Last night marked hospital visit number 2 for me - I guess that's not so bad considering I'm 32 weeks along.
I was having a really rough day to begin with yesterday. Then when I was leaving work, I started feeling sharp pains in my belly. I couldn't walk to my car. I had to literally shuffle hunched over. When I got home I immediately laid down and drank water. I didn't get any better. FInally at 8PM I started to get more and more concerned so I called my doctor who told me to go straight to L&D. I was given a bed the minute I arrived and was hooked up to the contraction and fetal heart monitor. The baby was fine, active and has a healthy heat rate. I was having some contractions, though. My blood was drawn and I got an ultrasound. My blood work came back normal and the ultrasound showed a healthy, active, adorable baby girl. I even got a picture and everything. My placenta and amniotic fluid were perfect and everything looked great. YAY!
So to make a long story short, I was told to take it easy off my feet for a few days. I am already feeling so much better.
I am home from work today. Tonight we have our infant CPR class which we will definitely be attending, even if I need to go in a wheelchair!
Tomorrow I have my cardiologist appointment.
Updates soon.
Showing posts with label Prenatal Testing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prenatal Testing. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
29w3d
It feels like so much has happened since I last posted!
I went to my 7 month appointment with my OB last Thursday and everything was fine. I didn't gain any weight - HOORAY! He thinks I am measuring ahead by 3-4 weeks based on my fundal height. He thought this was the case last time as well. I am now going to begin seeing him every two weeks (I can't believe I am at that stage already). At my next appointment he'll determine if I need an ultrasound to determine just how large the baby is - or if I have a little more amniotic fluid than normal. We shall see.
Speaking of ultrasounds, we had a 4D ultrasound done this past Saturday, here are a few of my favorite shots:
Nugget's Profile
Nugget's Face
Nugget's Foot
Nugget's Face and Hand
Nugget's Face and Hand again
Nugget's Face and Foot
The experience was amazing! I would highly recommend it to anyone who may be considering it and not too sure wether to sped the money or not. My parents come along with us and they loved it as well. I got 60 photos on a CD and a DVD with tons of footage. I am very pleased. Nugget was being a tad uncooperative seeing as how she wanted to show us the back of her head instead of her pretty face. I ended up having to drink a ton of water and eat a chocolate chip cookie to get her to turn around which she eventually did. Funny, I don't think I ever HAD to eat a cookie ever in my life lol
More updates soon.
I went to my 7 month appointment with my OB last Thursday and everything was fine. I didn't gain any weight - HOORAY! He thinks I am measuring ahead by 3-4 weeks based on my fundal height. He thought this was the case last time as well. I am now going to begin seeing him every two weeks (I can't believe I am at that stage already). At my next appointment he'll determine if I need an ultrasound to determine just how large the baby is - or if I have a little more amniotic fluid than normal. We shall see.
Speaking of ultrasounds, we had a 4D ultrasound done this past Saturday, here are a few of my favorite shots:
Nugget's Profile
Nugget's Face
Nugget's Foot
Nugget's Face and Hand
Nugget's Face and Hand again
Nugget's Face and Foot
The experience was amazing! I would highly recommend it to anyone who may be considering it and not too sure wether to sped the money or not. My parents come along with us and they loved it as well. I got 60 photos on a CD and a DVD with tons of footage. I am very pleased. Nugget was being a tad uncooperative seeing as how she wanted to show us the back of her head instead of her pretty face. I ended up having to drink a ton of water and eat a chocolate chip cookie to get her to turn around which she eventually did. Funny, I don't think I ever HAD to eat a cookie ever in my life lol
More updates soon.
Monday, April 21, 2008
28w4d
I DO NOT HAVE GESTATIONAL DIABETES!!!!!!!!!!!
I just spoke to my doctor’s office and the nurse confirmed it!!! I am beyond thrilled. I am ecstatic. I am speechless. I am so relieved I feel like crying. I feel like I somehow dodged a bullet. I will work so hard at maintaining low blood sugar numbers anyways – although my stupid One Touch is miserably unreliable!
