Babies born at 35 weeks

SoonToBeTabor · August 2009

My story is below but I want to know how your little ones did who were born at 35 weeks. Aside from being extremely offended by what this Dr. said to me I am curious to see what you ladies think.

I had to go to L&D yesterday for my blood pressure, which should have been my list trip, but the attending MD was the BIGGEST Bi*ch ever.

I was under strict rules from my Dr. that if my BP was not rock solid, or if I developed a headache or other symptoms then I was to go to L&D, they were to call mr Dr. and a c-section would be done that day. Well, BP went up and has stayed up and I have had an unbearable heachache for the past 3 days so off we went.

When we get there and I ask for my Dr. to be called, the attending comes in and tells me that my BP isnt high enough for her to be worried enough to take the baby out, which isnt SUCH a big deal (since we want her to cook as long as possible) but then she procedes to tell us that if she were born now that "she WOULD need to be on oxygen, she WOULD NOT be coming home with us and she WOULD be in the NICU for no less than 3 weeks."

I was shocked and super offended. How does SHE know? Who is she to even say those things to me? I am well aware of the risks and Im VERY concerned about the health of my daughter but I dont need her to tell what will or will not happen. You are a Dr. not God

light52 · August 2009

What horrible bedside manner! DS2 was born at 35w5d and had no NICU time. We have had some feeding/weight gain issues and he had problems regulating his temp for the first week or so but overall he is healthy. Good luck!

maria15288 · August 2009

That doc was a total bit*% . She doesn't know what's going to happen. I had a 32 weeker that went home after 11 days. I think I would have snapped on her. Don't let her stress you out.

Rachel2315 · August 2009

Lurker here - and I just wanted to say that I worked the OB floor as a social work intern for a year and remember at least 5 babies being born around 35 weeks. ?I know for sure 3 went home with their parents with instructions for careful monitoring; one had to stay an extra 2 or 3 days for jaundice related issues and the other and the other baby had to be taken to a higher level NICU for complications completely unrelated to his early birth. ?Sometimes doctors forget that a medical degree isn't a crystal ball. ?

gumiberg · August 2009

My twins were born at 35 weeks and 1 day, scored 9/9s on their apgar tests, roomed in with us and went home with us.

However, I received a steroid shot at 31 weeks and I do think that can make all the difference.

MarriedBestFriends · August 2009

I think they give you the worst case scenario for liability purposes. DD had absolutely no problems at all, besides not "getting" BF'ing quite enough ( we just EP) and she was kept for observation and bili-level checks for 4 days. No breathing, temp regulation, blood sugar or jaundice issues in the least!! She didn't even have reflux- which something like 85% of preemies have.?

Best of luck!!?

hmms · August 2009

Wow - she sounds like a peach! My 35 weeker + 3 days stayed one extra night (no NICU time at all) to be under the bili lights for jaundice. He came out breathing on his own (received steroid shots at 34 weeks) and was healthy. We have had no major health issues and consider ourselves very lucky; that being said, 35 weekers can have health issues, but it's not definite.

GL! I hope you can speak to your doctor soon!

BartsGirl · August 2009

Lovely sounding lady...and I'm sure your Dr. would have loved her completely ignoring the instructions. My DS was born at 34 weeks. He was in the SCN for 9 days. He was on a C-PAP for 8 hours, billy lights for 4 days. Hope you don't have to deal with that Dr. again...hang in there!

SoonToBeTabor · August 2009

Thanks ladies for your input. I talked with my Dr. and she wants to see me again on Wednesday and we'll go from there. She said that she doesnt see this lasting much longer. I still cannot believe how rude she was to me. It was as if I was begging her to take my daughter out or something and she was trying way to hard to get me to see it her way...not the case but geeze.

Im still pretty worried about her coming early and what she will have to go through but at least there is some hope. We're just praying that she wont need any of the things that Dr. so "politely" splurged upon us. UGH, she was so mean.

boolos2B05 · August 2009

My DD was born at 35w5d had a few issues at first keeping o2 levels up, had to stay a couple extra days in hospital, no NICU. She also has a couple lingering issues, doc says she will grow out of, she has a "floppy windpipe", which makes her a noisy breather, also she has weight gain issues and reflux.

monkaloo · August 2009

I definitely think they prepare you for the worst.

