I had my first cervix check ultrasound this morning. They want the cervix to be more than 3cm long. Mine was 5.2 cm, so great! I'm not sure if that is shorter than last week, but I have read that it can change over the weeks. They are just watching to make sure it doesn't get shorter than 3cm.
After they got the measurements they needed, she took out the external ultrasound want and did a quick scan of the baby. I noticed that it wasn't moving and mentioned it. She said, "It's asleep!" She poked it with the wand and it squirmed but didn't really wake up. Its heart rate was 124 beats per minute. Taking after its mother already I see!
The baby woke shortly after I left the office and started moving all around. I have thought I could feel it moving since last week or so, but now that I knew just where it was, I'm sure of it. I only occasionally feel it and mostly when I'm sitting or lying down.
I go back on 2/16 for another cervix check.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
14 weeks 6 days
I forgot to post about this sooner. On Tuesday I had an appointment with a high risk specialist to discuss possible problems with my cervix from my surgery. She was really really nice. She looked at my ultrasound shots from the NT scan and said that my cervix is measuring fine right now. She did an internal exam and said that it seems low and very hard, which is good. I tried to explain my surgery to her and she had never heard of it so she consulted with an ultrasound tech who agreed that they should monitor me for cervical length shortening. I will start with ultrasounds of my cervix every other week. If a change is noted, they will increase to every week. If it is getting too short, she will immediately schedule me for a procedure to sew it closed. However, she said that based on right now, she doesn't think I will have a problem.
In other news, my morning sickness seems to have gone away. I haven't thrown up in almost 2 weeks! I still gag occasionally when I'm hungry My lower back has been bothering me. I think it's my sciatic nerve. It bugs me when I get up from sitting for a long time, but it's not so bad. I am also starting to get a little bump, but it's kind of lopsided because of my chubb. No pictures yet, but maybe in a few weeks when it pops out more.
Coming appointments:
2/1- cervical length check
2/24- OB appt
3/1- Anatomy scan
In other news, my morning sickness seems to have gone away. I haven't thrown up in almost 2 weeks! I still gag occasionally when I'm hungry My lower back has been bothering me. I think it's my sciatic nerve. It bugs me when I get up from sitting for a long time, but it's not so bad. I am also starting to get a little bump, but it's kind of lopsided because of my chubb. No pictures yet, but maybe in a few weeks when it pops out more.
Coming appointments:
2/1- cervical length check
2/24- OB appt
3/1- Anatomy scan
Saturday, January 21, 2012
13 weeks 5 days
We had the Nuchal Translucency scan on Thursday this week. The tech said that everything looks good. They want the amount of fluid in the neck to be less than 2, and it was 1.5. Baby showed no markers for Down's Syndrome. Yay! Baby was also measuring a couple days ahead so the due date was changed again to July 21st. I am sticking with the 23rd though because I don't think it really matters, it's just an estimate and baby will come whenever it wants.
After the scan, I saw my dr for my monthly appt. He said that everything on the scan looked great. This was the first time I had seen my regular doctor and he congratulated me on getting pregnant without meds and making it this far without any other intervention. He discussed that I was positive for carrying Cystic Fibrosis and told me that we can forgo any further testing because we wouldn't want to abort the baby even if it tested positive because CF runs on a range so the baby could have no or little symptoms. He then discussed my high risk appt next week. I have to see a high risk specialist because I had surgery as a baby and my cervix may not be strong enough to keep the baby in as it gains weight. He said that the doctor I am seeing is the best in the city for cervical issues and she will monitor me every few weeks and perform a procedure to sew my cervix closed if she notices any changes. Lastly, he discussed my weight. He said that since I was heavy before pregnancy, he doesn't want me to gain more than 5-10 lbs while pregnant. So far I have gained 1-2 lbs. He said that he will check my weight at every visit and yell at me if I gain too much. He asked if I wanted to see a nutritionist, but I said that I was seeing one before I got pregnant and she was very thorough and I think I understand what I need to do, so no need to see one now.
Upcoming appts:
Jan 24- High risk specialist
Feb 24- next ob appt
March 1- Anatomy scan/ finding out the sex of the baby!
Now, on to the pictures!
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After the scan, I saw my dr for my monthly appt. He said that everything on the scan looked great. This was the first time I had seen my regular doctor and he congratulated me on getting pregnant without meds and making it this far without any other intervention. He discussed that I was positive for carrying Cystic Fibrosis and told me that we can forgo any further testing because we wouldn't want to abort the baby even if it tested positive because CF runs on a range so the baby could have no or little symptoms. He then discussed my high risk appt next week. I have to see a high risk specialist because I had surgery as a baby and my cervix may not be strong enough to keep the baby in as it gains weight. He said that the doctor I am seeing is the best in the city for cervical issues and she will monitor me every few weeks and perform a procedure to sew my cervix closed if she notices any changes. Lastly, he discussed my weight. He said that since I was heavy before pregnancy, he doesn't want me to gain more than 5-10 lbs while pregnant. So far I have gained 1-2 lbs. He said that he will check my weight at every visit and yell at me if I gain too much. He asked if I wanted to see a nutritionist, but I said that I was seeing one before I got pregnant and she was very thorough and I think I understand what I need to do, so no need to see one now.
Upcoming appts:
Jan 24- High risk specialist
Feb 24- next ob appt
March 1- Anatomy scan/ finding out the sex of the baby!
Now, on to the pictures!
profile
3D profile
3D view of the spine
Another profile
Monday, January 2, 2012
11 weeks 1 day
We just got back from vacation with our families. We told them all about the baby.
When we got to my parents' house, I handed my mother the box with the scrapbook in it. She asked why she was getting a gift early. I told her that we found the box in the car and she should open the card. She opened it- it read "Dear Gramma, could you make this for me? Love Baby S." She started screaming and hugged both of us. Then she called my aunt and grandmother and told them. On Christmas eve, I made her a star that read "Grandma to be" and she wore it to the Duckett family Christmas party to share with everyone. Everyone was really excited for us and we were the center of attention a lot. On Christmas day, we told the rest of the family on my mother's side. For my birthday, we went out to lunch and my aunt got me Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul. I also got a Kindle for Christmas and read Pregnancy Sucks, which was a really funny book about the troubles that come with pregnancy.
On Wednesday, we went to Todd's mother's house. We unpacked a little and then exchanged gifts. She opened the charms we got her for her charm bracelet, including one that said "Promoted to Grandma." She studied them for a few minutes, then put them down and started into the rest of her gifts. Todd asked her if she understood what they meant. She went back and read them all aloud. She was silent for a few minutes until Todd said, "Mom, we're not talking about the dogs." She looked at me hard for a minute, then started screaming.
I'm so happy everyone is as excited as they are about the baby. But I'm starting to dislike the attention. We have a lot more people to tell so I'd better get over that!
While we were at my mom's, she brought up the surgery that I had when I was 8 days old. She explained that the doctors had to create my cervical sphincter because the muscles weren't connected. She said that they told her that I will likely have an incompetent cervix when I went to have children. I will need a procedure called Cerclage to prevent early labor and delivery. This is when they put a few stitches in the cervix to hold it closed. I am going to talk to my doctor about it at my next appointment.
When we got to my parents' house, I handed my mother the box with the scrapbook in it. She asked why she was getting a gift early. I told her that we found the box in the car and she should open the card. She opened it- it read "Dear Gramma, could you make this for me? Love Baby S." She started screaming and hugged both of us. Then she called my aunt and grandmother and told them. On Christmas eve, I made her a star that read "Grandma to be" and she wore it to the Duckett family Christmas party to share with everyone. Everyone was really excited for us and we were the center of attention a lot. On Christmas day, we told the rest of the family on my mother's side. For my birthday, we went out to lunch and my aunt got me Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul. I also got a Kindle for Christmas and read Pregnancy Sucks, which was a really funny book about the troubles that come with pregnancy.
On Wednesday, we went to Todd's mother's house. We unpacked a little and then exchanged gifts. She opened the charms we got her for her charm bracelet, including one that said "Promoted to Grandma." She studied them for a few minutes, then put them down and started into the rest of her gifts. Todd asked her if she understood what they meant. She went back and read them all aloud. She was silent for a few minutes until Todd said, "Mom, we're not talking about the dogs." She looked at me hard for a minute, then started screaming.
I'm so happy everyone is as excited as they are about the baby. But I'm starting to dislike the attention. We have a lot more people to tell so I'd better get over that!
While we were at my mom's, she brought up the surgery that I had when I was 8 days old. She explained that the doctors had to create my cervical sphincter because the muscles weren't connected. She said that they told her that I will likely have an incompetent cervix when I went to have children. I will need a procedure called Cerclage to prevent early labor and delivery. This is when they put a few stitches in the cervix to hold it closed. I am going to talk to my doctor about it at my next appointment.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
9 weeks 3 days
I had my first OB appt yesterday. It was with a Nurse Practitioner rather than my regular OB/GYN because I guess that is how they do it. She asked me a bunch of questions about my history. She didn't ask much about Todd, except whether I am married and what his name is. Then she did a pelvic exam and a pap smear. I have never had a pap smear that hurt so much. OMG it was horrible. She kept moving the speculum around like she was trying to get a better view. I knew things were more sensitive down there but geez! Then she stuck her hand in halfway to my belly button to feel for my cervix and find my uterus. So awful. She let me get dressed and went to get an order for bloodwork. When she came back I asked why she hadn't used the Doppler to find the heartbeat. She said that I am "a little fluffy" in that area and it was a little early for even a thin person. She offered to try as long as I promised not to get upset if she didn't find it. She reminded me that I had seen the baby on ultrasound and seen the heartbeat 2 weeks ago. She tried to find it for a few minutes and was able to pick it up for a split second before it moved away. I didn't hear it when she did, but she said she had heard it. She said she couldn't keep it on the doppler for long, so she was sorry.
