This past week was absolutely fantastic. We had our first trimester screening for down syndrome and other birth defects and we got good news. We went to a special ultrasound doctor at Cedars for our nuchal scan. What a trip! It was the first time that the little thing resembled a human. And, boy, did it look exactly like a baby. Hands, legs, 10 toes, 10 fingers, a spine, a good nose and nasal bone. It was so great to have John there with me. I think for the first time it really hit us that it was real. They measured the nuchal area behind the neck which is supposed to be an indicator of down syndrome. We got a 1.3 which I had read was good. They took that number and immediately combined it with my blood results and they came back with a 1 in 16,000 odds for downs. That is fantastic! I was prepared for 1 in 1600 or 1 in 3000 because that’s what our friends had been getting. As John and I are pessimists, we asked them 5 times if they were sure that was the right number and they weren’t reading it wrong. Turns out they weren’t! That put our mind at ease for sure…at least for the time being.
And here’s what’s happening this week:
How far along: 12 weeks
Baby Development: He or she (I’m predicting a he) is about the size of a lime and now he has reflexes like a sucking motion. Can’t wait til he uses that to kill my poor breasts.
Baby Movement: I wouldn’t know that he was moving except that he was bouncing all over the place on the ultrasound.
Water Intake: Totally drinking at least 8 glasses and taking all my prenatal vitamins. Haven’t missed a day.
Best Moment of the Week: Definitely getting our first glimpse of the lil’ trickster on the fancy ultrasound. And getting our screening results.
Current baby/pregnancy worry: Well, the screening results made us feel better, although we know that they are not conclusive in any way.
Symptoms: Just feel bloated and it won’t go away. Have also been getting cramps which may be growing pains. But, oh yeah, the WORST headaches. Debilitating headaches that require laying down with a washcloth on my forehead. Luckily they tend to hit at night so I’m at home and can crawl in bed.
Sleep Quality: Good.
Food Cravings: Sour Patch Kids…I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen them on any pregnancy nutrition lists.
What I miss: Fitting into my pre-pregnancy bras.
What I’m Looking Forward to: Telling my family in the next week or so. It’ll be hysterical!
Trying to get done before baby: Trips, nice restaurants, concerts, grown up things.
John's POV: "You just don't know until you see it. Everyone tells you about the impact, etc., but you'll see. I don't think I'm ever going to tell expecting fathers about how I felt or what I left or what I can remember. I remember the tech pushing on Lisa's stomach to try to make him move, and the baby looked like it did a somersault on the screen. This thing that wasn't there 3 months ago. Where there was nothing, there's suddenly everything. Nothing prepares you for it. Nothing anyone wil say. I promise to just say to friends in the future who are at the beginning, 'you'll see.' And then when it seems like I'm wise beyond words, my child will simultaneously poop his pants, break something, and repeat several bad words he learned from me while sitting in traffic."
I craved Sour Patch Kids with Nate! Matt thought I was nuts because for a couple weeks I HAD to have them. So healthy ; ) You did good paying attention to your water intake, I need to start doing that...
ReplyDeleteyeah, i tried to limit the number of sour patch kids I injected over nine months but sometimes i just had to give in.
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