Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Perhaps you conceived later than period dates would indicate, and that
    would explain why you're a little smaller than dates would indicate.
    
    Having an ultrasound to confirm/determine due date, aka for sizing
    purposes, is fairly routine. If they don't do it early, by week 11,
    they often wait til week 16-17, since those last weeks of the first
    trimester are tough for ultrasound measurements. With this pregnancy I
    had my first ultrasound at 15 1/2 weeks and they were able to measure
    head size, leg length etc. which all help with establishing a more
    concise (whatever that means!) due date.
    
    Try not to worry too much - sounds pretty normal, especially since
    you've heard heart beats already.
    
    regards,
    

    I had mine at about 15 weeks for David because the doctor thought
    I was larger than I should be -- I knew exactly when I conceived,
    but somehow doctors sometimes act like they don't believe you were
    there, y'know?  Anyway, the baby was a bit big for his age and
    they revised my due date a week earlier based on the readings, and
    that was the day my waters broke, so it was accurate for me.
    
    David turned out to be an average baby (7 1/2 lbs.) at birth, but
    since then he's going back to being big for his age . . . (he's 18
    months now.)
    
    --bonnie

    I agree with .2, it is not at all uncommon to have an Ultrasound early
    on like that.  I had about 3 before I was even 6 months pregnant.  I
    didn't really show and look pregnant until I was about 6� months.  As
    you mentioned in your base note, every women and every pregnancy is
    different.  I wouldn't worry about it.
    
    As for determining the sex of the baby.  Even when they tell you, you
    really can't always believe them.  I had 4-5 Ultrasounds done during my
    pregnancy and I was told every time it was a girl, I had a boy.  The next 
    time, I would rather wait and be surprised.  Even though you love
    whatever you have, it is a BIG let down when they are wrong.  I don't
    want to go through that again.  Thats my opinion for whatever its worth.
    
    Kathy

    When a doctor talks about "smaller" than you should be, it really
    doesn't have much to do with "showing".  More often than not what the
    doctor is looking at is the height of the fundus (the top of the
    uterus).  That's what they're feeling for on the routine exams.  The
    fundus is supposed to progress upward and a (reasonably) steady rate.  
    
    Needless to say, the upward progress isn't always exactly linear.  I
    was "bigger" than I was supposed to be at about 12 weeks.  It evened
    out after a while.  I did have an ultrasound for dating purposes,
    however, and my 7lb. 2 oz. baby didn't make either the ultrasound date
    or the date arrived at by counting.  As a matter of fact, my second
    came before the ultrasound and the "counting" dates also, and she was
    8lbs.  
    
    The moral of the story is that obstetrics is not an exact science, no
    matter how much technology they throw at it.  Being "smaller" is not
    necessarily an indication of anything.  
    
    Actually, the ultrasound is fun, but don't be disappointed if you can't
    determine the gender as a result.
    
    Regards,
    
    LZP
    
    
        

    Don't worry!  I must have had a zillion ultrasounds in my three
    pregnancies, and they all had some sort of "reason" attached to them. 
    I think, now this is just my opinion, doctors just like to check up on
    how you're getting along, and the ultrasound is a good way of checking
    out the growing baby.  But, they need a reason to do it (for insurance
    purposes).  So, they tell you you're not big enough, or you're too big,
    etc, you go and get your ultrasound!
    
    BTW, an interesting fact -- if you have an ultrasound before twelve
    weeks, the first trimester, they can pretty accurately date the embryo
    because it forms certain features at known weeks gestation.  By the end
    of the first trimester you have a perfectly formed little baby in there
    with all its legs, toes, fingers, eyes etc, and they grow from there.
    So, a due date calculated before twelve weeks tends to be more accurate
    than a due date calculated after twelve weeks because once it's formed
    each fetus grows at its own rate.  Interesting huh?  One of the
    ultrasound technicians told me this. 
    
    As for gender, the later you have the ultrasound the more predictable
    will be the "guestimate"... my four kids were all "predicted" by the
    technician with complete accuracy.
    

