Birth at 36 weeks....did your baby have problems?

[lilgsmommy]

Me and my OB are discussing removing my cerclage at or during my 36th week. We dont want to keep it in much longer than that due to the possibility of it ripping my cervix if I go into labor, plus due to other previous issues with labor and delivery. IF I go into labor with it in, there is a high chance that to prevent an issue, the hospital will just give me an emergency c/section, which we dont want.

Either way Im pretty dang sure the baby will be born during my 36th week. Whether it be a VBAC, or a section. If babe is breech or transverse we will try a version first.

Ive read that alot of moms dont want thier baby to come before 37 weeks due to issues, but then Ive seen alot of babies born in the 36th that have had no issues and came straight home (or were born at home).

So can you tell me how your 36 weeker did? Any complications with breathing? Breastfeeding? Latching on? Weight issues?

[Reha]

My son was 36 weeks and 3 days when he was born. He was born at home, just fine. No complications at all. He breathed right away with no problems. Once my milk came in, his head was so small compared to my breast , that I struggled with latching him on for about a day (on day 3), but I think that would have happened even if he was a 42 weeker.

Oh, and he weighed 6lb, 6oz. I didn't have him weighed again (in the weeks after birth) because I didn't feel it important (his output was good).

[OnTheFence]

I've had two per-term babies around the 36th week. (Katie was 36 weeker, Kara was between 34-36 weeks) One did fine. One did not.

My last baby was born with poor apgars, and had to be put on oxygen for a short time. She also had problems maintaining her temperature and low blood sugar. I was able to bypass an IV for the low blood sugar because I allowed them to give her formula in a syringe. (this even had to be done after nursing and I get my milk in fairly quick)

I was prepared this last time for complications because I had had complications in my pregnancy, and it was a really rough csection. I also discussed a good bit of things with my pediatrician prior to the birth and with the nursing staff in the nursery that day. She was on O2 for several hours after birth and after she came off I was able to have her immediately. They did all her checks in our room and were really cool about it all. I did have to send her to the nursery twice to go into the warmer even after doing kangaroo care and trying warming blankets (this was the next day too!). They had to check her blood sugar frequently. Even after my milk was in and she was nursing like a champ, she still had issues.
I left right at 48 hrs with her but I did leave with home health care. My ped signed off on it, even though one of our nursery nurses didn't think it was a good idea.

[Nikki Christina]

my oldest was born at 36.6 weeks 7 lbs.. no problems except jaundice ,but i think that was more related to this disorder

oldest dd was born at 36.3 weeks 7 lbs 4 oz & perfect
good apgars, breastfed easily

[wifeandmom]

According to LMP, my fourth baby was 37w1d. According to first trimester u/s, she was about 36w5d.

She was born by ERCS, no labor, and had no issues with breathing, maintaining body temp, nursed fine, and came home with me 36 hours after delivery. She was delivered earlier than originally planned due to health issues with me, but even with a complete lack of labor and birth by c-section, she still did great. She was 7lbs 8oz at birth.

I think the vast majority of babies born during the 36th week do just fine. Given your circumstances, I'd think taking out the cerclage with the chance of a 36 week delivery would be worth the risk if the alternative would be an automatic section should you go into labor with the cerclage in place.

[kwilki8]

My baby was born at exactly 36 weeks and had no problems. Her weight was low, but that was due to IUGR. She did not require any breathing support and latched great.

[Ackray]

I've had 2 born at exactly 36 weeks.

1 was 6#11 ounces. Perfectly perfect with no problems ever.
2 was 6#2 ounces. She initially had some breathing issues which cleared up in an hour or two. No nursing problems. She's growing great so no weight issues. She did have jaundice so she had to be under the lights for two days in the hospital.

[sophiekat]

dd2 was born at 35w 5d (repeat c/s) and weighed 5 lbs 11 oz (bigger than dd1 who was full term and 5 lbs even!). i had had PTL and been on bedrest for 6 weeks. she needed a bit of oxygen for a couple hours after birth but after that was fine. latched great. she did/does have reflux, which i think is due to her digestive system being so immature, but didnt need meds for it.

[zjande]

I had my DD at 35 weeks. She had no problems at all related to her prematurity- she breathed fine, latched on fine, her temp was fine... it was as if she were a full term baby. She was 6lbs 12oz.

[Jasmyn's Mum]

36 weeks. No problems at all.

[paranoidprego]

My dd was born 36 weeks exactly; NSVD; no problems except for a bit of a latching problem in the beginning.

I am a former NICU nurse that worked in a level III hospital and have seen EVERYTHING. To make you feel better... we (the NICU team) never went for a delivery if the pregnancy was 34 weeks or later. Some hospitals do require the team to be there earlier than 37 weeks. Babies that are born before 37 weeks, as long as they do not have any serious problems, can usually be managed in the newborn nursery. As for C-section babies, they sometimes do have a little harder time "adapting to extra-uterine life", but some just need a little extra time with the oxygen and they perk up just fine.

Good luck!

[lorijds]

Baby #1: Born at exactly 36 weeks after 4 weeks of preterm labor and bedrest. Weighed 6# 11 oz. No problems breathing. Initial problems maintaining blood sugar and body temp. Terrible problems breastfeeding--she just wouldn't latch and suck. Worked with LC for about three weeks, pumping, feeding her with a tube, and trying to get her to latch and nurse before breastfeeding began to be successful. She also had a little issue with jaundice. Had to stay an extra day due to her jaundice and feeding issues.

Baby #2: Born at exactly 36 weeks after 12 weeks of preterm labor and bedrest. Weighed 6# 13oz. No problems except jaundice. She probably should have been treated, but the lab screwed up and didn't send her very high results to the correct doc. No one knew until her one week follow up that her bilirubin levels were greater than 20. But, she was nursing and pooping and fine.

[catters]

This wasn't me, but my best friend's twin girls were born at 34.5 weeks and they both came home three days later (strictly as a precaution, they were fine and are both doing great at five months now). No issues at all and were breastfeeding champs. Good luck!

[MyBoysBlue]

DS1 was 36 weeks 4 days. He had absolutely no problems and he weighted 6 pounds 15 oz. Latched on and nursed great from the start. No breathing problems or such but they didn't let me hold him as soon as he was born they took him to the other side of the room to check out first. They said it was just because he was early, they wanted to check him right away. They brought him to me a minute or two later, all wrapped up.