Little shoot for a little baby

Every mother wants a normal pregnancy and a healthy child. We watch our weight, keep track of what we eat, limit caffeine intake, don’t lift anything over 20 pounds and avoid anything that puts the baby at risk. We do all of these things and expect all to go well. Thinking, “If I do all I am supposed to do, my baby will be healthy and normal.” But what if the unexpected happens and there’s nothing you can do about it? As a first time mom I am learning that I can do all I can, but at the end of the day, it’s the baby running the show. Sometimes our bodies just don’t function properly and it’s completely out of our control.

I was diagnosed with an IUGR baby at 20 weeks pregnant. Now, what the doctors don’t tell you is that it sounds a lot scarier than it actually is. It’s not a disease or a deformity. IUGR stands for Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Babies are diagnosed with IUGR if they appear to be smaller than expected — specifically, if an ultrasound indicates that their weight is below the 10th percentile for their gestational age. This is usually caused by one of two things. The first option is that your baby is simply small and otherwise healthy. The second option is that there is something keeping your baby from growing properly, usually the placenta, and it’s not getting oxygen and nutrients to the baby.

If you’ve never had a little person growing inside you I guess you wouldn’t quite understand the concern and panic I felt for my little baby when I found out. The doctors didn’t know how severe the situation was so, obviously, they planned for the worst. I was given strict orders to have two tests a week to keep track of growth and movement. Every doctor’s visit I met with my midwife and we discussed percentiles and growth charts. I was told there was absolutely nothing I could do! I left every appointment in tears or close to it.

By week 24 I was labeled high-risk, unable to visit with my midwife anymore, and seeing a specialist at a huge hospital every two weeks. The results were sporadic. One week baby would be in the first percentile and then the next be in the 15th. My husband and I both struggled with the news and we were unsure about the future. We kept being told they would induce me at 34 weeks. It’s hard to plan baby showers when you might be delivering a baby at the same time!

In the meantime, my husband and I did all we could to plan for this baby. We are currently taking Bradley Birth Classes and did a bunch of research on IUGR babies. We are planning for an all natural birth. I was told this might not be an option if things don’t go well. But I’m stubborn! No medical intervention for me, unless, of course, it’s absolutely necessary. As of right now we are hoping baby will make it full term and come naturally when she is ready. Yeah, we’re having a girl! Amelia Jolene.

I’m happy to say that it looks like this baby is the IUGR case where she is just small, but otherwise healthy. Every ultrasound I get the placenta and fluid are normal. The heartbeat is strong and I am constantly feeling movement. This last appointment that I had baby was up to 11th percentile! The highest she’s been. We are hoping she continues to grow and all will be well. It’s amazing how induction-happy doctors are now-a-days. Even with her growing bigger, they want to induce at 39 weeks. My opinion is to avoid medical intervention as much as possible. So we will be waiting for baby to come on her own and let her cook a little longer.

This past weekend was my baby shower! (AKA the weekend I was supposed to be induced) I was able to have some maternity pictures taken and spend a whole day celebrating my baby with my family and friends. I’m glad that we’ve made it this far. And though there is still a chance things can go wrong – there always is- I’m hopeful that this pregnancy will end the way we want it to. With a baby who is at LEAST 5 pounds, no NICU time, and an all natural delivery. I know that God had a hand in all of this. And for some reason maybe we needed the test of patience. I sure hope the test ends soon though! I’m so grateful for the classes we’ve been able to take that have helped us prepare for our baby. I’m grateful to my husband for being willing to attend those classes and do all the exercises with me! I’m grateful for family and friends who have fasted and prayed for little Amelia Jolene. Prayer works! And God is good.

We will continue to pray that all will go well and that we’ll be able to meet our little Amelia Jolene soon.