    Since we in Canada do not have the question of who pays for the 
    ultrasound (its part of the medicare system) doctors rarely need a
    reason to do them. In Montreal, I have found most physicians prefer
    to have one at 15-20 weeks, and one later on, closer to delivery. In
    the Ottawa region where we are living now, doctors are happy, provided
    the woman is not in a higher risk bracket, to only do the first one,
    believing its the only necessary one to measure growth. I agree with
    a previous reply that the medical community sometimes doesn't believe
    you when you tell them you KNOW when you concieved; when we had the 
    ultrasound at 21 weeks (didn't have it earlier because hubby was out
    of town on a business trip) the technician said that we were 8 days
    off our date for conception. Turns out the baby just grew faster than
    their average growth charts. 
    
    The doctor said that for my next pregnancy I will automatically be put
    into a higher risk bracket (because I lost this one) and mostly that
    means 2 or more ultrasounds, to check progress.
    
    I did have a friend who had the same thing happen to her as the
    base-noter; she was a lot smaller than the doctor felt she should have
    been and so did the ultrasound at 15 weeks; the baby just happened to
    be a little smaller, but perfectly healthy; I have already held little
    Laura in my arms; certainly she is smaller than her older brother was,
    but perfectly normal, happy and healthy. 
    
    Monica
     

    Thanks to ultrasound with AJ I had at least three different due dates. 
    and as was mentioned the doctor never did want to listen to me that I
    *knew* for sure on which day conception occured.  It was day 19 of my
    cycle, that was the first adjustment, then as things progressed I was
    given a date a week later than that, and finally on the day he was born
    there was a more extensive ultrasound, as part of a non stress test,
    which is what determined he was having difficulty and should be born
    ASAP, by Csection.  I thank God for that particular ultrasound, because
    without it I would have had to endure another stillbirth. They
    estimated he would have lived less than another 48 hours and died in
    womb due to my decreased level of amniotic fluid.
    
    The point here is that even though I was positive on the day of
    conception, my dates were moved around several times, the first was 280
    days after my last period, the second with the first ultrasound at 6
    weeks pushed it back another 10 days, the third on the day he was
    delivered. All this did nothing to help my already high level of stress 
    with the pregnancy, and when he was born it was felt he may have been more
    premature than even the ultrasounds were able to show.  His footprints
    were just barely visible, and the footprints aparently don't develop
    until about 9 weeks prior to term.  Which meant he was more like 7 to 9
    weeks early, not the originally estimated 4 to 6.
    
    Lyn

    Lyn,
         How did you know you needed the final ultrasound?  Did you know
    you were losing amniotic fluid?  I'm in my 34th week and will have to 
    add this to my list of things to worry about.
    
    					Mary
    

    No not another thing to worry about.  This is a condition called
    ogliohydramitus, a fairly rare problem.  Breaking down the word it
    means "lack of=oglio  hydramitus=fluid"  or at least that's the way the
    visiting nurse translated it to me. I think I spoke of this in another
    note, maybe one of the ones on amnio.  My final ultra sound was a
    scheduled test, it started with a normal nonstress test, and they rang
    a dinner bell over my belly to see if he reacted, his reaction was
    sluggish, then a very long and extremely careful ultrasound done not by
    a technitian but an OB doctor on the hospital staff, who later became
    my OB's partner, she was also one of HIS patients.  The reason for the
    tests being done was becasue the doctor was monitoring very closely the
    last trimester because we had lost our daughter to intrauterine death
    due to lack of amniotic fluid going unnoticed, I was having non stress 
    testing in the office every other day the previous two weeks(by the way
    we're talking the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New years here).  
    In fact the day of this test, and his delivery they called in the middle 
    of a major blizzard to make sure and let me know I was expected to be in 
    for the test.  I'll always be thankful someone took the time to call and 
    insist, it's the reason he's alive today.
    
    Don't let this scare you, you'll have enough over the next 18 years to
    help you grow lots of grey hairs!!
    
    Lyn

    Mary,
    Please try not to be worried; as Lyn has said, there are plenty of
    other things to get stressed about; As much as we have spoken about
    stillbirth in the last little while (mine, and others) it is still
    relatively rare, especially with modern care. If you have a feeling
    that something may not be right, then by all means, speak to the 
    Doctor as soon as you can. But otherwise, you should have the
    confidence and faith that everything is happening as it should. 
    Please PLEASE don't fret;  
    
    As much as people are telling me that I will have children and
    successfully achieve parenthood, I would like to send those same
    thoughts to you and all the other participants of the conference that
    are or will be pregnant. 
    
    If I say this often enough, I may be less anxious next time too! 8-) 
    
    Monica.
    
    P.S. Family announcement; cousin just had a health 9.5 lb baby boy.
    That makes the 4th in 3.5 years; makes me feel real good about having
    another soon!                  

