Would you stay home at 36 weeks?

[emyandpotato]

Would you stay at home if you went in to labour at 36 weeks? Just wondering! Why/why not? Cut off is usually 37 but read mixed research on what's best.

 

[BunnyN]

Ît depends a bit on the circumstances but my MW (independent MW with lots of experience) would have done a HB from 36 weeks and I trusted her.

 

[Kess]

My IMW with DS1 also said she would happily attend from 36 weeks - any earlier and she'd want me in hospital. She said the trouble a 36-weeker generally has is keeping warm and feeding, both of which are easier dealt with at home. Any earlier and breathing difficulties are more likely, for which a hospital is useful.

 

[ellahopesky]

i personally wouldn't want to risk it and would go to hospital just incase, or at least phone for their opinion/advise and be prepared to go in.

 

[BunnyN]

I read somewhere that the stastics are quite different for 36 weekers that are induced or born by cs and ones that arrive on their own. Baby is less likely to have problems if you go into labour naturally.

 

[MindUtopia]

I would stay at home from 36 weeks (next time I will have an IM as well, who is much more experienced in these sorts of things, so I'd feel especially supported rather than with an NHS midwife). My first was born at home at 37+5 by scan dates but 37+2 by my dates, and I just sorta feel I probably have early babies. She was fine, but very sleepy and struggled to latch and feed the first few weeks and we did end up taking her in for a hospital stay because of her weight gain issues - worst decision ever! They were horrible to us and totally unhelpful when it came to helping us with her weight gain. It took just sitting around on the ward for 4 days doing nothing before anyone came around to help us with a feed. If I had an even earlier baby next time (36+ weeks), I would definitely prefer to be at home. I think actually being in a hospital environment would be detrimental to feeding, like it was last time, and I don't want to take that risk again.

 

[NDH]

Yes I would. Any problems at that gestation are usually helped by kangaroo care which would be hard to get in hospital. I'd be comfortable just taking a wait and see approach after birth and go in if I felt baby needed more help than KC - but I'm only 2 mins away from hospital. The nearest hospital that takes babies before 36 weeks is 4 hours away though.

 

[MummyToAmberx]

Yes if labour had started naturally.