IUGR Babies Chat/Support... [Archive] - Bub Hub Pregnancy & Parenting Forum

naiwen

21-05-2009, 11:22

Hey great idea :)

Well my little boy was born almost two years ago at twenty nine weeks and six days gestation (29+6), he weighed 845g which is small for that gestation, he had the classic head sparing IUGR so his head was big compared to his body.

He was IUGR due to restricted placental flow, I had PE and HELLP syndrome and he also had cord compression a foetal distress, there was low fluid (ogliohydramos) and he was basicly a miracle.

We was TPN fed at birth as his GI system (tummy) was too immature to tolerate feeds, we then gradually progressed to trying to get him to tolerate 1/2 a ml of EBM down his OG tube (feeding tube in the mouth to the tummy) for a while he did not tolerate the milk feeds but eventually he did.

He spent 10 weeks in hospital before his first dicharge and was NG tube fed for about 8 of those 10 weeks.

He had an NG tube on and of until he was about 6 months old and he was in and out of hospital after his initial discharge also due to his respiritory and feeding problems.

He was diagnosed with severe reflux and put on omeprazole to help with that.

He has always been in the underweight/FTT catagory and kept the IUGR big head :D.

He was put on pediasure a few months ago to help his weight gain, that worked for a while but his weight has now leveled out so they want him to go on a 1.5 cal per ml hospital type formula, we should get it delivered in about 6 days time :fingerscrossed:.

DS neonatologists and paediatricians have informed me that because his IUGR started so early in pregnancy his long term growth capacity is reduced and he will never reach average height/weight.

And that's us :wave:.

MrsLozza

06-06-2009, 18:31

:iagree: Good Idea!

My DS is 10 days old today. He was born at 38+5 weeks gestation but only weighed 2.1kg (4lb14oz). We were unaware throughout the whole pregnancy that he was small and at birth diagnosed with IUGR. Besides being small for dates, he (thank god) doesn't have any other anatomical problems.

For the first 48 hours he was in a humidicrib as he was unable to control his temperature. He also had very low blood sugar levels as he would not suck when encouraged to feed. So he had a NG tube inserted on day 1 and was being fed colostrum which I expressed for him. The tube stayed in for 6 days and throughout that time we gradually introduced BF. On day 4 we tried BF once a day, day 5 twice a day and day 6 every 2nd feed was BF. On day 7 the tube was removed as the paediatrician was confident that DS would do well at the breast. He was right. We had a full day of BF and DS did really well - he still has problems attaching and staying on but we're working on that slowly and things are going well. We are now at home and I'm just getting used to being a mummy!!!

That's us :)

hope4mum

07-06-2009, 13:10

Our baby girl is 10 days old today. She was born at 34 weeks gestation, but only 985 grams. Early in the pregnancy things seemed to be going well. We had monthly ultrasounds, as our previous baby was born at 2.3kg (full term). At the 26 week ultrasound we noticed that the baby had slipped just below average, but at that point we didn't really worry.

At 30 weeks, however, the baby was only ~900 grams, according to the ultrasound, so was measuring about 4 weeks late. We were told to do some blood tests, and then come back 2 weeks later. Blood tests turned out fine, but the ultrasound at 32 weeks showed the baby was still around 900 grams.

We went to another doctor for a second opinion, and this time started to get some better answers. We were told the baby was small due to placenta insufficiency. There were no other issues, such as pre-eclamsia, etc. It was just a matter of the placenta not being able to send enough nutrients to the baby.

I then had complete bed rest for two weeks, but one day I just started bleeding. The cause of this bleeding is still not clear, but to us it was just a sign that we couldn't wait any longer. We rushed to the hospital and had a c-section about an hour later.

The baby was on a respirator for the first day and a half, and had surfactant to help the lungs. For the first week she put on weight each day, but it turns out this was mostly due to swelling of the arms and legs. After getting some medicine to control the swelling, yesterday she came down to 980 grams (below where she started).

Other than this, everything is going as good as it can in this situation. The doctors say there are still some risks for her long-term health. It would be great to hear if anyone else on this forum has had any similar experiences and how their kids did in the long run.

:kiss:

MrsLozza

07-06-2009, 13:55

hope4mum - I'm sorry that you're experiencing such a tough time at the moment. It's great to hear your positive attitude though! I'm sure your bubs will be doing fine in no time. Babies are really resiliant little things and with the amazing care available to us in this day and age we can expect much better outcomes :)

I hope he keeps gaining weight quickly and that you and your family are coping :)

Lastcenturymum

08-06-2009, 06:52

oh hope4mum, my thoughts are with you at this time. I hope things improve - keep us posted :hugs:

hope4mum

08-06-2009, 19:48

Hi All, thanks for the wishes.

As of today, our daughter is still in the NICU, but basically just for the IV line and observation. She's drinking 5cc of breastmilk every 2 hours, and each day they increase this amount (she started on 0.5cc, twice per day!).

Her weight today is back up to 1100 grams, but again, this is mostly swelling on her legs.

Once again, thanks for all the support.

3BoysBlue

08-06-2009, 20:25

DS1 was 35wks and 1705gms
I had a healthy pregnancy he started to slow down from about 25wks and
I was on fortnightly scans from then but he was healthy
then at 35wks I went into labour and was diagnosed with PE.

he spent 5wks in SCN and came home at 2.3kgs
his been healthy and has always been small
7.2kgs at 12mths (naked)
9.6kgs at 2yrs and (naked)
10.9kgs at 3yrs (naked)
recently been weight at 3yrs 3mths and had had a huge growth spurt and was 12.2kgs clothed

between 12-18mth he went through heaps of testing for failure to thrive,
to see if they could find a cause all test came back good
had a bone age scan done (he bones where the size of a 3-6mths old),
in the end we where told he had constitutional growth delay and
he most likely has Russell Silver Syndrome
(they arnt 100% sure as genetic testing came back normal but it does in some cases)

but other than his growth issues he has been healthy did everything relatively on target
he did have a mild speech delay which he has court up with.

MissMetal

13-06-2009, 10:32

anyone want to share some pics of their special bubba's??
here are a few of DS when he was born :D

here (http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/rezdog666/P2110377.jpg)
here (http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/rezdog666/P2110401.jpg)
& here (http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/rezdog666/P2110384.jpg)

hope4mum

13-06-2009, 17:44

Here are some photos of our daughter, aged two weeks and now at 1160 grams. Hope the links work.
Photo 1 (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NwDAlP0bmFc/SjJiW1YFLaI/AAAAAAAABVM/nDicSu1nQX0/s1600-h/two-weeks-wave.jpg)
Photo 2 (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NwDAlP0bmFc/SjJjq6RVLBI/AAAAAAAABVc/yOj64hwLcC8/s1600-h/two-weeks-hand.jpg)

MissMetal

13-06-2009, 18:18

MyFourCubs

13-06-2009, 18:25

I would ahve loved to have this thread when my dd was dx IUGR- good on you for starting it:goodvibes:

My dd's birth story is linked in my signature but in a nutshell:

She grew normally until about 30 weeks, although I had been previously dx with placenta praevia and had issues with bleeding. At 32 weeks at my regular appointment with my ob he found that she had hardly grown. My fundal height had not changed in 4 weeks and neither had my weight. I was sent for ultrasounds which confirmed that she was small, although appeared healthya nd my placenta seemed ok.

between 32 and 35 weeks I had constant monitoring and requent scans, all that showed that she was small but slowly growing. At 35 weeks however a scxan showed that I ahd lost all my fluid and my placenta was basically conking out. (In laymans terms!) I was admitted to hospital immediately and she was delivered 2 days later when the feotal monitor indicated that she was in distress. She weighed 4lb 13oz, (approximately 32 weeks gestation.) Luckily as I'd been given steroids previously her lungs were good. She was in a humidicrib for 2 days ona glucose drip as her blood sugar was low and she had trouble keeping her body temp. (Common for low weight babies.) However, by the end of the week she was discharged with me weighing 2.08kg. (Yikes!) But she was healthy, feeding ok and the doctors were happy with her.

The first 6 months she was slow to gain weight but otherwise very healthy. feeding ws tough as she was slow to suck and the first 9 motnhs I gave her EBM top ups. Bloody exhausting!)

By 12 months she had caught up in her growth and was developing perfectly normally. She was still "little' but on the charta nd looked fine. (People were no longer stopping me in the street to comment on how tiny she was!:rolleyes:)

She turned 2 at the end of April and the paed says her development is great- she is actually advanced in most areas and behind in none. She is a fesity little muppit and so bloody stubborn I have no doubts as to how she made it here!:laughing: She is actually on the 100% for her height now and about the 70% for her weight so she is skinny but looks very healthy and well.

One thing the nurses told me when she was born and I was scared to death is this:
"babies that have already had to fight on the inside often come out very resillient. They have had to be tough and therefor come out fighting and stay fighting."

One worth remembering!

Best of luck to others in the same boat. I am sending lots and lots of :hugs: and :goodvibes: your way.

naiwen

13-06-2009, 19:28

jb23

14-06-2009, 00:17

:iagree: great idea.

So heres our story.
My son Kaiden was born at 33 weeks weighing 1425 grams due to sever PE. He had stopped growing somewhere between 25-27 weeks. Kaiden spent his first 2 and a half weeks in an isolete and the first month of his life in the scbu. Hes now 3 months old and is doing amazingly well. He now weighs 3.7kgs and doesnt seem to have any development issues.

will post pics when i figure out how to:laughing:

jb23

14-06-2009, 00:32

ok hope this works

This is Kaiden 2 days after birth
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=1648275&id=522188302

and kaiden today (in his first 0000 suit)
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=2017550&id=522188302

3BoysBlue

14-06-2009, 08:47

Hunt & Deegs mummy, I just looked up Russell Silverman syndrome and DS has every single symptom on the checklist!

I am going to get onto the paed about this as it could explain so much.

Wow just cannot believe how many of those symptoms match up.

DS1 has alot of symptoms as did I when I was younger
its not very common as alot of doctors haven't heard of it before
I would print of this (http://www.magicfoundation.org/www/docs/112.111/russell_silver_syndrome)
(this website is very informative on IUGR/SGA babies) in case he has never heard of it before

here are some pics of my DS1
the 2mths and 2yrs are taken with the same thing to show how much he had grown its about 45cms high
a few hrs old and all swallon (http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2692/109/120/546303187/n546303187_1548168_5915876.jpg)
a few days old (http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v249/109/120/546303187/n546303187_507161_6299.jpg)
1 months old and just home (http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2692/109/120/546303187/n546303187_1548177_6224429.jpg)
8wks old (http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v249/109/120/546303187/n546303187_507160_5979.jpg)
2mths old (http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2692/109/120/546303187/n546303187_1548187_1177228.jpg)
2yrs old (http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2692/109/120/546303187/n546303187_1541091_4992024.jpg)
Now 3 (http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2692/109/120/546303187/n546303187_1548192_5806444.jpg)

bridee

14-06-2009, 13:43

DD is now 13 days old, she was born at 37wks weighing 2.4kg. Early in pregnancy (12wks) we were told I had low papp-a which can causes babies to be small (papp-a is a growth hormone in the placenta) and can causes the placenta to stop functioning early. Ob said at that point he was aiming to get me to 34wks. At 20 wks we also found out we there was only a single umbilical artery (instead of 2) which also causes small babies.

I was monitored regularly with scans and from 24wks DD was small (sitting around the 10th%). Around 30wks the fluid started to reduce and there was restricted blood flow through the cord so thought we were going to have to deliver but the following scan showed things had improved.

AT 36wks scans showed DD hadn't grown for 2wks, her head was bigger than it should have been and there was restricted blood flow through cord, so decision was made to deliver at exactly 37wks. The prediction at that point was DD was 2kg.

At the birth (c-sect coz she was breech) we were pleasantly surprised she was 2.4kg.

She did very well for the first couple of days but then would not feed from breast or bottle so was admitted to SCN. She was in there for 3 days.

She has now been home for 6 days and doing well. I'm trying breast feeding twice a day and EBM for the other feeds. She doesn't attach well but when she does attach (thanks to a nipple shield) she sucks quite well. I see the MCHN tomorrow and if her weigh gain is good then I will start to increase the number of breast feeds I do.

She is a very sleepy baby which Dr and nurses all say is typical of a 37wker and small babies. I have to wake her for her feeds and then she goes straight back to sleep.

We are not expecting any health issues but she does have to have a hip ultra sound because she was breech and a kidney ultrasound because of the single umibical artery - it can cause kidney problems.

