big tummy, small tummy

We went for our monthly antenatal check-up last Saturday. Everything was fine except that our little one's abdominal circumference was small for his gestational age. Instead of being 28 weeks, his AC was dated at 25 weeks. This worried our doctor a bit because she said there might be something wrong with the way our baby absorbs the nutrients from me. She asked me if I was under a lot of stress, and I said no, not at all. I'm a stay-at-home wife, relaxing most of the day and just doing minor household chores, like wiping tabletops and cooking. 


Nothing is stressing me out, well except this bit of information our gyne told us. I tried not to worry about it but of course, sometimes worry gets the best of me, especially when it comes to this kid. I only want the best for him and the last thing I want him to be is to be born with below average birth weight. Now, knowing that his tummy isn't as big as it should be (where do these numbers come from anyway?), is causing me to be the last thing I need to be: stressed. I  just try to recall and hold on to the result of our 20-week detailed ultrasound, which said that our baby was within average. Hopefully, he'll be able to catch up before he's due and increase his AC.


Sometimes I wonder whether having these routine ultrasounds is helpful at all. Our mothers carried us not knowing whether our head or tummy measures up to other babies at the same gestational age, whether we're gonna be a boy or a girl, etc. When did this obsession with knowing everything before birth come about? We all turned out okay, right?


But what's been said has been said and we know what we know now. Nothing we can do about it. I prayed about it at mass last Sunday and I lifted my worry up to the Lord and asked Him to send me the Holy Spirit to replace the fear I feel with strength and faith. I believe that God knows what He's doing and that everything will turn out for the best. We will love this baby no matter what and we will make sure he's well taken care of when he comes out - whatever it is he comes out with, whether it's a smaller than average tummy or a vagina instead of a penis.