Hi All

Just wondering how common it is for twins who make it to 37 weeks to need time in special care.
I realise that all bubs are different but I've thankfully had no issues and both girls are growing well and blood flow and placenta function is good. I'm thinking they will be ok to be with me and will b/f without the same issues as the premmies. Is that reasonable?

I'm trying to prepare myself which I can't really do but I've hit the yucky uncomfortable point this week and am over it. I'm 35 weeks today so I don't have long to go and shouldn't complain. Plus, I've still got heaps of things to get done before the 27 July when we are booked in.

Your advice/experiences with twins at 37 weeks would be great.

Thanks
Kate

Just a quick reply but my twins were born at 36.6wks (just one day short of 37wks) and had to stay in SCU for 5 days and another 2 days rooming in with me. According to the scans they were expecting them to be of reasonable size, but they turned out a little smaller (2.190kg-2.710kg).

It came as a real surprise to me that they were taken away, I never expected it because I was pretty much 37wks and always 'assumed' that as long as I got that far they would be okay. You just never know! Good luck.

I guess like anything it depends on the bubs themselves,
My twins were born at 31 weeks, by 37 weeks they were almost ready for discharge. They came home at 37.5 weeks.

I had a singleton born last year smack band on 37 weeks (ivf so no doubt on dates) and he did need SCN for 4 days.

At the same time I have read of 36 weekers both multis and singletons rooming in with mum from the get go so hopefully this will be the case for your. If they do need to go into the nursery try not to fret too much and do take advantage of getting as much rest as you can. Those days in hosp will be a great time for getting feeding established etc as sometimes in the SCN they do have more time to help (depending on how bubs they have)

HI Kate,

My two were born at exactly 36 weeks. They spent 5 days in SC and 1 day rooming in. So essentially they only spent one extra day in hospital than if they were in the ward.

SC wasn't as bad as I thought, and had many positives for me. For example, Twin 1 got an infection and that was attended to straight away and was monitored continually by the nurses. I could get a little bit of extra sleep in the first few days when they were being tube fed. There was also really good midwifery care in the SCN which was fantastic.

They were touch and go whether to go to the ward or SCN (2.5kgs each) and in the end I'm pleased they went to the SCN....

Good luck
Michelle

Hi, mine were born at 37 +1, and they were absolutely fine (well, I still think J needed some help feeding and probably could have done with a night in SCU, but thats another story) Physically, they were fine - all lungs formed, all the important bits fine, just a little smaller than your average bub. Anni was 2.68kg and Jules was 2.26. So not huge but not tiny. They didnt spend any time in SCN and roomed in with me, were in recovery with me, etc. I actually wish they had of gone to the nursery just for one night because it actually just about broke me having them in with me for 5 days, 4 nights, after a c-section, and having pretty much 1 hour of sleep each day if I was lucky. (werent good feeders at all, took forever to feed, then forever to settle).

But hey, we are fine now!! Sorry to sound so gloomy, it wasnt the best experience for me.

Its anybodys guess whether they will need SCN or not, but dont look at it as a negative if they do - from what Ive heard, most of the hospitals still encourage all the skin to skin stuff even if bubs end up in SCN. As some of the PPs said, there are some definite advantages.

My guys were 35 weekers, and roomed in with me straight away. Forgot their weights. DS1 was 2,9 (6 pound 7ish) and DS2 was just under 2.5 kilos (5 pound 9ish)

Not twins but my small singletons....

DS1 was 37w5d and only 2.5kg, DD was 36w3d and 2.7kg both born via c/s, APGARS of 9:9... DD needed 30 secs of oxygen after delivery (while still in theatre). DS1 roomed in with me from the word go, DD was admitted to SCN overnight for observation but that was just a precaution as she was pre-37wks. She was in a normal hosptial bassinet and discharged to room in with me first thing the next morning. Both bubs though were given a small amout of formula on day 2-3 as their blood sugar levels went low.... my milk comes in days 4-5.

ETA: DS2 was 37w5d too 3.2kg no problems with him.

37 weekers usually are fine. I have seen the odd one require SCN for oxygen for a day or two and these babies have invariably been caesars or inductions who weren't ready to come rather than babies who initiated labour themselves.