MyFourCubs

14-06-2009, 19:32

With all that going on you did an awesome job keeping her in there for so long!:thumbsup:

The sleepiness is very normal but is a pain. We used to try everythign to wake up hannah and keep her awake- tickling her feet, sponging her with a cold washer- poor little thing! In the end I would feed her for as long as she stayed awake and then express the left over in a bottle to give to her after her next feed. They suck much easier out of a bottle so they tireless easily and they can feed from the bottle even when they are half asleep. I used to give her 3 expressed bottles a dayand kept this up til she was about 6 months old before I started decreasing them. this was ultimately what made her gain weight- the breast feeds alone were not doing it and I was feeding round the clock!

best of luck and congrats on your little miracle bubba.:goodvibes:

lovelymum

14-06-2009, 20:38

Great thread, both of mine were IUGR. DS was induced at 37 weeks, he weighed 2.4kg at birth, he had hypolglycemia and could not maintain his body tempreture he had severe juandice as well. I was not able to breastfeed him as his sucking reflex was not properly developed and we had to get him to gain weight, so formula and EBM was what we did. He is now a happy healthy 5 year old. Our DD was born in 07 I kept a positive outlook that history would not repeat itself and had regular scans etc... At 30 weeks everything started going down hill, her growth slowed down at 33 weeks she was in the 30th percentile for growth, by 36 weeks she was in the 20th percentile and I had lost most of my fluid (which is a sign of fetal distress as they ingest it) so morning after my scan at 36 weeks she was born via C/S (due to being breech as well!!) she was 2.4 kg as well had hypoglycemia and low body tempreture. She actually was no where near as sick as our DS and I put that down to being born via C/S as not having to endure the birth. She recovered quickly and breastfed with gusto!! She is now a happy and somewhat healthy 21 month old. She does have an oral eating aversion - this condition I have found out is directly linked to bubs with with IUGR (but that is another story for another day) We are TTC no 3 and I am fully prepared for the same case scenario again I am still tossing up whether to try for a VBAC or have another C/S

MrsLozza

15-06-2009, 14:00

Couple of pics of my little man. He's now almost 3 weeks old and has gained 300g! He's feeding a lot better now, he seems to guts a lot and then spill a bit but as long as he's gaining weight it's all good!! Bad news though was he failed 3 hearing tests in his right ear so we have to take him to the neonatal audiologist to have it followed up.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/akklawrence/DSC05504.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/akklawrence/DSC05544.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/akklawrence/aidan.jpg

MissMetal

15-06-2009, 16:02

MyFourCubs

15-06-2009, 17:53

She is now a happy and somewhat healthy 21 month old. She does have an oral eating aversion - this condition I have found out is directly linked to bubs with with IUGR (but that is another story for another day)

What oh what is an "oral eating aversion"???? My little IUGR miss doesn't eat- never has- drives me up the wall! She exists purely on prescription formuls!:hair: If you have an explanation for it, please share!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

naiwen

15-06-2009, 18:25

pennylane

16-06-2009, 17:13

Its great to see a chat thread for us IUGR mummys!!

hows Edwards weight going Julie??

lovelymum

17-06-2009, 13:35

Sara Edward has an oral aversion and it basicly means they dont like things/food going in their mouth, they can be very sensitive to texture, have and over sensitve gag reflex and need to feel in control about what goes in their mouth.

Edward has been seeing the feeding clinic at the Mater for his oral aversion and we have made some progress.

Glad to hear things are looking up!! We are seeing speech path/dietician (feeding clinic) on Friday so hopefully things may be on the up and up for my little lady!! The only thing that stops me going insane is that she still drinks 2 bottles of formula every day (although I only just started her back on formula 8 weeks ago after we found out she is anemic wish I had have kept her on it after she hit 12 months but I listend to MCHN advice - even though she still was not eating any solid food :no:) hope they dont bust my chops about it on Friday because I dont think I am prepared to give up the bottle its all that stands between me and sanity and I just dont want to argue with them about the politics of bottle feeding toddlers (yeh yeh I know your not supposed to do it but I am sure when she's 21 she wont be drinking milk from a bottle :ecomcity:)

MyFourCubs

17-06-2009, 23:21

MissMetal

18-06-2009, 10:04

little update on my DS, we just had his 4 month check up & he weighed in at 4.9kgs...
CHN is a little concerned on his growth & has made extra app for him... im scared he may get FTT :(

naiwen

18-06-2009, 10:10

Thanks Naiwen!

Hannah still has 3 bottles a day- 150ml and 2 x 225mls. I have tried cutting them back in the hope that she will eat food- she won't.:no: The old "they'll eat when they are hungry" doesn't work with my daughter!! I no longer have the energy to argue with her, she is doing very well on her artificial milk and that's the main thing!:D

Sara if it makes you feel any better Edward who is two still has 4 bottles a day and the dietician wants him to have more.

But his formula is 1.5 cals per ml so will help with weight gain if we can get it in him!

naiwen

18-06-2009, 10:12

little update on my DS, we just had his 4 month check up & he weighed in at 4.9kgs...
CHN is a little concerned on his growth & has made extra app for him... im scared he may get FTT :(

:hugs: DS weighed about that at 4m corrected (when he was acutally 4m he was about 2kg LOL).

I know it is scary but hopefully they will come up with ways to help his weight, maybe add a fortifier to his bottles?

:hugs:

pennylane

18-06-2009, 10:14

little update on my DS, we just had his 4 month check up & he weighed in at 4.9kgs...
CHN is a little concerned on his growth & has made extra app for him... im scared he may get FTT :(

TattooMummy,did they say what they would rather he weigh?? I think his weight sounds pretty good for an early,IUGR bubba :confused: especially with the feeding issues you guys have been having.

naiwen

18-06-2009, 10:14

Its great to see a chat thread for us IUGR mummys!!

hows Edwards weight going Julie??

Wrong question :p.

After making heroic efforts to get to 9kg he has now plataued and there has been no weight gain for 3m, and he is taking less formula :rolleyes:.

But he isn't loosing so I am gratefull for small mercys :D.

Hows you DD's weight doing? She had pretty good catch up growth hey.

MissMetal

18-06-2009, 10:16

:hugs: DS weighed about that at 4m corrected (when he was acutally 4m he was about 2kg LOL).

I know it is scary but hopefully they will come up with ways to help his weight, maybe add a fortifier to his bottles?

:hugs:

thanks, whats a fortifier?
he has recently been changed to neocate prescribed formula due to suspected intolerances/allergies but are still waiting for his blood test results to come back...

naiwen

18-06-2009, 10:22

Glad to hear things are looking up!! We are seeing speech path/dietician (feeding clinic) on Friday so hopefully things may be on the up and up for my little lady!! The only thing that stops me going insane is that she still drinks 2 bottles of formula every day (although I only just started her back on formula 8 weeks ago after we found out she is anemic wish I had have kept her on it after she hit 12 months but I listend to MCHN advice - even though she still was not eating any solid food :no:) hope they dont bust my chops about it on Friday because I dont think I am prepared to give up the bottle its all that stands between me and sanity and I just dont want to argue with them about the politics of bottle feeding toddlers (yeh yeh I know your not supposed to do it but I am sure when she's 21 she wont be drinking milk from a bottle :ecomcity:)

Just ignore the eejits that tell you they must be off bottles at 12m or all their teeth will fall out :shame:.

Total bullcr"p, DS is two, still has 4 bottles a day, has all his teeth with no caires :p and has them because other wise he would be dropping percentiles even faster than he already is.

What works for chubby, eat lots of food normal kids does not work for out petite munchkins :angel:.

naiwen

18-06-2009, 10:24

thanks, whats a fortifier?
he has recently been changed to neocate prescribed formula due to suspected intolerances/allergies but are still waiting for his blood test results to come back...

It's just a powder (like polyjoule, duocal etc) that you can add to formula to increase the calories in there.

But hopefully your DS will start stacking on the weight now he is on a formula he can acutally tolerate :thumbsup:.

OK so a general question for you lovely ladies :D, what percentiles are your little ones one.

Just thought we would do a survey :yes:.

MissMetal

18-06-2009, 10:28

It's just a powder (like polyjoule, duocal etc) that you can add to formula to increase the calories in there.

But hopefully your DS will start stacking on the weight now he is on a formula he can acutally tolerate :thumbsup:.

OK so a general question for you lovely ladies :D, what percentiles are your little ones one.

Just thought we would do a survey :yes:.

ok i might ask the paed about this stuff :o
he has been on formula since he was 10 days old, so he should have stacked on more weight than this?? :crying:

MissMetal

18-06-2009, 10:29

DS isnt even on the charts, never has been :no:
but where the marks have been made in his blue book for weight he would be minus -2 or 3 if that makes sense??

pennylane

18-06-2009, 10:55

Julie, DD's only 9.3kg bare weighed,so not far off Edward! She's just started gaining a bit though because she was only 9.2 clothed 2 weeks ago,and she'd been that weight for months!!

She eats like a pig so its not getting food into her that a problem,its that she never sits still! we cant get weight onto her.

She has seizures now too so were trying to get that diagnosed at the moment :(

oh and Scarletts on the charts (finally) but only Just,and i mean Just lol on the 3rd for weight and shes on the 5th for height.

hope4mum

18-06-2009, 17:20

Our IUGR baby was born 3 weeks ago at 985g, and is now 1060g. So far she's been having only breastmilk, but if she doesn't start to gain more weight the doctor wants to try some formula milk (S26) once or twice a day, to see if that helps. Our doctor hasn't recommended a fortifier, and I'm wondering if anyone else has any experience with this sort of thing.

naiwen

18-06-2009, 17:55

Hope4mum when DS was in SCN they added fortifier to my EBM and never gave him formula, EBM can protect premmies from NEC (a deadly internal infection) so I would be pushing for your bub to only have your EBM with added calories if neccessary.

How many weeks was she born at?

naiwen

18-06-2009, 18:00

ok i might ask the paed about this stuff :o
he has been on formula since he was 10 days old, so he should have stacked on more weight than this?? :crying:

But he hs only been on neocate for a little bit right? If he was on a formula that he could not tolerate then that would explain the previous lack of weight gain hey.

DS isnt even on the charts, never has been
but where the marks have been made in his blue book for weight he would be minus -2 or 3 if that makes sense??

LOL that does make sense DS is in the minus catergory too.

Julie, DD's only 9.3kg bare weighed,so not far off Edward! She's just started gaining a bit though because she was only 9.2 clothed 2 weeks ago,and she'd been that weight for months!!

She eats like a pig so its not getting food into her that a problem,its that she never sits still! we cant get weight onto her.

She has seizures now too so were trying to get that diagnosed at the moment :(

oh and Scarletts on the charts (finally) but only Just,and i mean Just lol on the 3rd for weight and shes on the 5th for height.

Well she is doing great! I am glad she eats well, wan't to swop :p DS is the same, mega active but has a tiny appetite also the cheeky money!

Sorry about the seizures, DS has febrile convulsions, not as bad but I have an idea how scary that must be!

Yay for her being on the charts :smiliedance:.

DS is 25th for head circ, -5th for height and - 10th for weight maybe? It's hard to calculate when they are below the lines hey :rolleyes:.

hope4mum

18-06-2009, 18:08

Thanks Naiwen, that's really helpful. I will push for EBM plus fortifier.

Our baby girl was 34 weeks gestation at birth, but her weight was more like only 27 weeks.

naiwen

18-06-2009, 18:15

Hey DS was 29+6 byt about 27 weeks weight so not dissimilar to yours, I was lucky as the hospital DS was in was 'baby friendly' and not allowed to suggest formula unless there was no mothers milk available.

Babies can absorb EBM more easily as it is made for them (makes sense LOL) and premmie breast milk that you express is acutally really rich in minerals and calories and antibodies so the more they can get the better!

LOL now I sound like a nutty breastfeeding pusher but it's just because I know it's so good for premmies and giving formula can mess with your supply and your babies tummy.

How are you coping with everything?

MyFourCubs

18-06-2009, 22:51

Thanks Naiwen, I do feel better, lol.

I agree with the breat milk if you can- as I said earlier I would do Ebm top ups before I introduced formula. They are so little and sensitive I think formula can be a bit much for them to digest? The paed told me at her check up (must have been at about 8 weeks I think?) that she was not gaining enough weight and to start her on formula. I was really upset as she WAS gaining, just slowly, and she was healthy and alert and looked good, just small! The nurses I spoke to said that you need to take their start weight as a consideration- whereas a 4kg bub may be putting on 300- 400lbs a week that just isn't a realistic expectation for a 2kg bub whose weight gain is likely to be at half that weight. Use your own judgement, you will know if bub isn't getting all she needs and wet and dirty nappies are just as big a sign as weight gain when it comes to that.

Hannah started to go backwards in her weight at about 14 months, she became so skinny she looked frightfully small and people were commenting again! Turned out she was allergic to dairy etc and when she started on the elecare she took off in weight and looked good again.She is now on the 70% percentile for her weight (don't hurt me, lol!) but she is very tall and that's where she gets the extra percents. She was also not on the chart to begin with. So there is hope!!!!!!!

lovelymum

19-06-2009, 21:12

Just ignore the eejits that tell you they must be off bottles at 12m or all their teeth will fall out :shame:.

Total bullcr"p, DS is two, still has 4 bottles a day, has all his teeth with no caires :p and has them because other wise he would be dropping percentiles even faster than he already is.

What works for chubby, eat lots of food normal kids does not work for out petite munchkins :angel:.
We had our appointment today and they actually told me to try to aim for 4 bottles a day! I got a shopping list of things to buy for her to eat which has made me feel a bit upset because it goes against everything I believe in, I need to let her "play with food" so we know she likes crunchy, crumby texture so I need to buy chips, cheezels, rice crackers, crackers popcorn :hair::hair: I hope this is going to help her. I am glad that they dont judge as I was feeling bad that she seems to have a fetish for fish fingers but their shopping list makes me look like mother of the year!! So we are going to have a go with messy food play and "fast disolving" foods. All mushy food, meat, fruit etc is off limits for now. This is so challenging, I am feeling a little concerned that she has not gained any weight in over 6 months and clinic wants me to see our pead again and increase formula feeds. For our mummies with IUGR babies oral eating aversion in common so if you think your little one has an eating problem get onto your local hospital for help!

