Update on Baby #3

Heres all the details of what's going on with baby Shafer! Monday at the weight check via ultrasound, the baby showed to have slowed in growth significantly. They immediately put me on bed rest and twice a weeks checks on bAby. The hope is bed rest will supply the placenta and baby with more rest and food to function better. Update from the doctor At Thursday's appt was favorable.  We had ultrasound/ bio physical profile to check fluid and see if baby was "happy".  All signs point to baby still being quite happy!  Justin went with me, so we grilled the doctor with questions and have a better idea of what to expect from here on out.  We learned that I'm officially high risk with a small for gestational age (SGA) baby, which occurs in their office about 1 out of every 100 babies they deliver.

Next week I will have two appointments, each checking baby's happiness level (ie fluid, heart, movement, practicing breathing, etc).  If anything looks like baby has changed to unhappy, they would admit me to the hospital for monitoring immediately and probably induce labor soon after.  This is probably a low possibility, as the baby has been very stable in this area.

The week after, March 5th, I will have another weight check of the baby via ultrasound.  This is where there has been all the concern, and so probably carries the most risk of sending me to the hospital depending on baby's size and condition.  They would probably do hospital bed rest and then eventually induce labor before full term (37 weeks).  

Hopefully the baby passes the weight check and I can continue bed rest at home, while receiving the weekly monitoring at my doctors twice a week.  Assuming baby stays happy, at   the 37 th week, they will induce labor, which would be around March 22 nd.  This is because at that point the baby will be fully developed and would do better to gain weight outside the womb than inside where it has struggled.

All scenarios put us at having a 3 to 5 lb baby... We are hoping to get near 5 by delivery time.  This means the baby may have some time in the NICU, but the closer to March 22 nd we deliver, the less likey that is.  The pro to a small for gestational age (SGA) baby is that they tend to develop their lungs quicker than normal or big babies, so we have a good chance that the baby, even if born a little early, will have good lung development.  The reasons for going to NICU would probably be more around ability to eat or gain weight.  The NICU at Good Sam is one of the best in the country, so we are in good hands with that if we need it.

So to recap... Mark your calendars for March 22 nd and cross your fingers and say a few prayers that we make it to then and baby grows near the 5 lb mark!  Justin and I are very happy to still know that the one thing we still have a happy surprise for on delivery day is finding out boy or girl, since all of these other things will kinda take the anticipation of going into labor away.  We are also so thankful for all the support thus far and in the coming weeks.