- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Multiples
Twins at 36 weeks- Help- I am second guessing everything
I am scheduled for a c-section on Monday. I will be 36 weeks exactly. Baby B is not falling within the normal curve weight wise and is falling behind her sister who is falling within the "normal curve." Everything is set for the c-section and I had my last NST this morning. I had some questions for the NICU at the hospital just in case one or both the babies will go there so I called. Now I am crying because the nurse I spoke to made me feel so weird. She was very vague and said that everything will "depend." But she said that in 15 years she has never seen 36 weekers BF without a problem and said that I will need to supplement and I should be prepared for that. I don't know, maybe I just got a bad nurse, but she really upset me. Now I am freaking out and wondering if I should have pushed the Dr's to go longer even though Baby B is not growing as well. Then part of me is worried that if we leave them in longer that Baby B will get worse and be at more risk. Has anyone out there delivered at 36 weeks and their babies did NOT do NICU time? Also, how did they BF? I know I am emotional, but she really upset me. TIA!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Twins at 36 weeks- Help- I am second guessing everything
First, take a deep breath. You are having your peanuts bc you need to- B will fair better out of there
Secondly, a lot of things will "just depend" like the nurse said. They don't know if your girls are going to be good suckers, they don't know if you will be able to BF (I wasn't able to after my section; nothing ever came in), they don't know for sure if the girls will be breathing well, you may need to suppliment and she probably wants you to be prepared for that bc the girls will be early and she doesn't want you to feel like you failed some how having to give them a bottle.
Mine were born at 37.1 and had no nicu time. Like I said, I couldn't BF though I tried. We had to go to bottles bc mine were loosing weight, but I honestly did not care. Food is food, no matter how it gets to their bellies.
sounds like a crappy nurse to me. You need to follow what your DOC is saying- not worry about the nurse.
My son, Griffin, was born at 36w and nursed just fine! He also went right home with me - so try not to stress out about it... i hear that twins develop faster than singletons, too... so hopefully your little guy will be A-OK... Maybe he'll need a little NICU time- but i wouldn't think much. 36w is very good!
(((hugs))) I haven't had my babies yet, but I just wanted to tell you not to second guess yourself. The doctors have the knowledge and experience to know what will be best for your babies.
I also must have a c-section at 36 weeks or risk the babies becoming brain damaged or one of us dying. I have been told they may not be ready to BF at that time, but I'm going to try my damnedest to pump until they're ready to BF. All of the medical professionals have been very encouraging. Hang in there. You are making the best decision for your baby.
My twins were born at 36w0d. I had had 2 steroid shots during my 24th week because I had been having PTL issues since 22w. Neither baby needed any time in the NICU. DS weighed 4 lbs 9 oz and DD weighed 4 lbs 2 oz. DD "got" latching, but DS did not. I also had major supply issues so we wound up supplementing regardless.
Best wishes for you and the babies!
They arrived at 36 weeks after PTL and bedrest for 14 weeks.
Take a deep breath!!!
There is a good reason for your scheduled c-section and it sounds like it's the best thing for baby B!.
My babies were born at 36 weeks 3 days...I didn't have any steroid shots or anything like that...my water just unexpectedly broke. They did not need any NICU time (4 lbs 12 oz and 5 lbs 5 oz). They were healthy and came home with us!.
I did not have any luck BF...but as you know...it does "depend" on the babies. One of my babies (A) would latch on good but he did not stay on for long. Baby B was just not a good nurser...and that does happen sometimes with 36-weekers. I think it would have helped me (emotionally) to have realistic expectations when it came to BF...that's why I think it is important for you to know that it may not work out. Just do your best, it's all you can do...but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out!.
Good luck!...and smile, very soon you'll meet your babies!
)
Try not to stress yourself out too much, yet. I know a *lot* of the 36 weekers on here didn't have any NICU time. My girls were born at 36w5d and spent no time in the NICU. They both did have latch issues, but I think I gave up on BFing less because of that and more out of my own frustration. If BFing is something you are really committed to, you will find a way to make it work. Also, you can always go to EPing if you really want to give your children breastmilk. I did that for awhile. Yes, it's a PITA but it is doable.
Don't let that nurse freak you out. I'd actually contact the LC at your hospital and arrange to have her come ASP after your delivery. My guess is that the LC is going to be much more encouraging than that nurse.
Best of luck with everything.
I had a c-section at 35w6d because my baby B hadn't really grown since their previous growth scan two weeks earlier. Baby B was automatically sent to the NICU because she was under 5 lbs (4lbs12oz) and even though Baby A was bigger (5lb14oz), she wound up in the NICU too because she was grunting and there were worried about her having some type of infection (she didn't...just a couple apnea episodes). They both had sugar issues and were supplemented early on...B wasn't even interested in a bottle so she had a feeding tube the first day. I think I first got to try BFing when they were 3 days old. The LC said they did great, but honestly, they really didn't "get" BFing until they were 39 weeks old, and that was after a week with nipple shields and a couple phone consults with LCs and a home visit from one (the neice of a friend of ours). I had supply issues, but I pumped and BFed some until they were 9 months old.