MyFourCubs

19-06-2009, 23:35

:laughing: How bizzare!! I wonder what happens in a year or so when that's all she eats though? Hannah only eats flippin vegie chips and rice crackers and popcorn as it is. My fault, entirely for caving into her stubborness. At least you have a medical authorisation so it absolves you of responsibility!! Lol.

rebekaho

28-06-2009, 22:08

In October 07 my mono/di twin boys were born electively at 34 weeks. Cutting a long story very short, my little boys are a true miricle. Like so many of you, my pregnancy was a very stressful one. We found we were expecting twins at the 7 week scan. I was so nervous, because I had lost a pregnancy at 12 weeks 6 month prior.
We were congratulated wholeheartly by the doctor, but at the same time our world was rocked when it was also pointed out that it was a high risk pregnancy.
( Even though their heartbeats were perfect there was days difference in the sizes at that stage) The boys were born at 34, the bigger twin Thady had acute RDS, but our little bloke, who weighed in at 1.290kgs was thriving and just happy to be out getting some food.
I'm so glad that I have found this forum, as I think that the shock and the stress has now caught up with me. I was so possitive throughtout my pregnancy, we were scanned weekly from about week 16 & at one stage we were advised to expect the impending demise of one, if not both the babies. I meditated, juiced veggies and drank 100grams of pure protein in milk each day( yummo) Just the smell of that stuff makes me want to vomit.
Anyway the boys are now 22 months old. We put them to bed this evening for the first time in big boy beds.
I would be really interested to hear from any other parents with mono twins that have been affected by what we have been told was a marginal cord insertion.

MyFourCubs

29-06-2009, 22:33

Hey Rebekaho, you may find more help in the mulitples section? Glad you found BH, there are loads of mummies with all kinds of situations here so you will surely find the support you need.:goodvibes:

MissMetal

15-07-2009, 16:32

hey eveyone just wondering if you all knew the reason as to why bubs developed IUGR?
it does my head in as they couldnt tell me why this happened to DS, i feel so guilty everyday that maybe I did something wrong to cause this :confused::(

MyFourCubs

16-07-2009, 14:59

I thought thta mine was probably a combo of not enough time between babies and LOADS of scar tissue in my uterus from previous births which resulted in placenta praevia. But who knows? They are just my personal expanations!

slayersam

06-08-2009, 00:46

Hi everyone,
Let me tell you something about myself and babe. Our little DS was born 17th July ( 39 wks ) weighing 1840 kg (4 lb 1 ). We were told it was iugr 2 days before, they said it was due to him being my 4th, placenta problems and I'd only gained 8 kg thoughout the entire pregnancy. Since then I've looked for people who have gone though the same thing and can give me advice. So glad I found this. Ds had problems with temp and jaundice, but apart from that is healthy. We only stayed in hospital 3 days. Was last weighed thursday and weighed 4 lb 5, how much weight did you babies put on in the 1st weeks?
Sorry if I might ask stupid questions but as you all know there is not a lot of info out there on iugr.

rebekaho

07-08-2009, 08:53

Our little boy Bede was IUGR or SGA because he was only plugged into the membranes of the placenta which he shared with his identical twin. His poor growth was contributed directly to this, just they way the cookie crumbles or I should say how the cells divided and implanted. Other factors may have included that because of the uneven placental share, there was also a struggle for growth hormone in the very early stages of the pregnancy. Which we have been told contributed to his hypospadious and ingural hernia. The upside to being under so much stress was that he came out swinging, bellowing and tolerated feeds straight away. Quite a sight to see such a tidy ball of energy he was 34 weeks and 1.2 kgs. His brother who was 2.2 had a much rougher start.

MissMetal

18-08-2009, 19:01

this is just a bit of a vent, somewhere to cry really as you lot are the only ones who really understant what its like to have an IUGR bub...

So DS had yet another app with his paed at the Royal Childrens today... and they are a bit more concerned than usual :gloomy:
he is 6.5 months now & weighs 5.6kg. they have made us app's to see a Dietician their to see what needs to be done & try to get him to gain even more calories as he isnt really putting on any weight... he has started solids a few weeks ago, but this still isnt making him gain weight :(
i sick of expalining to people why he is still fitting in newborn clothes :geek:
aswell we have to have fortnightly app's with his paed, and extra app's with his MCHN.
he is also not as strong as they would like him to be at this age. he hasnt rolled yet (not even close) and when she tested his strength (back & neck etc) he wasnt as strong as he should be... she said this is likely due to the fact that he doesnt have as much muscle & weight on his body as other babies, therefor not being able to be as strong. i think im going to have a late learner.
ahhhhhh sorry about the vent, i just needed to get it out.. its just so metally straining being a sinle mum with a baby who has this aswell as other ongoing problems :o
oh and did i mention they are refering him to a sleep clinic too cause he doesnt sleep :(

sorry cry over :crying:

naiwen

24-08-2009, 11:37

So sorry I didnt see this post till now hun,

I am sure this will be no comfort to you but DS was, similar, very slow to gain weight and he couldnt sit up until he was 13m old! That's because he had low muscle tone (hypotonia) but I am sure your little man will do much better than that.

Which formula is he on? Are you adding any fortifier to it? What are his poos like?

Big Hugs!

And the rest of you, how are you are doing?

naiwen

24-08-2009, 21:44

Well to give the thread a wee bump,

This week DS will be going back up to the Childrens for his growth and development clinic and to be tested for ASD.

So that should be interesting.

slayersam

28-09-2009, 23:42

Hi all,:wave:
Just popping in to give you an update ds is now 10 1/2 wks. He's weighing approx 3.80kg (8lb 6), and 52cms. He's just starting to grow out of prem 2 clothes and into newborn.:smiliedance:
How is everyone else doing?

pennylane

29-09-2009, 10:45

ugh I just can not get DD1 past 10ish kgs,shes so active she burns everything off! She's healthy as a horse though so I guess were pretty lucky but im sick of peoples comments! Her baby sister (theyre 19 mnths apart) is wearing all her clothes and fits most of them better than she does!

rachelrhin0

03-10-2009, 15:35

rebekaho

04-10-2009, 00:33

Hi Rachel, I have sent you an email, but just in case you didnt get it...I noticed from your profile that you are based in the US. Did you know that here is an organisation based in the US called 'Fetal Hope'
Hope that this might help
Rebekah

Fetal Hope provides emotional support to families and friends upon a diagnosis, financial support and medical transportation to those in financial need, diagnosis support from other families that have experienced like fetal syndromes and bereavement support (through HeartStrings Connections). For help upon diagnosis, please call us at 1.877.789.HOPE (4673), 24 hours a day.

MissMetal

04-10-2009, 09:03

Hi everyone. I'm new here. My name is Rachel. I'm 27 (almost 28) and married to Ryan (32). We have been together for nearly 7 years.

We got pregnant in 2007. I had complications from 18 weeks on. Our daughter carly wasn't growing properly. At 18 weeks she was measuring 2 weeks behind. As time went on she got further and further behind in growth. She had a brain defect, heart defect and extremley low fluid. Her IUGR was allowing her head to be much bigger than her body. She has a 2 vessel cord as well. At 28 weeks she was having reverse diastolic flow in her umbilical cord and the doc sent me right away to be delivered. carly was born at 28w3d weighing 13 ounces (380 grams). She lived for 4 months before passing away from her heart defect.

My doctors said that that pregnancy was just a fluke and wouldn't repeat itself. I had all sorts of blood clotting disorder test and u/s and such. Everything came back normal. I do have a bicournate uterus with a septum though.

In 2008 I got pregnant again. At 18 weeks Hannah was on target with her growth. She had no defects either. Everything seemed to be going well. At 25 weeks Hannah was a week behind in growth but my doctor wasn't concerned. My doctor refused to do any further u/s on me. At 32 weeks Hannah had stopped moving. I wet to labor and delivery and her heart had stopped. She was delivered at 32w2d weighing 2 pounds 15 ounces and 16 inches long. She also suffered from IUGR. It went untreated. My MFM doctor thought it could have been prevented had my regular OB sent me back to him.

So I've had 2 babies, both with IUGR and no reason as to why with either. We are TTC again in a couple of weeks. This time I'm going to be on complete bed rest with a NEW high risk OB and a MFM (maternal fetal medicine) doctor. Fingers crossed it works this time.

Why did you all have IUGR? Have you been given answers? I'm grasping at straws here and there isn't much to grasp in the sense of IUGR online.

:hugs::hugs::hugs: him so sorry to hear about the tough road you have had to go down.... it must be so hard, i cant even imagine.
It sounds as if you are keeping as positive as possible which is really great to hear :hugs:

as far as knowing why my son had developed IUGR, i have no idea. I had constant US, CTG scans, growth scans, other monitoring , you name it.. but they couldnt figure out why this happened, then at 37 weeks they decided to induced me immediatetly.. im so greatful i made it that far in pregnancy, they didnt think i would.
He is still tiny, just hit spot on 6kg at 8months. his height & head have reached the charts now, but his weight is no were near the charts.. he is abit behind i think, he still refuses to be on his tummy, cant sit etc so i think im going to have a very late crawler/walker... he seems happy tho, sooky but happy :)
we have on going appointements every 4 weeks with his paed at the Royal Childrens Hospital & he has recently been put on a fortifier added to his formula, extra calories ect, hopefully that will bulk him up a bit.. but no results as yet... he has been on it for a month now... i just wish he would eat solids.. he seems to have a feeding aversion :ecomcity:
enough from me now.

rachelrhin0

05-10-2009, 03:57

:hugs::hugs::hugs: him so sorry to hear about the tough road you have had to go down.... it must be so hard, i cant even imagine.
It sounds as if you are keeping as positive as possible which is really great to hear :hugs:

as far as knowing why my son had developed IUGR, i have no idea. I had constant US, CTG scans, growth scans, other monitoring , you name it.. but they couldnt figure out why this happened, then at 37 weeks they decided to induced me immediatetly.. im so greatful i made it that far in pregnancy, they didnt think i would.
He is still tiny, just hit spot on 6kg at 8months. his height & head have reached the charts now, but his weight is no were near the charts.. he is abit behind i think, he still refuses to be on his tummy, cant sit etc so i think im going to have a very late crawler/walker... he seems happy tho, sooky but happy :)
we have on going appointements every 4 weeks with his paed at the Royal Childrens Hospital & he has recently been put on a fortifier added to his formula, extra calories ect, hopefully that will bulk him up a bit.. but no results as yet... he has been on it for a month now... i just wish he would eat solids.. he seems to have a feeding aversion :ecomcity:
enough from me now.

My 1st daughter, Carly, who lived for 4 months, she had a oral aversion too. Well I say that, all I really know is that she NEVER sucked and NEVER swallowed, not even her own secreations. In 4 months she was hard to grow. She only got to 4 pounds even.

Did you have any other IUGR babies?

MissMetal

05-10-2009, 08:05

nope Hunter is my only child... i hope have more babies one day (im a single mum & have no contact with his father, so i kinda have to find a partner first before i can have more babies :laughing:)
i really hope that my next pregnancy is almot more 'normal'
i cant help but feel guilty, like i did something to cause this IUGR... i dunno i probably stress about it too much, but not having answers as to why has really done my head in :(, would be easier if i had some closure as to why....
as im sure the same goes for others...

Countrydeb

25-10-2009, 02:06

What determines an iugr bub........I wasn't aware my baby was classed as this until i saw some paperwork the hospital had sent to my doc...he was small at 2.440 kg's[at 37 wks],had the low blood sugar and poor feeding.....but all my scans were ok til my last two,which is when they picked up on borderline cord blood flow and decided to induce me......what else decides this?

3BoysBlue

25-10-2009, 11:38

INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION (IUGR)
A condition in which the foetus is smaller than expected for its gestational age due to inadequate growth.
An IUGR foetus is defined as one who’s estimated weight is below the 10th percentile for its gestational age and
whose abdominal circumference is below the 2.5th percentile.
Often used interchangeably with the term Small for Gestational Age (SGA),
however whilst most IUGR infants will be SGA, not all SGA infants will have had IUGR.
IUGR is also sometimes referred to as Intrauterine Growth Retardation.

SMALL FOR GESTATIONAL AGE (SGA)
A baby that is born weighing less than 90% of babies of the same gestational age.

Well It looks like I could be going down the IUGR road again with DS3
as I'm showing signs of developing PE again and Have just been put on Tablets
I have a 3d Scan on Friday
so I'm going to ask how big he is as with the 20wk scan he was about a week behind (at 12wks he was ahead)

MissMetal

26-10-2009, 10:19

Oh Rach :hugs:
:fingerscrossed: your bub is growing properly & hopefully the scans all go good. let us know how it goes!!!!

on another note - does anyone else have extreme trouble finding clothes that fit your bubs properly??
the other day i went shopping & searched all day for some pants & shorts for DS... everything is WAY to wide and falls off him as soon as he moves or i pick him up...
he is almost 9 months old & still can only fit 0000 in pants :o
when will he get some body fat damn it!!!!!
so many clothes i cant buy because of his skinny size... its annoying!!!

ICanDream

26-10-2009, 10:36

Sorry to intrude but I was wondering how you were all picked up to have IUGR? I initially had a low PAPP-A score on my 12 week blood test which my Obs said could be an indicator. I had a scan at 28 wks which showed bubs to be on the 50th percentile (same as DS who was born 7lbs), fundal height was just a week behind so nothing to be overly concerned with.

I have just seen my Obs and my fundal height is now nearly 3 weeks behind and I'm having another scan in a week. He is talking delivery as early as 36 weeks potentially.

