Would you try a 35-36 week delivery at home?

[hac1224]

Quick history: I'm 35-1 with our 4th child but first planned homebirth. My other 3 have come between 37-1 & 37-4 on their own and been healthy, good weight babies. My MW said she's perfectly fine with a 36 week homebirth with me, but hasn't really said what she would do if I go this week, instead. I've been having a lot of cervical pressure over the last few days and am starting to dilate and efface. I'm in a non-homebirth friendly state where HB midwives are under the radar so to speak. I do not want to deal with a hospital unless absolutely necessary.

So, my question is...if I go into labor before I hit the 36 week point, should I stay at home even if I have to have a UC and have her come check us out afterward? My labors have gotten much shorter with each, so my MWs are guessing no more than a 3 hr total this time around. Unless I see signs of a problem, I'm really thinking I'll just stay put for "too long" to make it to the hospital. The closest hospital is only 15 or so minutes from here, so a quick transfer in a true emergency wouldn't be difficult. WWYD?

[Kidzaplenty]

Responded to your other thread, but tought I would add it here. If I were in your shoes, I would UC in a heartbeat.

[Veritaserum]

I would probably feel ok in my 36th week, only because my other babies have come 2-3 weeks early. I would go to the hospital before 36 weeks, though, because of an increased risk of breathing problems due to lung immaturity. Some 35-weekers do fine, but others need a lot of help.

[Denelle]

I personally wouldn't, and I'm all for homebirths and UCs.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by hac1224

The closest hospital is only 15 or so minutes from here, so a quick transfer in a true emergency wouldn't be difficult. WWYD?

Do ambulances carry neonatal resuscitation equipment and are they trained to use it? Do they carry surfactant?

The problem with a 35/36 weeker is that even if you're 100% sure of your dates (and many women aren't) you can't be 100% sure that the baby will be able to breathe without assistance. Personally I believe that a 15 minutes wait for an ambulance is a huge gamble to take.

I do fully support homebirth for low risk women but I don't count birth at 35 weeks as low risk.

[graceomalley]

Originally Posted by tessie

Do ambulances carry neonatal resuscitation equipment and are they trained to use it? Do they carry surfactant?

The problem with a 35/36 weeker is that even if you're 100% sure of your dates (and many women aren't) you can't be 100% sure that the baby will be able to breathe without assistance. Personally I believe that a 15 minutes wait for an ambulance is a huge gamble to take.

I do fully support homebirth for low risk women but I don't count birth at 35 weeks as low risk.

Ditto to this. There's no way I would try it.

[dantesmama]

36 weeks with a midwife, yes, if I was 110% sure of correct dates. 35 weeks? No way, midwife or no midwife. Too much of a gamble.

[perditafoster]

36 weeks? Yes, I'd be fine. 35? Nope. I'd wait until I was sure I was in labor and then go to the hosp. Chances are, you'll be a big fat 10 cm and ready to push when you get there anyway, so no induction, cefm, etc. Just push that baby on out and make sure s/he's healthy and breathing! ITA about breathing probs at 35 weeks. I have too many friends who have had 35 weekers that weighed a good bit (like over five pounds) and those babies were in the NICU for at least a week Good luck and I hope that baby stays put for another few days, just to give you peace of mind. And when it is your time, I hope your labor is super quick and easy!!! (or as easy as labor ever is)

[nashvillemidwife]

No. Why would you even consider that?

[Kathryn]

Absolutely not and we have oxygen and resuscitation equipment in our home at all times. It is just too much of a gamble and doing cpr on your baby isn't any fun.
Could you just chill in bed this week to help keep baby in?

[finn'smama]

Originally Posted by dantesmama

36 weeks with a midwife, yes, if I was 110% sure of correct dates. 35 weeks? No way, midwife or no midwife. Too much of a gamble.

eta: I would maybe do 36 wks with a mw if I were in your situation, if it were me, I wouldn't until at least 37 weeks, but my babies have never come before 39 weeks and they were teeny. And I would never consider UC just because I felt backed into a corner.

[cathicog]

I think 35 weeks is too early... personally, I wouldn't even do 36 weeks, though I know people who do. I wouldn't do any checks for dilation/effacement, either, IYKWIM...less chance of infection...Can you take it easy for a couple of weeks, see if Bub can stay in longer?

[Lousli]

My 36 weeker was fine in terms of breathing, but weighed only 5 pounds and was super sleepy, jaundiced, and had a really hard time nursing. I've also had a 33 weeker who was 4 pounds and had a bit of breathing trouble (even after steroid shots.) A lot happens in just a few short weeks. It isn't a risk I'd be willing to take.

[~Bug~]

Absolutely not. My first was born at 34w6 days. He was big for his gestational age-- 5lbs 13oz. Labor and delivery was completely natural and drug free. I went into labor and didn't realize it was "real" before it was too late to stop it. He spent 12 days in the NICU because his lungs just weren't ready.

My midwife said that at that age, some babies are fine, some aren't. You just never know.

[MidwifeErika]

I, personally, would not consider having a baby at home at 35 weeks. My 34 weeker needed to spend a week on a ventilator and a nearly a month in the NICU and she was 5lb 10oz, so good sized. It is just such as toss up at the 34-36 range as to which babies will need more support and there just isn't a good way of knowing ahead of time if it will be your baby.

[everything to one]

my advice- listen to your midwife. I've used MW's in hospital with my first and am having a home birth with this pregnancy. A hospital setting (while im avoiding it as well) is not the end of the world. you can still have a natural delivery and keep your baby with you at all times. plan ahead to have someone there to be your advocate so you dont have to be worried about it as much. but think positively and plan to carry past 35 weeks! you can do it! congrats, btw.

[MammaG]

I was in your shoes just a few short weeks ago, and I was surprised at how against homebirthing before 37 weeks my MW was....she's usually very liberal with her interpretations of risk-numbers. I had really hard BH, baby dropped and I lost the plug some where around week 35. At exactly week 36 I had contractions that were making me push and we ended up in the ER where they stopped (MW thinks that baby's very low head lodged on an area of the cervix where there are apparently nerves that convey a message to push. It was scary...I was pushing so hard I got huge hemmorhoids, even though I was trying my best to blow through each contraction).

It wasn't until two days before 37 weeks, at our home visit, that she said she'd feel OK with the homebirth, and she carries lots of equipment for resuscitation.

I took it very easy during those two weeks and am 39 weeks today. As pps have suggested, can you lay low? I needed help as I have a 3yo and a 5yo who are homeschooled, but it was worth it. Hope you manage to keep baby in long enough that you don't need to make a difficult choice like that. Good luck.

[hac1224]

Thanks everyone for your input. Pressure has lightened somewhat today, so I am just taking it somewhat easy. Still hoping s/he stays put until the 36 week mark or longer. At that point the decision will be easy since the MW and I have already discussed it thoroughly. Just 5 more days until I hit that point, so it shouldn't be too difficult even with 3 other littles ages 5 & under.

[nummies]

Maybe 36weeks (the latter half of the week) but even then, I would be nervous. I am holding out for 37 weeks here.

[Vespertina]

I'm not comfortable with HB before 36 weeks. My midwife is okay with 36 weeks, but rather he stay in 'til at least 37.

I've been having more pelvic pressure, stronger and more frequent BH and had BS when I checked my cervix earlier in the week (normal after cervix checking). I've been taking it easy. Mainly sitting in bed.