Section at 37 weeks, any experiences?

[daopdesign]

I'm actually scheduled for a section at 39 weeks on the 6th June but I have a hospital apt tomorrow to see my consultant for the last time and due to stress and a heap of anxiety I'm going to push for this to be brought forward to 37 or more likely 38 weeks.

Long story short I've had a long history of ttc, have 1 live birth and 1 loss at 16 weeks last year. Needless to say I'm absolutely terrified of losing this baby!

I've read a lot online and the opinions are mixed having a section at 37 weeks but I feel the gain is far better than the risks.. I mean at 37 weeks you're considered full term anyway.

Has anyone had a section at 37 weeks, any stories to share positive or negative?

 

[purplerat]

I'm having one tomorrow at 38+4 due to a pulmonary embolism , large baby and extra fluid and previous emergency section. Even with that the midwives still questioned why it was early! Iv had to have 2 sets of steroid injections which stung like hell, but the research shows babies born at or plus 39 weeks are better off lung development wise.

I'd talk to your consultant but I'm not sure they would want to bring it forward too much for a non medical reason. Though i guess it depends on your consultant. What about close monitoring Of baby until the section?

What gestation was your last birth at? Is there any medical concerns that make you feel baby isn't safe in there ? Some babies aren't ready at 37 weeks but some are.

I hope you get the answer you want hun zxx

 

[laylasmummy]

mine has just been bought forward from 39 to 38, they wanted to risk 37 but said it would be more likely that he ends up needing help breathing so we opted for 38 weeks xxx

 

[crystal443]

Hi.. I have had 2 sections one was an emergency at 36 weeks and she had problems breathing, it wasn't anything serious but she had to be monitored for awhile. I then had a c section at 37 weeks with my son and I had to have the steroid shot with him before he was delivered with DD it was kind of sudden. He too had a few breathing problems and stayed blue for quite a while..we later found out he had a mild heart issue that resolved itself. Both also had jaundice and needed to be under the lights

 

[Nits]

I've been monitored closely because of pregnancy nduced hypertension and low amniotic fluid. My baby is also breech.

At 35 weeks my Amniotic fluid got really low within the normal range and they were debating having her be born. Long Story short, they sent me to a bigger hospital to talk to two different OB consultants. They both agreed I needed to be monitored twice a week but as long as baby was doing fine, they wouldnt have her be born before 39 weeks. They said 37 was the absolute earliest and even then it had to be a very good medical reason.

I can't even begin to imagine what your fear must feel like after what you had to go through but it may be better to have a good long talk with your midwife abut it than to push your section forward to 37 weeks.

Hope this helped

 

[mojobear]

I have just had my second baby by c section last week, this was done at 37 weeks 5 days the consultant wanted to schedule it at 37 weeks but we asked for them to wait until the end of the week. I did have in my notes from my first surgeon that due to various reasons (things that were found in my first c sec) I should have baby before 8 weeks. Baby was born fine and I was never offered a steriod injection beforehand. The funny thing is that whilst waiting fit my c sec I actually started labour and had contractions every 4 minutes so obviously baby was ready to meet us on that day. Good luck and hope that you get the decision you want x

 

[kelzyboo]

You may have a chance for 38+ weeks, they usually won't do it any earlier than that for no medical reason. Anxiety won't get you anywhere unfortunately I'm having a csection at 37 weeks this time, they will give steroids shots before and it took a lot to get them to agree to this, i had a placental abruption at 31 weeks and lost my little boy and this is not taken into consideration at all. I got 37 weeks due to previous csection less than a year ago and a big baby (growth scans).

You could ask for a growth scan, if baby is a good size maybe they would consider giving you steroids and delivering a bit earlier? If not you could ask for extra monitoring in the last few weeks?
Hope they agree to something to put your mind at rest, these last few weeks of PAL are hard Good luck xx

 

[Bradpittswife]

I had my son at 36 weeks via an emcsec. My waters had spontaneously broken and he was breech. We had a week in hospital due to him being unable to maintain his temp but other than that he was healthy but very sleepy and despite endless attempts would not breast feed. Good luck x

 

[crystal443]

I had my son at 36 weeks via an emcsec. My waters had spontaneously broken and he was breech. We had a week in hospital due to him being unable to maintain his temp but other than that he was healthy but very sleepy and despite endless attempts would not breast feed. Good luck x

My DD was born by emcsec at 36 weeks and she wouldn't breastfeed either I could never figure out why she wouldn't but she wasn't having it

 

[Bradpittswife]

That's actually quite nice to hear- I've been beating myself up over it endlessly!
I think one of the problems was that we didn't have skin to skin but apparently it can be that they haven't quite developed the sucking thing- my son was cup fed for the first few days which was horrific to watch and made me feel very detached from him watching various strangers feed him. These babies sure seem sent to try us some days!

 

[v2007]

I had my section with Monster No3 at 37+4

If I am honest, it wasn't a pleasant experience, her sugars were all over the place due to GD.

She needed help breathing and spent 24 hours in an incubator

She needed various meds for sugar levels and lung immaturity and struggled to hold her temperature.

Also a huge struggle to breast feed which is odd as she now likes to randomly press my boobs in public and shout boobs when she see bras in BHS

I know it's hard, but 37 weeks is early for a section unless it is really necessary.

39 weeks is the general rule.



V xxx

 

[BlueHadeda]

Not sure if you've made your decision yet?

I've had 3 c-sections. The first was at 39 weeks, and baby was born healthily with no problems whatsoever, and breastfed like a champ. The 2nd was at 37+0 (baby went into fetal distress because the placenta gave in). She spent 9 days in NICU due to underdeveloped lungs and temperature control problems. She could never muster the energy to feed for very long, so we ended up breastfeeding literally every hour the first few months. So when my 3rd baby went into spontaneous labour at 37+0 weeks, we asked the dr to try and stop it. She gave me pills, which I kept drinking when the contractions got too close to together. After 4 days, I went into full-blown active labour and the c-section was performed. Baby had low bloodsugar, but was otherwise healthy and strong and breastfed with no problems. If I have a choice, I'd never have any baby again before 38 weeks.

 

[19yroldmomma]

i had csection at 39weeks and 1day. i wasnt nervous or scared. i got my spinal tap and that didnt hurt then they started and all i thought about was seeing mg little girl for the first time. also i had an emergency surgery done at 20 weeks in the same spot.