Do these sound like indicators or is there more that they need to investigate?

Sorry if this is not the right place please point me in the right direction.

MissMetal

26-10-2009, 10:47

its great you are having follow up scans to make sure bubs is ok. hopefully your bubs is fine & you have nothing to worry about.. it may just be a small baby which doesnt necessarily mean IUGR.
you can develop IUGR early on aswell as later on... in my case It was picked up quite early at just over 20 weeks (was measuring about 4 weeks behind)...
My pregnancy was horrible tho, i had to get growth scans on a weekly basis aswell as CTG monitoring... at one stage i had to go in EVERY single day to get hooked up to monitiors :(
I made it to 37.5 weeks which is awesome as they didnt think i would make it that far.
fingers crossed your bubba is ok :hugs:

jb23

26-10-2009, 21:27

I also have the same trouble with pants for my son who is now almost 8 months old and weighs just on 6kgs. He is very long but still doesnt realy have much fat on him at all. I recently changed from disposable nappys to modern cloth ones as he finaly fit him (although theyre still very big around the waist) and that fixed the pant problem and they make him look bigger which has stopped the comments about his size.

3BoysBlue

26-10-2009, 22:51

I still have the same problem with DS1 and his 3 1/2yr
he needs a size 2-3 for length but around a 1-2 for the waist
I put a pair of last years shorts that where a size 2 on him the other day and they fell off him:laughing:
I only buy him adjustable waist pants/shorts

His still in nappies its going to be so much harder once his TT at least his nappy give him some bulk;)

With DS1 I had scans at 16,21,25,29,31,34wks and he was born a week after the last scan
he started to decline in his rate of growth from 22wks but other than that was healthy

Mrs Awesome

31-10-2009, 20:54

Hi ladies,

I only just found this thread, but my DS is now almost 5 months old!!! He was 2.6kg (3rd percentile) at full term. I had absolutely NO health problems during my pregnancy, but my placenta was teeny tiny and yuck looking!

My fundal height was always spot on for my gestation, although my tummy never looked HUGE. On my 20 week scan my DS was diagnosed with dilated kidneys (apparently not the cause of his growth issues) and then we were followed up at 34 weeks for his kidney issues and it was on that scan that he was found to be on the 10th percentile. So, I had fetal monitoring twice a week for the remainder of the pregnancy (because I am a NICU nurse and was stressing out!) and at my appointment 2 days before my due date, they found the amniotic fluid levels had dropped from 14cm to almost undetectable....I was induced that day! Prior to this I had another growth scan at 37 weeks and they predicted DS to be 2.9 kg so thought he would be be about 3.2 by term.....NOT VERY ACCURATE AT ALL!!

I feel guilty quite a bit that I must have done something to cause my placenta to stop working properly, but I know deep down it wasnt my fault.

Funnily enough prior to finishing work to go on maternity leave I was writing a protocol for work about looking after babies under 3kg on the postnatal wards with their mums, so we were able to test out the protocol LOL.

Does anyone else worry about their next pregnancies being the same???

My DS is doing well now though and weighs almost 6kg at almost 5 months.

I find the pumpkin patch pants with adjustable waist work quite well, as you can get the extra length and take in the waist! My DS is only just into newborn PP size at almost 5 months...he he he.

Hope all of your bubs are doing well.

claire jeffs

10-11-2009, 23:37

Hi,
I have just found this forum and wondered if anyone has had a similar experience to what i'm having. At my 20 week scan I was informed that our baby was small and referred to a specialist. We had an amnio which ruled out any chromasome abnormalities and were told that I have severe IUGR and reduced fluid. We were offered a termination at this point due to the poor outlook for the prgnancy.

I am now 28 weeks and am being monitored weekly, at my last appointment I was informed that baby is only approx 320grams and needs to be 500 before they will consider delivering him. The doppler flows had also decresed and he had not grown a great deal since they had taken the measurements two weeks prior.

I feel regular movements although they are not very strong. My specialist says that it is remarkable that I am feeling movements at all considering the reduced fluid and that the placenta is abnormally large. I am a complete wreck at the moment as I have no idea what will happen or any control over it, all of the other stories I read seem to be well over 500grams at 28 weeks gestation which depresses me even more so I am hoping that there is someone out there with a story similar to mine so that I have some indication as to what to expect?

Thanks
Claire x

rachelrhin0

11-11-2009, 03:45

Hi there. My 1st daughter Carly had severe IUGR and oligohydramnios. She also had a brain and heart defect. At my 18 week scan she was already 2 weeks behind. After close monitoring they delivered her at 28w3d. She weighed 380 grams and was 10 inches long. They told me that they would not be able to get a vent tube (et tube) in her throat b/c of how small she was gonna be. I told them that I wanted them to try everything possible to save my baby. They did just that. A tube fit in her throat and she lived for 4 months. She did however pass away but it was only b/c of her heart defect. Good luck to you. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

claire jeffs

12-11-2009, 23:44

Thanks for that, I am sorry to hear about your loss it must have been awful to lose her after she obviously put up such a fight.
I went to the hospital yesterday and they did not take his measurements but checked the doppler flows which remain the same. He is still moving around and his heart beat is strong so I am hoping that when we go next week he will have grown and made some progress.
Thanks again for sharing your story with me it really helps me to make sense of all this and not feel so alone.
Claire x

Countrydeb

13-11-2009, 01:50

I have no answers for you Claire just wanted to pass on some :hugs: for you.....This must be so scary, the worst is the not knowing and having no control over it, i hope by some miracle it all turns out well.....Bubhub is a great site for support,it's incredible how many women there are out there and what they've gone thru....Bygod we are the stronger sex.......Good luck and keep us up to date on you and little ones progress.....

rachelrhin0

27-11-2009, 14:56

Well, we are pregnant again. I'm 5 weeks today. I'm coming out of work in 2 more weeks. My doc is putting me on modified bedrest at 12 weeks and may put me in the hospital at 28 weeks. I start progestrong shots at 16 weeks and my doc says he doubts I'll go past 34 weeks. Just praying that we have a problem free pregnancy this time. It would be a nice change!

kadencze13

04-01-2010, 01:30

Failure to thrive
i have a 20 mo boy born 9/05/08 who was born iugr currently weighs 7.9kg only just began walking aound furniture and is on nasogastric feeding for extra calories. He has only just had numerous genetic tests done but has no dysmorphic features dr's query ceiliacs? the last 20 months have been a big learning mystery and we seam to be only spriraling down! was looking for anyone with a similar story or advice. ;0:wave:

http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/images/misc/progress.gif

MissMetal

05-01-2010, 07:45

:wave:
OMG i could have written that post myself!!!
my son is about to turn 1 & is also FTT, the childrens hospital have just done a heap of tests to see if anything comes up & they are also questioning celiac disease!!
he has just hit the 7kg mark... yay finally, but because he has no muscle tone at all its causeing him delays in his gross motor skills. he has only just learnt to sit unaided a few weeks ago & still cant crawl or anything like that :no:
he now has weekly weigh-ins to make sure he is gaining ok & has been put on a special diet of fortified formula & oils added to his foods... maybe he would gain some weight if he decided to bluddy eat... constant feeding aversions for this little fella :detective:

naiwen

07-01-2010, 13:58

Hey there how are we all,

Miss Metal which formula have they put your DS on, glad they are finally doing something.

The bad news is I think DS has had a small loss, he is back to 9.9kg now at 2 1/2 but he has bags of energy and is a happy little boy so I am not too worried!

Do your IUGR babies/children sleep a lot?

DS is still having 4 hour day sleeps some days and 12 hours over night which seems alot for his age.

kadencze13

09-01-2010, 21:08

DS is still having 4 hour day sleeps some days and 12 hours over night which seems alot for his age.[/QUOTE]

my littleboy still sleeps like that he is now 20 mo! my son is on pediasure nasogastric feeds and regularly offered normal feeds.

Mum2Jas

12-01-2010, 23:04

Wow i have just joined bub hub and are amazed to hear others stories about their IUGR babes. It is so nice to hear that i am not the only one thats been through this and still going through it all.
I was 37.5 weeks pregnant and went into the midwife clinic at our hospital for a checkup after developing bells palsy on the left side of my face. They then discovered that our baby was very small and had very little fluid around her and that the placenta was not supplying enough to her. I was induced the next day and our baby girl was born 2.02kg or 4lb 7oz. Thankfully otherwise healthy and only requiring a 2 day stay in scn. She is still having problems gaining weight at 10 months (7kg) and we are discovering that she has many food allergies. I am coeliac myself and with some testing have found that she has problems with wheat, corn, soy and egg. I am still bf and with the advice from the dietitian i am on a diet that is free from gluten, dairy, soy, egg, and corn (this has been and still is very tough) She is now gaining weight slowly but is still slipping down the charts for her weight but steady for her height. We are waiting to see a specialist allergist for more testing.
In regard to sleeping she has had troubles since she was 4 weeks old. (1st 4 weeks all she did was sleep had troubles keeping her awake) She still does not sleep well but we have a routine that works as best as possible.
I wonder if there is some link between iugr babes and allergies??
I love the quote from another mum about her babe that is very strong willed, stubbon and is a fighter that sums up our girl. She has been fighting well before she was born not that we knew until then and she is still fighting now. I supose thats a very good thing as its what brought her to us.
Please keep telling your stories as i can finally relate to other people

jelena

07-02-2010, 11:43

ok ...so i live in canada.. and i just had my last ultra sound (thank god i took it because it was optional).. and the dr asked me first how much i weighed when i was born.. so i said 7.5 lbs u know.. normal.. "and your husband"?? she asked.. so i replied well around 8lbs he's a big man.. and i'm not so small my self.. my hubby is 6.5 and weights 220lbs and i'm 5.7 and weight around 130... that's when she looked at me and said.. well i'm gonna tell u someething but don't get scared (yeah right!).. u are going to have a pretty small baby boy she said.. so i asked how small!!!?? ... she said that now .. at 33 weeks he weighs 1.72kg.. 3.78lbs and she presumes that if i deliver on term (40 weeks) that he will be max 5.5lbs... so panic and crying and everything.. i don't understand why.. i thought i was going to have a huge baby.. considering the weight i gained (65 pounds).. she said that that he has lot's of fluid surrounding him..which is suposedly good.. cause when they don't have any fluid that's when there is a problem.. so now.. i have check ups every week for the monitor.. and in 2 weeks another ultra sound.. i am soo sooooooooo scared i can't even describe the words i am now feeling.. i don't know what to do.. i can't sleep.. i am always stressed.. i eat 2 times more because i somehow think that would help him.. she didn't tell me why he is small.. she told me sometimes babies are just born small and maybe it's genetics.. but we don't have small babies in our families.. none of us.. so right now i am really scared.. all that is going trough my mind is the "why" i've done everything right.. i stopped smoking.. i'm eating healthy.. i don't drink.. and i just want to know why he's small.. i don't mind if he's tiny.. just as long as he's healthy.. but that's the problem.. i cant help but wonder is he small because he's just a small baby.. or he's small because something's wrong with him.. at 13 weeks i took the prenatest.. to see if he has down syndrome and trisomie...and the chances were low.. so i only hope to god that he is healthy all i can do for now is talk to him and keep telling him "YOU'RE A BIG FAT BOY":confused::rain:

jelena

07-02-2010, 12:07

also... how much weight is the baby (fetus) gaining per week... if i am now at 33 weeks and she suspects that my baby is 3.75lbs ..and i read somewhere that they gain around 0.5lbs per week.. that still means that he can gain 3lbs till 40 weeks.. so that puts him at 6.75 lbs and not 5lbs or 5.5 i don't understant how she calculates that thing:geek:

Mum2Jas

08-02-2010, 11:31

Hi Jelana, Im sorry to hear about your situation, i know its very hard but try to stay as calm as possible it will help you and your little man.
Our little girl was 4lb 7oz and she is doing well now. :flowerz: Our girl was small mainly because my placenta was abnormal and was not feeding her well enough, so it may not mean your bub has any other issues.
What ever you do don't blame your self or worry about the 'what if's'. I always tried to take a deep breath and ask for the strength to deal with whatever the outcome may be.
My thoughts are with you and please keep us updated on your progress. :goodvibes:
About the weight gain, IUGR babes don't grow as well as normal bubs so i doubt that he will put on as much weight as a normal babe in the last few weeks but I hope he is the exception!! :fingerscrossed:

jelena

09-02-2010, 00:32

yeah.. i'm just mad because i had to find out like this.. the dr asked me if i wanted my last ultra sound by choice..so i said yes... if i didn;t say yes.. she wouldn't even know.. they don't even measure my tummy.. my sister said when she was pregnant that they measured her every appointement she went to.. and they keep forgetting me.. it's like i don't exist.. i had to pass the test for diabetes but too late.. u'r supposed to do it by the 28th week and i did it around 31.. they always forget me.. so right now i'm ****ed because of that.. and keep wondering what if i didn't take the ultra sound .. she wouldn't know it.. right..

Mrs Awesome

09-02-2010, 14:24

Hi there,

Firstly bug hugs to you and your partner.....its a scary time for you both.

My DS was IUGR and we only found out by accident during a late ultrasound to follow up on a few kidney issues. I had not issues during pregnancy, didnt smoke, ate well etc, but for some reason my placenta just couldnt last the distance! My son is now a happy healthy 8 month old and you would never know he was so small at birth!

