Date this page was last updated:    June 22, 2007 01:51 AM

Sondra's Web Page - The Baby

The Third Trimester:  Sonograms & check-ups leading to delivery!

40-WEEK CHECK-UP

Today is Friday, May 20th, and it was Thomas' due date.  Another sonogram was done to measure him and to check to make sure he has plenty of fluid and a healthy placenta.  Based upon his measurements, he is estimated to now weigh 8 pounds and 13 ounces.  He is in the 80 percentile in terms of size.  And compared to his weight at his last sonogram, it appears as though he is gaining an ounce a day.  At that rate of increase, he'll be a 9-pound baby by Monday!

Unfortunately, my body is NOT cooperating.  And, the doctors have decided to let nature take its course to see if it will cooperate and give favorable conditions for eventual labor and delivery.  So, I may have to wait another week or two.  I am NOT a happy camper.  But, as long as Thomas and I are in good health, the doctors will not intervene (induction or C-Section).  So they will continue to monitor us both over the next two weeks.  My next appointment is Wednesday, May 25th.  

Here are the latest pictures of Thomas.  It may be because we saw Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith tonight, but I think in the second sonogram Thomas looks like the evil Emperor.  Or, it could be because I am going past my due date.

37-WEEK CHECK-UP

Good news!  Thomas will not be the HUGE baby I feared I would have to deliver.  At this check-up, we did another sonogram, (sorry - no pictures - he's too big to fit into one picture now).  They estimated his weight to be 7 pounds and 6 ounces.  That puts him in the 73 percentile.  At this rate, he will weigh between 8 and 9 pounds at birth.  That's a relief to me - as I did NOT want to try to deliver a 10 pound baby the first time around.  

Everything else is going well, except that I am REALLY packing on the weight now.  I've gained a total of 20 pounds.  But, I really do believe a lot of it is fluid, as my hands and feet are SO swollen!  My hands stay numb all the time now.  Oh, the joys of pregnancy!

33-WEEK CHECK-UP

Once again, I am measuring larger than Thomas' gestational age.  For every week you are pregnant, your stomach (uterus) grows 1 cm.  Up to this point, I have been 2 cm's larger than Thomas' gestational age.  At my 33-Week check-up, I was 36 cm's (instead of 33)!  At the 30-Week Check-up (below), they did a sonogram and said it is all baby, not fluids.  Thomas' growth spurt continues!  Do you REALLY think I will make it to 40 weeks?   

And, what do I look like pregnant?  Here are front and side views of me.  Oh, and I seem to be holding at a total of 14 pounds weight gain for my pregnancy, (all the other weight was packed on BEFORE I got pregnant!).

30-WEEK CHECK-UP

Because I was bigger than Thomas' gestational age indicated I should be, they did a sonogram at this check-up to check his size.  And, boy is he a BIG BOY!  Most babies at 30 weeks weigh between 3 pounds 2 ounces to 3 pounds 3 ounces.  They estimate Thomas to weigh 3 pounds 9 ounces!  That places him in the 80 percentile in terms of size (with 0 being the smallest baby and 100 being the largest).  So, he is bigger than 80% of the other babies who are 30 weeks.

And, according to the sonogram pictures, he is starting to get baby fat!  His face is really filling out.  You can see so much more of his features.  It is my opinion, (my husband says it is too soon to tell and I am a dweeb for trying), that he has my checks, nose, and chin (or should I say, "no-chin").  I believe he has my husband's eyes and mouth.  And, my mother-in-law says he has the Berry "big head."  I'm doomed in delivery!

Speaking of delivery... they are going to keep an eye on his size.  They will do one more sonogram as my delivery date approaches.  They will not intervene unless he reaches and estimated 9 pounds, 13 ounces.  If he gets that big, they will offer an elective, scheduled C-Section.  I'm not real thrilled with that idea, but I guess it is better than trying to deliver a 10-pound baby during my first labor and delivery.

Oh, here is a picture of his face.  You are looking straight down at him, but can only see one side.  It's hard to tell what anything is, so I have darkened the picture to show more contrast.  It's like one of those 3-D puzzles - you have to stand 5 feet back and cross your eyes to make it out.  On the one side of his face, you should be able to see his forehead, eyes, nose, checks, lips, chin, and the top of a hand (resting under his chin).  We'll see if you can see anything.  

I'll keep you updated as I have more check-ups.  They are now scheduled for every two weeks.  Oh, and I am really packing on the weight, now.  In the last 2 weeks, I've gained 5 pounds.  I'm now up to 14 pounds total weight gain.  The doctor wanted me to gain only 10 to 15.  At this rate, who knows what my total will be before I deliver Thomas!  Maybe they'll cut me some slack since he is so big.

MY 7-MONTH CHECK-UP

I had my 7-month check up on Monday, February 21st, and Thomas is going to be HUGE!  A week before he was conceived, I dreamed I had a baby boy who was very tall and solid (think Bamm-Bamm of the Flintstones).  And, according to the sonograms and measurements, he IS going to be tall!

I am about to be 28 weeks pregnant.  At this stage, my stomach should be 28 cm (a cm for every week).  But, it's 30!  At Thomas' 24-week sonogram, (see the 2nd Trimester Page), his bone growth was a week ahead of schedule.  Is it possible his growth is now 2 weeks ahead of schedule?  To see if it is baby growth or water, I'll have another sonogram in 2 weeks.  But, other than the possibility of having a VERY BIG BABY, everything is going great!  Oh, and now I am up to a total of 9 pounds gained in pregnancy, (told you it would be a big gain this month).  Darn those TWO chocolate cakes I ate this past week!

BACK        NEXT