Big babies get all of the attention in the news, but what about tiny full term babies? When a full term baby is much smaller than usual, it is called intrauterine growth restriction, or IUGR. Not all small babies are diagnosed with IUGR; those that do often have low amniotic fluid levels and do not grow at normal rates. If a baby stops growing, the doctor may choose to deliver the baby early to save his or her life. Before making any kind of decision to deliver early, the doctor will perform a variety of tests to determine the health of the baby and the cause of the IUGR.

There are a number of reasons a baby could develop IUGR. For one, there could be a problem with the placenta, which is responsible for providing the baby with the nourishment he or she needs to grow. The placenta might be too small, or it may have begun to detach prematurely. Certain diseases or medical conditions in the mother, such as preeclampsia or clotting disorders, among others, may also lead to IUGR. Birth defects such as anencephaly or chromosomal disorders like Down syndrome may be to blame for IUGR. Other factors that might lead to IUGR include smoking, drinking, drug use, severe malnutrition, infection, certain medications and carrying multiples.

It is important to monitor the baby’s health. Babies with IUGR are at risk for complications such as stillbirth, low blood sugar, compromised immune systems, low body temperatures, jaundice, and high red blood cell counts. They are also more likely to swallow meconium. IUGR has also been linked to cerebral palsy.

If a woman is at risk for having a baby with IUGR for any reason, extra ultrasounds may be done to track growth. If she has not gained the recommended amount of weight, the doctor may ask her to up her calorie intake each day and eliminate aerobic exercise. The outcome of the diagnosis depends on the severity of IUGR. Each case is different.

This past week while browsing the bargain table at the bookstore, I came upon a title that really caught my eye: “The Secret Language of Babies: The Body Language of Little Bodies.” Written by Sally & Edwin Kiester, who wrote the Better Homes & Gardens New Baby Book, this book is just under 200 pages and is hard to put down. It’s full of large, colorful photos of the cutest babies (and their parents). It also features a language development charts, interesting baby facts, visual guides to interpreting baby’s body language, sounds, faces and cries, and interesting research about babies and how they communicate with their caregivers. Since my son is already ten months old, I was able to look back on some of his behavior and milestones and see that this book is dead on. This book acts like an entertaining road map to your baby’s development. In addition to describing the way babies learn to communicate, the book has countless ideas for developing those skills through different activities, games and songs.

Probably one of the most useful aspects of this book for new moms is the guide to baby’s cries. The authors describe ten main types of crying: the howl, the rhythmic cry, the whine, the whimper, the shriek, the wail, the exhausted sob, the discomfort cry, the outburst, and the rhythmic sob. A picture of a baby crying in the particular style is paired with a description of what the cry sounds like, what it means and what you can do to make your baby feel better.

I would highly recommend this book to pregnant women and new moms alike. I think it would make a great shower gift. It is one of those books that is fun to leave on the coffee table since you do not need to read it straight through and there are so many great pictures to look at. Even my son loved looking at all the pictures of the babies!

A research study conducted at the Australian National University claims that “baby brain,” or forgetfulness attributed to pregnancy, is all in a woman’s head. I know what you’re thinking, because I’m thinking it, too. They are nuts!! Clearly none of the researchers have ever been pregnant.

I think I’ve told you this story before, but I’ll recount it again for those of you who missed it the first time. In my first trimester I drove to the library to check out a few books about childbirth and pregnancy. This particular branch of the library was a block or two away from a building where I used to work for nearly two years. In other words, I was very familiar with the area. Shortly after I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street, I realized I couldn’t remember which one-way street I needed to take to get back to my route home. It felt like my mental map of the downtown area had been erased like a GPS with a virus. Panic set in as I phoned my husband and tearfully explained my predicament. He had to guide me turn-by-turn until I got to a road I could remember. Though he was patient, he was clearly in disbelief. I had taken this same route over a thousand times and I had never gotten lost like that before!

That wasn’t the only occurrence of unusual memory loss. Countless times I forgot to do routine tasks at my job. Fortunately my boss was entertained, but I was quickly getting frustrated.

A few months after giving birth, I took my son to that same library and had no problem driving home. In fact, I didn’t think twice about which way I was turning at each intersection. Do these researchers really think they can tell me that was all in my head?

I watched Special Duggar Delivery tonight on TLC and I found myself tearing up on numerous occasions. Watching Jim Bob tearfully determine to continue to praise God during such a difficult time, Michelle looking so ill in her hospital bed, baby Josie’s little kicks in the incubator, and Josh’s reaction to hearing the news about the birth, filled my heart with grief over all the fear and trials they must have experienced. It must be so traumatic to look upon your child, who still should have had four months in your safe womb, struggling to breathe and fighting for life. Josie’s skin was red and her chest heaved with each breath. Her head was the size of a pool ball, as Jim Bob put it. The children silently entered Josie’s room to see her for the first time, whispering over her beautiful, tiny frame. She kept her knees pulled up as though she were still in her mommy’s tummy. It was joyful and heartbreaking at the same time.

Born at just 24 weeks gestation, Josie entered the world much too early. Michelle Duggar developed severe preeclampsia and her blood pressure was reaching fatal levels. She was in danger of suffering a stroke. The only cure for preeclampsia is to give birth. Had they not delivered Josie via emergency cesarean, both her life and Michelle’s life could have been in danger. Initially doctors said Josie had an 80% chance of survival.

It’s amazing how many premature babies’ lives are saved; the survival rates are increasing for younger and younger babies. Though there are many complications associated with being born premature, and the problems don’t stop once the babies come home, doctors continue to find ways to help these babies develop and grow in an otherwise hostile environment.

Do you have any children who were born premature? What was your experience like? How did it change your life?