My DD was born at 33w. When I was in the hospital with PTL a few days before she was born, they warned that she would be in the NICU for at least 6 weeks - even with the bethamethasone injections I had. Well, she was born a few days later and spent 6 days in the NICU. She had to head back to the hospital at 10 days old for 2 days due to severe jaundice, but that was it.

My DS was born at 35w and needed no NICU whatsoever. I had no betamethasone with him.

All preemies are different, and I understand the medical staff not wanting to put false hope into parents - but I have to say my terror was magnified 100 fold after all the stuff they warned me about when my DD was born.

Beccaboo0713 · August 2009

Well, I guess I am one of the ones that had a little more of a hard time with my 35weeker. He was in the NICU for 17 of the longest days of my life. He couldn't suck swallow breath, he had to come home on an apnea monitor, he was on antibiotics and billi light, had oxygen for 3 days. It was horrible

She doesn't know what's going to happen to your baby, he could be fine at 35 weeks but not going home with your baby is harder then you think it will be. Good luck.

userdeleted · August 2009

35w6d with DS. He needed to be on the cpap and spent 10 days in the NICU. It was obviously very stressful, and I think it was made worse by the fact that my doctor assured me that he would be perfectly fine, with no problems.

I think doctors should focus more on educating you about all the possible outcomes within a range of normalcy, and less about scaring the crap out of you or making you "feel better." I'm sorry you had to deal with that, and I hope that you are healthy and the baby can stay cooking for as long as possible!

Ciarrai · August 2009

DD#2 was born at 36w2d (so a week later) and we went home the next day. She was never in the NICU, on oxygen or anything. My CNM will not stop labor after 35w. She also would have induced DD#2 at 35w+ (with a check of her lungs) if her growth had dropped off too much. I have a history of IUGR and DD#2 was borderline. CNM decided to let her go another two weeks and check again, but DD#2 had other ideas. According to both my pedi and my CNM, a 35w+ baby usually does not need NICU. Sometimes they do, but not as a general rule or anything. Our hospital doesn't have a NICU (long story) and my pedi said that before 35w he's calling CARE Flight as he's driving to the hospital when he's on call. After 35w, he rarely has to. I got into a long discussion with him about it when I was PG with DD#2 and again this time deciding about changing hospitals since I have the IUGR and the now the pre-term labor kinda history.

RRHsMom · August 2009

I do hope you have a healthy full term baby and I hope they can hold off delivery as long as possible for you and your LO. I had to be induced at 36 weeks for pre-e as well. I had high bp, severe swelling and protein in my urine. My son was not ok at 36 weeks. He came out struggling to breathe, went to the nicu, was put on an oscillator (high freq. vent), was resuscitated twice (once in front of me), was on a feeding tube, under the billi lights, had a blood transfusion and came home after the most terrifying 17 days of my life! My son still has language and gross motor delays related to his prematurity. I do not tell you this to scare you, or to say your doc had any right to tell you what WOULD happen but I do think it is important that they told you what COULD happen (they just may need better bed side manner) but I wish I had been better informed. I am currently pg and will do everything in my power to avoid delivery before 40 weeks even if it means staying in bed 24/7 until my due date if my doc tells me too. If I have pre-e again and have to deliver early, I will survive but I am praying every day that does not happen. I hope your pre-e symptoms stay under control but if not, you and your LO will be in my prayers. Most 35 weekers are ok and I know you have little control over when you have to deliver to keep both of you safe. Best of luck!

JenOSU · August 2009

My DD was born at exactly 35 weeks due to pre-e. She did not require any assistance and spent no time in NICU. I had the steroid shots earlier that week, so I'm sure that helped.

baby X 2! · August 2009

Our twins were born 35w. 1d. no steroid shot. No NICU time, they both roomed w/ us and were released with me after 4 days.

ChiBride2007 · August 2009

My twins were born at 35w4d. Both spent 8 days in the NICU for jaundice, temp control and blood sugar issues. 1 was on CPAP for 12 hours, the other had no breathing issues. I had the steroid injections. It's a weird time, some babies are a-ok and others not so much. Good luck.

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