Having a C Section @ 38 Weeks...what are the risks?

Hi Ladies,

Am hoping some of you out there can help me out :)

Just got back from a visit with the Registrar who has booked me in for a C section at 38 weeks.

I have no problems what so ever with having another C Section, however, my daughter was born at 40 weeks, healthy as can be! 9lb 6 or 4.25kgs!

But with this one, they have booked me in at 38 weeks... Is there a risk to bubs? coming 2 weeks early?

Just curious if anyone has experience with having a bub at 38 weeks!

Oh, the other thing is, my daughter was born on the 30th October....they have booked me in for the 31st October for this one! Gonna be some unhappy campers round birthday time methinks! hehe

Bubs born at 38 weeks can be more sleepy, and have more difficulty feeding until they grow a little (not just in size but development).

I would ask why they want to do it that early, and if the reasons don't really work for you, tell them you want to reschedule for a week or 2 later.
.

Hi Nikky
I had Julian at 38 weeks. He need a little bit of oxygen when he was born and coughed up some mucus stuff but apart from that he was fine. No probs at all. I'm booked in for 39 weeks. I think they do that to avoid you actually going into labour then having to rush and do the c section. I wish mine were at 38 weeks as that's when j went into labour last time. Wish we could swap :)

I would ask as well, why book at 38 weeks? If you have big bubs, then that shouldn't be a huge (pardon the pun) factor or do you have any underlying medical issues such as pre-ecclampsia. I know they will want to book me for a c-section and I have said that is fine, at 40 weeks, no earlier, but that is cause I want to be pregnant for as long as possible.

It will be your choice, if it is a booked c-section, maybe ask to be done at 39 weeks to move it away from your other LO's birthday?

Thanks girls for the quick replies :)

Gah, I am going public this time round, and the Registrar said all other appointments after that date were booked out! I stressed that I wld prefer to wait until round the 40 week mark! I know my body and I know this bub is going to be as stubborn as her sister and not be in ANY hurry to come out! but she said, sorry but this is the only available day we have :|

I have big bubs, and also have a fibroid that grew to 17cm with my daughter and is up at 12cm atm with this one ... so with that plus the oompah loompah's I seem to grown inside me C Section is preferred! in fact, my vagina DEMANDS a c section hehehe

arghhh will get Hubby to call em everyday to see if anything later has come up!

Altho, bubs born on Halloween would be AWESOME b'day parties hehe (my first daughter was due on halloween as well!) (spooooooooooooooooooky huh!?!)

I've recently done a little research for myself on the timing of CS's and how it can affect bubs... I'd recommend reading these two articles:

http://http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20071211/elective-csection-38th-week-too-soon

Cesarean Birth and SIDS | January 2006 | RT: For Decision Makers in Respiratory Care

While the hospital might be saying that there are no other appointments available, I find that hard to believe... For some reason the medical profession likes to schedule CS's for 38 weeks. The only real explanation as to why that I've been able to get out of my OB is because leaving it later may mean that you go into labour and it becomes an emergency CS... None the less, I have told my OB in no uncertain terms that if I do decide to go with a CS there is no way I will be scheduling it until 40 weeks. At this stage he is ok with that...

Anyway, I guess the point I am trying to make is this - if you feel it is in your bubs best interest to wait until 40 weeks to schedule a CS there is nothing that the hospital can do. If you fail to show up for your booking, then they will have to squeeze you in on another date. And if you do go into labour naturally then they will most certainly be able to accommodate an emergency CS.

HTH

I held out to 40 weeks as well based on the sleepy/feeding issues I read about. The ob Was pretty good about it really and had my baby not turned a bit sideways I think he would have let me go A tiny bit longer. I know you are between a rock and a hard place but I would ask again about waiting if that's what you'd prefer. Good luck!

I was induced at 38 weeks. Everything was fine and she didn't need any special care but she was very sleepy so establishing breastfeeding was a bit of a nightmare. Next time around I'll be doing every thing I can to go full term. I'd definitely keep hassling the hospital for a later date if I were you. Good luck :)

Hi :) I just had my bub 13 days ago at 38+6. he is perfect :) he was a little mucousy the day he wa born but he's been fine since :) Good luck with your impending birth! Xxx

my eldest was born @ 37 weeks 1 day via c/s he was 7lbs 14 and he was fine, he had a bottle an hr afterwards.

it guess it depends as everyone is different

Basically they can't operate unless you let them. Same as Miss E I negotiated a date after my due date for DS. He was born at 39 weeks of his own volition, but that's different.
I'm supposed to have this one at 38weeks due to some 'issues' but even then I will be fighting tooth and nail for a later date.

Oh you girls are great for replying!

We are def going to ask again for a different date, have a Resident appt on the 19th. I guess I just don't know how it works when going public!

When I had dd I asked for 38 weeks because I was in a lot of pain but he told me that about 40% or so of babies born at 38 weeks require some level of oxygen and their hospital policy for electives is 39 weeks so that is when dd was born. Even at 39 weeks dd's oxygen levels were too low to begin with and they almost had to take her to the scn but they stabilized at the last second.

Hi, firstly - good luck with deciding what you want to do and in getting the date that you want.

My DS was born at 37+4 by emergency c-section when my labour failed to progress. We had some problems with DS with feeding for at least a week, he just wanted to sleep all the time, and he was coughing up mucous for the first few days/nights. We are not sure what we are doing in terms of the birth of our second, but I'll be trying to get past 38wks no matter what happens to try and reduce the chances of having similar probs.

Good luck.
FG

Newest research suggests that elective CS's should be scheduled for 39 weeks due to complications if they are scheduled before then. MMS: Error. If there are no elective appointments available for 39 weeks you could always not schedule your CS date and turn up in labour at whatever date that happens spontaneously. You may have to labour for a little while but at least you know bub will be ready to be born. However I suspect if you don't turn up at 38 weeks for a CS they will find some time to fit you in for an elective. Good luck!

DS was born by elective CS 11 days early. He was breech and transverse and my ob was determined that I not go into labor.
He was quite little (2.8 kg) but otherwise fine, except that he got tired when feeding before he had had enough to drink - so we mostly ebm-fed him for the first few weeks before transitioning back to BF.

ds2 was born at 38+3, i was trying a vbac so it wasnt scheduled in but he was fine, no problems at all.
bub 3 will be elective c/s which i am yet to find out what gestation we will deliver but i dont invisage me going much past 38 wks due to my history or ruptured membranes (usually how my labour starts and once that happens, risk of infection is increased)