Yesterday I had an ultrasound and my weekly OB visit. Kevin worked from home so he could come along, which was such a blessing. The baby is still a girl--hooray!--and is head down, also a hooray. Everything major looked good. Apparently she is pretty thin however! Her head measurements indicate a February 19th due date (my initial due date, based on my LMP, which I maintain is correct) but her abdomen is indicating that she is due much later, which means she's skinny. (The first ultrasound we had showed her measuring at a due date of March 8th, but I think this is incorrect. Same thing happened with Anna and they are still convinced she was born four weeks early. Uh, I don't think 7 pound, 13 ounce babies are a month early! I wish they wouldn't always base your due date on ultrasound.)
Because of this I guess the doctor will be monitoring my amniotic fluid through an ultrasound each visit from here on out (though it was perfectly normal yesterday), as well as doing the NST (non-stress test to check the heartbeat) bi-weekly. This is kind of annoying, but apparently he says smaller babies are more at risk for problems during delivery or something. (I realize he doesn't think my baby is in any imminent danger, but I can't help but worry!)
Let it be known that I was only 5 pounds, 8 ounces when I was born, and healthy as a horse. I wasn't born prematurely, either. I was surprised to hear that I have a skinny baby this time around, since Anna certainly wasn't and I've gained plenty of pounds myself this pregnancy. Right now the ultrasound indicates the baby weighs about 5 pounds, 12 ounces. Maybe my babies just grow at strange rates--Anna's head to abdomen ratio was an "issue" as well, but the other way around. Her abdomen, for awhile, was measuring big for her head, indicating a fat baby (and therefore the doctor wanted another ultrasound to rule out a problem like diabetes or something?), and by the next ultrasound it had evened out.
I also didn't gain any weight this last week, which I found intriguing but maybe for the best since I gained those two pounds last time. Right before I had Anna (as in my appointment the day before I went into labor) I discovered I hadn't gained any weight that week. Maybe this is a sign that the birth is near?
Friday, February 09, 2007
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10 comments:
so exciting! i know it's so easy to worry...it starts before they're born and when does it stop?! can't wait to meet this precious girl!
you and kevin having a skinny baby? i'm hardly shocked :)
r
tommy and hunter were 2.5 lbs each when they were born as preemies. 5lbs 12oz seems HUGE! :)
Well you better keep posting regularly, otherwise we will think you've gone and had that baby! Blessings to you...
Shana
Let the doctors keep doing their tests. It will give everyone a little peace during the wait to have a little "look/see" every week. When your sweet girl comes out tiny, but healthy, the inconveniences won't matter anymore. I'll keep you all in prayer, just in case. 8^)
I just watched a Discovery Health Baby Story kind of thing yesterday where the baby was consistently measured small throughout the pregnancy and the mom was given all kinds of cautionary tales that her child would be low birth weight and maybe have growth issues, etc...even days before the birth...only to then have an 8 lb 9 oz boy! Way to go technology!
Not to get on a soapbox by any means, but this is one of my big pet peeves with traditional OBs...they rely so much on the technology and put so little faith in what the mom has to say. I know you've probably told them a million times that your LMP was x date which puts your baby at x due date...but they don't really listen. It just bugs me. K, I'm done.
My comment was really short yesterday. Aubrey was fighting me for the mouse and I gave up! I know the stress tests are inconvienent, but they are really neat. I only had one with Aubrey. Also it will put your mind at ease. The doctors want to make sure you and the baby are protected, we are fortunate to live some place that has the technology to utilize. We are also fortunate to have HMO's that pick up all the cost!!!
Yep, I just love how they try to guess how much that baby weighs. My OB told me straight out she couldn't tell for sure and anyone who tried was guessing. No worries. :0) Angel
Jeannett I agree, this is a frustration I have with the medical "establishment" as well. Very little credence is given to the body, common sense, whatever--and too much credit is given to machines and technology which are not always accurate. I'm grateful for medical advances and the like, but doctors sometimes rely too heavily on "textbook" information and don't trust in the natural flow of things enough.
I have been lurking on your blog for a few weeks now after doing a search on HIV adoption. I just have to say that you have a beautiful family and I'm excited to find other like-minded parents out there. My husband and I are getting ready to foster a beautiful black baby boy and I've begun to crave having a multi-cultural family! I love to see the pictures of your biological child and your adopted children interacting with one another....PRECIOUS!
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