2 Questions: 36 weekers and Vaginal Delivery with Bigger Baby B

ColleenS629 · October 2011

At my MFM appointment yesterday (36w) it was decided that the growth discordance between my twins is getting too big and Baby A is not growing enough from u/s to u/s. The MFM said I'll be having the babies this week, I just need to coordinate the day with my OB at my NST on Monday. I'm not dilated at all so I wish I could have made it longer but I know that they are doing what's best for the babies and that's what matters. The babies are currently estimated at 4lb 15oz and 6lb 11oz. Both did well on their BPPs. I was never in PTL or anything so I didn't get steroid shots earlier. I know it varies from baby to baby, but I was just wondering what your experiences were if you had your babies around 36 weeks. Did they have to spend time in the NICU or Special Care Nursery? What kinds of issues did they have? Were they able to come home with you when you were discharged?

The MFM also said my OB would probably discuss c-section vs. induction. Both babies are head down but he said that it would probably be a difficult delivery since the second baby is estimated at almost 2 pounds bigger. When I asked my OB earlier about a c/s for Baby B being bigger, she said it wasn't necessary (this was when there was about a 1 lb difference). Does anyone have any experience delivering vaginally when Baby B was much bigger? How did it go?

srh08.05.06 · October 2011

I delivered at 36w2d when my water broke. I did have steroid shots at 31 weeks due to PTL. Both babies came out healthy and needed no NICU time. They developed jaundice at the end of our hospital stay, but we were still released together. We just had to do phototherapy at home for a few days. 36 weeks is great for twins, so hopefully yours will not need any NICU time.

Also, I had a decent size difference between my girls, with Baby B being the bigger one. At birth they weighed 5 lbs 12 oz and 7 lbs 2 oz. I was not given the choice and had to have a c-section (which I was ok with). Baby A was breech and B was vertex. My OB said that, along with the fact Baby B was so much bigger, meant I had to have a c-section.

islandlife · October 2011

I delivered right at 36 weeks. One spent a week in the NICU and the other 2 weeks. THey could have gone to the special care nursery but it was too full so they stayed on the NICU.

I was induced due to pre-E. I was not dilated at all. I was on piticin for 19 hours and did not have one painful contraction. The on call OB told me that I should have a c-section since no progress was being made and because baby B was bigger. My blood pressure was also increasing. The c-section went fine and the recovery from that was fairly easy.

Even though baby B was measuring about half a pound bigger that baby A at birth he was only 4 grams heavier.

UsedToBeGoldie · October 2011

my singleton was born at 36w and didn't require any NICU - he had some jaundice, but otherwise was fine. I had steroid shots at 32w with him. He was also pretty big- 7lb 4oz, so that helps.

i have no idea re: vag birth with one bigger.... My baby B was 2lbs bigger than A - but i had a c/s (which i LOVED compared to my vag birth recovery!).

good luck!

kafunder · October 2011

I delivered at 36w4d, and my babies came out perfectly healthy. DS (Baby A) was 5lbs 14 oz and DD (Baby was 5lbs 4 oz. They didn't need any NICU time and never left our side at the hospital except when we sent them to the nursery and when the babies weighed them the first night. I did have the steroid shots at 27w when my cervix was shortening.

I had a c/s b/c both babies were breech, so I don't have any advice on giving birth.

Good luck!

srbmvp · October 2011

Haven't been there yet, but just discussed options with my Dr. this week. He said as long as both are head down when it's time, we could try vaginal. He made it sound like Baby B being bigger was only an issue if Baby B was breech, because they couldn't be pulled out at that point. Just ask your Dr. for clarification. Good luck!

luckygirl07 · October 2011

I had a vag delivery at 36w2d when my water broke. I was not dilated at all prior to that, and both babies heart rates dropped with pitocin, so I dilated/labored naturally. I did get an epidural, but mainly for the possibility of an emergency c-sec, I did not want to go under general anesthesia. Both babies were head down, but my baby B was smaller, so not sure if that helps you any, although she did come out "sunny side up" without any problems. I had no signs of PTL, so I never got steroid shots.

The hospital I delivered at had a policy that babies under 5lb8oz went to the nicu, and my baby B was only 5lb5oz, so she had to go to nicu for a 6 hour observation period, but that was it. Both babies came home with me 2 days after I delivered.

eyelovemascara · October 2011

If you really want to deliver vaginally, you should make it known to all of your doctors. There shouldn't be any problems getting baby B out as long as both babies are head-down. I delivered vaginally and my doctor said that pretty much once baby A comes out, you are already "stretched" and pretty wide-open (for lack of a better word LOL) so the 2 lb difference shouldn't be a huge issue aside from maybe you run the risk of tearing a little. Also keep in mind that ultrasound weights are not always accurate, so baby B could be less than 2 lbs or even more than 2 lbs difference.

~Lynchie~ · October 2011

I delivered 36w2d via c/s after my water broke. My baby A was 5lbs1oz and B was 6lbs 15 oz. I did not have the steriod shots, and neither baby had to spend any time in the NICU or Special nursery, they came back to my room with me right away and never left my side until we went home 3 days later.

I had an excellent experience with my 36 weekers, even with one almost 2 lbs more than the other. Hopefully you have the same luck!!

