Today I am 33 weeks and 6 days pregnant. And with another week comes another scan! To say that the inside of those waiting rooms are places I want never to see again would be an understatement. I have spent too many hours sitting on those chair with a pounding heart and a too still belly. But this week Ghostwriterdaddy was with me and the news was good!
Baby is still a good four weeks behind the ‘average’ baby- indicated by both the tape measure and the scan- and still below the 10th centile on my personalised growth chart. Still a tiny poppyseed. BUT for the second week running, the doppler results were good. Blood flow and fluid levels all within normal parameters. Normal enough for baby to stay put a little while longer. Hooray!
My biggest concern since the abnormal results has been the chance of the blood flow reducing once more, and cutting essential oxygen to baby. However, it turns out that sometimes the blood flow can take a while to mature, which could account for the IUGR in this case. If delivery was urgent, the blood flow would be worsening now, instead of improving. What a huge relief! So with everything looking ok for now, we are back to fortnightly scans and we have even agreed that baby can stay inside until 37 weeks.
The policy with IUGR babies is that delivery should be made between 34 and 37 weeks and as baby is doing better than expected, we get the long stay option. How wonderful is that? We even have a section date booked, with the intention of administering steroids to mature baby’s lungs, and the promise of only a short visit to special care. MRSA swabs have been taken and this all just got so real, so suddenly.
Our tiny baby will soon be here.
So for the sake of tradition, this week the baby is the size of a pineapple, allbeit a small one. The average baby is growing fast now, gaining around half a pound a week (the poppyseed seems to be gaining around half of that, but gaining still!) and the average weight of around 4.5 lb could double before birth! Apparently, baby can now differentiate between day and night, thanks to light penetrating through the womb- let’s hope the poppyseed can remember all of this! Baby is also developing an immune system, ready for fighting bugs and nasties on the outside. Clever baby!
And me? Despite a return of intense nausea this week (must rest more), I am still feeling pretty good. Still swimming and doing pilates, working less and knitting more. The bump is growing, despite the small package inside!
So delighted for you, my lovely. What amazing news! Brilliant you can get those steroid shots for your baby’s lungs. Sorry to hear the sickness has come back, so make sure you rest up. Such a pretty dress you’re wearing, too xxx
Ah thanks lovely, we are SO relieved. Everything looks a whole lot more positive now 🙂 x x x
So pleased for you.you must be so relieved to be able to go for 2 week scans now
This is SUCH good news! I’m so pleased for you – what a huge relief to finally have some solid answers and a plan. You’ve made me smile very widely this morning xxx
Thanks lovely. We really are so relieved that all seems to be going well at last! x x x
Oh what wonderful news to wake up too! Well done poppyseed, we’re all looking forward to meeting you, just not for a few more weeks yet ok 😀 x
Ah thanks lovely x xx
So pleased to hear your good news and sorry that you are feeling sick again, it won’t be long before you get cuddles with your little poppyseed, how exciting xx
We can’t wait 🙂 x x
Yay that’s wonderful news, I’m so pleased for you 🙂
Thank you 🙂 x x
That is great to hear! Very pleased for you. Not so great about the return of nausea though. Hope that stops and that you continue to enjoy rest of your pregnancy. Sounds like you are keeping busy with the knitting and pilates. X
Ah thank you 🙂 x x
Yay! SO happy for you, bet it was the news you’ve been wanting to hear for weeks! xx
It was! We’re so relieved 🙂 x x x
Yay! That’s amazing news 🙂 Hope your nausea passes quickly too. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy. x x
Thank you! x x
The good news is still you don’t have to have an early delivery, and since all tests are fine, your baby seems to be doing well! Happy to hear that 🙂
Yes, we’re so relieved! x x
Yay for more good news, I hope the poppy seed keeps growing well for another 4 weeks x
Ah thank you, me too x x x
Ah honey I am so pleased the news from the scan was good! Phew! You will have seen enough of those hospital waiting rooms to last a lifetime! I know poppyseed is not out of the woods yet but still such good news, 37weeks is good! Sorry to hear about the nausea, hope that eases off for you! Xx
Yep, definitely sick of the waiting rooms now!! x x x