Week 37 Ultrasound News

Greetings one and all!  Well, we have had quite a few more ultrasounds than expected.   I was measuring small again on Friday so we scheduled yesterday's ultrasound.  As it turns out, at the 32 week ultrasound (when I first measured small) Shrimpy was in the 30th percentile by weight. At this one he had gone down to the 20th percentile (he is near-on 6 pounds even according to the doctor).  Not shrank so much as gained less weight than expected.   Other than his size, his heartbeat is healthy, I have enough amniotic fluid,  he is practicing breathing, moving around, and the umbilical cord Doppler came out normal too.  

The doctor said 20th percentile was still considered healthy, especially for my own size and shape, but he should not fall below the 10th percentile, as that causes problems.  She also said she did not feel comfortable going past my due date, either for me or for baby if he stays on the small side.  So I have another ultrasound scheduled for the 24th to see if he's grown any, and after that it is most likely we will schedule a day to go in and be induced -- probably that same week. Especially if his size has not gone up.   

I do have a feeling that after my appointment on Friday, depending on how I measure I may have one next week too, just to check on him.  But that all depends on what the doctor thinks of my progress in the next couple of days.

These are our latest photos.   The top photo may be hard to make out. It is looking down on Shrimpy's face.  The dark line above the "A" in "FACE" is his mouth, and the dark triangle to the right of that is the shadow of his eye socket.  Since noses are mostly cartilage, it kind of looks more like a triangle or an indentation in between.   Yes, our son the alien.  

The tech was funny - she asked if we knew the gender. I  said "they tell us he's a boy."  She said, they were right, but I didn't want that part sticking out on the video screen if you didn't know. (So he's for sure a boy!) 

The second shot is a head profile.  His "beak" as Scott called it, is his hand up by his nose and mouth.  He was movin' and groovin' the whole time she was looking around. 

Have a great day!