All about Mini-Meek 2 Today....

Mini-Meek 2's latest close up - that's a head, two eyes, nose and mouth :)
February 2, 2012



Did I say this baby felt bigger?  That's funny because we have actually just been told the opposite may be true.  I always "carry small" -- and even with Annie had strangers and friends alike telling me "you're no where near your delivery date, you're going to have to grow way more than that!"  (two days before my 7lb, 1oz, perfectly normal sized baby was born).

However, this time we seem to have a problem?  We went in at 33 weeks for a follow up ultrasound (to keep an eye on the EIF (refresh your EIF saga knowledge at our previous post here: www.mini-meek.blogspot.com/2011/10/mini-meek-sequel.html) that just won't go away, and to "check growth" -- which I guess never really crossed my mind as an issue, I just assumed that was standard follow up when an EIF was involved?

At the 33 week ultrasound Mini-Meek 2 was a little behind.  Only measuring in the 50th percentile (more in line with a 30-31 weeker), but still within normal range, estimated at about 4lbs...small, but nothing alarming.  (And of course, I'm used to being told I have some micro-baby stashed in my overly roomy torso, nothing I love more than gaining 20lbs and stashing a human in my belly and being told "you don't even look pregnant" - thanks, so this is how I always look, like I swallowed a person?)  Anyway....

Wednesday this week, at our 35 week ultrasound, Mini-Meek has fallen to the 30th percentile over all and UNDER the 10th percentile for head circumference (ie. small baby, even smaller head)...and had only grown to a little over 4lbs.  Growth has slowed, fallen further on the charts, AND we have asymmetrical growth (body 30th percentile, head less than 10th percentile).  Had our baby stayed small, but consistent (50th percentile) there wouldn't be much cause for concern (so I'm told) - but because baby seems to be regressing, not growing and not even just small but small over all and even smaller in other places...we're off to Maternal Fetal Medicine again next week to look further into what's going on.

And of course the EIF (white spot on the heart) was a big nerve wrecker a few months ago, until we went to Maternal Fetal Medicine and were told there were no other markers to cause concern - so to write that off as an isolated finding.  This new poor growth and asymmetrical growth issue now adds to the EIF and it's no longer an "isolated finding".

We won't have any more information until the next ultrasound on Thursday.  For now I'm just trying to calm down (ha) and read what I can (like a shot in the dark without a real diagnosis)...this could be another Down's Syndrome marker, this could point to some other metabolic disorder (puh-lease be galactosemia, we're all over that), or chromosomal disorder, this could mean that there is an issue with my placenta not working properly to nourish the baby, there could be an issue with the umbilical cord function....or this could just be a "small baby"....OR heck, it could even be that modern science is just a little ahead of itself and none of these ultrasound measurements are perfect - and there's absolutely nothing wrong in there.

How's that for a pregnant momma head-full?  I'd love to assume the best...but I'm nothing if not a planner - I'd like to be prepared for whatever we have ahead.  If this little brother or sister is going to need anything more than what we know-- I want to start educating myself now so we can just enjoy the arrival -- rather than desperately trying to learn in those precious first few days and weeks again. 

So for now we wait...and fold little socks, wash tiny sheets, pack and repack the hospital bag, and plan for the day we go out that door pregnant for the last time, only to return with baby brother or sister in our arms.