Don't forget also that ultrasounds can be very inaccurate at times too.....i had a scan at 37 weeks that measured my DS to be 2.9kg, then he was born at 40 weeks weighing 2.6kg (5lb 14oz), so the scan was out be heaps! They can also be out the other way, so your bubs could be bigger.

To work out roughly what size you bub will be by birth, assuming he grows at the same rate he has been, google percentile growth charts and find out where he sits on the chart at the moment then you can follow that percentile line up to term and estimate what he will be then.

In my experience, the hospital should now be monitoring you closely 1-2 times per week minimum and doing scans and NSTs. If at any point bubs growth stops or the blood flow to the placenta declines, they may delivcer him early (as they did for us).

Good luck, hope things turn out ok for you all. xx

jelena

10-02-2010, 01:49

yeah.. they monitor me every week.. so yesterday was my first monitoring.. and i got scared but the nurse was really nice and she reassured me big time.. and i also had an intern which was really cool because she explained everything to me by book.. from a to z.. :yes: something i never got from my dr.. so after they put me on the monitor she gave me a punch in my hand and said every time he moves u punch it..it will mark an x on the paper..so i was like yeah right.. he never moves.. but somehow he starts to move a lot.. i mean really a lot.. so his heart beat was moving rapidly from 130 to 180..:yelclap: so when the dr came back to check on the monitor.. she said that he has an excellent heart beat.. a strong and healthy heart beat.. at least one good thing..oh and i don't have any problem with the cord..the blood is passing trough fine.. and the placenta and the fluid seems very good.. so i really don't know what the problem is.. i am really hoping that they were just off by a pound.. and that when born he weights like a normal 7 pound baby.. :thumbsup:

Mum2Jas

10-02-2010, 14:19

I agree with Buddy that the ultrasounds can be inaccurate. The ultrasound showed our little girl would be 2.6kg and the scan was done the day before they induced me and she was born 2.02kgs.
Jelana its great that they are monitering you closely now and great news about your checkup. Things are looking positive for you :)
Measuring your fundal height may not be so accurate as i was being measured every checkup and told all was normal. At 37 weeks i got a Bell's palsy in my face and it was only after this they did more tests and discovered the problems with bub and induced me the next day to have her.
I found that the interns/registrars that i had were more helpful than the doctors too

MissMetal

18-02-2010, 11:12

for those with older IUGR bubs, what were their 12 month old stats??
Hunter just had his and his weight is 7.8kg, height is 71cm & head circumference is 49cm
very interested to know what others were??

Mum2Jas

19-02-2010, 13:54

Jasmine was born 4lb 7oz or 2.02kg, length was 43cm and head was 30cm.
She was at 11 months old (will be 12 months in 2 weeks) 7.69kg, length 70.5cm, head 43cm. :)

3BoysBlue

19-02-2010, 15:47

My H was weight 7240gms length 69.5cm and H/C 45cms

he was 1705gms, 44cm and 32cm born

MissMetal

19-02-2010, 21:09

thanks guys.. he does have a massive head lol :laughing:

Sparklydreamer

25-02-2010, 16:31

Hi,

My bub was born at 37wks after the placental flow started to go wrong - 2.1kg, 43cm. He spent a week in ICU and a week in SCN with blood sugar problems and was discharged last week at 2.33kg with strict instructions to get him weighed every week to make sure he's still growing. Its been a week now and he's 2.61. I couldn't get into the hospitals well baby clinic until next week and his first paed visit in 2 weeks time.

My question is - how much did your babies grow at first every week? He's a bad refluxer and I'm not sure if he's putting on enough weight. Does anyone know what's considered a reasonable gain for such a small baby early on?

This is all such a massive learning curve for me. My first baby was 2.7kg but perfectly healthy (except reflux) and it never occurred to me that my next would be even smaller! I don't have any of the risk factors except I'd had bleeding from the placenta that had left scarring. I was convinced he was going to be bigger. More fool me.

Any help much appreciated.
Rose.

MissMetal

26-02-2010, 08:14

hi rose!
your baby sounds exactly the same as my son was!!!
born the same weight, same length, at the same gestation, was in SCN for 10 days and came home at 2.3kg...
he has just had his 1st birthday & weighs 7.8kg and is now 71cm. tall & very skinny!!!
hope your journey isnt too stressfull :hugs::hugs:

Mum2Jas

26-02-2010, 09:18

Hi Rose,
My little girl was born 2.02kg 43cm 3/3/09. Ive just got the dates with her growth for the first few weeks so i hope this helps with the weight question. Also Jasmine had only mild reflux.
6/3/09 1.88kg
9/3/09 1.98kg
16/3/09 2.27kg
23/3/09 2.48kg
30/3/09 2.8kg
So basically in the first month she put on 1kg
My daughter grew very quickly in the first 3.5 months and then stopped altogether for a month and then grew very slowly. She has been diagnosied with a lot of allergies thought. Now that they have been sorted she is growing a lot better and at 11 months is 7.69kg 70.5cm.
Hope that helps. Good luck with your precious tiny one.

Mrs Awesome

26-02-2010, 09:18

Hi Rose,

My son too was IUGR because of my placental function.

If I was a nurse (ha ha, I am!) I would say to aim for 30g of weight gain a day, hoping to follow that percentile curve upwards. But as I mum I would say any gain is good as long as bubs is doing well in other respects.....wet nappies, happy, milestones etc.

My IUGR bub thrived once he got away from my crappy placenta and being fully brestfed went from below the 3rd percentile at birth to now sitting on the 25th percentile....yay!

Sparklydreamer

26-02-2010, 19:13

Thanks for the replies! I feel a bit better now. I'm just desperate for him to put on weight so he's not quite so at risk if he gets sick.

Its also reassuring to know that others have been there, done that, and survived and their babies are doing well.

MissMetal

27-02-2010, 07:51

and i forgot to add, that Hunter had servere reflux was even hospitalised at 4 months because it was so bad... took a while to get the medications right to suit him, but we got there in the end... he had only just come off Losec a few weeks ago, so far so good!!
throughout his life he has had almost every single test possible to see if it was anything else, but everything has come back clear...
he has monthly appointements at the royal childrens hospital as well as monthly MCHN appointements to make sure he is still gainin ok... there was while there were he had to get weekly weigh ins :hair:
there is much more but i dont wanna list it all:laughing:

i know it feels so over whelming & you wish you didnt have to stress so much, but i assure you its so worth it... our little babies are such very special one of a kind babies :D

its kinda funny cause Hunter has just turned one and cant still fit in 000's :laughing:

anyway thats enough rambling from me..
we are all here for you
take care & enjoy your tiny miracle :hugs::hugs:

jelena

28-02-2010, 08:58

ok.. :yelclap: just gave birth 10 days ago.. february 17th.. a tiny baby boy 3.10 lbs.. he is now in his little home.. waiting to get out of the hospital.. he's gaining about 25 grams per day which is so not much but.. keeping it positiv... he should be out in 2 weeks i think..:):goodvibes:

Mum2Jas

01-03-2010, 11:19

Congratulations Jelana on your tiny little bundle :yelclap:. My thoughts are with you as you go through your journey but no doubt he'll be a fighter and your be out of hospital in no time. Thanks for your update lovely to hear your great news.

jb23

01-03-2010, 14:34

:wave: hi jelena, congrats on your baby boy. i just wanted to let you know that our son was born the same weight at 33 weeks. he is about to tun one and now weighs 8kgs and is hitting every milestone for his corrected age. so keep positive and remeber every lil weight gain is that one step closer to getting him. my thoughts are with you.:goodvibes:

jelena

02-03-2010, 11:34

:confused: yeah.. it's really hard though.. not knowing when he"ll be o ut and all that.. they also took a scan for his head cause his bones on the head are too big.. and they said his head was too big for his tiny body.. so i was so scared.. they said it's ok.. but u never know

jb23

02-03-2010, 19:54

yea the not knowng when theyre coming home was the hardest part for me aswell. i found it helpful to focus on all of the lil acheivements like coming out of the humidi crib and then coming out of the canmed bed (hospital bassinet with a water bed underneath to help keep them warm) that way it felt a lil less overwhelming. as far as im aware alot of iugr babies have heads that are bigger than there bodies. i think it has something to do with the body protecting the brain and therefore giving the bulk of the nutrients to the head rather than the body (sorry if that doesn't make sense). :fingerscrossed: ur lil man will be home soon

MissMetal

03-03-2010, 08:27

:yes: its very common for IUGR babies to have big heads. its kinda like their head is a 'normal' baby head size but their bodies are just smaller and skinnier... its actually a good thing (even tho it might not seem right now) because their brains are developing normally and are the size they 'should' be IYKWIM.
my son is now 1yr and he still has a boof head!!! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Sparklydreamer

03-03-2010, 09:52

Yep, I also found the uncertainty one of the hardest things. Uncertainty about when they can come home, uncertainty about what caused the growth restriction, and uncertainty about what treatment they'll end up needing.

I also struggled with the feeling of loss of control. My baby was in ICU for just over a week, and SCU for a week and I didn't even get to hold him until he was 7 days old. The hospital staff would make decisions about his treatment and what to do next and then just inform me. Or else tell me 'this is what needs to happen' and wait for me to give it the rubber stamp of approval. He didn't feel like my baby, he felt like the hospital's baby. Things would happen overnight and I'd just be informed about them. And I had no input into his routine eg when to bath him etc. All of this was understandable and necessary, but it did contribute to a feeling of isolation and powerlessness.

It does pass though. And now when I look back on that time I try and think of the positives - I got to sleep at night while he was cared for and fed by caring, experienced nurses. It's like having the world's best nannies. And I also took inspiration from the stories of all the premmies in the nursery with us. They were so much tinier than my boy and had so many battles ahead and yet were doing so well. In some way I feel lucky to have caught a glimpse into how our medical system is able to make these babies healthy and strong and to have met some amazing nurses and doctors and parents. One nurse in particular was just awesome. Its like a whole alternate world that most people never see.

I'm not trying to be Pollyanna about it though - I was devastated to be in the situation we were in and it was the most difficult time of my life. But in the bad there were kernels of good, iykwim.

Big hugs to anyone who has had to go through it, or is going through it right now.

Rose.

jelena

13-03-2010, 09:30

:yelclap:we're home... he now weights 2.45 kg... and it's weird though when he came home.. he lost 45 grams .. i don't know if that\s normal or anything but i don't want him going back to the hospital.. i think it has something to do with the food.. in the hospital they were giving him my milk with a fortifier to make a 24 calories instead of 20 calories... but now that im home i don't have the fortifier.. they just told me to put 1 scoop of powder milk in 300ml of breast milk.. see the problem is since i came home.. he isn't sleeping at all.. and i have had some trouble extracting the milk (cause he won't breastfeed i have to extract).. i'm worried that his weight's gonna drop.. hope not. :wave:

jelena

15-04-2010, 10:32

hi guys.. i have a question.. how much weight did u'r baby gain after birth??? my son was born at 3.10 and he is now 6.10 exactly but it's been 2 months since his birth.. is it a little slow??? i can't seem to notice any change in him.. he's stil so tiny and small.. he now looks like a newborn baby.. we're u'r babies the same?

Sparklydreamer

15-04-2010, 10:54

I'm sorry - I don't know pounds to kilo conversion. My DS was born at 2.1kg and at 10 weeks is now 4.2kg. At 2 months he was about 3.7kg. He goes through growth spurts - some weeks he puts on almost nothing then the next week he'll put on 400g.

I've been told that the important thing is they don't drop off their own curve on the weight charts. If you plot him on the charts at the back of your baby health book he should follow a nice curve even if below the lines on their graph. My DS is still off the chart but following his own curve nicely so his paed is happy. And yep, my son still looks much like a newborn too.

If you're worried, give your paed a call and check.:)

Sparklydreamer

15-04-2010, 11:09

okay, just done the conversions with an online calculator. So he's 2.7kg now, is that right? And came home at 2.45kg last month? If I've got that right then that might be a little slow. Maybe call your doctor and check. They'll know your baby and know whats considered good for them in their circumstances.

Good luck. I hope all is okay. :hugs:

jelena

16-04-2010, 01:45

yeah.. well if it's in kg.. my son was born at 1.660kg.. he.s now 2.9 kg.. so i just wwondered how the other babies grew.. and my doc isn't that much of a help.. she rarely sees iugr babies.. i think my son is the first one.. so she expects him to pick up the growth of a normal baby.. she's always telling me how he's under the curbe.. or something like that.. she sent me to see a specialist for himm.. because his liver enxsymes were too high.. so now i have to go to a specialist to see what;s wrong with him... it;s so scary.

Sparklydreamer

16-04-2010, 16:45

:hugs: I hope the specialist either gives you the all okay or is very helpful. These early days are a scary time. 1.3kg gain is probably quite decent given how small he was. He's almost doubled birthweight which is good, I think.

Good luck. :hugs:

Mum2Jas

22-04-2010, 10:30

My daughter was born 2.02kg or 4lb7oz and came home at 1.88kg. When she was 1 month old she was 3.12kg and at 2 months she was 3.99kg.
We were ofter congratulated on our new born even 5 months after she was born!!! When she was 10 weeks old i had to go into hospital for an operation and my husband was walking the hallways with her so i could sleep and he bumped into a new proud father with his 4.4kg brand new bub whom was almost double the size of our 10week old daughter!!!
My best advise is make sure you get your bub weighed every month so that you can keep a close eye on your growth charts. If they start to slip then insist on seeing a specialist.
Our girl stopped putting on weight and growing at 4 months and she has now been diagnosed with multiple food allergies. At first people just thought i was paranoid but i knew something was not right and eventually they saw. Definatley go with your gut instinct if your worried push for more info and see another Dr.