    
    Well, I guess I was worrying for nothing!  Had my ultrasound
    this morning and everything checked out just fine!  The ultrasound
    technician said that the doctor shouldn't have told me I was too
    small based only on fundus height, that he would have no way to
    manually check out how wide or deep my uterus is so height alone
    isn't accurate.  The baby's measurements were just where they should
    be for 18-1/2 weeks.  The baby was 'boxing' and moving around like crazy,
    it was so much fun to watch!!!
    
    Thanks for all your support and replies!
    Cherie                                     

    Good for You! (I love good news!)
    
    Monica
    

    
    I wish I had known it was because of fundus height that the doctor made
    the decision that you were not progressing.  My doctor was very
    confused about my conception date based on my fundus height and, later,
    after ultrasounds, notified me that my bellybutton (one of the
    landmarks they utilize to gauge fundus height) was, as he put it, 
    "unusually low". "Dorothy, you have an usually low bellybutton".  OK.  
    It never occurred to me that my bellybutton was in the wrong place...It 
    always cleared the top of my bikinis...seemed centered left to right,
    collected it share of lint...where was a bellybutton supposed to be?!
    
    Anyway, I'm glad everything checked out OK.  Isn't it wonderful seeing
    the babies playing around inside of you?
    
    -dorothy

    Speaking of fundus height, I understand that the OB measures this in
    centimeters, and that the number he arrives at usually coincides
    appproximately with the week# of pregnancy that you are in.
    
    I was disappointed when I had my check up at 22 weeks, and he said
    "20".  But then........  at my 26 week check-up it was "28"!!  Has
    anyone maxed out (which should be the magic #36, because after the 36th
    week, the fundus drops down a little) before week 36?  (Just curious!)
    
    Dale

    You're right, I think previous noter, the fundus height corresponds
    generally with # weeks pregnancy.  And yes, I maxed out at 54
    centimeters at week 37 with my twins. 8*0
    
    Not a pretty sight.
    

    
    Cherie...
    
    I'm only a few weeks behind you (15 weeks) and its funny, everytime you
    enter a note, its one I was "just thinking of", or pertains to me.
    (when you were wondering about conceiving, morning sickness etc) :-)!!
    
    I just had my ultrasound (second) last week at 14 weeks for the
    opposite reason as you. He said my size was greater than the due date.
    Youre right, it was great to see the little one moving around!! (since
    I can't feel him/her yet). My technician said I seemed to measure
    normal, but I would have to wait for the radiologist to talk to my dr
    for sure. they measured the head, and femur bones in the legs, etc. 
    Hubby came with me, and we had a blast. The picture they gave us, the 
    baby looks like he's actually "waving" at us...its great!
    
    I think ultrasounds are getting more common these days...
    
    We were hoping to find out the sex...but they told me it was still too
    early (plus the babies legs were crouched up)...   Anyone know WHEN
    they can tell the sex...?   (we're hoping we'll get to have another one
    further on)
    
    Chris
    

    .16, according to my ultrasound technician the optimum age to determine
    a fetus's sex is 20 weeks.  I had had a sonogram at 17 weeks, and the
    baby wasn't all that cooperative; Linda did, however, tell us her guess
    - a girl.  My husband and I were hoping to find out because it makes
    talking to the baby so real for us.  Last time we were told that we
    were having a boy from about 17 weeks and when he was born we felt like
    we already knew him - the other kids had been talking to "Chase" for
    months in advance!
    
    Recently, we had another sono at 26 weeks.  The baby again didn't want
    to "flash" for the camera.  My technician knew how we were hoping to
    know so she patiently and painstakingly had me change positions several
    times until she could visualize what she needed to see, and it's a
    girl!!!  Now I know there are a lot of skeptics out there who are
    thinking "sure, sure, we were told that it was a girl, and we got a
    boy!".  Well, I had Linda EXPLAIN exactly why she thought it was a
    girl, and I was very convinced.  Then, when Dr. Casey came in to have a
    look, I asked her if she could tell us, and she zoomed in, and also
    declared that the baby was a girl.  I then asked her to explain EXACTLY
    why.  She did.  Although both explanations were a mite different, they
    were both too convincing to us to have doubts.  If either one of them
    had said "because I don't see a penis", I'd still be dusting off the
    blue clothes -- (that explanation has never sounded very conclusive to
    me)!
    