My nugget is hiccupping as I type. It is such an obvious feeling now – I now realize how many times she has hiccupped in the past and I didn’t put two and two together. It feels like a rhythmic tick…tick…tick…tick… so precious. I am feeling it way low, right on my pubic bone. I was already almost positive she had turned head down already because her kicks are so strong above my belly button, but now I am entirely convinced. I think there is still a chance for her to flip back around but at least for now I don’t think she’s breech.
Ahhhh!! No gestational diabetes!!!!!! Such good news!!! I can’t focus. I feel like I need to go out on the street and scream it as loud as I can to anyone who will listen!!!!!!
I just spoke to my doctor’s office and the nurse confirmed it!!! I am beyond thrilled. I am ecstatic. I am speechless. I am so relieved I feel like crying. I feel like I somehow dodged a bullet. I will work so hard at maintaining low blood sugar numbers anyways – although my stupid One Touch is miserably unreliable!
My nugget is hiccupping as I type. It is such an obvious feeling now – I now realize how many times she has hiccupped in the past and I didn’t put two and two together. It feels like a rhythmic tick…tick…tick…tick… so precious. I am feeling it way low, right on my pubic bone. I was already almost positive she had turned head down already because her kicks are so strong above my belly button, but now I am entirely convinced. I think there is still a chance for her to flip back around but at least for now I don’t think she’s breech.
Ahhhh!! No gestational diabetes!!!!!! Such good news!!! I can’t focus. I feel like I need to go out on the street and scream it as loud as I can to anyone who will listen!!!!!!
Friday, April 18, 2008
28w1d
Today's test was awful. My dad was with me so at least it went by quickly, he was great company.
I was fasting; I arrived at 8:30AM and they took the first draw. I was then given the 100g of glucose and omg it was disgusting to choke down. Twice as much as before, YUCK.
Every hour for the next 3 hours I walked in to the back and the same very nice lady drew my blood. I had my blood drawn 4 times total and have nasty bruises to prove it:
RIght after each draw, I would take my own readings using my nifty One Touch device. According to my readings, I passed the first "fasting" draw, failed the second and third, and passed the fourth and final one with a very low number (yay). So what does this mean? I have no idea. It's my understanding that if you fail 2 of the 4 draws, you technically do have gestational diabetes. I don't see the doctor until next week Thursday and I won't know what the exact results are until then. I can only assume that the One Touch results are rough estimates of the lab's exact readings. My only concern is that according to my One Touch, my blood level after my second draw was slightly above 200...that's HIGH.
I'll have to wait and see.
I was fasting; I arrived at 8:30AM and they took the first draw. I was then given the 100g of glucose and omg it was disgusting to choke down. Twice as much as before, YUCK.
Every hour for the next 3 hours I walked in to the back and the same very nice lady drew my blood. I had my blood drawn 4 times total and have nasty bruises to prove it:
RIght after each draw, I would take my own readings using my nifty One Touch device. According to my readings, I passed the first "fasting" draw, failed the second and third, and passed the fourth and final one with a very low number (yay). So what does this mean? I have no idea. It's my understanding that if you fail 2 of the 4 draws, you technically do have gestational diabetes. I don't see the doctor until next week Thursday and I won't know what the exact results are until then. I can only assume that the One Touch results are rough estimates of the lab's exact readings. My only concern is that according to my One Touch, my blood level after my second draw was slightly above 200...that's HIGH.
I'll have to wait and see.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
28w0d
28 weeks today!
Officially in my 3rd trimester today!
I am going to pick up the prescription for the 3 hour glucose tolerance screen this afternoon. I have an appointment for the screening tomorrow morning at 8:30AM so I need to begin fasting by at least 8:30PM tonight. I honestly don’t know how I’ll do. I have modified my eating and am hoping it’s enough, but the truth of the matter is that if I have gestational diabetes there is nothing I can do because drinking 100mg of glucose will send my sugars sky high. All that matters is that I have already begun making the necessary changes to my diet to ensure that my blood levels are always below 120 two hours after a meal.
