A Big Baby??

I had an ultrasound today to check the baby’s size, and I was stunned: she is currently an estimated 7 pounds 2 ounces. If I were carrying this baby to term, does this mean she’d be a gigantic baby? At first I was relieved that she definitely won’t be a tiny preemie when she’s born; but later in the day the high-risk doctor who checked in said size really won’t make a difference in whether her lungs will be okay. I’ve learned to take these statements calmly. When I talk to my doctor or the doctors in her group, they all are much more certain that all will be well; I think the high-risk doctors just have a more…high-risk view of things. But I am anxious to ask my own doctor if I need to be concerned about my new baby’s surprising chubbiness.

Lucia, though far from chubby, has reached a milestone: she’s surpassed the tenth percentile for weight! Andrew took her to her two-year checkup today, and she weighs 23 pounds, putting her in the twelfth percentile. She’s in the fifty-second percentile for height. So she’s doing some good growing. (Mom said she asked for soup for a snack yesterday—so she’s probably getting more nutrients than her little sister, who’s subsisting on hospital food and chocolate-chip cookies.) Andrew also said Lucia was upset at the shot she had to get, but became absolutely enraged when the nurse put a Band-Aid on her: he said she screamed bloody murder, pulled the Band-Aid off, and threw it at the nurse. Little charmer!

Lucia and Mom came to visit today, always a bright spot in my days. I fear, however, that my chocolate-chip cookie bribery is working against me—I’m starting to suspect she enjoys her visits here because of the cookie. But no matter. She’s adorable and cuddly, and I feel so lucky to have both her and a baby who is 35 weeks 6 days along.

My newest roommate, here for two nights, is only 25 weeks along; initially pregnant with twins, she lost one of the twins a few weeks ago, and on Sunday she was admitted for contractions and bleeding. Today she went into labor. It’s incredibly sad, the only one of my roommates so far to really have a terrible story. (Of course, I have no idea how her story will wind up in the end.) So, awful as it may sometimes seem to be on hospital bedrest with the “Big Bleed” around the corner and Lucia far away, all in all I’m feeling pretty lucky.

Eight days to go.

Comments