And this time, I even got to keep my pants on...

[geminigirl]

17 week, 1 or 2 day (depending on who you ask) ultrasound (my OB says 17w1d, my perinatologist says 17w2d.)

The pants thing, by the way, refers to the fact that today's ultrasound was abdominal, rather than the transvaginal ones that I've been having up til now.



More pics if you click the photo.


The baby has genitals. When I walked in, I told her that I figured she could probably see something at this point, and if she could, to please not tell us anything but whether or not they looked normal. The tech saw them, and said they looked normal, and teased us by telling us that she knew what we were having. I was tempted to ask, but I didn't. I'm glad I didn't. But the more time I spend communicating with expectant mothers, the more distressed I get about the obsession with what bits the baby has. As baratron said earlier today, "it says A LOT about how obsessed we are with binary sex, yes." So my baby has bits, but I don't know whether they're innies or outies.



Today was a perinatologist visit-not the OB that I like, but the jerky, icky, unpleasant perinatologist. Who continues to annoy me, especially when his cell phone started audibly ringing while I was there.

But enough about him. He lacks bedside manner and, he'll continue to do so. Dr P knows this, and agrees with me. The longer this pregnancy remains in good shape, the more likely it is that I'll deliver with Dr P instead of Dr C.

Everything looked normal that they could see-eyebrow ridges, arms, legs, feet, genitals. Hands waving all around the face, though not yet giving the finger, or anything like that. We saw the heartbeat, and heard it. (164, fairly consistent actually, with where it's been for the last month...161 in the ER, 166 at the obstetrician's last visit.) I cried when we listened to the heartbeat. And you can see in one of the photos where we were listening to it. They couldn't see enough of the heart to declare "all clear" but it looked normal for what they expected to see. They'll see more in a few weeks, and that's fine.

Placenta is anterior, which means that while I've probably felt some kicking or fetal movement already (and I think I have) feeling it consistently will probably happen on the later side rather than the earlier side.

I lost seven pounds in two weeks, which kind of worries me even if it doesn't worry the doctor-he saw it as seven pounds in a month, which wouldn't be unreasonable, but because I was weighed two weeks ago at the doctor I know it's seven pounds in two weeks. Considering that I undoubtedly gained baby-stuff, it's probably more than seven lbs. My pants, however, tell a different story...I spent much of our trip to Atlanta wishing I'd brought different ones, and well, I'm just about at the end of what I've got, which means it's shopping time.

My blood pressure, however, was all over the place. It was fine at the OB's office two weeks ago. The first time they took it today, it was crazy high. The second time they took it today it was fine. Not surprising since I find these visits so very stressful. We'll see what it looks like at Dr P's in a couple of weeks.

Annoying bits-the sonographer told me to keep my pants unfastened and left me there all covered with gel in case the doctor wanted to look again (he didn't) but by the time the doctor was done with everything the gel had dried in a sticky mess, and was hard to clean off.

I finally got numbers from the first trimester screenings...1 in 290 for Down's Syndrome (slightly lower than average for my age) and 1 in 4800 for Trisomy 18 (significantly lower than average for my age.) I had the Quad Screen bloodwork drawn today, and will get something resembling a more complete profile at the next visit with them in about a month. I know it doesn't guarantee anything, but with the problems that my cousin's baby has (deletion on the first chromosome-he was born with a cleft palate, heart issues, congenital hypothyroidism and they're not sure about hearing or cognitive impairments when I last heard) I find a little bit of relief from the screening. They also drew a thyroid panel, which will get sent over to the endocrinologist who may adjust thyroid meds again. I hope if she does, it's upwards, not downwards, because I like the slightly higher dose better than the lower dose.

Next up, a visit with the OB in about two weeks, sharing more information about why the GD test isn't really useful (though he's pretty willing to let it go if my sugar stays normal. Must find a new meter that works though-if anyone knows anything about glucose monitors, can you point me at one that requires a really small sample of blood and doesn't require testing on the fingers but lets you test elsewhere.) Schedule the anatomy ultrasound, and complain more about the perinatologist.

