Big, Big Baby: 32 Week Sonogram Update

The doctor did have a sonogram ordered for my appointment at 32 weeks and 2 days gestation, which was a lovely surprise. The OB, in an effort to make this pregnancy as "normal" as possible, has been pretty stingy with them lately, so I wasn't sure we'd get to have a look at the baby until I see the MFM next week. Since we've seen the baby so many times and since we haven't had any issues of late, these scans are are done more to keep up with growth and to stay on top of fluid levels and uterine condition. The medical portion of the scan is very brief, leaving us with time to just gaze at the baby. That's always such a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

As for the baby, she appears to weigh 5 pound 9 ounces and measured in the range of a baby at 35 weeks gestation. She's in the 97th percentile with regards to growth, which is how she has been measuring for some time now -- she's progressing at the same rate along the growth curve. And while I still haven't officially gained any pregnancy weight (still weighing three pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight), my uterus is measuring 35 weeks.

What was most surprising to me at this appointment was how surprised the OB seemed to be about my uterine size and the baby's size. He kept looking at my chart and scan images and just seemed so shocked. That shocked me since we've had more than one conversation about the baby's growth rate and how that will affect my delivery range, and while he's not willing to change my official due date (which I didn't ask him to do) and he's not planning to change my previously scheduled c-section date, he is finally acknowledging that the baby's projected size very likely will play a part in what happens in the end (meaning I could go into labor earlier than 40 weeks or begin to experience that lower-uterine pain the specialist talked about several weeks ago).

Because of the baby's size, the OB wanted to repeat the test for gestational diabetes -- though the one hour test I just took was within range and the results were fine with him, with my specialist, and with my endocrinologist (a doctor who specializes in blood sugar issues). Since taking that one-hour scan, I also had my A1C tested, and that particular blood test reflects a three-month average of blood sugar levels. Though that too was within range and my endocrinologist was happy about my numbers, the OB still wanted the test done. Having yet another test done wasn't too bad -- just inconvenient. I had to have a fasting blood sugar level drawn, then a repeat draw two hours after a meal (meaning I didn't have to drink that "delicious" orange drink again). After two blood sugar tests coming in fine when read by three doctors and after raising another biological child who always measures in the 97th percentile in height, I'm not too concerned.

All in all, both the baby and I are doing so well. The miracle of this pregnancy has been such a remarkable blessing. Thank you, God.



Image Credit: Mark Parisi, offthemark.com