32 week Ultrasound in The REAL Baby Journey!

So I had my 32 week ultrasound today and went into it confident but a little cautious that maybe things weren’t going as hoped. I kept thinking of PB’s very own paradiesFOUND and how her little one needed to be delivered in the early parts of her 30ish weeks after she wasn’t growing as expected.

The ultrasound tech was great and very thorough and explained everything she was doing. She was very good about telling us when she was looking near the legs/groin so we’d look away and explaining exactly what she was measuring as she measured it. I liked her. Seeing as I’m there so often I’ve grown to like some people and their techniques over others and am always pleased when we get someone who respects how vital and touchy pronouns are for moms who don’t want to know gender! ;)

After the scan was done she brought the films to my high risk MD and had her look them over. Then my doctor came to talk to us (me and my mom). This high risk doctor is awesome and I couldn’t trust or appreciate her more - especially since my actual OB is a tool and makes me want to bang my head into a wall most of the time.

So my doctor sat down next to me and said while baby looks good and has hair and is practice breathing (a great sign!) and healthy, it’s falling off its growth curve to such an extent they’re worried about it. She recommended twice weekly non-stress tests (NSTs) and weekly fluid level ultrasounds along with my monthly growth ultrasounds. It’s a good thing I’m working a day less per week because the NSTs need to be 2-3 days apart and that is tough working three days per week! Regardless, I’ll do whatever it takes. I don’t think I need to do anything different lifestyle-wise but simply being monitored closer means the baby has the best chance possible to do as well as possible for as long as possible.

If we start doing these NSTs and the baby starts to ‘fail’ them then we’d have to talk about delivering earlier. My high risk doctor assured it it would still be vaginal but would likely need to be induced. I really, really don’t want to be induced but I want a healthy and safe baby more than anything. I will do what they recommend and take it week by week. I feel good and strong and capable - just with a littler than average bump and an itty bitty uterus. My doctor even pointed out my uterus is actually proving to be about the third of the size of a normal one instead of a half like they thought so that could explain some of the growth restriction issues.

When we looked at the baby it does look great. It’s getting chubby little cheeks and growing hair (!!!) and moving all around in there even though I can’t feel it very much. My doctor said it’s simply ran out of room to move too much and has been ‘out of room’ since about 16-20 weeks given that my uterus is just not expanding as they hoped. However, she reiterated again, the baby looks good and is measuring at 32 weeks, 2 days while I am at 34 weeks, 4 days. It’s just a smaller than average version of 32 weeks, 2 days. She is predicting my baby to be between 6 lbs and 6 lbs 8 oz at delivery assuming I go full term. I’ll take that! Healthy but not too big. Now keep cooking!

It was wonderful to have my mom there and feel her support and soak up her postivity. I truly don’t feel stressed about this as I am in such good hands and baby is healthy but constrained by the restrictions of a body not meant to do this. My uterus is like the little uterus that could though and I’ll sing its praises forever once it gives me a healthy little one at the end of this. It may be small but it is mighty! I’m going to focus on getting enough rest, drinking enough water, preparing my little adorable nursery full of tiny baby clothes covered in frogs and puppy dogs and sunshines and being happy and relaxed. I have not only great doctors but great family and friends (you guys!) and things are good. We’re lucky we have great healthcare and once this baby is born, all of these things that are stressing us will be gone because a healthy baby is growing in there. The problem is with me, not with the baby and between the two I’ll definitely take that.

An updated picture of my little nugget!

Me, today, holding tight to that little bundle of love :)