    Anyway, if we DO have a boy we'll be excited and laughing (the joke is
    on us!).
    
    FWIW, the technician mentioned that of all the babies she's
    photographed before birth, not one mother has ever come back to show
    her!  I'm definitely going back to show her off!
    
    Good luck to you noter.  I hope your next sono reveals exactly what you
    want to know!  Oh yes, another benefit is that you only have to come
    up with one name to agree on!
    
    10.5-weeks-to-go,
    
    Dale

    
    Dale and Chris,
    
    My ultrasound tech also said that they like to wait til at least 20
    weeks before checking the baby's sex.  She said that sometimes they
    get lucky and the baby is positioned in a way that will let them see
    earlier than 20 weeks, but that doesn't always happen.  It didn't
    happen with us and we're going back at 24 weeks to have a "sex check"
    ultrasound.
    
    We really want to know, we already have names picked out!
    
    Cherie

    I hope you'll share the good news with us, Cherie!!
    
    When will you be 24 weeks?
    Dale

    
    Hi Dale,
    
    I'm 20 weeks now so I have another month to wait.  Actually, I go
    for my monthly checkup next week so I'll see if I can talk them
    into letting me do the ultrasound a little early!  
    
    I'll keep you posted! :^)
    Cherie

    Well, to continue on with the rest of the notes here.....I 
    just come back from my 28 week ultrasound and was told that
    I was behind in fetal growth.  My OB did state that my uterus
    was exactly where it was supposed to be at 28/29 weeks but
    the ultrasound showed that the baby is in the low range of
    development.  I am scheduled to have another ultrasound at
    the end of May.
    
    One thing that I did here from some people in this office is
    that if you are carrying low (which I am) that may have an
    effect on the measurements.  So.......I am hoping that things
    will change in the next few weeks and developement will be 
    back on schedule.
    
    Kara

    Kara,
    
    I can't see where how you're carrying would affect the ultrasound
    measurements...they actually measure the skull and the thigh bone
    (among other things) to check on fetal size.
    
    Was your doctor concerned?  Both my daughters were on the small
    side--if I recall, Jenny was about 20th percentile at the first
    ultrasound...around 24 weeks.  Both were born "small" (6-4, and 6-7),
    but perfectly healthy.  As long as the baby's in the "normal range",
    and your doctor isn't worried, I'd relax.  The other thing to remember
    is how small the difference is between each percentile at that
    stage...with a baby that's probably less than 2 pounds, there's
    probably only a few ounces difference betwen "low" and "average".
    
    Good luck.
    
    Susan

It matters that one is carrying low because it is very difficult to
measure the skull when it's hidden behind the pubic and pelvic bones.

I also carried low and had lots of ultrasounds.  The technicians always sweated
the skull measurement because Elise was so low.  Sometimes several different
technicians gave it a shot, because Elise was so uncooperative.

Elise was in the 30th percentile when she was born, but somewhere in the 20's
according to the ultrasounds of the last month (I had one every week for the
last 7 weeks.  The midwives said it wasn't her size on any given measurement 
that mattered, but that she was growing at a reasonable rate, as shown by the 
weekly size increase.  

(FYI, Kara, so you don't worry that this will happen to you, I had the weekly 
ultrasounds because I had pregnancy-induced hypertension.  They used the
ultrasounds to make sure my high blood pressure wasn't stressing the umbilical 
cord and placenta.  They looked at the cord, placenta, and Elise's rate of 
growth to decide whether things were ok).

    Thanks for the replys.  .22 - no, the doctor is not reall
    worried at this point, she wants to wait for the next 
    ultrasound results.  I guess because I am not out of the
    range - I am just at the low end.  I too have had several
    ultrasounds during my pregnancy - due to the fact that I have
    a heart condition that has a possible hereditary link to it.
    They do not know at which stage of developement that heart
    conditions occur, so, they have done one at several different
    stages.  This was supposed to be my last one (everything is 
    ok with the heart) until the growth rate issue came up.
    
    I am not really worried at this point - heart rate is good,
    movement is often.  I am kind of excited about seeing the
    baby on the screen again!!!!!
    
    Kara
    

    Update on .21 & .24 - Well, I had my ultrasound at
    the end of May and everything is fine.  Baby and
    uterus are exactly where they are supposed to be on
    the growth charts.
    
    How are the others doing?  Any updates yet?
    
    Kara