Delivering tomorrow at 36+1 - baby only expected to be 2kg

We have had issues all pregnancy and my ob believes we have reached the point where bubs needs to come out. It is estimated she has only grown 300g in the last 4 weeks and is expected to be around the 2kg mark - so tiny for 36 weeks! (DD was 3.31 at 39 weeks).

Apart from being nervous about being induced, after looking through the nursery and talking to the midwife I'm really worried about the nursery stay. I also worried about the effect on possible breastfeeding. How did you cope with all this? It is expected she will be in approx 2-3 weeks, so I know that's not long compared to what some of you went or are going through, but do you have some tips or advice for a nervous Mum?

Just wanted to send you love and best wishes x

Both my girls were Premmie (30 and 34 weeks). You shoul be able to breastfeed but please note it may take time. Bub is only starting to develop suck reflex now. They may start bub on just 1 or 2 a day then build on them dependent on how they go.

Don't stress just take the ride as it comes.

Feel free to ask anything

At 36wks your baby *may* not need to stay in SCN. If bub does though, my biggest piece of advice is tell the Dr's, registrars etc they cannot do anything without your consent, unless it is emergency lifesaving treatment.. As Onelittle princess said, breastfeeding is definitely possible, push very hard for skin to skin ASAP, even if bub is too weak to suck, skin to skin will be good for both of you. Establishing breastfeeding can take time and sometimes it is really frustrating because it can be the only thing holding you back from going home.. Try not to let the nurses push you into bottle feeding and try and be there for as many feeding opportunities as you can, so babe can get suckfeeding on you as often as possible. (I waited 4 months to breastfeed, but we are still going :) ) Bub may have jaundice and be under lights. Umm, trying to think of anything else to tell you... Just be there as much as you can, even if for some reason you can't hold bub, just being there makes so much difference. Feel free to ask me anything else more specific :)

I hope none of this is neccessary and you have a safe birth with beautiful skin to skin immediately.. Good luck. :hug:

ETA: If bub is taken away to SCN, the sooner you can start expressing the better. The LC will probably see you though and they will explain about expressing etc..

I'm sitting in SCN right now.. Next to my baby is a little one alternating bottle and boob 3:1. Tube feeds also as she gets very tired. Loads of babies and nurses are very encouraging for ALL mums to attempt bfing. (Apart from one or two witches but you know they're loonies as soon as you talk to them.)
As long as you're happy to stick it out and keep expressing you'll be fine. Just grab a breastfeeding brochure and kangaroo care brochure and leave them on your babies drawer in SCN. They'll be very supportive as long as you're not leaving your baby hungry. I have sat in here at 3am the last few nights listening to a baby scream from hunger while the mum sends down 3mls a time.. It sounds horribly upset :( she finally agreed to topup aptamil formula feeds yesterday and its settled and happy all night now. Bottles aren't BAD.. Boob is just better.

I can't offer any advice but I wanted to pop in to wish you all te best and i will be hoping that all goes well during and after labour. It sounds like you and bub are in good hands :hug:

Oh and take advantage ;) express one boob after bfing the other, and leave the nurses to do the graveyard shift!! Write down your feeding instructions in the space provided on your baby's care sheet. My baby has a touch of pulmonary hypertension and is on a bit of oxygen (25mL) due to unrelated low muscle tone lengthening his recovery (low muscle tone from Down syndrome) so he's perfectly healthy and I've had a couple of 7 hour sleeps. ;) not too shabby for a mum of a ten day old!

Good luck tommorow
at 36 weeks i agree that your bubs might not have to be in SCU
my twins came home for SCU at 36 weeks gestation and 1.7kg
They were 30 weekers
They might just keep bubs in for a couple of days to make sure bubs can maintain its temp, and can feed ok, esp if bubs suffered IUGR
At 36 weeks bubs will be able to suck/swallow so feeding should be fine too
suck swallow reflex comes in a 34 weeks

Definately agree with BAL and make sure they can only do procedures, feeds, meds etc with your permission.
I had a nurse about to give my twins artifical milk at one stage, when I had a fridge full of breast milk sitting there for them!!
Also dont be afraid to ask for contact with your bubs/cuddles etc. Kangaroo care is the BEST thing you can do both for you and bubs
let us know how you go and good luck

Mine wasn't prem or small, but was in SCN. I did get 2 hours skin to skin and could breastfed, but shortly after it was clear he had severe respiratory problems and they took him away :( and I wasn't allowed to feed due to them not knowing what was wrong, so he screamed from hunger for more than 24 hours :( but, nurses encouraged as much skin to skin, as that does help milk to come in, plus 3 hourly expressing, which was stored. They then used that to tube feed him. 48 hours later I was allowed to breastfeed. Just be there as much as you can. Most nurses will be encouraging you to express.

I was induced due to PE at 36 + 0 weeks. DS2 was 2 kg when born. No SCN needed as he was able to suck. However BF was hard work to start as he was very sleepy. Keep an eye out for jaundice which is common in early bubs.

Good luck! Hope you got some sleep.

GL today chody.

My teeny princess came home from SCN at 37w weighing 1.9kg. So fingers crossed you won't be in for the long haul.

Although it was only 4 weeks she was in SC for, it was the hardest 4 weeks for me emotionally. Be kind to yourself hun, you're about to have lots of emotions running through you.

DD started properly bfing (as in a full feed with no tube top ups) around 36w too. So bfing absolutely can be done.

Having to go home without your baby is horrible :( do call as much as you need to, to check on bub.

If you want to talk, feel free to PM me.

:hug:

Thinking of you today.

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I was induced due to PE at 36 + 0 weeks. DS2 was 2 kg when born. No SCN needed as he was able to suck. However BF was hard work to start as he was very sleepy. Keep an eye out for jaundice which is common in early bubs.

Good luck! Hope you got some sleep.

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Oh wow! This would be a wonderful result!

Thanks for sharing your experiences and well-wishes everyone. I'm sure ill read this thread in much more detail later when I know for sure what we are dealing with.

DS was 36+3, was only in the SCN for 2 days and hd sucked quite well for a premmie. He was 2.6kg. Biggest problem was keeping him awake to feed

We had lots if skin to skin Kanga care. The SCN were wonderful

Good luck today xx

Sending you much love for today and hoping your stay in SCN is short.

We have had a 35 weeker (2.4kg) and a 36 weeker (3.5kg heiffer boy!). Little Miss was in for just under 2 weeks until we established BF and she put on enough weight to satisfy them. I won't lie, leaving my baby in hospital was amongst the hardest things I've ever done, but the SCN team were absolutely incredible and supported me in lots of skin to skin, exclusive EBM then BF and coping with my separation anxiety.

Enjoy meeting your little one!

No experience to give you, just well wishes for you today and I hope everything goes well for you xo

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No experience to give you, just well wishes for you today and I hope everything goes well for you xo

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Couldn't have said it better! Can't wait to hear the big announcement :hug:

Thinking of you today Chody. Praying everything goes well, good luck sweet :hug: