Baby had another picture taken yesterday! I'm going to have quite the collection for the pregnancy scrapbook I need to start. My doctor didn't even bother with the doppler...we all wanted another peek at baby. All looks good! Baby is growing and growing with a heart just beating away. My placenta was easier to see this time, and it turns out that it's anterior. So maybe the taps from the other day weren't baby, but I still think they were. :) It was also fun to hear her say that she can definitely feel that my uterus is growing and is right where it should be, size-wise.
It was quite the party in my exam room yesterday. In addition to the usuals - me, Paul and Dr. B - there was a med student and a nurse. Now that I'm finally off the progesterone suppositories, Dr. B. did a pap and more thorough pelvic exam. (She made me promise that I wouldn't get upset if I saw spotting later because it would be quite likely following the test/exam.) So while that was going on, the med student was observing, the nurse was setting up the ultrasound, and Paul was texting. It was quite funny as I sat there in yards of fabric from a too-big gown and piles of glorified paper napkins. Whatever. I really don't care about all that as long as I get a peek at baby!
I go back two weeks from today for an ultrasound, and then two weeks from Monday, I see Dr. B and do an early glucose test. She asked if we're going to find out the sex. (We aren't.) It was fun to talk about "normal" pregnancy things like that! On her way out, she said she can't wait to get past 20 weeks. I know I repeat myself over and again when I talk about appointments, but I really love how my doctor feels invested in this pregnancy, too.
We're now thinking about the quad screen. We really didn't get this far with the other pregnancies to be seriously considering it. I think we're leaning towards not doing it. Though we have previous miscarriages in our history, we really don't have any of the potential risk factors that encourage doing the test. We feel it would cause unnecessary worry between waiting for the results and the potential for false positives. We want to avoid an amnio if at all possible because we're just not willing to take the risk while looking for trouble. What are your thoughts on screening tests? What have you done?
It was a crazy week at work with a big grant proposal due today. I've spent most of the last week working in USD/EUR conversions, and my head never hurts as much as when I have to do budgets in euros. I've settled in with some guilty pleasure TV, chocolate covered almonds and caffeine free diet coke in a wine glass. Everything tastes better in a wine glass, and since I won't be partaking in my grant submission day-red wine ritual for awhile, this will have to suffice.
Fun news for the day - my best friend (who is due one week before me; Paul thinks it was a conspiracy) found out she's having a girl! Big brother J will be almost two when that little girl comes. Our babies will either be best friends and college roommates like we were or betrothed to one another from birth. I'll be perfectly happy with either arrangement. :)
I am just so in love with this little one in my belly! I love that my pants are starting to be snug in the waist, that I can't stay awake past 10pm, and that I have five beautiful sets of pictures on my fridge. Even though there are two baby-sized holes in my heart, my heart grows right along with this little one.
Yea for a peek at the baby! <3
ReplyDeleteOkay, friend....you gotta scan those pictures in so we can see baby!! I can't believe you are going to have the determination and fortitude to not find out!!! (Honestly, though, if we didn't feel like we needed to know for nursery/clothing we already had purposes, it would be neat to be surprised too!)
ReplyDeleteAs for the screenings...we did the 12 week nuchal fold test (ultrasound and bloodwork) and we did some genetic testing just to see if we were carriers of things like CF...again, just bloodwork. The 1st trimester bloodwork was great and we get frequent enough ultrasounds that my peri said he could see whether or not there were neural tube issues (like spina bifida, for example) so he said he wouldn't bother with the quad if he was us. So we didn't.
We won't do an amnio either. Even though we are planning to deliver early and my regular ob said she'd do an amnio, my peri said that he's done tons of them, they are safe, safe, safe and yet--in his many years of medicine, he knew of one where fetal vessels were ruptured and John and I know all too well what that means. So...he's being very conservative with us and I appreciate it.
Love the wonderful updates!!
xoxo
I have a huge goofy grin from reading your post. :) I only did the screen with my 1st 3, but haven't done it with the last 2.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that everything is going well! :)
ReplyDeleteWe only did the quad screen with Kyndra. I didn't get it done w/ Carleigh or Lainey. I did do the 1st trimester screening with Lainey. I guess I didn't really need to since it wouldn't have a made a difference in our choices.