Monday, December 14, 2009

any day now!

Two weeks ago, at 35 weeks:

Tonight at 37 weeks:
It's like I have nothing else to blog about these days except my growing belly. There is a lot of important and memorable things going on in our household, but it takes brain power to write a good blog post and that's something I'm lacking these days. I could make a laundry list of things I've forgotten in the past few weeks, and some of them being major and quite embarrassing. But I guess people are willing to cut me a little slack, given my pretty full plate.

Aside from pretty severe insomnia, leading to my lack of brain power, I'm feeling pretty good. I'm definitely starting to get uncomfortable and I can tell my body is preparing for labor. Lots of lovely things going on, but I'll spare the nitty-gritty details.

In case you have or haven't noticed from my belly pictures, it doesn't seem that baby has any major growth spurts in the last 4-6 weeks. He's definitely getting bigger, that I can personally attest to, but there was some cause for concern at my doctor appointment last week because baby was measuring on the smaller side. I've never measured small with my girls, in fact, if anything, I was always on the bigger side, so hearing I was measuring small was a little shocking, and as you can imagine, a little nerve-wracking. My doctor ordered an ultrasound for the same afternoon, just to put my mind at ease.

Fortunately, everything crucial checked out fine - fluids, umbilical cord, etc - but he is a little small. Last week he was measuring around 5 1/2 lbs, which put him in the 30th percentile for 36 weeks. I understand from what I've read and in talking to others that the ultrasound can be off by a pound (or more sometimes) because they can't determine the amount of fat on the baby, so he might be a bit bigger than that. Needless to say, I'm hoping baby stays INSIDE as long as he needs to because I want him chunked out for the Minnesota cold. Considering his size, we probably won't go through with the induction, and I'm totally okay with that. I want him to come at HIS own pace, because that is ultimately what is best for him. For now, I'm choosing not to worry because my doctor has assured me that everything is fine.

I'd be curious to hear if anyone else has experienced this before and what the outcome was???

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I have not experienced that, but I don't have that much experience to begin with, but I did want to say that I think you are the cutest pregnant person ever. Maybe you should go for number 5 :-)

Anne said...

I check your blog out from time to time but haven't left a message yet. I found your blog through a gal that knows you. Anyway..we've had a similar situation as you. We had our 4th child 4 weeks ago. Our first son I went over my due date. My second child (a girl) came 2 weeks early, our third (a girl) came 3 weeks early...our 4th was a little rougher pregnancy with high blood pressure, gest diabetes..etc. So at 36 weeks I had an ultrasound too..he weighed 6 and 1/2 lbs by their measurements. He came 3 weeks early and so fast no doctors could make it into the room. He came out great though (8lbs 2 oz)..they said he was bigger because he was retaining water because he dropped to 7lbs 2oz with 24 hours and he was bottle fed within that 24 hours. All turned out great though..your lil guy will gain weight! Even if he came out under 6lbs I know he'd be fine..our friends deliver 4 weeks early with a 4lb baby and he is doing great! Good luck with your new one...such a great time of year to welcome a new one to the family!
Anne

Kami said...

Chat with Tory! He and Lisa just had a baby girl a couple of months ago and she was TINY. She fit into Preemie clothes when she was born and is just now starting to wear her newborn clothes. Perfectly healthy little girl - just perfectly small! :)

Praying your last weeks will be comfortable and restful!

Anonymous said...

Hey Amanda, Don't worry at all!!!! Both Owen and Jacob were small and were always small. They both came early - Owen 2 weeks and 1 day early and Jacob 3 weeks early. Owen was born at 6lbs 9oz and Jacob 6lbs 1oz. They were just tiny little farts and survived the MN cold. We even had to bring Jacob to Childrens because of his weight - but it all turned out just fine, no problems he will just be smaller like me. So I would not worry - he probally takes after you more than Andy. Remember Andy is super tall and you are more petit! You are SO cute! Say hi to the girls!
Jes

Mamaskills said...

He's already got Andrew beat :) Miss you!

Kristine said...

You still have a little time to pack pounds on him. Remember my boys were less than 4 lbs. when they were born and they have caught up just fine!! (They're 25 each now...)
Also, yes, the ultrasound can be off, so I wouldn't worry quite yet. He's got all the parts he needs, developmentally speaking, if he's skinny, you'll just have to hold him more, and that's not a bad thing! :)

Anonymous said...

Amanda are you ever going to blog again?