Just for interests sake does any other iugr bubs have food allergies, i wondered if there was a link at all??

Sparklydreamer

22-04-2010, 13:53

My DS has multiple food intolerances and is on prescription formula. Not sure if there's a link to his IUGR. Allergies and intolerances run in my family so I think genetic link is more likely in my case. Would be interesting to see some research in this area.

Mum2Jas

23-04-2010, 00:13

Wow i have often wondered if there was a link. My daughter 13 mths is on Neocate which is script formula too and we have been seeing an allergist regulary. We are currently doing the 'elimination diet' as she is on a very strict diet. She is intollerant to wheat, egg, dairy, soy, corn, cows milk protein. I am a coeliac so food problems also run in the family but my daughter has had the gene test for coeliac and does not carry the gene YEH. What problems does your little one have?? Its nice to know im not the only one with this problem. I think some people think i make all of it up for attention (mainly my inlaws).
Does anyone else have problems with allergies or intolerances???

jelena

23-04-2010, 01:22

that's just it!! he's weighted every week..a nurse comes in.. but we think he has allergies.. he spits up his milk like crazy.. so we tried soya milk and it's worse!!:S he's been crying like crazy just cant calm him down.. so the doctor wants to give him a special milk.. like no lactose and no soya... allimentum.. that's the name.. so i can't wait to start him on that and get some sleep: poor thing he's always vomiting and cramping.. and he's always hungry little guy but when we give him food he just wont eat it

MissMetal

23-04-2010, 22:47

jelena

24-04-2010, 01:33

Nowhere

24-04-2010, 12:28

well the pharmacist told me that in fact preemies and iugr babies have a lot of allergie problems.. so it is def related.. my son has been vomiting like crazy.. like exorcism crazy..:barf: he doesen't get much sleep and he doesen't seem at peace..he's always gagging when i present the milk to him.. even with this one (alimentum) the hypoalergen one.. so the doc says that in worse case scenario.. it might be stenosis or something like that.. :rain: so he might have surgery ..i hope not.. he's gonna have to take an ultra sound to see if all is right.. he also has his liver enzymes to the roof.. which we dont know why.. so i have to see the specialist... they actualy said that my son has abnormal head and eyes which scares the s*** out of me.. he also has the fontanelles that are open eye to eye.. so open big time.. they're worried about that too.. he passed a scan on his head and brain poor guy so everything seems fine now.. but the future will tell everything..

Hey the stenosis would be pyloric stenosis DD had that she could pukle 3 ft a across a room its was disgusting, If you are worried about pyloric stenosis the scan should be done asap like in ED as they can become dehydrated and throw there electrolye balance out reeally quikcly.

My Dd has russel silver like syndrome and also has feed intolererance she is on vivonex feed fed through a jejenostomy, she also has lots of other conditons.

Just a thought on the liver enzymes have they checked for the syndrome called Mulabray nanaism, they present simalr to RSS but have liver issues as well, DD was checked for this one also, The other one is William syndrome from memory they can have liver and heart as well.

jelena

25-04-2010, 04:13

:eek:oh man.. u're freaking me out .. i so hope not.. .did u see it with ur daughter?? that she had the syndrome.. i mean did u see by the head and things like that//.. do u have pictures somewhere??.. and how can i put my pictures ?? does anyone know?:D :D

jelena

25-04-2010, 04:51

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZhU6OiJzXtQ/S9M4q8bU-qI/AAAAAAAAAAM/-LQMPt9Lh5Y/s1600/sebastina+026.JPG

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZhU6OiJzXtQ/S9M6y9Wwx6I/AAAAAAAAAAk/lEFSGIB5qmw/s1600/sebastina+056.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZhU6OiJzXtQ/S9M6yITu3fI/AAAAAAAAAAc/mxZxDliX48c/s1600/sebastian+059.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZhU6OiJzXtQ/S9M6x5mRTTI/AAAAAAAAAAU/r3nrCHdzkwM/s1600/sebastian+039.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZhU6OiJzXtQ/S9M9ObwBSLI/AAAAAAAAABE/aZcua28R9WY/s1600/100_2599.JPG

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZhU6OiJzXtQ/S9M9OPnZ5OI/AAAAAAAAAA8/DBET32pZibo/s1600/100_2622.JPG

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZhU6OiJzXtQ/S9M9N61U44I/AAAAAAAAAA0/WLT4fmRmF0I/s1600/100_2583.JPG

Nowhere

25-04-2010, 05:42

Im so so ry I didnt mean to freak you out, Just when you said about the stenosis and the vomting its somethng that should be lookd at KWIM

As for the syndromes, Dont freak out at all, Just maybe ask the drs if they have checked for them as IUGR are part of them syndromes ther are also HEAPS of bub with IUGR that have no syndrome at all more soo than not, Just an idea to ask thats all

:hugs:

Sparklydreamer

25-04-2010, 09:20

im pretty sure there is a link between IUGR & allergies/intollerences. im not 100% but im sure ive come across info on it somewhere before.
i know that feeding aversions & ruflux are definately linked :detective:

My DS's intolerances and reflux are def linked. He projectiled constantly on bm and soy. He's much improved on Neocate, but still refluxes a lot. It oozes now rather than projectiling though. I wonder how many IUGR bubs have reflux too?

jelena

26-04-2010, 10:53

how do they do the tests?? is it blood test?? is that how u found out about ur baby girl?? and did u see it at all? i mean the face and eyes and everything?? when did u start to worry?? and when did the doctors test her? i'm panicking right now cause he's gained weight u know.. he's now 2 months and 1 week old and he has 7.10 lbs.. 3.2 kg he was born with 1.6 kg.. so at some point it's good.. but he;s still tiny.. he looks like a tiny new born.. tiny arms and legs .. still skinny.. but his head is chunkier..:) he has cheeks and everything..

Nowhere

26-04-2010, 11:28

If he is ganing weight then the chance of them syndromes of pyloric stenosis are likely rare, The tests for the syndromes are bllood tests, The reason I asked f they ahve looked into them is because yoou said about the lver and the vomitng alot.

http://coltongeorge.com/html/russel_silver.html
thats a great web ste about RSS

Mum2Jas

26-04-2010, 12:21

Wow it seems there must be a real link between allergies/intolerances with IUGR. Thanks for your responses. I wonder if any formal reasearch has been done? Ill ask my allergist next time we have an appointment and ill post any info/reasearch she has.

As for the reflux my daughter always had reflux just a bit more than normal but not enough for the Dr to put her on medication. She was always spitting up but thankfully not very often were they projectiles. But every feed a portion would come up even though we kept her up right, raised the bed head and did all that everyone says to do. Thankfully though you do get through it and she is now almost 14 months old and is powering along. :smiliedance:

For the mums with older bubs, how are your bubs natures?? Are they very strong willed and independant. I was told this is beacuse of IUGR. I am finding that our girl is very very strong willed and it seems we are now almost having to fight with her to do things like put her in her car seat. If she doesn't want to she will throw her arms and legs and scream. I thought tantrums were for 2 year olds??? :hair:

Mum2Jas

26-04-2010, 12:28

btw Jelana thanks for the photos. I especially love the family photo very cute:)

3BoysBlue

26-04-2010, 13:07

Nowhere

26-04-2010, 13:11

Mum2Jas DS1 was IUGR his now 4rs and very very strong willed
but they think he may be on the autism spectrum so it doing assessments for that atm

jelena My DS1 is another IUGR bub with suspected RSS His had all the gentic testing as have I
(I was tiny had FTT/reflux, heart problems ect when I was born)
but they have come back normal
so they dont know for sure

his still tiny (around 13kgs)now DS2 is 2 1/2yrs and there almost the same size
his between 25th-50th% for head and around the 3rd% for height and weight

Your have a gorgeous little boy there:bee:

WOW that really puts it into persepctive of how small Miki is she is 4 and 9.4 kilos, and 13 is even considered tiny :o
With Dds RSS her genetics have come back clear for that but they say she has RS Like syndrome so basicly has all the features of it but not gene test confirms it. Apparenlty thats the samme with a fair few RSS kids. Genetics are stil looking for another cause as well.

jelena

27-04-2010, 00:24

so happy to have u guys.. means the world to me.. so much support. thank u all:yelclap::hugs:

jelena

27-04-2010, 11:13

would like to see pictures of ur families also..:) baby pictures.. how are they now.. all grown up. or are they already posted somewhere?:goodvibes:

jelena

28-04-2010, 10:05

got some pretty amazing pictures done..the photographer is really good

check it out.
http://www.pascallaroche.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=1974&splash=yes
password = helena100423

MyFourCubs

03-05-2010, 11:36

For the mums with older bubs, how are your bubs natures?? Are they very strong willed and independant. I was told this is beacuse of IUGR. I am finding that our girl is very very strong willed and it seems we are now almost having to fight with her to do things like put her in her car seat. If she doesn't want to she will throw her arms and legs and scream. I thought tantrums were for 2 year olds??? :hair:

LOL!! My daughter is the same. When she was born the nurse told me that in general IUGR babies that have had to fight for so long already before they come out of the womb are usually quite feisty and reillient because of it. she wasn't wrong! Mine is now 3 and the most feisty, stubborn, tenacious little minx I have ever come across. Sometimes it's like:geek: to get ehr to do anything she doesn't want to do. I am really, really hoping she will grow out of it......:fingerscrossed:

MyFourCubs

03-05-2010, 11:39

Oh and I know I said this much earlier in the thread but my DD has allergeis too and is on Elecare prescription formula. She also has food aversions- used to be a MAJOR issue but she has gotten better. She still has ongoing tummy issues, it's really stressful actually.:(

jelena

07-06-2010, 10:51

hey guys it;'s been a while.. we're in the hospital right now.. it's been 4 weeks... they can't find why my lil one is still vomiting... after every feed.. he has severe gerd...and they also did an MRI.. they said my son has brain atrophy and that he will always have delayed developement.. what a shock for a new mommy.. i can;t stand to see him so much in pain anymore.. he is now tube fed (cause he won't eat)... i also have a team of genetics working on his case.. they tell me he has a big head and big eyes.. he's 3.5 months old and still can't raise his head when put on the tummy.. he's so skinny.. he now only weighs 8.6lbs don't know what to do anymore..

Mum2Jas

17-06-2010, 19:49

Hi Jelana, my thoughts are with you.
I hope that things are improving and the team of people will help solve some of the problems with your gorgeous little one.
Hugs to you :hugs:, you sure sould like you need it and i hope that you have wonderful family support. Please keep us updated on how he is going and remember that miracles do happen. My little one is a testament to that.

Mum2Jas

17-06-2010, 19:55

lovelymum

18-06-2010, 21:46

Hi all, just a quick question to you. I am preganant with my second bub. My first was IUGR and born 37.5 at 4lb7oz.
Has anyone had a normal second pregancy after an IUGR or had a repeat of IUGR the second time round. Im just worried the same problems will happen again.
Thanks hope everything is going well for you and your little treasures.

Hi just thought I would reply to your question, my first bub was IUGR with my second everything was going really well right up until around 30 weeks then she stopped growing so to answer your question both pregnacies were IUGR, DD (NO 2) was born at 36 weeks as with my history of IUGR my OB decided to deliver her straight away after a scan at 36 weeks showed her growth had dropped to the 20th percentile and her amniotic fluid was low :( Good luck! - I have had every test done under the sun to find out why this has happened but so far no answers :hair:

Sparklydreamer

19-06-2010, 12:41

jelena

20-06-2010, 00:23

hello...we're back home..at least..baby is now still tube fed but instead of the tube being in the stomach it;s in his intestines..and he's gaining weight..he started gaining 45grams per day so we're so haappy for that..he's still vomiting but only the yellow stuff...doctors say it's normal..we don't know how long he will stay on the tube.. but he;s now 9.1 lbs and 4 months.. thank you all:yelclap:

Sparklydreamer

20-06-2010, 12:24

Oh good that he's home! And doing well weight wise too. :thumbsup:

I hope things just keep getting better and better now. :hugs:

lulululu

23-06-2010, 23:35

We didn't know our firstborn was IUGR until an hour or so after he was born - when they told us he was too small and couldn't go home :crying: It was a surprise because at the 34 week scan they said everything was good. Either their measurements were inaccurate at that point or he stopped growing after that scan.

We never thought to ask "why" he was IUGR - well we did think about it but not until long after we left the hospital. We have some theories but really don't know why. He was born full term - 37 & 1/2 weeks and weighed 2.3kg. He was tall and skinny - head circumference and weight both "off the charts" but his height was at about the 40th percentile.

He had to stay in NICU for 6 days - the hardest 6 days of his life so far I think. Hard for us that is! :gloomy: I found it really distressing all three of us being separated. And the feelings of powerlessness and lack of communication and especially the contradictory advice from hospital staff was really hard to take. I just wanted to take him home so badly and I was relieved when on day 6 they said we could go - there were so many babies there that had been there for so long - 50 days, 100 days etc I don't know how I could have coped with that but thank god we didn't have to.

He had the usual IUGR problems - couldn't hold his body temperature or his blood sugar, then got jaundice and needed phototherapy. Despite it being a "baby friendly" hospital they asked if they could give him formula rather than suggesting EBM top-ups. He has tongue-tie also but fortunately that didn't cause him any problems and he fed well and grew. He had some minor allergies to unlikely foods when introduced at about 4-5 months - apple and pear, which are supposedly the least allergenic foods, and also yogurt which is pretty common. Fortunately he grew out of that and yoghurt is his favorite food now. We did the gradual repeated exposure thing until he could eat those foods without getting the rashes. He's had a few bouts of croup but otherwise has been healthy with just the usual colds and snotty nose most kids seem to get.

