Hi Girls,

So i know technically that at 36 weeks my lilest man will only be a week off term when he arrives by c section, but the hospital said he will still be considered premature, so i guess i have a couple of questions i want to get off my chest.

Firstly, i know he may need monitoring in scbu for his SVT but only if he is in SVT at birth, the cardio lady told me if not he can be taken for monitoring instead of being stuck there full time but thats from a cardio point of view, but do they automatically take 36 weekers away there even if they have been checked and are coping well? Probably irrelevant, but he had steroids at 31+6 and 32 weeks, and hes measuring at over 97th centile and is expected to be huge and fat to quote consultant lol.

Secondly, can anyone offer any advice about breastfeeding? My son was a bit niggly with it and he was a 38 weeker so guess i am now worrying about this baby being earlier, mw's keep saying don't worry if he struggles they'll put him on a feed tube and give him formula, but i do worry and would really like to be able to breastfeed him if at all possible. Any tips or advice would be gratefully received thanks xxx

i didnt want to read and run.
at 36 weeks there is a very good chance that your little one will be fine and may only have to be mointered for a few days in hospital if he does have trouble breastfeeding and does need a tube for a few days you can express your milk and that will be given through his tube then when his strong enough to suckle you can start trying him on the breast.
Good luck and i hope everything goes well keep us posted

If he is coping well by himself and needs nothing more than helping with breastfeeding then Im sure they will let you keep him by your bedside-if he needs monitoring then its likely they will whip him off for a couple of hours to check the little man is ok. Better safe than sorry.

re the breastfeeding thing-im not sure if it happens at all scbu units but they automatically added a feeding tube to every baby that entered the unit where Brooke was regardless of whether they needed it or not. It saved them making the baby wait for a feed I think if it hadnt got one in already as it cant be put in if baby is crying or just been fed etc. Brooke used to have vitamins and everything down her tube too, so not always just for food. :-)

They shouldnt give your LO formula if you want to breastfeed. . .Brooke was born at 32 weeks and only weighed 2lb 4oz at birth, spent a month in an incubator alone before moving to an open cot and I STILL managed to breastfeed her for her first 3 months. It can be done! Its hard, hard work and I had to pump as well but it really is possible. If I were you, when the baby arrives and IF they do whisk him off to check him and possibly keep him there, then definatly pump. It really helped my supply to kick in and keep up, and it also means they wont have to give him formula if you're not there at every feed. You dont know for sure how you're going to be feeling after the birth (im guessing you're having a section?) so if he needs milk and you're not up to it, he's still getting the very best you can give him. I dont know at what stage exactly a 36-weeker would be at, but keep an open mind to dummies too. . . they really helped Brooke to learn how to suck and didnt hinder our breastfeeding chances either.

I wish you all the luck in the world. We've all been there-if I can help any more please please dont hesitate to ask xxxxx

One of my daughters was 35wks and my son was 36wks, luckily both were able to come onto the normal ward with me but they didn't have SVT. They both got jaundice and were treated with the uv lamps but stayed with me. We were put in a side room so they could have the uv lamp on the ward. Both were a bit sleepy at 1st when it came to feeding and I struggled a bit with breastfeeding but persisted even when the staff wanted to give formula as I knew being prem it was the best thing for them and am so glad I did. It was a difficult time (as I've lost 2 other children who were prem) but luckily they were both fine

Thanks girls, am seeing the consultant today so am gonna ask her thoughts and if she feels a scbu stay may be needed for his heart then am gonna ask to go to scbu on tues after pre op appt so i know what to expect ahead of time.
Saw a cardiologist the other day who scared the shit out of me about the risks of prematurity and said i should demand my consultant delay till 38 weeks, but i feel my consultant wouldn't deliver early without good reason, she normally makes ladies hang out till 39 weeks for sections so this is not norm practice for her.
Cardio bitch said she would phone cons and tell her to delay but i don't think my cons will budge as my health is really rough and have been in bed for nearly a month and my fluid is depleting quicker than she would like, and really the risks of ill effects of prematurity at 36 weeks a diff cons told me xxx

well i hope they do whats best for you and bubs, but at 36 weeks he will only be a week under full term so to speak they say anything under 37 weeks is classed as preterm, and if there worried about your health then by the sounds of things they have no choice. good luck will be thinking of you

Hi hun.. Elyse was born at 38w5d but based on her development/size and information I had about when she was conceived she was actually estimated to have been born at about 35-36w.. she was 6lbs 1oz and jaundiced, having some feeding issues (most she took in hospital was 0.5oz) we were in the hospital for a total of 3 nights after she was born & 4 days-- I had a c-section so I had to stay in longer anyway but I don't think they would have discharged us any earlier the way she was eating, etc.

Well it looks like i am going in day after tomorrow for my section as planned, have been to special care and had a look and a chat, feel a bit better, but at the same time mega sad which makes me feel seflish as loads of ladies have months on special care and i am looking at 4-5 days depending on how he is.
He was measured last week at 35 weeks and estimated at 6lbs, and was doing lots of breathing movements which i thought was fab, i am just wondering if he is actually nearer 38 weeks which is by my dates as he is now consistently measuring there, and has been ''big'' since 20 weeks, like big around my original dates big, but we'll never know i guess.

Thanks so much for all your advice and support, it is SO very much appreciated xxx

I have had 2 baby boys born at 36 weeks, 9lb 6oz and 9lb 11oz. They were off the top ofthe graph. However weight isn't everything as they were both jaundiced, both had breathing problems but only the youngest boy was in scbu and only for a day. Then my youngest baby was just born at 34 weeks. We nearly lost her, she ended up on a ventilator and seriously ill. However she was back with me on the ward after 6 days and was bfing then too. They were all sections too.

The thing to remember is every baby is diff and what some can do i.e suck. Some can't for ages.

Just take it a day at a time. Good luck for tomorrow hun

good luck hun i hope everything goes well, sending you lots of will look foward to hearing how you and littlen are doing