Then she scheduled me for a Nuchal Translucency test on January 19th. This is a test where they measure the fluid in the baby's neck as a marker for Down's Syndrome. It will be the first ultrasound where the baby will actually look like a baby. I will also have some bloodwork to test for other Down's markers. Todd is planning to come to this one so he can see the baby for the first time. On that same day, I will see my regular OB for my second appointment.
She ordered a bunch of bloodwork and sent me off to another nurse who gave me a flu shot. I got it and then went off to the lab where they drew 8 vials of blood to check for a bunch of stuff.
We are packing up right now for vacation. We are going to tell my parents tomorrow. We got a bunch of scrapbook stuff related to babies and a baby-themed scrapbook. We put it in a box with a note that says, "Dear Gramma, will you make this for me? Love, Baby S." We are telling Todd's mom on Wednesday when we get to her house. She has an Italian Charm Bracelet and we got a few charms for Christmas. She had asked us to get her a Snoopy stuffed animal from Build-A-Bear, but we couldn't afford it. So Todd is going to say, "We're sorry, we couldn't get you the Snoopy, but we hope this will work as a substitute." And hand her a charm that says, "Promoted to Grandma." We also got my sister an ornament that is part of her collection. It is an "Aunt Angel" and says something about how family is fun. I can't wait to see their faces when they open the gifts.
Then she scheduled me for a Nuchal Translucency test on January 19th. This is a test where they measure the fluid in the baby's neck as a marker for Down's Syndrome. It will be the first ultrasound where the baby will actually look like a baby. I will also have some bloodwork to test for other Down's markers. Todd is planning to come to this one so he can see the baby for the first time. On that same day, I will see my regular OB for my second appointment.
She ordered a bunch of bloodwork and sent me off to another nurse who gave me a flu shot. I got it and then went off to the lab where they drew 8 vials of blood to check for a bunch of stuff.
We are packing up right now for vacation. We are going to tell my parents tomorrow. We got a bunch of scrapbook stuff related to babies and a baby-themed scrapbook. We put it in a box with a note that says, "Dear Gramma, will you make this for me? Love, Baby S." We are telling Todd's mom on Wednesday when we get to her house. She has an Italian Charm Bracelet and we got a few charms for Christmas. She had asked us to get her a Snoopy stuffed animal from Build-A-Bear, but we couldn't afford it. So Todd is going to say, "We're sorry, we couldn't get you the Snoopy, but we hope this will work as a substitute." And hand her a charm that says, "Promoted to Grandma." We also got my sister an ornament that is part of her collection. It is an "Aunt Angel" and says something about how family is fun. I can't wait to see their faces when they open the gifts.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
7 weeks 3 days
I had my second ultrasound today. Everything looks great! Baby was measuring well at 7 weeks 1-2 days. The heart was flicking away at 130 beats per minute. It is 1.07cm, which is about triple the size from last week when it was 0.35cm. It was the cutest little blob. It was hard to see, but I swear, it was hanging out with a little book in there or something. Okay that's silly, but it was really cute. <3
Thursday, December 1, 2011
6 weeks 3 days
The nurse called on Tuesday and said that Dr. S had decided that I should have the early ultrasound after all. So I went today after work. She had warned me that the tech wouldn't tell me anything and I would have to wait until the next day to hear the results from the Dr's office. I was supposed to be there by 5:30 but I got stuck in traffic. I called the radiology office and they said not to worry about running late because they were busy. There were about 10 other people waiting when I got there. I had been told that I needed to have a full bladder for part of the scan and I was about to burst after waiting over an hour! I ran to the bathroom and then chugged some more water to fill it back up. Shortly after I came back, they called me in.
When the tech started with the external ultrasound, I asked her, "I know they said you wouldn't be able to tell me anything, but can you show me if you see anything?" She said if I was patient, she would look. She couldn't find anything on the external scan so she did an internal scan. After a few minutes of digging around, she turned the screen toward me, pointed to a tiny flickering spot on it and said, "See that flickering spot? That's the baby's heartbeat!" I gasped and said, "Oh my god!" Then I said, "Hi!" to the baby. I felt like a dork, but I immediately fell in love with that little flickering heart. It all seems so real now. It's alive! I almost cried out of happiness.
Now to just keep that little heart beating for the next 8-ish months...
When the tech started with the external ultrasound, I asked her, "I know they said you wouldn't be able to tell me anything, but can you show me if you see anything?" She said if I was patient, she would look. She couldn't find anything on the external scan so she did an internal scan. After a few minutes of digging around, she turned the screen toward me, pointed to a tiny flickering spot on it and said, "See that flickering spot? That's the baby's heartbeat!" I gasped and said, "Oh my god!" Then I said, "Hi!" to the baby. I felt like a dork, but I immediately fell in love with that little flickering heart. It all seems so real now. It's alive! I almost cried out of happiness.
Now to just keep that little heart beating for the next 8-ish months...
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