April320 · October 2011

I delivered at 36w4d when my water broke. DD was 5 lb 7 oz and DS was 6 lb 9 oz. They went to the NICU for a couple of days because DS had a little breathing trouble for the first few hours and because I had a fever during delivery that didn't respond to Tylenol (hospital policy required both babies go to the NICU while they ran cultures to make sure they didn't have an infection -- they didn't). They came to our room after a couple days and we all went home together on the fourth day.

My Baby B (DS) was bigger, and I did attempt a vaginal birth, although I ultimately delivered by c-section. After 11 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing, we decided that was the best option because DD was sunny side up and at an angle and I wasn't making any progress getting her out. I was totally exhausted, and the idea that I would then have to push all over again for an even bigger baby was too daunting at that point so I threw in the towel and opted for the c-section. At that point I just wanted to be done and wanted to see my babies. But, directly to your question, the fact that baby B was bigger wasn't an issue for my OB. His only rule was that both had to be head down to attempt a vaginal delivery, and mine were.

ardilla · October 2011

I delivered at 36w0d. I had received 2 steroid shots at 24w because of PTL and shortened cervix. I had a c/s due to Baby A being breech and Baby B being transverse. Due to their GA and weight (DS at 4 lbs 9 oz and DD at 4 lbs 2 oz), once we (and some family immediately outside the OR) got to meet them, they went to the Special Care nursery for about 6 hours for monitoring. At that point we were allowed to have them in my room or send them to the regular nursery, with the exception of that first overnight they wanted them in the nursery for a bit more observation. Both babies had to pass carseat tests before coming home, but both were released with me. We had issues getting them to BF, but other than that and them being tiny, everything was fine! Best wishes for you and the babies this upcoming week!

togagirl · October 2011

I delivered vaginally at 36 weeks and 3 days but my baby A was bigger. Only by a few ounces though. They spent a few days in the NICU but were really in the step-down NICU. They had jaundice, temp issues and needed to learn to eat. I would ask why it would matter if B was bigger. I did not tear with baby A but did with B because by that time I couldn't even feel my contractions anymore (I did not have any meds). I had push when the doctor told me to since I couldn't feel when to push anymore.

macchiatto · October 2011

srbmvp:
Haven't been there yet, but just discussed options with my Dr. this week. He said as long as both are head down when it's time, we could try vaginal. He made it sound like Baby B being bigger was only an issue if Baby B was breech, because they couldn't be pulled out at that point. Just ask your Dr. for clarification. Good luck!

I have to admit, that makes sense to me. Unless Baby B is like 8-9 lbs or bigger, I don't see why it would be difficult for a 6-7 lb baby to be delivered even if the first twin was smaller, since singletons that size are frequently delivered with no problems. I didn't really research this though since my boys were pretty close in size (at birth they were just 3 oz and 1/4" apart).

mpstochlinski8 · October 2011

I can't really offer much from experience sorry but my baby b is also 2lbs or so larger and we are planning for a v delivery, my OB just said I"ll have to push a lot harder for baby b since normally baby a is bigger and sort of paves the way but there was no reason for me to have a c sec because of it, a 6 or in my case 7lb baby is still small enough to be pushed out. GL hope things go nice and smooth for you and LOs!!

katsblaze · October 2011

I delivered at 36w3d after my water broke. I had a vaginal delivery. My boys measured differently throughout the pregnancy. Baby A was 4lb 15oz and Baby B was 6lbs 2 oz. Thay were both head down and they came home with us at discharge. No NICU time.

browneyedgrl4282 · October 2011

Preston (baby A) and Jordana (Baby

were born at 36 weeks 4 days when my waterbroke. Preston was 6lbs3oz and Jordana was 7lbs 10oz. I did have c/s but that wasn't because of the size. They came home with me!

caden · October 2011

I had 35weekers who had no NICU/special care time. They had the steroid shots though. My baby b was bigger than A by half a pound and that was no problem. My concern for you isn't so much the size difference (I don't know how that works) but rather that you show no signs of being near labor. I was induced when I was @ 5cm after 15w of PTL issues, and it went fine. I don't know anyone who had a successful induction w/ no labor signs. Not saying it's impossible of course. But I would ask your doc what the chances are of an induction actually working. It might be easier to just opt for a c/s. GL!

ColleenS629 · October 2011

caden:
I had 35weekers who had no NICU/special care time. They had the steroid shots though. My baby b was bigger than A by half a pound and that was no problem. My concern for you isn't so much the size difference (I don't know how that works) but rather that you show no signs of being near labor. I was induced when I was @ 5cm after 15w of PTL issues, and it went fine. I don't know anyone who had a successful induction w/ no labor signs. Not saying it's impossible of course. But I would ask your doc what the chances are of an induction actually working. It might be easier to just opt for a c/s. GL!

That's a very good point. I have been having contractions for weeks but they haven't done anything to dilate me (as of this past Monday). I assume my doctor will check me again tomorrow but I will definitely bring that up with her.

google123 · October 2011

I delivered a little over 36w, one twin came home with me with no issues, then other stayed 2weeks in the NICU for apnea spells.

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2 Questions: 36 weekers and Vaginal Delivery with Bigger Baby B

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