37 Weeks and 2 days... MORE news than usual!

Hey Everyone, So we had our weekly visit today. It was with Dr. Barton. He is a cool old guy with a funny sense of humor. Anyway. Baby's heartbeat is good, urine sample good, negative Group B strep test.. which means I won't need antibodies injected during labor, and measuring my uterus good. The interesting part came when I asked if he could tell how much the baby weighs about. Then he says that I am actually measuring smaller than I'm supposed but nothing to concern myself with. But he immediately ordered an ultrasound, which is interesting because they don't have an ultrasound tech around on Saturdays ever but I guess they did today. So we were excited not expecting to have any ultrasound at all since our last one at 20 weeks. So we had the ultrasound. The baby weighs 2400 grams or in other words 5 lbs 4 oz. We are 37 weeks and 2 days but the baby is measuring 34 weeks and 2 days, so he is 3 weeks smaller than the average baby. Also I asked if the baby was facing forwards or backwards and she said he is actually facing the left, so no wonder I feel something big poking my right side and then pressure on my left hip for him pushing there. We went to talk to the doctor about the ultrasound and he said it could mean one of two things. Either he is just small for his gestational age or he has a condition called fetal growth retardation. This doesn't mean there is something wrong with him necessarily but that the uterus or placenta doesn't have enough fluid to allow the baby to grow so it is like he is restricted even though he would grow normal if there was enough room to allow him to. So anyway, the doctor decided to do something called a Biophysical Profile which means we will be coming in this next week on Tuesday and Saturday for ultrasounds and doctor's appointments to measure the growth of the baby between the days. So if he is growing at a good rate then the baby will just be considered normal and small. But if not the doctor will need to deliver him early. So most likely induced or something like that. So that's the news. I half would want him to come early but I will probably want an epidural for sure but I guess I will have to see. I know that when you are induced the really painful contractions come right away instead of progressing slowly. So that is why but if he comes naturally then I will try without medication.