Anyone having regular growth scans due to risk of IUGR?

[tishtosh]

Marie that must be pretty daunting, but Im sure your little baby will do just fine on the outside. The docs wouldnt even be considering an early arrival if they thought it would cause problems.
You get to meet your baby v soon! Ive still got 8.5 weeks to go!

 

[Crayz]

NervousMommy-Let me introduce myself. My name is Alexandria. I gave birth to an IUGR baby on June 29th. She was 34 weeks to the day and only weighed 3 lbs. 1 oz. After reading your post, it was like reading my own. After I had the steroid shots, the flow from the placenta looked great for a few weeks, and then one day during a routine doppler (every 3-4 days like yourself) the flow started to show restriction, and that was the day she was born via emergency c-section a few hours later. The good news is that thanks to those steroid shots, she came out SCREAMING, and never needed any oxygen while she was in the NICU.

She did well in the NICU. She spent a total of 5 weeks there. Just know that these babies have a much better chance of survival outside the womb than in. Your body can't give them what they need. When they decide it's your time, it's because if they don't act fast enough the outcome could be devastating. Don't be scared (I know that's easier said than done). Just think of it this way, most people who have premature babies aren't prepared for it physically or emotionally. You've had time to accept it. The NICU is an up and down place, I'm not going to lie. You have awesome days and you have horrible days. But little things like seeing your baby in clothes one morning with the hood of their incubator off, and you realize that they're now regulating their own body temperature, will make you the happiest Mommy on the planet. Or when they take the NG tube out and you are able to see your baby's face for the first time without tape on it or a tube up their nose. Things like that are amazing. I can't even tell you how astonished you will be at how strong your LO is!! These babies are small, but they are true fighters!!

The only advice I can give you is TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS if your LO has to spend time in the NICU. Ask a lot of questions if you're confused about something or if you're concerned.Talk to the doctors if you're not getting anywhere with the nurses. A lot of the nurses blew my concerns off because I'm just a new Mommy, not in the medical field. I can tell you that every intuition I had regarding my daughter's health has always been correct. YOU have to be your child's advocate, especially while they're in the NICU.

I hope these words help you, as I wish there was someone to tell me what to expect before my daughter was born. I wish you all the best. I pray you have a healthy, happy baby, even if she is a little peanut!!

 

[Marie131]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Crayz. I'm meeting my baby in a week and a half at 34 weeks and hearing your story really helps!!

 

[peagarden]

Good luck Marie, 34 weeks is great gestation, am sure all will be fine.
I had my 27+3 scan today and so far all looks good. Baby is about 2lb 9oz already and is pretty much on 50th percentile for most things. Fluid is good and blood flow through cord looks fine so can breathe again for a few days!!

 

[vixxen]

Hi all long time since i've been on here so i thought i should update you all.
My baby was Iugr though still a good weight of 5lb 13 at 37 weeks.
weight was on the 8th percentile for her.
She had congenital pneumonia and needed oxygen and ngt feeds, she was in the nicu for 5 days when we were transferred to the transition ward at the hospital.She had jaundice really bad and could not get rid of it for ages.
When it started to finely improve they found the first hole 4.3mm big a week later she was in heart failure and 2 more holes were found.She has not left the nicu since.She is only tube fed and is not allowed to suck as feeding and sucking puts to much pressure on her heart and she struggles to breath at the same time .She is on alternitive feeds of infratrini and my breast milk,infratrini is being used to fatten her up for her operations ahead.At least the childrens is a very good hospital with really good specialists.
I had to leave her in the nicu 10 days ago but am able to visit every day thank god! She is now 4 weeks and 5 days old.
I am so grateful for all the monitoring i had as this is the only reason we found out she was in distress though i wish all the scans i had would have picked up the heart problems,only her size showed a problem was there though they did not know what it was.
Sorry for such a crappy update as i want you all to remain really positive! as problems like what my baby has is really rare or so ive been told i hope to hear the good news of all your healthy babies being born!

 

[vixxen]

Glad you and little one are doing well Crayz!