He is two and a bit now. As I said he was always tall- he hit "average" height at about 8 months and has been around the 90th percentile for height since he was about 13 months old. His growth hasn't been a "smooth curve" though. He's had months when he's not grown at all. His height didn't appear to change from 15 to 18 months. Perhaps thats our inaccurate measuring - who knows? Weight-wise as I said he was "off the charts" (under the 3rd percentile) until he was 2 months old. From 3 to 6 months was around the 10th percentile. Hit "average" at one year old, hit the 90th percentile at 18 months old and is now above the 90th percentile. Head circumference followed roughly the same "curve" (not really a curve - more of a jagged line) as his weight, except he's only at about the 60th percentile - as I said, tall and thin. Both sides have tallness in the genes.

So, I called it a "happy ending" because although he started tiny, he's very robust now. He's not a chubby kid - probably never will be but he's growing and he's healthy. You'd never guess now that he was so skinny at the start. I cant remember how old he was at the time but I remember the day I was changing his nappy and as I wiped his bum I noticed he actually had bum cheeks, not just pointy bony bits but a little round bum. Then he got thighs. It was exciting because his limbs looked stick-like at the start. Looking back at photos of him early on his face looked gaunt, no cheeks, but I didn't notice at the time - I just thought he was beautiful :)

We're expecting number two next month. Genetically a half sibling. Apparently this one's a fat baby, so the scanner said at the 34 week scan, but we'll see. :fingerscrossed:

Sparklydreamer

24-06-2010, 08:44

Thanks so much for sharing your story lulu.

I remember the moment I noticed DS had cheeks - I was so excited after weeks of him looking gaunt with just cheekbones and no real chin either.

Good luck with number 2! Hope all goes smoothly for you. :)

Mum2Jas

30-06-2010, 20:26

Hahaha i still remember when i looked at our little girl and she had a bottom!!!!
I can understand your distress with not being with your bub after it was born. Jasmine was taken to SCN and was only there for just over 24 hours but even now i still feel a little guilty for not being there for her. I can still remember the fear (and of course happiness) when we took our 1.8kg bub home for the first time!!!
Best of luck lulu with number 2 hope all goes very smoothly for you.
We are expecting no 2 in early Jan 11 and i hope to god its a normal pregnancy for us too.

lovelymum

30-06-2010, 22:18

Both of my angels were IUGR. My DS 1 started school this year and has had 'behavioural' issues, so out of character for him. His teacher suggested seeing a behavioural optomotrist. We did and the outcome has not been great, he has been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder - directley linked to IUGR :( I am so sad my body failed him and am even sader that we are now facing the fact that he also has Auditory Processing Disorder. Both of these basically are learning disabilities and I am so mad at my body for failing him, I am scared because DD 2 was also IUGR but is too young for a diagnosis but we are keeping an eye on things. Thats it for us I am now hangging up my gloves I cannot bear the thought of putting another innocent life through what my little angels have been through/are going through and it breaks my heart as every inch of me is desperate for another baby. My heart is saying yes but my head is saying no :(. I thought we had dodged a bullet with our 2 IUGR babies but it is now catching up with us - so, so sad. Thanks for listening to my vent!

MyFourCubs

01-07-2010, 21:47

LovelyMum- my DS was NOT IUGR- he was a big, healthy 8lb8 baby- but he has hi9gh functioning autism, sensory processing disorder and auditory processing disorder. My dd2 WAS IUGR- a little 4lb13oz baby girl who does NOT have autism, SPD, APD or anything else on the spectrum. She is to all extents perfectly fine:yes: What I am saying is you do not know the IUGR caused the APD. Sometimes we do not know why things happen. I can also tell you that my DS was dx 2 and a half years ago and with therapy has come alone leaps and bounds- he is a very bright, incredibly clever, beautiful, happy boy.:) Be positive, the future can bring remarkable things.

lovelymum

01-07-2010, 22:04

Thanks for the sunny outcome :) I have taken it hard because the doctors are pointing fingers towards the pregnancy complications as IUGR, low birth weight and juandice are all markers for SPD and APD. So far DD seems to going along fine aside for the oral aversion but in terms of mental development I can see a big difference between them at nearly 3 she has a great concerntration span, does puzzles, leggo and responds to simple verbal comands all things DS at 6 still has trouble with (but could also be a 6yr old thing :rolleyes:)

pennylane

02-07-2010, 14:49

DD1 was IUGR (1152 grams) and I had a healthy term baby girl 19 months later who weighed in at 7 pound 5 so it can be done :) I was watched closely and put on low does aspirin for the 2nd pregnancy as its thought to help prevent blot clots forming in the placenta and help regulate blood pressure (I had pre eclampsia with DD1) and everything was perfect.

I had to have a c/sec because DD1 was emergency c/sec so they didnt want me to vbac but all was complication free and we even went home the next day :)

astrogal

02-07-2010, 15:51

I had an IUGR baby. My morphology scan at 19 weeks was normal. I was apart of a study at the hospital and during this study they did a couple of scans to check fat around baby. My scan with them was at 27.5 weeks and during that scan they said baby was measuring small, around 7th percentile and that i should get another scan done in 3 weeks.

3 weeks later i had scan and baby still measuring small, but all blood flow and amniotic fluid was all within normal range, but this time baby was just above the 3rd percentile.

I was then to have weekly scans, 1 week just measuring blood flow and amniotic fluid and the other week a growth scan.

All my blood flow scans (dopplers) were normal but the next growth scan bubs was below 3rd percentile and then scan 2 weeks later bubs was below 2nd percentile. I was almost 35 weeks at that stage.

They wanted to wait til bubs was 36 weeks before inducing me, so i had to go in every couple of days to hospital for bloods, CTG and doppler scans until i was induced at 36weeks.

Bubs was born weighing 2050g and 44cm long. He had to go in humi crib for temp to regulate for 2 days, and then had a blood incompatibility to me so had to go under lights for jaundice but other than that bubs was healthy. He was on suck feeds every second feed and the other feed was though the nose. He pulled his nose tube out the night before he was meant to come home and they left it out and he tolerated all suck feeds quite well, which was great. He came home 1 week after birth and is doing really well.

I am not sure what caused my IUGR as noone has told me anything yet (Bubs is now 6 weeks) but when they pulled placenta out they said it was much smaller than it should be and it had started to show signs of calcification which is not normally seen unless a baby is born after their due date.

MissMetal

06-07-2010, 08:37

Just an update about my little man,
he is now 17 months, weighs just on 9kg (still not even on the charts) and has delays... nothing major i dont think (well i hope not anyway)
every few weeks he has to see a Speechy, Dietician & Physio as he doesnt walk, still doesnt eat & cant say any words at all, not even mum :(
he is on Pediasure bottles as he doesnt eat & ive been told he will most likely have delays in learning etc when he is at school :(
so bloody stressful, i hate it...

big hugs to all you wonderful mummies, you are all amazing xxxx

jelena

07-07-2010, 01:11

:Dhi...did a neurologist check him out???... my son is now 4.5 kg.. which is good.. he's gaining weight AT least..he's still tube fed.. but i see that he has some delays also.. he's 4.5 months..3.5 ajusted.. he smiles...cooos..happy when seeing mommy and daddy..and he loves his blue rocking chair lol.. he puts his hands in his mouth.. tries to push his body when i hold his hands.. but he still wont raise his head when on tummy..i wonder how ur iugr babies developed? do u remember what they did at 3 or 4 months.. i know that at 3 months they should start grabbing toys and everything but mine is still not interested in that.. he also wont open his hands..they're always in fists.. ready to fight :D is there anyone u know out there that has brain atrophy..and how did the children develop.. i wonder because the neurologst can't say anything to us... but i just need to know some things.. thanx...

Sparklydreamer

07-07-2010, 09:29

Hi Jelena,

My DS has been slow with some things but fine or fast with others. At 5mths his hands are still often fists too, but he does now grab toys (and my hair!). He wasn't really at 3mths. He loves to stand all day (with me holding him) and can almost hold his own weight entirely, but his arms are much weaker. On his tummy he has trouble pushing up with his hands/arms. His back legs and bottom push up and it looks like he's trying to crawl but his arms go nowhere. But he can frog sit on his own for about 30sec before toppling sideways. He laughs all the time, smile lots and chatters constantly. Most of this has just happened in the 2 months.

Sometimes I'll think there's nothing wrong with him and he's a bright boy, and then I'll see other 5mth olds and think, oh he's not doing those things, maybe he is a bit behind after all. Mostly with his hands. I'll get him checked out at 6mths and see where we're at. In the meantime I'm really trying to strengthen his arms with lots of tummy time. I remind myself that even normal weight babies are ahead and behind in varying things.

He's 5mths but only 5.5kgs and still on Neocate.

I think overall he's doing well considering his turbulent start though.

leishi

07-07-2010, 11:24

My DD was born at 28 weeks due to PE & IUGR weighing 750g. She's 10.5 months now (7.5 corrected) and still only weighs 6.5kg. She has eight breastfeeds, three meals and two snacks a day and is VERY slow to put on weight. She hasn't put on any weight at all in the last month :(

Developmentally she is quick to do some things, and slow to do others. She took a LONG time to roll and still looks to be a very long way off crawling, but she is very bright and alert. Isla's neonatologist keeps an eye on her development, but at the same time he tells me not to put any pressure on her and she will do things in her own time.

I think it is impossible to compare our babies with babies that get off to a perfectly healthy start. While they are trying to get that weight back on, a few things fall by the wayside.

jelena

08-07-2010, 05:45

yeah,, i know what u mean.. my friend just had a baby 1 month ago.. and he weights more than my son who is 4 months older than him.. ...i;'m not jealous but it's hard.. she keeps complaining how hard it is with her baaby and everything.. and i know how hard i work with my son.. she just came over and her baby can hold her head steady when on tummy and all.. and mine still can't.. i just keep wondering why us?? why my son??.. what has he done to deserve all this..sometimes when i look at him i'm happy cause he's smiling and cooing and doing some stuff.. but then again like u said when u see other babies that are normal and healthy it just breaks my heart.. i even fight with my husband.. just yesterday i said that i was sad that he was like this.. and my hubby told me...to just leave him if i'm unhappy..that he loves him just the way he is.. i don't know.. i think i'm just to depressed right now..

breebee

08-07-2010, 21:42

Hi everyone :wave:

I'm so glad I found this thread, I have read through all of the pages and just that has made me feel reassured :fingerscrossed:

So this week my OB was worried that my baby may be on the small side, so I was sent for a growth scan today. I am 36 weeks pregnant and my scan revealed that our baby is as big as a 32 week gestation baby and is in the 5th percentile for all of her growth measurements.

Her organs looked great and they were firmly plotted normal on the graph, yet her growth wasn't even on the graph :(

My placenta seemed to be functioning okay on the ultrasound but the radiographer said they can never be 100% sure of the reasons for these things happening. I feel so guilty like I have caused this to happen to my bub . I have eaten enough and had plenty of rest so I just dont understand why she is so small? I feel so guilty and to blame IYKWIM? :confused:

I was sent promptly back to my Dr after my scan results to receive steroid injections to mature bubs lungs (even though they dont usually give the shots to women over 34 weeks, they did it as a precaution because bub might have troubles as she is so small) I am going back tomorrow to receive another dose. I am going for a doppler and growth scan next week and if there is no progress or a decline bub will be delivered via c-section next week! They said they could induce me but if bub shows signs of distress they would do a cesarean, they told me little babies do not tolerate labour well.

I am feeling so many emotions right now. Guilt, excitement, sadness...it's a strange combination. I don't know how I will feel having my baby taken away from me after her birth :crying: Although I know she is in the best possible and fantastic care she could possibly receive.

Reading through your posts makes me feel so much more relieved that there have been even smaller babies than mine grow into lovely healthy little kiddies! That is just fantastic.

How long should I expect a 36/37 weeker to spend in special care nursery? I feel so sad that my birth experience won't be having a baby and having visitors coming up to meet the baby etc...more like me recovering from surgery without a bub in my arms...arghhh so emotional right now :crying:

MyFourCubs

08-07-2010, 21:51

I understand everything you feeling- I have been exactly there!! Was your fluid level ok? Keep a very, very close on eye on bubs movements over the next week- any decline ring hospital or ob immediately and ask for a fetal monitor. Things can decline quickly- I don't mean to scare you but they can so don't worry about being a pain or a worrier- if you are worried, ring them!!

My dd2 was born at 36 weeks measuring 32. She also had the steroid injections and she did great- she spent 3 days in the SCN because of blood sugar, body temp issues (very normal for low birth weight / prem baby) but was in with me after 3 days and home after 6. If I were you I would pack all your bags ready to go, get everything you need for hospital and see if somebody (you should be resting) can get you some premmie 00000 suits for bub. It sounds like you are in very good hands so sure everything will be fine!! Keep us posted:goodvibes:

By the way this IS NOTHING YOU DID!!!!! :hugs::hugs:It just happens.