I am feeling well, save for a huge pain in my ass – and I mean that literally. I can’t sit anywhere without getting the worst pain in my ass. I think it’s sciatica; it’s painful. I am wondering if one of those hemorrhoid donut pillows will help. I think it’s worth the money to find out.
Our contactor came yesterday and began installing the dry wall in the nursery. He’s coming back today to finish up and hopefully complete the plastering so that we can start priming and painting the room. We are going to be painting in these 2 colors:
The contractor will separate the colors by a molding. I can’t wait to see the finished product. It’s going to be beautiful!
I have my next OB appointment next week Thursday, after which I will need to start seeing him every 2 weeks. I can’t believe I’m at the every 2 weeks stage. Soon it’ll be every week…and before we know it our precious baby girl will be in our arms.
Officially in my 3rd trimester today!
I am going to pick up the prescription for the 3 hour glucose tolerance screen this afternoon. I have an appointment for the screening tomorrow morning at 8:30AM so I need to begin fasting by at least 8:30PM tonight. I honestly don’t know how I’ll do. I have modified my eating and am hoping it’s enough, but the truth of the matter is that if I have gestational diabetes there is nothing I can do because drinking 100mg of glucose will send my sugars sky high. All that matters is that I have already begun making the necessary changes to my diet to ensure that my blood levels are always below 120 two hours after a meal.
I am feeling well, save for a huge pain in my ass – and I mean that literally. I can’t sit anywhere without getting the worst pain in my ass. I think it’s sciatica; it’s painful. I am wondering if one of those hemorrhoid donut pillows will help. I think it’s worth the money to find out.
Our contactor came yesterday and began installing the dry wall in the nursery. He’s coming back today to finish up and hopefully complete the plastering so that we can start priming and painting the room. We are going to be painting in these 2 colors:
The contractor will separate the colors by a molding. I can’t wait to see the finished product. It’s going to be beautiful!
I have my next OB appointment next week Thursday, after which I will need to start seeing him every 2 weeks. I can’t believe I’m at the every 2 weeks stage. Soon it’ll be every week…and before we know it our precious baby girl will be in our arms.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
26w5d
I am super bummed but for some reason I knew this would happen.
My glucose screen came back slightly high (146 – it should have been 140 or lower). Now I have to go for the 3 hour screen. I made an appointment for it for next Friday. My dad said he’d join me so at least I will be in good company. I made my appointment for 8:30AM and I have to be fasting. They draw my blood as soon as I get there, then they give me the nasty junk to drink and I have to have my blood drawn again once every 3 hours thereafter.
Here is what the 3 hour screen results should look like:
Interval - Abnormal reading
Fasting - 95 mg/dl or higher
One hour - 180 mg/dl or higher
Two hours - 155 mg/dl or higher
Three hours - 140 mg/dl or higher
Of course I am paranoid now and so I immediately went and bought a One Touch monitor and so far my readings have been perfect. I took my first reading about 3 hours after breakfast and got 80. I took my second reading about 1 hour after lunch and got 100. I had just eaten a banana and everything. These numbers are great. I don’t get it. Oh well.
The doctor did tell me that the one hour test provides a lot of false positives, especially when I am so close to the cutoff.
Fingers crossed that the results of my 3 hour screen are normal.
My glucose screen came back slightly high (146 – it should have been 140 or lower). Now I have to go for the 3 hour screen. I made an appointment for it for next Friday. My dad said he’d join me so at least I will be in good company. I made my appointment for 8:30AM and I have to be fasting. They draw my blood as soon as I get there, then they give me the nasty junk to drink and I have to have my blood drawn again once every 3 hours thereafter.