And counting the weeks left. It's amazing to me that in six weeks or so, this baby could be born and survive, and that right now, I'm about halfway to the end.


Maybe one of those ultrasound photos should become a pregnancy icon. Or something, since I've yet to find one.

Comments

[danger-chick.livejournal.com]

The baby looks good in all of it's blurry greyness.

If you don't mind me asking, what is your age? I'm just trying to gauge the numbers you gave for birth defects against my own age.

[geminigirl]

I'm 32. The profile I got put the Down's risk at 1 in 210 and the Trisomy 18 risk at 1 in some similarly small number, but probably about 400-something.

[geminigirl]

Er, standard Down's risk/standard Trisomy 18 risk.

[bicrim.livejournal.com]

Baby looks wonderful! I'm so happy for you!

[geminigirl]

Thanks.

[ladygreyy.livejournal.com]

Awesome. Kiddo looks great, congrats! I swear, my baby must have the tiniest nose ever, I NEVER see a nose on the ultrasounds. They said she has a nasal bone, but I think she's always looking right at the device while they're scanning, so I never actually get a profile.

[fairion.livejournal.com]

Lovely photos. Thanks for sharing. According to the data of our perinatologist, they almost never deliver the baby. The OB does unless the pregnancy is so complicated as to be journal worthy. So chances are super good you will get your OB and a more peaceful setting for your delivery

[geminigirl]

Our peri delivers it if it's serious, serious pre-term labor-30 weeks or less, I think-basically, if it's early enough that they want you to deliver at the specialty hospital rather than your regular hospital and then transfer the baby to NICU at the children's hospital. The likelihood of that happening is of course slim.

[messyjessy.livejournal.com]

I can never seen anything in ultrasound pictures. Even when I'm told what I'm supposed to be seeing. They're worse than those Magic Eye pictures! I am, however, so glad to hear that baby is healthy and everything is going well.

As for meters, the OneTouch Ultra series accept forearm testing. I have an Ultra Mini that I've used only once (it was a free sample and I only got it because it is pink), so I can't speak to the reliability of the forearm testing. But their website seems to have a lot of info about it:

http://www.lifescan.com/products/meters/armtesting/

[geminigirl]

Did you like the Mini? I thought about getting one.

And most ultrasounds aren't showing much. That's why, I think, the tech labels them the way she does.

[messyjessy.livejournal.com]

I have really only used the Mini a handful of times. I like that its so small. And it requires less blood than my Accucheck Aviva does. But I remember not being able to figure out the buttons. Of course, I didn't read the manual.

I think you still may be able to request a free Mini from Lifescan's website.

[lovingboth]

Live 'moving' ones are much, much easier to 'see'. Quite magical, and my favourite part of the pregnancy.

[rockstarbob.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! You guys got some really good shots out of the u/s. Are you feeling pretty good about things overall these days?

[geminigirl]

I'm finding that I get tired more quickly and have heartburn rather often. I'm cranky because I don't feel like me, but I think that's been an ongoing thing. Some of the cranky comes from the clothes not fitting thing too. My ankles are bloated in the evening, but not in an unexpected sort of way. In other words, I suppose for being 17 weeks pregnant, I feel pretty good. :)

How about you?

[rockstarbob.livejournal.com]

Well, I just got back from Seattle and let me tell you: air travel at 27 weeks is not the most brilliant idea I ever had.

That said, I'm feeling pretty dang well! I like knowing that you're right behind me by 10 weeks, too. :)

[geminigirl]

We've been traveling a bunch lately too, and the airline flights have been unpleasant even at 17 weeks. I'm trying to figure out if there are any business class flights available for the December trip because I really don't want to cancel it if I don't have to but I'm not sure. I'm trying to come up with alternatives like flying to Buffalo and driving the extra couple of hours, but I'm just not sure.