I think you should trust your doctors in this situation. They know where your babies will do the best. And the best thing is to have realistic expectations. Sure it would be great to EBF, but if you go into things realizing there may be situations where your DDs may be better off if they receive some formula, it may make things easier. It's definitely not the end of the world and it doesn't mean that you will never BF. And if they don't BF immediately, it doesn't mean that they won't. It may just take them a little while and with a little help.
I went into things thinking that NICU time was a possibility, so I wasn't upset when it happened. I also made sure I got a pump and started pumping as soon as I could after I got to my room post-section. I was proactive about seeing LCs both in my room and in the NICU. So, even if things don't go exactly how you plan, there are plenty of things you can do.
Sorry, I didn't mean for this to be so long or a downer, and hopefully you won't have any issues at all. However, if you do, it doesn't mean that all is lost. Hang in there!
***Twin fraternal girls born at 35w6d in 12/2008***
I had a c-section at 36 weeks,3 days. I went into labor on my own and hadn't had the steroid shots. Mason was fine and was in the room with us from the beginning. Wyatt's lungs were immature. He spent 12 days in the NICU for Respiratory Distress Syndrome. My boys are currently ebf and have been for the last two months (they just turned 4 months old this week). I'll be happy to tell you how things went for me.
Mason was with me within a couple of hours of my section (it was a little delayed because MY temp was low after surgery, nothing to do with him). He latched right on and was a great eater from the beginning. I asked for a pump as soon as I got into my room. Every time Mason ate I immediately pumped for 20-30 minutes for Wyatt. I was able to get tiny amounts of colostrum out from the get-go and they froze them all since he was only IV fed initially. I would not expect to get anything out for a while if these are your first babies. You may or may not. They were my second babies and Rhett was only sixteen months old (and partly bf'd until 6 months) so according to the LC my body remembered what it was doing. At around day 5 they started tube feeding Wyatt my colostrum. My milk was pretty slow to come in. It took 12 days for it to fully come in, but during that time it slowly increased. Mason was working too hard for the colostrum and lost too much weight so I started supplementing with a very little bit of formula with a supplemental nursing system. Once we went home I had a hard time getting my milk back up to the hospital frequently enough, so when they would run out they would supplement with formula as well. I started nursing Wyatt in the NICU the day before he came home. He latched on easily and ate pretty well. The day Wyatt was released from the NICU was the day my milk fully came in. I started nursing both of them and stopped pumping. They did pretty well, but we continued to give them a little bit of formula in a bottle at one night feeding to get them the extra calories. For the first two months they got 1-2 ounces of formula a day each. At 2 months we took them off formula and they have been ebf since.
There really are so many factors. I struggled with low supply with Rhett. By the time I quit bfing him at 6 months I had been supplementing for 3.5 months and he was only getting about an ounce per feeding. I fully expected to have problems with the twins, but so far it has been easier than it was with him. I have always just tried to take it day by day and not set my expectations too high. Like faery said, the important thing is that they get food no matter whether it is breast milk or formula. It certainly isn't a given that you won't be able to bf because they are preemies or because you had a c-section. It really depends on so many different things! Sorry this was long. Hopefully it is encouraging to you.
Our Blog
Hi...Ditto all the others but mine were born at 36 weeks on the dot, no NICU time (5.6 and 5.12) & both actually were able to latch on decently iwth the help of nipple shields...however, my milk never came in & we were having to supplement with formula to get them to gain weight and after a week of trying to nurse, supplement & pump and then another just doing formula & trying to pump with very little production, I decided it wasn't for me.
GL!
I'm sorry you got such an un-supportive nurse! My girls were born at 35weeks 4 days and only did 3 days in the NICU (past the 4 days that we were in the hospital together). A week all together. They needed NO oxygen support and basically needed to prove that they could keep their temps regulated & feed well, which they did without a problem.
About breastfeeding: the major issue with preemies is the inability to latch on. My girls would/will latch, but they let go after a few sucks. However, your lactation consultant (ask to see one!) will give you a nipple sheild....they work WONDERS. It's just a thin piece of silicone that goes over the nipple and makes it more "bottle like". My consultant said they should have NO ISSUES latching on as they approach 40 weeks. According to her, it just takes time and is a skill that develops at term. Every time I BF, I make sure to start with the shield and then take it off 1/2 way through. They're getting the hang of it, although I do supplement with formula (about 50%) because I want to make sure they're getting enough....I'm having a hard time keeping up.
Seriously, you will be fine. They will be fine. Sure, we would LOVE to carry to 38 weeks, but you do what's best for LOs! They will breastfeed just fine, I'm sure. If they have trouble at first, use a shield.