Here is what the 3 hour screen results should look like:
Interval - Abnormal reading
Fasting - 95 mg/dl or higher
One hour - 180 mg/dl or higher
Two hours - 155 mg/dl or higher
Three hours - 140 mg/dl or higher
Of course I am paranoid now and so I immediately went and bought a One Touch monitor and so far my readings have been perfect. I took my first reading about 3 hours after breakfast and got 80. I took my second reading about 1 hour after lunch and got 100. I had just eaten a banana and everything. These numbers are great. I don’t get it. Oh well.
The doctor did tell me that the one hour test provides a lot of false positives, especially when I am so close to the cutoff.
Fingers crossed that the results of my 3 hour screen are normal.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
25w6d
I just got back from my glucose screen. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be but it wasn’t delightful either. The liquid they gave me to drink resembled a watered down orange syrup that tasted like overly sweet medicine. Yucky. The worst part wasn’t drinking the stuff; it was having to wait an hour for them to take my blood. I wasn’t prepared with a book or magazine or anything so I was bored out of my mind. I think I get the results tomorrow, I’m not sure.
I unpacked Nugget’s changing table last night and I LOVE IT!!! It is beautiful! So mod and chic. My baby girl is already a diva.
Here’s a picture of it:
It’s a side view but you get the idea. We also have the matching crib.
The Salvation Army is picking up all the old furniture in the soon-to-be-nursery tomorrow. We already called the contractor and he should be coming by sometime before the end of next week to start tearing down the panels and installing the dry wall. Norman and I need to go to Sherwin Williams to pick out the paint. It’s going to be another very long weekend filled with tons of work and exhaustion.
I am planning short beach vacation in May. By then we should have the laundry list of things that need to be done completed. I need a vacation.
I unpacked Nugget’s changing table last night and I LOVE IT!!! It is beautiful! So mod and chic. My baby girl is already a diva.
Here’s a picture of it:
It’s a side view but you get the idea. We also have the matching crib.
The Salvation Army is picking up all the old furniture in the soon-to-be-nursery tomorrow. We already called the contractor and he should be coming by sometime before the end of next week to start tearing down the panels and installing the dry wall. Norman and I need to go to Sherwin Williams to pick out the paint. It’s going to be another very long weekend filled with tons of work and exhaustion.
I am planning short beach vacation in May. By then we should have the laundry list of things that need to be done completed. I need a vacation.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
25w5d
Karla, I could kill you for your April fool’s prank. You almost gave me a heart attack! But I still love you :)
Today is April 1, 2008. I can’t even believe it. I feel like I just turned 26 a few days ago. My birthday is July 5 and I’ll be 27 this year. Will I be 26 or 27 when I give birth? Maybe I’ll give birth on my birthday, who knows?
Life is still stressful but I am doing well. We rented a pickup truck last night and picked up Nugget’s crib, mattress and changing table. Thankfully my dad has been able to help Norman with all the heavy lifting he’s been doing these days. I feel completely useless. I get tired very quickly and am trying not to exert myself too much. We’re keeping the furniture in their boxes until the nursery is completed. I’ll be sure to take some before pictures of the room we are renovating. It’s going to be quite the transformation.
I just finished buying a bunch of things for Nugget and me from babiesrus.com. I purchased anything on my registry that was under $10, along with a bunch of other miscellaneous items I’m sure I won’t be receiving at my Baby Shower…most folks don’t buy breast pads, nipple salve or breast milk storage bags as baby shower gifts lol
I’ll be sure to update after my glucose screen tomorrow.
Today is April 1, 2008. I can’t even believe it. I feel like I just turned 26 a few days ago. My birthday is July 5 and I’ll be 27 this year. Will I be 26 or 27 when I give birth? Maybe I’ll give birth on my birthday, who knows?
