Pregnant NICU nurse

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Specializes in NICU and neonatal transport.

Ok so I work in a huge NICU and get all the bad cases from all over, when they get to HDU we send them back..so I see the worst case scenarios most of the time and don't get too much of feeding&growing etc.

Was fine through the 23;24;25wk stage, looked after babies same gestation as mine and was ok. Happy when I hit 28wks cos in my head that's a relaxed admission IYKWIM.

Now I'm 36wks and no sign of baby making a move. Would be so happy if baby was born tonight! All I can think of is all the HIE kids I've looked after. I would rather have a 30wkr than a post-term baby any day. Have had LOADS of HIE babies because we are one of the only places that cool, it always seems to be me looking after the ones that turn out to be severe HIE and have discontinued care on so many of these poor babies.

Wondering what I can possibly say to the midwife tomorrow to convince her that I cannot possibly wait until 42wks to be induced.

Any ideas besides actually crying to her?

Thanks for reading xx

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Specializes in interested in NICU!!.

i just hope everything goes well and that you and the baby will be healthy and in good condition!

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You are a NICU nurse that wants to deliver at 36 weeks for no reason other than you are afraid of going post term?? I'm sorry, but I am incredulous. I hope your midwife has the good sense to tell you that your baby is not ready.

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Specializes in NICU.

I don't think the OP said she wants to deliver tomorrow as much as just to know that her midwife won't let her go to 42 weeks. I can empathize.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I understood from your posting you weren't looking to be induced at 36 weeks, but that you were just not wanting to go all the way to 42 weeks.

If your unit does the "cooling" then I'm sure you see ALL the HIE infants born for quite a distance. This gives you a disproportionate view of the frequency of HIE. I had a view that gastroschisis was not uncommon, we often had 2-3 gastro babies at a time. But that's because our hospital is a perinatal referral center so all pre-natal diagnoses of gastro come to us from several hundred miles around.

You've made it through the longest part of your waiting and I know you are nervous, you know too much! Discuss your concerns with your midwife, she may induce you at 40-41 weeks, I would be sad to know that a MD/midwife would help you go earlier unless they had a valid medical reason. I know we don't have to convince you that infants born even as late as 36, 37, even 38 weeks (cause they weren't really 38 weeks) risk premature issues.

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Specializes in NICU.

Being a pregnant NICU nurse is hard!

I remember feeling the same way! I had weird dreams that my daughter needed to be in the NICU and I figured it would only be natural that I would be her nurse. I also dreamed that I got to take her out for a few minutes and play with her, then put her back to gestate more.

I'm sure everything will be fine. We just know too much!

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Specializes in NICU and neonatal transport.

Sorry if it read wrong, I don't want my baby to be prem just not to go too far over my dates. My friend was only induced at 42+2 at the same hospital I am booked in (a small local hospital) which I find scary- obviously I didn't say anything to her.

Will discuss everything with the midwife today, I realise I'm being ridiculous and we only see the 1% of deliveries - of which I see the worst cases- but it's difficult with all this knowledge of what COULD go wrong.

Oh and I also have SPD and a baby on the 80th centile so is going to be a difficult birth anyway....

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Specializes in L/D 4 yrs & Level 3 NICU 22 yrs.

A frank and honest discussion with your provider is in order. Explain your fears and concerns and come up with a plan together. Perhaps induction at 40 weeks instead of waiting until 42. I am sure your provider doesn't want to wait too late either, since that has its own set of complications even besides CPD. Best of luck to you!

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Now I'm 36wks and no sign of baby making a move. Would be so happy if baby was born tonight!

Wondering what I can possibly say to the midwife tomorrow to convince her that I cannot possibly wait until 42wks to be induced.

Any ideas besides actually crying to her?

If this is not what the OP meant, my apologies. But as the mother of two 36 weekers that have had a range of difficulties since birth and as a NICU nurse that has seen 36 weekers die from NEC, it truely upsets me that another would wish for that.

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Specializes in NICU.

hey...the lungs are matured at 37 weeks, right? Just wait another week! Here's to you having a safe delivery and a healthy baby : )

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Specializes in NICU and neonatal transport.

Sorry dawngloves that my post would upset you, it was obviously not intended in that way. I'm sure you know the majority of 36wkrs are absolutely fine, we do not routinely admit any 36 wkr, in fact most 35wk babies go home from the maternity ward.

What I was trying to say was I wouldn't be as worried having a 36wk baby (on the 80th centile and no problems) than waiting to be induced at 42 weeks. This is only due to my experience which I know is much less than yours...

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Specializes in NICU.

How are things going?

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