Appointment Day

Yesterday was a doctor appointment day. Gloria (the same sonogram tech I've had since the start and I finally got her name) called me in. The usual appointment stuff - blood pressure 110/50, weight 160lbs..all good. When we started the actual sonogram, Gloria said that she should be able to tell the sex of the baby during this scan and asked if she could see did I want to know. I said yes, but asked her if she could just write down the sex so that Dave and I could look at it together that night. She said she would do that. First things first.... the baby is still doing good - 154 beats for heartbeat- the first "pose" of the baby today was with the hand in the air - waving. The baby was moving today - more than last week. Might have been the sugar in the ginger ale I was deliberately drinking before the appoinment....Gloria said the baby looked good and that it was measuring at 15 weeks 5 days - ahead of my 15 weeks 2 days - so good. She finished her job and then left to go get the doctor. She said she was pretty sure she had an accurate read on the sex of the baby.

The doctor came in and said "I hear we could see the sex of the baby!" I said, yes, but that Gloria was writing it down for me. She said, "Oh, I was almost going to tell you." So, she didn't tell me, but did start looking at the sonogram pictures - and right away said "there she's waving at you!". Then realized what she did. She hugged me and apologized a bunch for spilling the beans. I kind of thought really all along that the baby was a girl. I could even see for myself when the technician was looking down at that area. I can't tell a lot of what they are looking at usually with the sonogram, but during that part of it, it did seem like thats what I was looking at.

So anyways, the doctor mentioned that her "not to worry spot" from last visit was probably the placenta "clumped" up at the bottom of the uterus - covering my cervix - she called it placenta previa. Now, I have heard of that, but wasn't sure what it meant to me and this pregnancy. She said it was really only an issue, if I were to deliver vaginally. She said that a lot of times the placenta is down low and as my uterus expands, the placenta should expand and "move" a bit. The doctor also pointed out an area on the sonogram , called a "lake". If I understood correctly this was an enlarged blood vessel - she said she would watch it and "not to worry". Okay then....

I also had my blood drawn for the AFP levels. I am hoping that this will be an indicator as whether the placenta is working properly. She mentioned results would be back in 3 days or so. I have my next appointment in two weeks. Dave had been calling, and calling during the appointment. I called him right away and told him what happened - that I knew the sex of the baby, so he said to go ahead and tell him.

So, it's a GIRL!!!! WOW!!! Good news of course, but still have never ending worry for the 20+ weeks to come. I'm feeling a bit more eager to share our news with everyone.......I've tried to scan the letter and a sonogram picture.... let's hope it works! Tomorrow is Halloween.