 

[peagarden]

Oh my goodness, what an emotional rollercoaster you r on Vixxen. Sending love and healing vibes to u and your baby xx

 

[Marie131]

Vixxen, I have been thinking of you. I am sorry to hear your LO has been having a tough time of it. When is she having her surgeries?

 

[bbkf]

Hey guys just wanted some advice from you ladies on IUGR ill tell you my situation if that's alright and see what you ladies think

Sooo I'm 38weeks and 5days measuring only 30cm iv had growth scans and they have confirmed that babys head ect has grown but tummy growth has completly slowed down to under 5th percentile, she is currently estimated at 5pound11.

The hospitals plans for me are monitoring twice a week iv seen consultant he said if I havnt had her by due date he is goin to assess me and see if I'm showing any signs of labour eg dialated ect if I show any signs they will induce me as he said he doesn't want me goin far over my due date, if ther are zero signs he says induction could fail and he would rather go straight to a c section.

I just want to no if anyone else has been in the same situation as me?? Obviously I'm full term and baby is fully mature so that's not a problem the consultant said smaller babies have a harder time during labour and if I'm induced and baby shows any signs on stress he would emergency section immediatly.

Sorry if this is a bit muddled or pointless but any info or experience would be great

Thanks ladies

 

[X__Kimberly]

Hi ladies Just stopped by to see how all the babies are doing

Jayden my [IURG] baby is almost 8 months!!!! and weighs almost 20 LBS!
its crazy to think he was only 4 lbs at birth!

 

[tishtosh]

Vixxen you've got so much going on! Keeping my fingers crossed for your llittle one, although Im sure she'll do just fine

Ive got one last scan in 3 weeks and all being well Ill be signed off consultant care. Had the mw yesterday and I have a trace of protein in my urine so will be checked again next Mon but she didnt seem too concerned as I have no other symptoms.
Cant wait til nov now I just want her here and to meet her!

 

[vixxen]

My little girl will be sent to the birmingham childrens hospital some time within the week and surgery will be soon after still no actual time scale
Thank you for all your replies it means a lot!
I'm glad you are doing well tishtosh,Marie have they given you a tour of the neo natal unit?.Thanks for the vibes peagarden.
Thats a great weight Kimberly
bbkf i was also full term (just lol) at 36 + 6 i would now personally knowing what i know now go for an elective section if they ask, and prepare yourself for an emergency just in case.Bestest wishes for you all on here!

 

[kelly6407]

Hi all!


Got midwife and consultant tomorrow to find out when my baby will be born by section.

I'm thinking they will do me at 39weeks so the 3rd November but will find out for Deffo tomorrow.

As for the growing, he's still fine from the last scan but I was sitting thinking earlier that they didn't check the cord flow at my last scan which has me a little on edge considering my last baby had cord failure which resulted in her having iugr. They have checked the cord every scan but they must have forgot at the last one 2 weeks ago. I'm now panicking cause every1 comments on how small I am which makes me worried he's not growing.
He's still moving a lot so that makes me feel at ease a little since my last baby never moved.

 

[destynibaby]

my scan today went wonderful. My baby is in the clear of IUGR. im 34 weeks and my little guy weighs 4lbs and 14oz and is growing right on track. His little abdomen has finally caught up to the rest of him, they cant find ANYTHING wrong. and he was very active.
my gosh i feel so relieved and i am so happy!
I wish you ladies and your babies nothing but the best.

 

[bbkf]

Thanks Vixxen I feel like I would prefer a c section now as I just want the easiest safest and most controlled option if that makes sense but I not sure what they will dicide can I just say I would prefer a section?? Or does it not work like that?

 

[zombiedaisy]

Hi Ladies.

After my anatomy scan on Friday, the OB has ordered for me to have growth scans every 4 weeks until 30-32 weeks, and then i will be having growth scans done twice a week, as well as have fluids checked and NST.

I apparently have two seperate placentas, velamentous cord insertion and the cord splits and inserts into each placenta. She said she has never seen anything like this. Im hoping baby grows properly and *keeping fingers crossed* she will allow a c-section due to possible risk of rupture. At this point Im trying to take things easy make sure baby grows.

 

[Crayz]

Hey everyone! I hope you're all hanging in there!