More often the problem with 37 week babies is feeding issues. Some are quite sleepy with a suck reflex that isn't quite developed (others are absolutely fine). For that reason I would personally choose to leave them in for another week as I reckon that a week of tough pregnancy is probably easier than a week of breastfeeding problems with twins! Obs are now being encouraged to leave twins in until 38 weeks if possible. Obviously many twins will be born prior to this and some need to come out due to other clinical reasons.

Kate - from my point of view I have chosen to not have intervention and am currently 38+1 with twins. Cord doppler flows and amniotic fluid levels are fine so there doesn't seem any reason to take them out until they are ready unless things change.

So in answer to your question, not only is it reasonable to leave them in there until 38 weeks, it's now encouraged and more Obs are managing healthy twin pregnancies that way, particularly for Di/Di twins.

My twins were born at 37 + 1 and were fine... And roomed in with me straight away.

Tobias was 6lbs 3oz and Indigo was 5lbs 10oz.

To help get more sleep at hospital... If you are allowed to put them in the nursey... Do so!! At the hospital I went to... The nursey was open from 11pm til 6am. I used to send the twins down with expresed milk and get up once during the night just to express for 10 mins. It really helped me recover from the c-section. Trying to get up ever few mins to settle etc I was so sore.

Goodluck!!

Mine were 35+1 and were in SCN until discharge at 37+1. They were tube fed until 36+5. They could have roomed in with me for the last couple of days, but technically I was no longer a patient (switched to being a boarder after 9 days), so they had to go back to SCN at night. They were 2.4 & 2.6kg at birth.

This study compared twins born at 36 - 37 weeks with twins born at 38 weeks +


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1397866/


Conclusion Twins, when the pregnancy is uncomplicated, continue to grow and mature with advancement of the gestational age. In the absence of significant maternal complications, it is advisable to deliver twins only at 38 completed weeks' gestation or later to avoid neonatal complications.

My boys were 36 weekers born at just under 3kgs each only one of them was taken to the scn t2 roomed in with me from the start. Both were discharged with me on day 5.
Good luck with the up coming birth of your babies.

Mine were delivered at 36+5, 3.2 and 2.1 kg. The bigger one could have roomed in with me from the beginning but she went into SCN with the smaller one - mainly because I was unwell for the first couple of days after delivery. The smaller one had trouble maintaining temp and was very slow to feed (but a well baby). I took the bigger baby home after 3 days (hospital absolutely refused to let us stay longer) and the little one came home after 10 days in SCN once she was feeding reasonably well and consistently putting on weight.

I know quite a few people who've had babies delivered around 36-37 weeks (single and twins) and they've had a huge range of experiences - from 3 weeks in SCN to the more usual a couple of days or rooming in straight away.

If it had been an option I would have kept my babies in for a few days or a week more but there were signs that the small one wasn't doing too well and it was time to deliver her.

I was induced at 38 weeks and they were never taken away. They were 6lbs and 5lbs14oz

my twins were born at 37+5 and were perfect, 3.5kgs (ds) and 3.1kgs (dd), both came out screaming and i was told they could have gone home that day if it wasnt for me (c section). i did have a few problems during the pregnancy, (breathing difficulties from the pressure on my lungs, obstetric cholestasis, and 3 threatened miscarriages) , but the twins never seemed affected by any of it.

My twins were prem, spent time in SCN for their prematurity & came home @ 37+4.

Each child is different, so they may or may not need time in SCN.

HTH & good luck.

I think it will largely depend on your babies' size. My girls were born smack on 38 weeks and one of them almost ended up in SCU because at 2.4kg she was classed as underweight (anything below 2.5kg) and they wanted to monitor her blood sugar and her breathing. They managed to work out to do this on the ward but it was all up in the air for a little while. I expect that had she been born a week earlier she would've been in SCU for sure. The other one was 2.675kg and so a week earlier for her and she would probably have also been <2.5kg and may also have need SCU.

mine didn't 37+3, vb, 2.46 and 2.61kg

up to scn every 3hrs for 20mins for the first 12hrs for bsl due to my GDM but singletons are the same

Mine were born at 37+4, my daughter came to recovery but was not breathing properly (not bad but just not regular) so she went to special care, she could have been back with us within 4 hours but they had to get a doctor to sign her out of special care so she came back to us after about 8 hrs, they were born at 1.30pm and she came back later that night around 10 I think. My son came to room with me but the following morning went to special care for low blood sugar. He spent a day and a half down there, I went down and fed him a few times. I successfully breastfed, we did top ups in hospital but when they came home we stopeed top ups.

my sil's twins were born at 36 weeks and they only spent 1 night in scu and roomed in with them and came home after the 4 days. Natural birth too.