Life is still stressful but I am doing well. We rented a pickup truck last night and picked up Nugget’s crib, mattress and changing table. Thankfully my dad has been able to help Norman with all the heavy lifting he’s been doing these days. I feel completely useless. I get tired very quickly and am trying not to exert myself too much. We’re keeping the furniture in their boxes until the nursery is completed. I’ll be sure to take some before pictures of the room we are renovating. It’s going to be quite the transformation.
I just finished buying a bunch of things for Nugget and me from babiesrus.com. I purchased anything on my registry that was under $10, along with a bunch of other miscellaneous items I’m sure I won’t be receiving at my Baby Shower…most folks don’t buy breast pads, nipple salve or breast milk storage bags as baby shower gifts lol
I’ll be sure to update after my glucose screen tomorrow.
Monday, March 31, 2008
25w4d
My mind is cluttered with things I want to write here. Let’s see if I can get it all out.
My appointment last week went well. I did get the prescription to have the glucose gestational screen done and made the appointment for this Wednesday. I have to drink thick, sugary goop, wait an hour and get my blood drawn. If the results come back elevated (above 140mg), I have to go back for another test that will say for sure whether I have gestational diabetes or not. The second test is similar to the first but instead of waiting one hour, I have to wait 3. I don’t know if I’m worried about this test or not. I am feeling great. I’ve gained a lot of weight (30 pounds so far) even though you really wouldn’t be able to tell by just looking at me since it’s mostly all in my belly. Regardless, there is nothing I can do but wait for the results so I’m not going to start worrying until there is something to worry about.
For those of you who don’t know, Norman and I had been living with my parents while our house was being built. Given the situation with the new house, we will definitely be staying with my parents longer than expected. This means making a bunch of changes, including using a spare room in their house as a nursery. So much work needs to be done in that spare room. It used to be my brother’s old room. The room was being used as storage…and it has wood paneling on the walls, yuck! We cleared out the room and I called Salvation Army to come pick up the furniture next Saturday. We contacted a contractor who will be tearing out the panels and replacing them with sheet rock, as well as adding the new baseboards and fixing the closet. We’ll paint the walls ourselves. My parents ordered our crib, mattress and changing table a while back and I got a call that it was ready to be picked up from the store. I guess we’ll have to store the stuff in the Florida Room until the nursery is completed. We also need to make more room in our bedroom for the pack n’ play – or for a co-sleeper (which I am seriously considering adding to my registry now that we are staying with my parents and are extremely tight on space). We spent the entire weekend cleaning up the house and have so much left to do it’s making my head spin. I am exhausted. I mean it. Everything hurts. I am getting to a point where I am becoming useless when it comes to physical exertion and I can imagine it will only get worse.
I was jolted out of bed early Sunday morning with the mother of all leg cramps. They just keep getting worse and worse. This one on Sunday was so bad I was wailing and screaming and crying in agony. I couldn’t make it go away on my own. Norman had to get up and massage it away, and even then it took what seemed like a lifetime to go away. This cramp started in my calf and worked its way down so far that I couldn’t even bend my knee. I was hysterical. I remember hearing Norman saying something like calm down, labor is going to be way worse. That scared me too; although my mom said she had leg cramps during her pregnancy that caused her worse pain than labor (thank God for epidurals). My leg is still killing me now and I am paranoid all night long that I am going to get another. I wore support hose today and am trying to do lots of feet and leg exercises to hopefully slow down the recurrence.
My baby shower (being hosted by my cousins and mom) is on May 17. I have the invitations and will be sending them out in 2 weeks. I am really looking forward to it. I am excited to see everyone and have them celebrate our baby girl with me.
Our baby girl does have a name, by the way. A few people already know. I don’t know what I’m waiting for to share it with the world? I will soon.
My appointment last week went well. I did get the prescription to have the glucose gestational screen done and made the appointment for this Wednesday. I have to drink thick, sugary goop, wait an hour and get my blood drawn. If the results come back elevated (above 140mg), I have to go back for another test that will say for sure whether I have gestational diabetes or not. The second test is similar to the first but instead of waiting one hour, I have to wait 3. I don’t know if I’m worried about this test or not. I am feeling great. I’ve gained a lot of weight (30 pounds so far) even though you really wouldn’t be able to tell by just looking at me since it’s mostly all in my belly. Regardless, there is nothing I can do but wait for the results so I’m not going to start worrying until there is something to worry about.
