Question for 34-35 weekers

maceymay1816 · June 2012

Hi ladies,

I am looking for some insight. My DD was born at 34 weeks 5 days and we were blessed that she was 5lbs on the dot, she required no assistance and had no NICU stay. When we had her the doc came in and gave us the run down on what might happen, but I was an emtional mess and having contractions so I don't remember anything.

Now I'm pregnant with DS, I've been having PTL contractions since 24 weeks and the doc is taking me off my meds in 3 days. It is possible that he will stay put for another few weeks, but more than likely he will arrive pretty quickly. I know we were blessed that DD required no NICU care but I'm concerned that if he arrives early we may not be so lucky. He is measuring ahead of schedule and is weighing in at over 5lbs already, but I was just curious if anyone had any experience they could share about their 34-35 weeker and if they had to stay in the NICU. I just want to be prepared emotionally in the event we have to keep him in the NICU. Thanks.

becketts · June 2012

DD1 was 34w2d and had a 23-day NICU stay. DD2 was 35w and had a 14-day NICU stay. Both girls did really well and were considered feeder/growers. It took some time for them to figure out how to eat. DD1 never learned to breastfeed, but DD2 is doing well (after 8 weeks of hard work). It's common to have some isolette time (to keep body temp up).

It's smart to prepare emotionally because even a short NICU stay is really hard. I hope you can avoid the NICU again!

jcsntms06 · June 2012

DD1 was born at 33w4d, weighting 4lbs 10.5oz and 18.5 inches long due to pre-e. She was on the CPAP for 3-4 days and under bili lights for jaundice for a few days. After about a week she started to gain weight and basically was in the NICU as a feeder/grower until she was released at 12 days old. She came home at 4lbs 5oz.

DD2 was born at 34w5d, weighting 5lbs 5oz 19 inches long, due to PTL. A few weeks prior to having her I was having high blood pressure readings, I was sent to L&D to be monitored and that's when the found out I was contracting. I was immediately put on meds and taken out of work (bed rest). I spent the next week and half at home, hoping and praying to keep LO baking. The weekend before I had her I was contracting pretty regularly, I even called the on-call doctor, who basically told me drink lots, and lay on left. I held out for another two days, before contractions started up again. I went to the hospital and within 12 hours I had my second baby. She did come out screaming. Unlike my first DD, we thought for sure we get to take her home, but LO had other plans. She spent one day on the CPAP, two or three days on IV's, but her main issue was with A's and B's and jaundice. She spent a total of 14 days in the NICU, she came home weighting 5lbs 7oz.

Good luck with your upcoming delivery. Praying that your little guy has no NICU time. Please keep us posted.

LuckyMarley · June 2012

DD was a 34 weeker, and she had a 7 day NICU stay, 5lbs 13 oz, feeder & grower. She was on a CPAP right after birth, then nasal canula 02 for the next day. Feeding thru NG tube until day 3 I think? Then they kept the NG tube in a fed her thru it whatever she couldn't finish by bottle. Also had some jaundice and spent some time being a lil glow worm on the billy blanket.

Hang in there! Thoughts and prayers!

makinithappen · June 2012

My second was 35 weeks, 5 lb 3 oz, 18 inches; he had a 9 day stay. After a couple of days, he was back and forth between the CPAP and a hood because they were trying to wean him off of the CPAP a little too quickly. He had IV fluids the first couple of days, then a feeding tube, then could bottle feed. Once he was home, he had trouble keeping his temp up. We checked it EO feeding, had him in a onesie under pajamas wrapped in a blanket and in a swaddlepod with a hat on and was still 94/95 for a whole day before we wrapped him in an electric blanket. Once we got it back normal, he was fine and managed to keep it up. He started gaining weight quickly and was jumping percentiles until he got sick a couple of weeks ago. Good luck!

gringa78 · June 2012

My twins were born at 33w2d and they were mainly feeders/growers. They were in the NICU for just shy of a month. They were born at 3lbs. 14oz and 4lbs. 4oz. They left the NICU at 4.5lbs and 5.5lbs. They just had the typical bradys, heart murmur, etc. Nothing major. They are now healthy 3-month-olds and thriving. Best of luck!

LnR70707 · June 2012

DS was 34weeks 6 days and was 6.7lbs. He was admitted to the NICU because of low blood sugar and then once he was in, they wouldn't release him until his billirubin levels were normal and finally because his weight loss was bordering 10%. I think if his blood sugar had been fine, everything else could have been handled in regular post partum units or at least just the special care nursery. He was in the NICU 6 days.

flutepharm87 · June 2012

My twins were born at 34 weeks on the dot. Neither one was born with a suck reflex and they had trouble regulating their body temperatures, but they were large enough to not need an incubator (only warming beds) in the NICU. Ian was born at 4lbs 10.57oz and with the exception of a little jaundice and staying under the bili lights for a day, he had an uneventful NICU stay. He was there for 8 days as a feeder/grower and then came home.

Jack wasn't so lucky. He was larger, born at 5lbs 0.57oz, but he had a little trouble breathing and had to be on CPAP for a little over a week. Shortly after Ian went home, he was switched over to a nasal cannula, but had to go back on CPAP after getting an infection (they don't know what it was, all the cultures they took came back negative). He also had a little jaundice and needed the bili lights (around the same time as Ian) and was in the NICU for 23 days.

We definitely didn't have it as bad as many of the mamas here and for that we're very grateful. Now, they're doing great, perfectly healthy with minor developmental delay (we're working with EI to help them progress).

KacieLeigh · June 2012

DD2 was born at 35w0d weighing 6lbs 8oz. She was quite big for her gestational age.

We did not have a NICU stay, but we did deal with some preemie issues when we got home. It took my milk nearly 6 days to come in, and DD had to go under the bili lights. She also eventually ended up with horrible reflux issues (which no meds would help - she luckily outgrew it around 8 months) and trouble regulating her temperature. Her hands and feet would turn a bluish color for several minutes then go back to normal.

All in all, she was healthy and I was grateful she got to come home with us...but we did deal with some issues after we got home, regardless.

Good luck to you - I hope LO stays put for a while after you stop your meds. I'm pregnant with #3 right now and I'm terrified of having him early again.

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