)
GL & keep your head held high!
Mine were born at 35w5d and they had 4 hours of NICU time, ONLY because they were born before 36 weeks and there's a rule at my hospital that they need at least 4 hours in the NICU for observation. We were all home in 3 days.
Ryan latched okay but Audrey could not and for some reason my milk never came in so I gave up BFing after 3 weeks. I'm sure the other reasons leading to my c/s were the problems with BF....the babies would have been fine if I had milk.
I have know several triplet moms that delivered at 35-36 weeks and their babies came home with them. No NICU time. Now some hospitals may have a policy where they go to NICU for initial evaluation but then are released to the regular nursery within the first 24 hours as long as the babies are doing good.
Sometimes the babies may have a hard time lachting on the breast when they come early or sucking hard enough to get enough breast milk. In those instances you can pump and put the breast milk into bottles that are easier for them. If they are not gaining enough just on breast milk the doctor may suggest doing some supplimentation to help them gain properly.
No matter what, if baby B is lagging behind enough for the doctors to say it's time... trust in them. Leaving baby B in there with growth issues can end badly. Just prepair yourself for all options, take a deep breath, and know that you are doing the best things for your little ones I know you will do fine.
https://barnettjourney.blogspot.com/The Triplet Life Store
36 weeks is great! Mine were born at 36w3d and had no problems. No NICU time for us even though they were considered 'late-term premies". You won't know until they're here, but my understanding is that 36-weekers are usually a-ok.
BF'ing was the thing that most stressed me out in those early days. One of the boys didn't latch well and it hurt. Plus I didn't master the double feeding until they were about 2 months old and had more neck control. The nurses were telling me they were worried that the boys were losing too much weight and so we ended up supplementing with formula. Now they're getting 1/2 BM and 1/2 formula. In hindsight I sometimes wish I would have tried harder to EBF, but it was just too much at the time and I've mostly come to terms with that. I have a friend though whose boys were born at the same time (36w3d), and she has been EBF'ing from day 1 so it is definitely possible.
Good luck to you!
I would say trust your doctor and don't worry about the NICU nurse...a lot does depend on how things go...no 2 babies are the same!
My girls were born at 36 weeks 2 days and weighed 6.13 & 7.1 and needed no NICU time...I never got in enough milk, and we supplemented from the get go...Ava did fine latching...Milina had a tough time..but I think it was more b/c they were frustrated they just weren't getting much milk from me...good luck - you and your babies will be just fine!
My girls were born right at 36 weeks 5 12 and 5 15. They didn't need any NICU time. My hospital did have a policy where babies born that early had to be on the warmers more often and have their blood sugars tested every so often (don't remember how often) during the first 24 hrs. Other than that they were normal healthy babies. (We also had steroid shots around 32 weeks).
As for BFing. My girls were so sleepy. They could latch but something about cuddling up next to mom made them immediately fall asleep. It was sooo frustrating. They were losing weight (they are allowed to lose up to 10% of their body weight at my hospital and my girls lost every ounce of that). I told them I wasn't going to give up BFing. They brought me a pump and I started pumping in the hospital when I had a chance (the babies slept forever). I wanted me make sure my milk supply still came in even though they weren't sucking. I'm almost positive any hospital will give you a pump to use while you are a patient. We came home 2 days later and as soon as my milk came in and my girls woke up BFing was much easier (6 weeks was my big turning point) and now at almost 4 months its the easiest thing ever.
I didnt read the other posts so this may have already been said.
My girls were born at 36wks2days. They went a full week without gaining a single oz between the 2 of them. My dr was really concerned with their lack of growth the last 2 wks I was pg. They had always been small on the U/S but were at least gaining a small amount. When the weight gain slowed he contacted another dr. at larger hospital for his opinion. He wanted me to deliver that day or the next. My dr thought we could hold off another few days to see if they gained any. We waited another week and they didnt gain anything so we picked a day and went in.
So at 36wks, 2 days they were 4lbs 8.5oz each. They were tiny and had no fat on them and hardly any muscle. Just skin and bones. (not scary looking though, just very tiny) They came straight to my room and had no nicu time. They both BF just fine for 5months until I had to wean because it was too hard to nurse while L (my 1yr old at the time) was running around and learning to climb on furniture. L was 1yr and 11days when the girls were born.
I would follow your doc. orders and not worry about the nurse. I had a nurse tell me that I would never sleep again when she looked and saw that I was having twins and I told her that I also have a baby under 1yr old. Yeah, they all sleep through the night and always have since 6wks for L and 3 months for the girls. I get plenty of sleep when I go to bed instead of playing on the computer or cleaning. Nurses dont always know it all. My 36wkers nursed just fine and I didnt have to supplement. I didnt take anything either. I know there are things you can take that increase your supply if that is an issue. Your LC should know more or someone on here would know for sure.
Great job making it this far.
I know you cant wait to meet your babies! Good luck!