She's awesome..tandem bf them at day 2. Just used normal pillows. Never had a bf pillow.

I think it depends on the babies.

Mine never spent any time in scu. Though I was by myself so the nurses kindly took them away to the nursery for a few hours now and there so I can get some sleep. Mine were 38weeks. They were quite small still, 2.5kg and 2.9 kg. My sil's twins were bigger at 36 weeks.

i had my boys at 37+2. Kobe came out screaming and fine he was 3.2kilos, however with marley no screaming, he was 3.1kilos and had a low apgar score and needed help breathing (he was totally squeeshed in there) - he was in the High Dependancy Unit for 6 days with feeding tube (oxygen for first night) and then moved to SCN for one night before being roomed with me 2 nights before i was discharged...both happy (well most of the time - hehehe) and healthy now . To be honest it was probably a good thing as i got to adjust with ONE new baby rooming in with me, although BF'ing Kobe and then going upstairs to HDU to then BF Marley while expressing inbetween was tiring but hey you do what you gotta do - all the very best to you

My two were born at 37w6d and weighed 2.5kg and 2.6kg. They came back to my room with me from recovery but DD did spend a few hours in a humidicrib in triage at the SCN for having a low temp. However she was back soon enough and we all went home on day 3.

Hi

Saw this is recent topics

My singleton was born at 37 weeks. he was 2.66kgs, but i did have steroid injections on board.

He was in Neonates for about 6 hours, he had trouble breathing and they were also checking his BSL as that was low.

HTH

My boys were born at 36.4 weeks, went straight to SCN and spent 2 weeks there coming home at 38.4 weeks.

They were 2.8 and 3.0 kg's.

Initially they were monitored for breathing and blood sugar, and then feeding issues, very sleepy babies.

We were 36+3 and they roomed with me, although needed to be under lights for Jaundice for a good part of the 9 days we were there.... They also were tube fed for the first day.

Oh and weights were 6pd9oz and 6pd11oz.

My two were c section 38+1. Both straight to special care. Olivia 2.4kg(5lb 8oz) on oxygen for a couple of days. Amber 2.6 kg(5lb 12oz) just in special care for a day. Although she was put back in on day 6 as her breathing was very laboured.

Both had jaundice didn't need lights just daily heel prick tests which was awful.

Olivia was tube fed 1st day or two.

Both home at 7days.

I was not expecting them to go to special care. I literally saw Olivia for a few seconds then the girls and hubby were whisked away. Amber was brought into me for a cuddle very late the 1st night. I didn't get to see Olivia till i'd been up and showered the following day. Thankfully my Mum had brought a polaroid camera and took a pic of Olivia in the humidicrib so I could see her. Not overly nice when all your visitors can see the babies and you can't.

Every bub is so different so be aware that it may happen but hopefully it won't for you.

Good luck to you.

Hi

My boys were born at 37+1 by c-section. They weighed 2.9kg and 3.1kg. They didn't go into SCN but did have NG tubes for the first week - this was because they got tired quickly when BFing and the tubes were used for top up feeds (initially formula then EBM). We were in hospital for 10 days (for my recovery and to get BFing established - we were in a private hospital). I would have liked to have the boys in the nursery more overnight than they were - hospital policy was rooming in and they would only take them to the nursery for medical reasons (they had 2 nights in the nursery - one when I had blood transfusion and another when I was trying to recover from mastitis).

Interesting to read all the different experiences - like many PPs have said, all bubs are different but I think it is great that you are being prepared. I just assumed that bubs born after 36 weeks would have no issues so the NG tubes were a bit of a shock.

good luck and hth

Redchick

Requiring NG tubes at 37 weeks is probably on the severe end of the feeding issues they can have at that gestation. They are more likely to be just sleepy and a bit inefficient at sucking (slow feeders). So sorry to hear that they were so difficult initially.

