32 Week Appointment
Today we had our routine 32-week appointment and we also had an ultrasound to check Muffin's size. At our 28-week appointment I had expressed my concern to Dr. Kaufman about the potential for Muffin to be bigger than Gavin at birth (and for that to cause problems). She said we could schedule an ultrasound at 32 weeks to measure the baby, estimate a size, and make decisions based on that information.
We had the ultrasound first and it was fairly uneventful. We never got a clear view of the baby's face and weren't able to bring any photos home. The ultrasound tech also had a hard time getting a good view of Muffin's belly, so I rolled around a lot and she did her best to take and record measurements. Muffin's size estimate is a combination of the head circumference, belly circumference, and femur length. Muffin is measuring a little bit ahead in each area (33-34+ weeks, and I am 32 weeks + 3 days today) and is estimated to be exactly 5 pounds. This puts him or her at the 66th percentile for his or her gestational age. We also learned the Muffin is in the head-down position, which is great news. I was fairly confident of this based on where I feel the most pressure during the frequent bouts of hiccups that I feel.
After the ultrasound, we met with Dr. Kaufman for my routine prenatal check. My weight and blood pressure are still great and the baby's heart rate was 136 bpm today. I had a long list of things to ask about, including: Muffin's size, hospital visitor policies and discharge changes, and implications of testing positive for Group B Strep. Dr. Kaufman said that Muffin is measuring right on track and we do not need to monitor size anymore. If I am dilated 1 cm or more, we could schedule an induction for 39 weeks. So we will just wait and see what happens as we get closer to our due date. As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital is still allowing one visitor (as long as their temperature is below 100.0 upon entry) and they are still allowing partners into the operating room for cesarean sections. They have not changed the length of stay or begun discharging maternity patients any earlier than usual. Dr. Kaufman said that Iowa is projected to reach its peak number of cases the last week of April or the first of May, but she doesn't anticipate hospital policies to change. My last question was about Group B Strep and the antibiotic administered during labor. I wanted to let her know that I have had C. Diff twice and ask about the risk of that occurring again. She said that while the potential risk to the baby far outweighs the potential for contracting C. Diff, we will have a low threshold for treating me for C. Diff if I begin to display any symptoms.
As a precaution during this time of Coronavirus, I am skipping my 34-week routine check and my next appointment is scheduled for May 12 (at 36 weeks). I will see Dr. Bedia for that appointment. The clinic is hoping to be back on a "regular" schedule policy at that point, so I will be seen weekly from 36 weeks until I deliver. My 37-week appointment will be with Dr. Kaufman on May 20. If I am dilated at all by then we will revisit the possibility of scheduling an induction. If not, we'll check again at my 38-week and 39-week appointments.
We are getting more and more excited to meet this baby. 32+ weeks down, less than 8 weeks to go!