Tell me about your 36 weekers, please.

[wanderinggypsy]

I think labor is about to start. This is my fourth pregnancy... I know this feeling, I've been here before!

Anyways, I am just pretty freaked out about having a 36 weeker. My last babe was born at 37 weeks and thankfully she was fine, no assistance required. I'm 35 weeks and 5 days today... I am hoping at the very least babe will stay in for another couple of days. I'd obviously love him to stay in for another few weeks but I really don't know if that is going to happen. I'm very anemic and my ferritin levels are bottomed out (less than 5), and the baby has dropped in a major way, and I just feel like a mama cat getting ready to bed down for kittens.... and I'm losing mucous plug...

For those of you who have had babies at 36 weeks, tell me what I might expect. I feel a little silly, considering that I know many of you have struggled through weeks/months of NICU time with much earlier preemies, but I would deeply appreciate any words of wisdom you might share with me.

Thanks.

[*Aimee*]

Oh mine are both just awesome! Both of my boys were born exactly 4 weeks early.

DS1 had jaundice and was very very tired. He was super hard to wake up (even putting cold wash cloths on him) to nurse. He was hospitalized for jaundice and dehydration, but we learned with DS2 I have IGT so he was actually starving.

DS2 required NICU time because he inhaled fluid on his way out. It wasn't related to his earliness at all. he still left on time. He was way alert and not sleepy, but also hospitalized for jaundice and dehydration due to my IGT.

They both are meeting their milestones either early or within the time lines.

I'm pregnant again and wondering if this baby will also come 4 weeks early. I now know to supplement to avoid any of the issues I had with my other babes.

I've met a lot of 36 weekers and very very few have had any issues. Happy laboring!!

[sbrinton]

I would expect the first few days to be a little more difficult than for a full-term babe. Most likely your baby will be able to breathe well, but he may need a little extra oxygen at first. My 35 weeker, micah, needed oxygen for a few hours while he cleared some fluid out of his lungs.

I would also expect breastfeeding to be a little more difficult, or at least different. Micah breastfed really well, but he also got sleepy easily so for the first month it really felt like we were feeding him all the time (every 1-2 hours around the clock). Some preemies struggle to get a good latch. You might try a nipple shield to see if it makes it eaiser for your baby.

Jaundice is also common, although easy to deal with. Docs are usually more worried about infection, so the baby might have an IV with antibiotics for a few days.

Micah looked like a normal, healthy baby - but he was so small! Preemies are also thin. He was almost as long as his full-term older brother, but weighed 1 1/2 pounds less.

And yes, you may have a little NICU time. Not always, but maybe! I hope you can make it another week or so and avoid all this preemie stuff!

[mara22]

my lo was born at 35 weeks with absolutely no issues at birth- came out tiny but perfect and had no nicu time. she did develop jaundice and had to be under lights for 24 hours...the chart that they use to determine the severity of jaundice is based on age so premies need treatment with the same level of jaundice that a full term baby may not need any treatment with. anyway, after the jaundice she has been fine- we did supplement with a finger tube feeding system for a few days but then she was able to breastfeed just fine. we did wake her up every 2 hours day and night for the first couple of weeks to make sure that she was eating enough. she is now 2 1/2 months and is meeting all of her milestones and she doubled her weight in two months.
Good luck and i hope that everything is fine.

[AnItalianMomma09]

My daughter was born last week, 2 hours short of 36 weeks. She is still in NICU, going on day 10.. She had IUGR though, and is not eating as much as they would like her to. She also had jaundice, she got up to 12+ on the scale of bilirubin in her blood serum.. I don't know exactly what the numbers mean, and when it calls for phototherapy.. but anyway, she did almost 48 hours of phototherapy, and her bili went down to a 7.. it is slowly creeping back up, she is at a 9.. I don't know if she might have to go back under the lights? She was supposed to come home tonight, but after 2 feedings where she wouldn't wake up long enough to eat more than 1oz, the doc decided to keep her longer. Not sure if she will come home tomorrow, or Monday.. maybe longer? If she goes back under the lights, she may have to be there even longer.

Goodluck, and I will be praying that your child doesn't have to be in NICU and you and your family don't have to go through these emotional ups and downs. It really is a hard thing to have to go through... one of the hardest Ive EVER had to go through....