Baby update

Basically nothing much has been going on.  Ha. ha.  Silly baby :-)  I did have my 39 week appointment on Thursday.  Not sure what to make of it.  As a matter of fact I'm not even sure I've even mentioned the ups and downs of this baby's size yet!  This is only relevant because of Jed's issues and his uterine growth...or lack there of in the later weeks of pregnancy.  So let's go through this baby's growth journey thus far:

For most of my appointments the baby had been transverse, which does not give an accurate measurement.  When the baby did go head down I was measuring 2 cm's behind the week I was in, this is considered normal (anything plus or minus 2 cm's is in the normal range).  The following appointment the baby was measuring 3 cm's behind, BUT I had that happen in Moira's pregnancy, so still no cause for alarm.  Then the midwife fell ill and had to miss my next appointment.  (This is very  reminiscent of what happened with Jed!)  I really started to feel like I hadn't noticed my tummy getting bigger over the almost two week period, so I decided to weigh myself and take my own measurements.  Well, for two weeks I hadn't gained any weight, and the baby was at 33 cm's when I was 37 weeks along, making for a now 4 cm deficit.

My midwife sent her assistant over to measure me, and the assistant got what I did, 33 cm's.  A plan of action to boost my calories was put into action ASAP.  One of our thoughts was that since I've been running around mad taking care of everybody, and taking over their jobs, then succumbing to the illness myself, I may not have been eating enough, but not realizing it.  I start that plan and by the following week when the midwife was able to make it over it appeared I had gained weight (though I figured most of it was water weight because I had eaten a bit of wheat the day before).  Her measurement was 34 cm's, but she felt that the baby was a bit flopped to the side, so decided to take a measurement off to the side, following the baby's back more, and got a reading of 36 cm's.  Although not considered conventional, I've had this done before.  So all was considered normal.

Then I had my 39 week appointment this past Thursday.  Granted I did go to the chiropractors on Monday and after the adjustment could feel the baby move down (though the baby moves up from time to time).  By the end of the week I really can't feel the baby move up and down like I did the first few days, not sure if I need to get another adjustment or what...but by my appointment the midwife said that the baby was not engaged (nor would it probably do so, she said the baby would more likely float....moving down, but popping back up to readjust itself, but not actually engage).  So she felt for where the baby was, and decided to measure up and down, the conventional way.  Hmmm, not a good reading.  She kept measuring at different angles, and the best that she got was 35 cm's!  That was the best of all her measurements.  Now, this could be a case of the baby being down low, but again, this is very much like Jed, BUT not as extreme....yet.  I was convinced that Jed had moved down as well, making for a small reading.  Jed ended up being 6 cm's behind when all was said and done, this baby is now 4 behind, but that is with a non conventional reading.  With only days before the due date, and the baby is kicking strong (something Jed never did!), a great heart rate, etc. it doesn't seem practical to go for an ultrasound or try inducing.

So that has been this baby's growth saga.  The midwife left by saying she really wants this baby to stay put till at least it's due date, she wants to see more growth before it decides to enter the world.  But, if for some reason the baby is not growing inside, I know at some point the baby just needs to be born to grow better on the outside...though that didn't exactly happen for Jed :-(    It is all a 'wait and see' game at this point.  I really just want the baby to come, and not have to worry anymore about size, but I also want the baby to be healthy and strong.  Unfortunately it is hard to say where the baby would be better off, staying inside another week or so, or coming out now.

In the meantime I have someone asking me every 5 minutes or so if I'm having any more contractions :-)  Or, in the case of the boys, they keep asking my "WHYYYYYY, the baby not COOOOOOMMMMING!?!"  Their words :-)  Ahhh, nothing like a life lesson in patience.

I go about my days, getting things done, but making sure to lie down on the couch to rest.  Nothing like going into labor exhausted, so I am doing what I can to find a balance in our days of doing things work and play wise, but keeping my energy stores up.

I am hoping we will see *something* happen soon with this baby, only 4 more days till the due date!!!!