Make me feel better but please be honest

So I am 37 weeks pregnant right now. I have had a repeat c-section planned for 2 months now for next Friday which would make me exactly 38 weeks. When I booked it everything was fine. Earlier this week there was a scheduling conflict and they tried to change my section to later in the week. I live out of state and I am having my mom come in to help with my daughter when I give birth and later in the week was really impossible for me.

When I expressed this to the doctors it all of a sudden became less about the scheduling issue and more about the health of my baby. "The extra days would ensure a healthy baby" "it is a little risky to deliver at exactly 38 weeks we usually like to wait to 38 1/2 or 39 weeks." Anyway, at first I was mad, now I am nervous.

So, my question after all of that is... who had their baby at 38 weeks and did they have any complications or need to be in the NICU.
My daughter was born at 37 weeks and was totally healthy with perfect agpar scores. I just hate feeling this way.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I think they now have to have a reason before they can deliver before any more than 10 days before your due date...UNLESS they do the amnio to check the lung development. Ive had children at 35weeks, 36 weeks, and 37 weeks..all were fine.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

It's obviously a cover-up. I don't understand how it was okay for them to schedule you for the section at exactly 38 weeks from the beginning but now that there is a scheduling conflict, they are using the baby's health as an excuse. Shame on them. I would rip into them.

I hope it works itself out. This is the last thing you need. I woudl express to them that the only reason that this baby would not be born "healthy" is due to the stress that they would be causing you by having to move your section date.

Good luck!

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I know that many doctors like to hold out longer because the lungs are the last to develop & many babies can be born with premature lungs which is not a critical issue, normally, but can be problematic depending on the baby. My DD was born c-section @ 40 weeks - she was my first & my doctor wanted to wait as long as possible to make sure she was full term. Good luck.

ETA: I was initially "scheduled" for May 10th & then about the first week of May, my doctor changed it to the 17th. It may have been a scheduling issue, but I trusted her that it was better for the baby & me to wait longer.

Message edited 11/9/2007 10:43:59 AM.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

My OB would only schedule me for a c/s no sooner than 39 weeks. Even then he said to wait until full term was best.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

My doctor would not scheduale my repeat c/s for anything more then 7 days before my due date. I delivered at 39 weeks. However 38 weeks is considered full term and I wouldnt be worried unless you beleive you due date isnt really accurate

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I had an emergency C at 38 weeks with Julia, my BP was high. She was fine, had no complications at all.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I was induced at almost 37 weeks. The baby was born with jaundice but other than that...everything else was fine. It sounds a little fishy to me that it became an issue as an afterthought.

I'm sure either way...everything will turn out okay. Don't get yourself all upset about it. Positive thinking is so important to you and your baby!!!!

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

Im also a beleiever of "the more they cook in there, the better".

babies come out when they are ready. so with c-sections (I had 3) I also didnt want them scheduled earlier for the Dr's convenience.
with one, I didnt schedule it at all, and wanted to go into labor on my own, well my son was 9 days LATE (passed the due date) so I thought of it as, adding those 9 days to the two weeks EARLY that they wanted to schedule. he had all that much more time to develop as was meant to be.

my 3rd c/s, I scheduled for 2 days before due date (which happened to be a date I wanted) or I would have also waited longer.

EVerything will work out fine

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

My OB scheduled me for 38w 4d and DD wound up coming a week early anyway. Her APGAR scores were not great but she never spent time in the NICU. She weighed 7 lb. 1 oz. HTH.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

Listen to the doctors!!!! I went in for a scheduled doctor appt where I was going to find out when my c-section would be. This was as I started my 38th week. They said they wouldn't perform it until at least week 39. Well, instead of getting my scheduled date, I was brought to the hospital to deliver. (They thought I was showing pre-eclampsia) I gave birth and my baby was in the NICU for fluid in his lungs. He was born at 11 pounds 8 ounces, so size has nothing to do with it.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I *think* one of the reasons you were scheduled for a c-section is because you had your daughter at 37weeks. From what I read, you are full term at 36weeks. I hope all goes well and you deliver a healthy baby.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I had dd at 38 weeks cause i had PUPPS nothing was wrong with her at all. she didn't need to stay in the NICU at all. She was 6IBs 7 ounces.

I though full term was at 37 weeks .

HTH

GOodluck

Message edited 11/9/2007 11:49:03 AM.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I'm scheduled for induction next week at 38 weeks. My dr. said the baby is full term by then so there should be no issues. I thought anything after 37 weeks is considered full term. Sounds like a cover up IMO.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I was induced at 37w5d and had a wonderful experience.

Our baby did spend time in the NICU, but that was due to a blood incompatibiity issue and she probably would have had to stay even if I went to 40 weeks.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I had my baby at 38 wks, 3 days and he was fine! 7lbs 15oz, 20 inches long and VERY healthy!

I think they may be trying to make you feel like there is a medical reason behind doing it later, but really, they cant fit you in.

But IMO, while putting off a c/s as long as possible IS the healthiest for a baby, I dont think a few days should make a difference.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

DD was born at 37 1/2 weeks...
she was in NICU for a while (4 days) and weighed in at 5 pounds 13 ounces (so much for the huge gestational diabetes baby).
Now she is 1 year old and 90th % for weight- so obviously it didn't affect her!

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I was induced at 38 weeks (exactly) and my baby was 100% fine. He did go to NICU but only b/c I was running a fever when I delivered...he was fine. Sounds like they are trying to cover their scheduling mistake.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

i had dd at 37 weeks- 6 lbs 1 0z, perfectly healthy.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

I was schedule st exactly 39 weeks, but my water broke a week early, so I had her at 38 weeks. She was perfectly healthy and her apgars were 9 & 9. I don't think you should have anything to worry about delivering at 38 weeks.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

my 1st pregnancy ended in an emergancy c-section at 25 wks...thankfully I was at an hospital with an amazing NICU staff and my son is a healthy 3 yr old.

last January my I was scheduled for a repeat C-section at 38wks to deliver my daighter. Well, she decided that 38 wks was too long to wait, and I went into to labor exactly 7 days before the scheduled c-section.

she was born at 37 wks, at 5lbs, 6oz, 18 1/2 inches long. She was born healthy. I was able to Nurse her while I was in recovery. She was prefectly healthy, we even were able to leave the hospital a day ealry...TOGETHER.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

My sister has had 4 c-sections and they were all sched between 38-39wks. Her doc would just give her some dates and she picked what would work best for her. But her doc would never let her go before 38wks.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

My hospital's policy is 39wks or later for scheduled c/sections unless they have special approval due to medical reasons. While I have seen plenty of perfectly healthy babies born at 38,37,36 and even some 35+wks that avoid a NICU admission this policy is in place because there have been problems. Not every hospital has this particular policy so check to see what your hospital's policy is.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

Thank you all so much. It is just a nerve racking time right now. One week before my ds is supposed to be born and I have to deal with all this drama.

I just have to believe in my heart that he will be born healthy with no problems. I doubt that my doctor would have scheduled this date to begin with if they thought it was going to be a problem. I just have to remember that this is a scheduling problem on their end and they are trying to make me feel scared about the possibilities so that I agree to push the date out. If I could push the date out I would but then my mom would be gone and I would be delivering alone while my DH sat at home with our DD. I really don't want to do that.

Thanks again for your support. I needed to hear all the good outcomes. Keep us in your thoughts please.

Re: Make me feel better but please be honest

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-37-weeks_1126.bc

37 weeks is full term. DS was born 37w 1d by C. DD was scheduled for C at 38 weeks.