It's so nice to read that a lot of you mommies are in the clear for IUGR. Such a relief I'm sure! For those of you that aren't in the clear, let me just tell you how much attention these little cupcakes get wherever you go! They're always the most popular babies in a room! I can't go anywhere without a slew of people telling me how cute she is and how she looks like a little doll. I was at the pediatrician yesterday for a weight check, and everyone in the waiting room was just fawning over her. The young new mommy with the newborn sitting next to me was giving me dirty looks because nobody looked twice at her baby. (I did, she was a beauty).

Just trying to put a positive spin on things for you, lol.

My daughter is now over 7 lbs. and 20 inches long (born at 34 weeks 3 lbs. 1 oz. 15 inches long). She's still in the 5th percentile, but her curve is more on a 45 degree angle, rather than a 20 degree angle, lol.

It's been a struggle to put weight on her because she has bad reflux and vomits like the exorcist several times a day (I need to hire someone to do laundry for me all day, I swear). I switched her formula to Similac Alimentum, which is the most foul smelling shit on this planet, but it really seems to be making a difference in her gagging/vomiting. Reflux is very common in babies, especially preemies. Milk protein allergies and reflux go hand in hand. Just a tip for you ladies in case you find yourselves in the same boat as me (though I pray you are NOT in that boat!).

Hang in there! You all are doing great!!

 

[Marie131]

Vixxen, yes we've had our nicu tour. Our LO might need surgery too so we could be there for a while.

Glad to hear the good updates, ladies. Hopefully everything continues that way!

Zombiedaisy, sorry to hear you are having placenta issues. Is baby's growth still ok at this point?

bbkf, it sounds like the doctors are keeping a close eye on you. Will you be monitored throughout labour so they will spot any trouble right away?

I saw my MFM yesterday and everything is still stable, but it wasn't a growth scan week so we don't know how things are going there. The doctor I saw wasn't one of my regular doctors, but he predicts that there will be enough growth at my next scan to keep me pregnant for another week or so. He thought I might make it closer to 36 weeks. I'll keep my fingers crossed, 36 weeks would be awesome! He also thought I'd be a good candidate for induction since I've had 3 vaginal deliveries before. Hopefully we sail through the rest of this pregnancy w/out any major bumps. I'm getting a bit nervous about all the chromosome testing they want to do after delivery. I hope baby doesn't have anything seriously wrong.

 

[Crayz]

Marie, refresh my memory for why your LO needs surgery? I remember when you first found out about complications in your pregnancy, but I can't remember why. That was a long time ago! You've made it SO far!!

If it's a heart issue, I'm starting to see a trend here. My daughter was also born with two congenital heart defects, one of which will most likely need surgery, the other may correct itself, but we don't know for sure just yet.

It's funny. So many doctors and nurses asked me if they ever found the reason for her IUGR, and when I told them she has two heart defects, and I was pretty certain that was the reason, they all told me it wasn't really possible. They asked me as if I had done something wrong during my pregnancy. Like I was in a closet the whole time sucking down bottles of vodka. Her heart causes her to burn so many calories that we have to fortify her formula to 24 calories, and sometimes if she vomits a lot I add rice cereal to up the calories more just so she can make up for what she lost. She also takes a diuretic, so she loses a lot of fluid throughout the day.

They don't find the defects in utero a lot because the amniotic fluid in their lungs masks the sound of the murmur. Once the amniotic fluid is gone and they're breathing oxygen, viola! Heart murmur. They never saw hers until about 3 days later.

Anyways, just curious. You don't have to explain it again if you don't want to. I'll understand.

 

[zombiedaisy]

Zombiedaisy, sorry to hear you are having placenta issues. Is baby's growth still ok at this point?

As of right now, baby was measuring a little bigger than average, so thats awesome, but apparently around 28-30 weeks is when growth restriction can start due to baby putting pressure on the unprotected blood vessels. Thats why after 30-32 weeks they will be doing tests twice a week instead of every 4 weeks.

Ive read that making sure your taking a good quality prenatal vitamin and upping your protein can help, so ive already taken those measures to hopefully avoid any possible IUGR and keep baby healthy and strong.