Mum2Jas

09-07-2010, 21:24

Jasmine developed slowly didn't sit till late didn't crawl properly till almost 11 months but then she walked at 12 months!! She put on weight well for the first 3 months but then grew nothing in the 4 month and then was very very slow putting on anything until 6 months when we saw dietitian. She was put onto a dairy, gluten, soy, corn, egg and wheat free diet and things slowly improved. It wasn't until we saw peadiatric allergist and i stopped breastfeeding and started her on neocate that she really took off. We also started on low food chemical diet. She is now 16 months old and just over 10kg which is great news!!! Her development is mainly ok but she is only saying mum dad yumyum and wee!!! so the words havent come yet but then again she didn't get her first tooth until 15 months old either so you can just never tell.

RiffRaffMama

13-11-2010, 22:34

lulululu

14-11-2010, 05:33

Riffraffmama I don't know what they'd recommend. We were never in this situation. We didn't know our son had iugr until after he was born (at 37&1/2 weeks and 2.3kg). I'm sure lots of other parents here can give you better into but I'll give you my opinion anyway.
I think there is a chance they'll suggest early delivery. From what I've read (mostly here) that seems to commonly be the advice mums get. Personally it doesn't sit right with me. I'd be thinking. " bubs is small why would I wanna make him premmie as well?" but... I understand they probably k ow more about it than me and maybe they tend to do better on the outside? I think they tend to decide based on whether bub is still growing and how good the blood flow is through the umbilical cord. I'd expect they'd monitor you a little longer but I'm not sure. Remember it's your body and your bub. If what they suggest sounds ridiculous it's ok to take a little time, think about it, get a second opinion. I'm a big believer in instinct and intuition above all else.
Good luck. Hope your bub is healthy, whenever he or she comes out to play. P.s. Our boy was average size by his first birthday and now at 2&1/2 is tall and thin (as he was when he was born) and healthy and cheeky

nataliej

23-11-2010, 23:12

I was hoping someone here could help ease my mind - I've been measuring small for about 5 weeks now and am measuring 28 weeks at almost 34. I had an ultrasound Thursday evening and Friday morning my ob office called to say my ob was coming in just to see me first thing Monday morning to discuss the ultrasound.
I know you can't say for sure, but Monday I'll be 34 weeks - what are they likely to recommend? The baby was apparently about 2.1kg but that's all I know. Are they going to want to monitor me for a few weeks or are they going to say pack your bags we're taking this baby out tomorrow?
Thanks :)

:wave:Hi RiffRaffMama, I only just discovered this thread (I'm a little slow). What was the result from your ob appointment?

Every case will be different but I thought I would share with you what happened to me three years ago. I was quite small all the way through but the ob thought it might just be that I'm naturally quite thin. At the 19 week scan, they found I only had one artery in the umbilical cord instead of two but was told there was only a 10 per cent chance of it affecting bub's size so I thought nothing of it.

At 34 weeks, my ob sent me for a scan as she thought I was too small and said there was very little fluid around the bub. At the scan the next day, bub was only 1600g. Because of my high blood pressure, I was hospitalised until it dropped back a bit and was given steroid injections. I had a second scan a week after the first and bub was doing OK but the fluid was very low (from memory, there was an average of 3mls around bub). Ob said if I could get to 36 weeks, it would mean bub had developed the sucking reflex, which would help her establish feeding. So I was booked in for a caesar at 36 weeks and my daughter was born weighing 1800g (about the size of a 32 weeker).

I still remember my ob saying IUGR bubs either come out starving or are so exhausted, they just want to sleep. Luckily I got a feeder so she quickly learned to feed herself rather than requiring regular tube feeds and she only had a 10 day stay in the SCN.

She is now a thriving, healthy three year old - you'd never know she came into the world so small.

elvaric

08-10-2011, 23:06

Hi all,

I'm new to this site, I was looking for any information on IUGR and came across this thread.

I had my baby girl Nylah 14 days ago due to severe IUGR, I was 26 weeks and she weighed only 490grams. She is still in NICU and is pretty amazing, when they took her out (via c-section) she cried which was the most beautiful sound me and my partner had ever heard.

I just have so many questions and concerns, she now weighs 504grams and is being fed my milk via feeding tube every 2 hours. I dont know what tomorrow will bring but any advice, info or stories similar to mine would be a great help..

08-10-2011, 23:43

I don't have any advice, but wanted to send you some goodvibes and healthy best wishes to your bub :goodvibes: I hope she gets stronger and stronger everyday :hugs:

Trawl through the site and look up old threads. There are so many wonderful women on here who have been through or are currently going through the same as you.

Good luck :)

leishi

09-10-2011, 10:01

Hi elvaric and welcome to the thread! My daughter was born two years ago weighing 750g at 28 weeks due to PE/IUGR. She spent 10 weeks in hospital initially, was home for a few weeks and then readmitted because of feeding problems.

One thing that I clung to while my daughter was in the NICU was the words of her neonatologist. He told me that the IUGR babies tend to be the toughest because they are so used to struggling in utero, they just seem to have an incredible fighting spirit. It was so true of my daughter and still is to this day!

Have you been able to hold Nylah yet? Once I was allowed to hold Isla, I made sure I held her as often as possible. It has been proven that skin to skin contact with prem babies helps them grow and I always found that she had less bradys and apnoeas while she was on me.

I wish you loads of luck on your journey through the NICU and I hope that it is smooth and uneventful. I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

leishi

09-10-2011, 10:03

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post links to other sites but because you're a new member I can't PM you - there is a fantastic forum for parents of prem babies that has helped me immensely since Isla was born. The website is www.lilaussieprems.com.au. There are lots of parents of IUGR babies on there as well.

Mum2bnov2011

21-10-2011, 22:58

I am 34 weeks +2, went for a scan yesterday after spotting and they said femur meausres well below the fifth percentile & biparitiel diameter is well above the 95 percentile. No one has told me what this means theyve just referred me for another scan. Upon my own research it says that this could be an indicator for down syndrome. Has anyone experienced anything similar? What were your outcomes? I am petrified, close to due date this is nothing i was prepared for

MumofRJ

28-10-2011, 22:29

My son in now 2yrs and 10 months old. He was born at 31+5 at 1.22kgs. I really didn't have any idea that anything was wrong until I went to my first antinatle class and noticed that I was the furthest along but had the smallest tummy. Had my routine checkup the next day and doctor sent me for an ultrasound, luckily got in the next day as the radiographer sent me straight back to the doctor who sent me straight to the hospital and I had my son by c-section about 2 hours later. He was in SCBU for about 61/2 weeks but no major complications. He is still skinny but above the 50th percentile for hieght. We have problems with asthma and a language delay but he is getting there.

:babydust1:

threebee

09-12-2011, 21:33

Hi there. Love this thread, nice to hear from others with a similar experience. I'm 37 weeks PG with #3 and found out today that in the past 4 weeks since my last scan, bubs has only done 1 weeks worth of growing!! At 33 weeks all was spot on with growth and fluid so I stupidly thought I may have dodged a bullet this time! Fundal height has stalled at 32cm, hence the scan today. My first had IUGR (though I didn't know it at the time) and was born at 41 weeks weighing 2.7kg (normal fluid and placental functioning), second was at 39 weeks and 2.9kg (placenta fine but low fluid in last 8 weeks, AFI of 5-6), today number 3 predicted to currently be 2.3kg. No idea of the cause and as placenta is ok they'll prob let me go to term again with LOTS of monitoring. Would love to have a 'normal' pregnancy for a change. My 2 children both had severe silent reflex, allergies and are very feisty-not surprised to hear there's a connection but it does mean we'll have our work cut out for us again once this one arrives!! Am always told by well meaning friends and family "oh well, at least the birth will be easier!"-er no, the heads are still large!!

Hannaht

05-01-2012, 19:07

Hi There!!! I was wandering if someone could please help me ?Please forgive me if someone has already answered this question but i have not had a chance to read through all the thread.I am 25 weeks pregnant with my second baby. My first baby had IUGR and was born at 33 weeks and was 3 Pounds. the doctors did some tests after she was born and found that my kidneys failed when i was pregnant which caused the blood not to flow through the placenta properly causing IUGR, he also said that this would happen with each pregnancy and that if i take aspirin every day it should get me at least 3-4 weeks further along. and then i saw another doctor and she said there is a 30% chance i mite not get it at all. so im really confused!! i was wandering if anyone out there had IUGR caused by kidney problems? and whether they had IUGR in their second pregnancy? i am 25 weeks at the moment and the baby so far is growing fine.Thank you so much!Im a very worried mummy!

whiteshores

15-01-2012, 19:58

Hi all,

I'm currently feeling a little all over the place at the moment.

I am 30 weeks and 3 days pregnant with my first and after a recent scan to check fetal growth I was told my baby girl is measuring in the 5th percentile at 1235g. I have to go back in 2 weeks for a scan to see how she is developing and was told if she drops to a lower percentile they would deliver her. If she remains in the 5th percentile it means she is still gaining weight steadily enough for me to carry her (closely monitored) to full term and that she would just be on the small side.

I just want to fast-forward these next couple of weeks to see how she's getting on and how it will all play out basically. I am trying to stay positive but I am absolutely terrified.

threebee

16-01-2012, 08:55

Well and update on my bubs. After my scan which showed only 1 week of growth in 4 weeks of my pregnancy, i was induced on 13th Dec and now have a beautiful little 1 month old. She was 2.4kg at birth and had to stay in special care overnight with a glucose drip. After that she roomed in with me and we came home on day 2. All's going well now, she's gaining approx 250g a week! The placenta was tested after the birth and results were inconclusive. Obviously I just make IUGR babies for some reason or another.

Hannaht-how is it all going? I've read that aspirin can help early in the pregnancy. I don't have any knowledge about kidney problems and IUGR though.

whiteshores-is this your first pregnancy? It can be quite overwhelming to know that your baby isn't thriving like it should be. Luckily for me, it has always been after about 34 weeks that growth slows. I was left to go full term with monitoring with my first 2 IUGR babies and then my newborn was induced at 37.5 weeks. Normally they will hold off delivering baby until after 34 weeks unless baby is in danger so hopefully you can escape that fate. Keep us updated.

whiteshores

16-01-2012, 13:18

leishi

17-01-2012, 08:36

Threebee: Yes this is my first. Overwhelmed is definitely one of the many things I'm feeling. Stories like yours I am finding very comforting at the moment as I have a real tendency to assume the worst is going to happen. As I mentioned before I wish I could just fast-forward these next couple of weeks because I feel I can't mentally prepare with what seems like a big question mark hanging over us right now.

Apologies for showing my ignorance, but is there anything I can be doing to help my little girl right now? I'm eating a balanced diet, taking prenatal vitamins, do gentle exercise and getting plenty of rest. . .but is there anything else???

Thank you

One other thing you can do is start taking a strong fish oil - it aids brain development in bub. They did a study at my hospital on the effects of a high strength fish oil on prem bubs and it showed that it helped, especially with girls for some reason! I was taking it while I breastfed my first prem (a 28 weeker) under advice from her neonatologist and then when I found out my second baby was going to be early I started taking it while pregnant and am still taking it. He was born at 29+6 weeks weighing 860g. There is one brand in particular they recommend - blackmores omega brain. The evidence was so strong that the hospital actually supplied it to me for my 28 weeker.

Good luck - I hope bub can keep cooking for a bit longer!

whiteshores

19-01-2012, 10:15

Well after a visit to the antenatal clinic yesterday and seeing a RMO a senior midwife and an OBGYN I left with some slightly more positive news. They plotted bubs growth on a graph based on the measurements from my ultrasound scans and it turns out that although she is still measuring small she's not in the 5th percentile. They think perhaps 10-15th is more accurate. I am going back to hospital for a scan tomorrow so hopefully she is gaining weight at a steady rate. I had a CTG whilst at the clinic and bubs heartbeat was strong and I am feeling plenty of movement so this is keeping me positive.

Leishi: Thanks for your reply. I told my partner about it and he returned back from the shops that very morning with Blackmores Fish Oil in hand.

threebee

17-03-2012, 21:54

Well, intially I was told by an on call midwife that my placenta results were inconclusive but it turned out there was some good info there after all. We got sent the report which was so scientific that I didn't understand much and we were requested to go to an obstetric councelling session to discuss the results. I feel so enlightened now and I'm hoping the info will be informative to lots of you too.

There are 2 genes which research now indicates is the main cause of IUGR, premature birth and miscarriage. One is gene 1298 which has 2 parts (called A and A) and gene 677 which also has 2 parts (called C and T). Everyone, male and female has these genes but often in people who have IUGR and other conditions described, they are missing one or more parts of either/both gene/s. I have complete 1298 but am missing part T of 677. This was why I've had these probs as well as one miscarriage in the past. The combination of your genes and your partners plays a part. The fact that I now have 3 healthy children (even with some complications) means my hubby may have 2 complete genes or just be missing one part of one but if we both were missing a couple, the complications would have been more significant (like people who have 12 miscarriages and then go on to have a premmie bub). Does this make sense???

So, this is what I've been told to do if I decide to have a 4th (eek!), which I am assured would give me a healthy bubs even if not a huge 10lb one!

take 50mg folate daily (x10 normal recommended dose for pregnant women)
Take high doses of B vitamins in these quantities daily: 250mg B1, 150mg B6 and 250mg B12
To be taken throughout whole pregnancy, as soon as pregnancy discovered or ideally 6 weeks before planning to conceive.
Food for thought? It's definatley given me some good closure and makes sense now why I've had the same probs every time.

Bubs is great, 3 months old and now 4.8kg (double her birthweight) which isn't bad for an IUGR and reflux baby :yes:.