt SO guilty because the babies were doing fine inside, but my body wasn't handling the pregnancy well. I felt like such a failure that I couldn't keep them in longer. In reality, it's great that I was able to keep them in so long and a multiples pregnancy is really tough on your body. Yes, my babies needed some time in the NICU but they were relatively healthy and have suffered no lasting effects from being delivered early. They're kind of small to this day but they've hit every milestone on time or a bit early and are active, happy and healthy. My one regret from those early days is that I spent so much time beating myself up over something dumb that I had no control over. So many wasted tears and so much anxiety for no good reason.
Honestly, while if I had to choose I would obviously choose no NICU time, the NICU wasn't the worst thing in the world. Not having the babies at home made my recovery a bit easier and it was nice to have doctors and nurses there 24/7 for every dumb question that we had as first time parents. They left the NICU on a good eating/sleeping schedule and my husband - who had previously never changed a diaper - left knowing how to change diapers, feed them, and maneuver holding them with a lot of confidence. I'm sure he would have learned this all at home without a problem but it made him more comfortable to have professionals supervising his learning.
You have done a fantastic job so far and even if you deliver tomorrow your babies will do great! If they need some extra time in the hospital that's okay and you'll make it through. Good luck!
I delivered my Identical Twin Girls at 34 weeks 3 days, they stayed in the NICU for exactly 2 weeks to be feeders and growers, and to be monitored for their Brady Spells (fogetting to take a breath with food or sleep) but very quickly grew out of it. They were 4lbs 12oz and 4lbs 3oz.
Today they are super active, all over the place, sassier than can be 18 month olds!
Neither ever had any breathing support, they were in isolettes for a week and then open air cribs for 6 days for a total NICU stay of 13 days. Though no dr would commit to anything, I was to expect a min two week stay.
The one thing I will say about BFing if they are in the NICU is that you'll have to establish your supply with the pump. Make sure you get a hospital grade pump ASAP and pump as much as you can. I pumped for 30 min every 3 hours around the clock to bring in my milk and establish supply.
It took almost 5 days for my milk to really come in which is longer than it takes most people so I was forced to supplement w formula in the NICU. It was incredibly frustrating in the beginning to pump so much and get so little. But keep going.
I started latching them almost right away and they got better every day. I had nursed DS1 for 20 mo and that experience was really invaluable for my confidence. I would try and nurse for 20 min each sessionwhen I was with them but would always also pump on schedule. Once we got home, I tapered down the pumping and tandem BF the vast majority of the time.
My girls were born at 34w5d via unplanned c/s. They were 4lb13oz and 4lb9oz. They were taken to the NICU and had to be put on CPAPs and gastric tubes for the first 24-36 hours. They were on room air by the beginning of day 3 and were in isolettes to help them regulate their body temps. The NICU dr wanted them to be at least their birth weights before they would be allowed to go home.
It was a different experience vs my first two being born vaginally and getting to room in with me, but I am so grateful for the wonderful care they received. We had some awesome nurses and drs. We lived a little over 3 hours away from the hospital, so we were able to stay at a Ronald McDonald House next door after I was released.
The NICU team was awesome. They were so supportive and helpful. I was able to get more time with the lactation nurse than I would have if they were sent home right away. Preemies do need a little extra TLC when it comes to teaching them to latch and nurse. They also had their own pumps so I didn't have to lug mine everywhere. I could pump so much more when I was next to their isolettes than I could in my room. We were on a solid feed/nap schedule and DH and I could swaddle like a pro by the time we were out of there.
My girls caught up and G surpassed the growth charts within 3 months, compared to full term babies. Now they think they are stunt women!
T1 diabetes diagnosed 11/95 due to severe pancreatic injury
BFP 1 1/22/10 EDD 9/30/10 Adria b. 9/11/10 d.8/9/11, Transposition of the Great Arteries,
Pleural effusion, Kidney Failure
BFP 2 4/26/12 EDD 1/3/13 M/C 5/13/12
BFP 3 10/3/12 EDD 6/17/13 Twins! Preston and Juliet b. 5/22/13
I panicked about delivering early and NICU time almost my entire pregnancy. In the end, I delivered at 36 weeks via planned csection due to IUGR in both twins. Baby A was 4lbs 3oz and Baby B was 4lbs 14oz. Baby A was in the NICU for 14 days and baby B was with us as soon as I was in recovery. In hindsight, the NICU wasn't bad at all and we learned so much from the amazing nurses. Baby A was in the NICU strictly for feeding issues. We still have issues with his eating, but I think most of it is due to a late diagnosis of reflux. The only thing that was awful about the situation was that when we were discharged with twin B, we could not bring him with us when we visited/fed twin A. The hospital was 30 minutes away so the back and forth and trying to manage help at home with twin B was stressful. The boys have hit all of their milestones (some early) and the doctors never put them on adjusted age charts.
I hope the appointment goes well today and that you get to keep them in for a few more days. Lots of luck!
I delivered identical girls at 35w6d. The girls had a little trouble breathing at first, but they were on oxygen for less than 24 hours. After that they were just feeders and growers. They were in NICU from Friday to Friday, so one week. They were 5 lbs 1 oz and 4 lbs 14 oz at birth. They had regained their birth weights by the time they were discharged as well.
You have done a great job and your kiddos will be fine! Every extra day you can keep them in is supposed to reduce the NICU stay by 2 days according to my OB. But even if they need to come out sooner rather than later, they will do great!
TTC since May 2006. After 3 failed Clomid cycles, 2 failed Injectibles/IUIs, 2 failed IVFs and 1 failed FET, we moved on to adoption!
Last ditch FET resulted in BFP, and identical twin girls!
TTC #1 since May 2010. BFP #1 - 5/31/10; m/c on 7/22/10
Started seeing RE in August 2011
5 IUIs: BFN; IVF #1 - Success! BFP - 7/25/12
Twin boys born too early at 17w4d and 18w2d in February 2010
Transabdominal cerclage placed September 2010
DS born at 35w1d in February 2011
Twin girls born at exactly 36w in February 2013
I know how it feels to be scared, but we do the best we can. Chances are everything will be fine!
My boys were born at 36 weeks. They spent a week in the NICU, but just to monitor their eating, weight and keep them warm. Because I had gone into preterm labor at 31 weeks, I was given a steroid shot to stimulate lung development. I don't know if they do that later in pregnancy, but you could ask.