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New here! Due Feb with 3rd baby :)

674 views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  LWruby 
#1 ·
HI mamas!

Just wanted to introduce myself. I am Ruby & I am due in February with my 3rd little boy. My other boys are 7 and 5 years old.

We are super-excited for our latest little guy, but also slightly on edge. I was diagnosed with low amniotic fluid at 28 weeks (with a fluid measurement of only 5cm) and also baby's growth has been a concern throughout the pregnancy (he's very tiny). I was placed on bedrest and have been chugging tons of water and taking in lots of calories. My fluid is now up to 17cm at 33 weeks.

We are thrilled about the fluid, but still concerned about baby's growth, which is still only in the 13th percentile. My OB is hopeful that this baby can be carried to 37-38 weeks and be born healthy, just very tiny (5 lb range). We are definitely unaccustomed to small babies, as my first 2 were 9 lbs. each!

I look forward to meeting many of you and wish you luck with the remainder of your pregnancies!

-Ruby
 
#2 ·
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Hi! Welcome to our DDC! It sounds like you may well go anytime now if your OB is thinking you will go at 37-38 weeks. I'm sorry you've had to deal with all that stress. Do you have any special birth plans or do you have a name picked out? DD was born at 6 lbs 5 oz, but lost all her meconium in one day and dropped to 5 lbs 5 oz before we left the hospital, making us all a little nervous about her weight. We had a hard time for the first few months, and she is still really small, but some babies are just tiny! She barely weighs in at 20 lbs at 22 months. Dont let it stress you out too much. If the baby is healthy, that is great, no matter how much he weighs!
 
#3 ·
welcome, ruby!

my nov 05 babe was born at 37 weeks and weighed 5 lbs. exactly. she was born at home with no complications at all. she was so tiny, yes. and, she is still on the smaller side. she had no problems breathing or with any other part of her body and was exclusively breastfed. She is active, smart, compassionate and kind.

If there is anything I would have done differently, with the info I know now, it would be to use a Supplemental Nursing System (aka a SNS) with my pumped milk to help her gain weight in the beginning months. I did not know enough then. i sooooo wanted to trust breastfeeding at the breast only. Maybe her suck wasn't as strong and I could have helped her along by pumping to increase my supply and giving her more breastmilk while avoiding a bottle/nipple confusion (I was so worried about that).

Otherwise, all was grand with her birth and newborn time! She is an amazing child and has told me that she was born when God wanted her to be born. I am so blessed to have become her mom.
 
#4 ·
Thanks, Adaline's Mama!

First of all, love your daughter's name-- so pretty!

This baby will be named Edison :)

We are definitely hoping that he is simply tiny, but otherwise fine!

Special birth plans.... I will be saving and encapsulating my placenta this time, which I have never done before. Still deciding whether to hire someone to make the capsules for me or just just let my DH do it (he offered!)

This baby will be a repeat c-section (DS1 was sectioned for complete previa, DS2 was a repeat section for partial previa)... I thought about attemptimg a VBA2C but had a hard time finding anyone who was willing to take that on. I went back and forth and finally made peace with the idea of another c-section. And somehow, even with the csection, I still have a 2 page birth plan!!! ;) Other than the placenta thing, my birth plans are the same as they were with the first 2-- no vaccines in the hospital, rooming-in, breast milk only, no circumcision, etc... The hospital I deliver at has always been great respecting my wishes and I've never been questioned or pressured there, so I'm hoping for a similar experience this time!

-Ruby
 
#5 ·
Gunter-

I'm so happy to hear about your experience with the SNS... That is definitely something I might consider doing to help him gain weight early on! I really, really want to avoid formula but I am fearful it will be pushed because he will be so tiny.

Also, I had a breast reduction in 1996 so I need all the tips and tricks I can get to achieve and maintain a good milk supply! I'm encapsulating my placenta this time so I'm hoping the capsules can help with supply-issues as well. And I like how the SNS eliminates the possibility of nipple confusion too!

I have to admit, I'm very jealous that you did a HB... since this will be a csection, obviously it will be a hospital birth... My main concern about it being in a hospital is that I have heard that they sometimes try to keep smaller (but otherwise healthy) babies in the nursery until they reach a certain weight-- like 5.5lbs for example. That would enrage me! I am definitely the type who wants the baby in direct contact with me pretty much constantly after birth. Plus, I worry they will aggressively push the idea of "supplementing" with formula until my milk comes in because he is small. But I think I'm being a worst-case-scenario thinker... this is the same hospital where I delivered my other 2 kids and the staff was actually great the last 2 times so I'm probably being unfair...

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! It makes me feel more confident and hopeful to hear bout other mamas who have had little peanut babies who have done so well! :)

-Ruby
 
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