[tronochick.livejournal.com]

OMG! it's so exciting. There's a baby in there!

I was thinking about you the other night wondering if "it" was starting to move.. i'm headed up there once "they" start kicking!

btw.. thought re: weightloss.. I think you are eating so very healthy all of sudden and are being so careful about taking good things into your body that maybe you are actually not taking in as many calories as normal, so you are loosing normally for yourself while also feeding the baby all of the good stuff you are ingesting. It would actually make sense to loose weight based on the diet you have yourself on. i mean, i could loose 10 lbs if i cut out soft cheese too!

[geminigirl]

:)

I'll let you know as soon as the kicking is consistent enough and you know who feels it regularly.

I think though, the change is more to do with the fact that so much is repulsive-you've been here twice since I've been pregnant and you saw what I ate. :P

I'll keep you posted about the kicking thing so you can come visit.

[tronochick.livejournal.com]

well, yeah combo repulsion at food and making sure that what does go in is good for you.

can't wait to see more baby pics!

[geminigirl]

I think it's a combination of revulsion at food, and the fact that at this point, my guts are getting squished by the expanding uterus. The baby weighs about six ounces now, according to the ultrasound today.

And if you come over, you don't have to wait for more baby pics, I can show you video.

[geminigirl]

Oh, but there will be more pics in three or four weeks, I think

I snuck into your house and took this picture of you, with my X-ray camera

[also-huey.livejournal.com]

[cmariewt.livejournal.com]

Oh, wWWWWOOOOOOWOWWWWWZZZAAA!! I am SO freaking excited for you, you have no idea!!

That has tp be the most adorable ultrasound profile I have ever seen.

I am sending you every ::hoping it all goes perfectly:: vibe that I can muster. MUAH!

[geminigirl]

Thank you. Due the first week of April.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Yay bits and pieces in all the right places!

[slfisher.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I knew, either. Congratulations!

[bitty.livejournal.com]

Aren't they all still innies at this point? I thought outies didn't descend until closer to the end? So she wouldn't be giving anything away to say it's an innie :)

[aelf.livejournal.com]

Everything's sounding excellent, hooray! :) I think the obsession with the sex of the kid is because it's one of the few things we can sort-of kind-of know. And it lets people narrow down names, which can be a pretty consuming part of the whole "we're having a baby" experience.

[lovingboth]

Yep, this why we were so delighted to find out 'it' was a girl about six and a half years ago: we'd agreed on the names for a girl.

We'd probably still be arguing if it were a boy :)

[yix.livejournal.com]

My husband said, "If the doctor could tell me if my kid would like meat balls, would be good at singing, or wanted to become an astronaut, I would get them to tell me that too." He wanted to know everything about her (though we didn't know that yet) as soon as he could. We confirmed our information on hair type, knew that unless she had a mutation that she would have blue eyes, and mulled over whose nose she had based on the ultrasound. I think that aelf is right in that sex is something that people want to know because it's something they can find out (with a reasonable degree of certainty, most of the time).

I cried when I was in labor and the doctor felt her head and told me she could feel her hair. My response was a slightly wailed, "she has hair!"

So yeah, people are a bit gender obsessed. And I have put a lot of thought into trying to avoid as much contribution to the bias she'll be getting as she grows up as possible. But I think that for some people it's more of an obsession with information than it is with gender (or sex).

And, of course, there is the other part about the names. Erik and I are hopelessly different in our tastes of names. Being able to focus our search in any way is helpful.

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

Yay for pictures! I'm glad you got the actual numbers from the bloodwork that went with the nuchal translucency test, too.

[geminigirl]

I am too. I had to ask for them though...no one would have bothered to tell me otherwise.

[rawness.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about the sex. I only found out with my second because I knew if it was a boy I had a slight battle ahead of me with Austin and if it was a girl I just didn't even want to bother going there. But based on how it all turned out I kinda wish I wouldn't have found out when I did.