This is one of the reasons why Obs are being encouraged to keep them in until 38 weeks these days (unless there is a reason to take them out before).

Amazing the range of experiences we have had. I think a lot depends on your hospital and caregivers too.

Mine were born at 35+4 weeks, weighing 3.2kg and 2.8kg. DS (the bigger twin) needed no SCN and roomed in from the start. DD (the smaller twin) had 3 days on oxygen. We all went home together on Day 6.

Mine were 37 + 2 with low birth weights 2.4 and 2.2kg. Twin A needed level 3 NICU care as he wasn't breathing at birth and was on CPAP, twin 2 roomed in with me from the start. Feeding was difficult, they were borderline needing tubes and getting them to drink 10ml took ages. Boys tend to have more troubles than girls

Hi Ladies

Many thanks for your replies. I guess I'll just have to wait and see and try and go with the flow.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the girls will take after their siblings and be strong healthy bubs who feed well.

I've had my shot of steroids so hopefully it'll help with any breathing issues. My OB thinks they'll be fine and they seem to be growing well. He mentioned 3 times how big my belly was at my appointment this week. Lucky he's wonderful otherwise I may have punched him as I was having a totally over it day!

Thanks
Kate

Hi,

My twins were born exactly 37wks via c-section. They went straight to SCN - which I think is the standard for twins - just to keep an eye on them. DS had a feeding tube for 1 day. DD had no problems - they both were formula feed from Day1 and put on weight quiet quickly. They were born exactly 6lbs 1/2oz each.

They could be in the room with me if I wanted and I did - but the nurses quiet sensibly suggested get some rest now cause when you go home you won't have us I took them up on their advice because I was quiet weak for the week while I was in hospital. but on the last 2 nights I had them with me

Cheers

My girls were born at 38 weeks via c-section. Both were fine at 2.680kgs & 3.180kgs and with me the whole time. (DH was with me the first night after the c-section)

Although when I was having them I couldn't have them at the private hospital like I wanted to because there was no special care beds available just in case there was a problem. I had to have them in the public hospital and get a transfer the following day instead. Oh, and because they weren't patients I had to have family bring them over to me. So, they got their first walk in their pram at about 19hrs old with someone other than me.

Mine were 36+5 wks and almost 3kg each, I had gone into labour but had a C-section (DS was footling breech)/ Both were taken straigth to SCN and stayed there for 2 nights, I think (5.5 yrs down the track I can't remember ) . This was because they weren't maintaining their body temps.

They were born early in the morning and I didn't see much of them, other than nurses bringing them in for feeds. I never actually saw them in the SCN. I wasn't well and I really couldn't care for them at all, I hadn't changed a nappy for the first few days.

On the 4th morning they roomed in and I was only calling the nurse for pain medication and assistance with attaching for BF.

We stayed 6 nights in the end and we left when I no longer needed the stronger pain medication and I could BF without needing a Midwife to assist attachment. I did still need DH or someone to hand me the second twin though.

Our twins were born at 38 weeks at 3.3kg and 3.5 kg via c section. Both still spent 3 days in special care. The smaller twin was on cpap.

My Twins were born at 37+1, Abbie was 6lb 7oz and was perfectly fine, Joshua was 6lb and spent 6 days in special care and one night rooming in before I begged with the drs to let me home (they wanted to keep us another day) Joshua had some respiratory problems, and some issues with keeping feeds down. The nurses were fantastic and let Abbie spend the nights in special care with her brother letting me sleep and waking me when she needed a feed (josh was being fed through a nasal tube), apparently once they are discharged they are not to return to the special care nursery but they wanted them to still be able to be near each other which was sweet....

Hiya,
Wow what an amazning range of experiences!! My DD's were born at 37 +1 (c/s) Both had agpar of 9. Both stayed with me the whole time and I fed them both in recovery . We all roomed in together and we went home on day 5 I think from memory. We did have afew sucking issues common to 37 weekers but I just expressed onto a teaspoon and fed them from the teaspoon which gave them enough of the idea to attach and feed better. There was a nursery which I sent them off to nightly to catch soon sleep and the nurses brought them back to me for feeds...
Good luck with your bubbas!! Enjoy!
Regards
Nat

P.S Beth was 2.9 kilo and Amy 2.3 kilo
N