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Planned section at 34 weeks - any experience?

Dandilion

Member
Messages
9
Hi,

So this is baby no.3 and it has been a million times harder this pregnancy- my sugars have been uncontrollable throughout most of the pregnancy and no one seems to know why (I was even admitted to hospital for 2 weeks and put on a sliding scale yet the consultants STILL couldnt get my sugars where they should be.

Due to the effects of the diabetes baby isnt growing right - her head is on the 50th percentile, her stomach is on the 97th, and her legs on the 3rd (though we are a short family and both my boys were also on the lower end for leg length). She also has excess fluid surrounding her. Due to this the consultants have decided she will be better out than in and want to take her out between 34-35 weeks. I am currently 33 weeks and have a scan in 8 days to determine the exact date of the c-section.

I am absolutely petrified - my boys were born at 38 weeks and 36 weeks and were both fine (though the youngest had a bought of jaundice). I didn’t have this with my other two babies and I am so upset because I’ve tried so hard and nothing seems to have helped. I feel like everyone (particularly non-diabetics) is judging me like im doing something wrong on purpose or not listening to what im told etc. I feel like such an awful mum to my poor baby girl who isnt even here yet.

Does anyone have any experience in having a baby out so early due to diabetes? Particularly if they were disproportioned like mine is predicated to be? Were they okay? Did they need help/go to SBCU?

As the date is getting ever closer I’m getting so stressed, and I would love to hear how other babies in a similar situation were.

Any advice appreciated x
 
No experience- my baby was induced at 36 weeks due to small size, high blood pressure and placenta issues. So I ambing this up for you so others have more chance of seeing your message.
You know that you have tried your best to manage everything and with two healthy pregnancies behind you there is already a riven track record of looking after yourself during pregnancy.
I hoe all goes well for you and your family.
 

Hi I had my daughter at 33 weeks ( I was 42) but it wasn't planned. She was in SCBU and is now 18, she is a healthy and a happy girl, we were both looked after very well. Please try not to get too anxious or stressed, I know it's hard, but you will be in the safest place with the proper care and support from medical staff.
Good luck and sending you lots of good wishes, for a beautiful, healthy baby X
 

Thank you - getting very nervous as it approaches! X
 

Thank you for your reply - I think her being in SCBU is worrying me most; i dont want to be kept away from her or unable to hold her etc because she’s too ill


Also worried that I wont see her much as I’ll be recovering from the section (it took me quite a while last time to recover). I know we will both be in the best place but I cant help but worry! X
 

It's a precautionary measure, so the baby can be monitored properly around the clock.
 

My daughter was born at 30 weeks, leaving them in SCBU is hard, but she’s 18 months and developing as she should. SCBU will look after your little girl. I think born around 34-35 weeks the biggest issue will be feeding. They will support you immensely. Fingers crossed it’s a short stay and your little girl will be home quickly xx
 
I had my daughter at 34 weeks, I was induced as my insulin requirements plunged and no one knew why, obvious concern was that the placenta was deteriorating. She was doing fine on the scans and my sugars had been fine until the lows. I was told that 34 weeks was the earliest they are fully formed and just small so they are comfortable from that perspective delivering then - she was 4lb 6oz when born but I had been on a drip for dehydration which I think pushes their weight up a bit too. She was in SCBU for 2 nights then we did 1 further night on the post-natal ward together. The main issue was jaundice and she did have a feeding tube but only for 24hours, she was then fine on her own.
I really struggled with breastfeeding. My milk didn't properly come in then I never got volume about about 30ml per boob, even after loads of pumping. I did mixed feeding for 5 months which was really tiring! I think it was due to the delivery being early, all the stress around that, then I lost a lot of blood but never got tested/treated for anaemia for 4 days.
Otherwise things are now fine. My daughter is just over 2 and the right size for her age and no development issues at all. It did take a while for her to catch up - she was in newborn/1 month old clothes until well over 3 months, and she was on the slower end of crawling/walking but nothing out of the ordinary range. When people talk about the 4th trimester, I really do think you need to add on at least those extra 6 weeks
 
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