For those of you who don’t know, Norman and I had been living with my parents while our house was being built. Given the situation with the new house, we will definitely be staying with my parents longer than expected. This means making a bunch of changes, including using a spare room in their house as a nursery. So much work needs to be done in that spare room. It used to be my brother’s old room. The room was being used as storage…and it has wood paneling on the walls, yuck! We cleared out the room and I called Salvation Army to come pick up the furniture next Saturday. We contacted a contractor who will be tearing out the panels and replacing them with sheet rock, as well as adding the new baseboards and fixing the closet. We’ll paint the walls ourselves. My parents ordered our crib, mattress and changing table a while back and I got a call that it was ready to be picked up from the store. I guess we’ll have to store the stuff in the Florida Room until the nursery is completed. We also need to make more room in our bedroom for the pack n’ play – or for a co-sleeper (which I am seriously considering adding to my registry now that we are staying with my parents and are extremely tight on space). We spent the entire weekend cleaning up the house and have so much left to do it’s making my head spin. I am exhausted. I mean it. Everything hurts. I am getting to a point where I am becoming useless when it comes to physical exertion and I can imagine it will only get worse.
I was jolted out of bed early Sunday morning with the mother of all leg cramps. They just keep getting worse and worse. This one on Sunday was so bad I was wailing and screaming and crying in agony. I couldn’t make it go away on my own. Norman had to get up and massage it away, and even then it took what seemed like a lifetime to go away. This cramp started in my calf and worked its way down so far that I couldn’t even bend my knee. I was hysterical. I remember hearing Norman saying something like calm down, labor is going to be way worse. That scared me too; although my mom said she had leg cramps during her pregnancy that caused her worse pain than labor (thank God for epidurals). My leg is still killing me now and I am paranoid all night long that I am going to get another. I wore support hose today and am trying to do lots of feet and leg exercises to hopefully slow down the recurrence.
My baby shower (being hosted by my cousins and mom) is on May 17. I have the invitations and will be sending them out in 2 weeks. I am really looking forward to it. I am excited to see everyone and have them celebrate our baby girl with me.
Our baby girl does have a name, by the way. A few people already know. I don’t know what I’m waiting for to share it with the world? I will soon.
Monday, March 17, 2008
23w4d
I’m getting sick, but I am fighting it.
I went to Orlando for one night this weekend with my parents because it was my mom’s birthday last Saturday. We met up with my brother and my SIL and had a very nice time. We ate dinner at the Latin Quarter in City Walk. There were soooo many people there; I guess it was a combination of Mardi Gras and Spring Break. The restaurant turned into a club at 11PM and Nugget was not happy with the racket. She was startled and was kicking like crazy.
Poor Norman ended up staying home because of how sick he was feeling. You know he’s been fighting a nasty ear infection and I guess that turned into a really bad head cold. He missed work on Friday because of it and I felt terrible leaving him at home knowing how sick he was. But he was able to rest up and managed to get himself well enough to go back to work today.
I barely slept on Saturday night (I woke up with an awful leg cramp) and was exhausted last night. I felt really sick as soon as we got back home yesterday – swollen throat with a stuffy nose and head. I drove over to Jamba Juice and bought us both smoothies with Immunity boosts then took a nap that left me feeling worse than before. Don’t you hate when that happens? And I have hemorrhoids again.
I saw my Cardiologist last Thursday and he feels I am doing well. He wants to continue to monitor me and is going to give me an Event Monitor so that I can record the tachycardia I have been having. I called my Perinatologist this morning to see if he had sent the report over to her. I wonder if she will want to keep seeing me or not. They told me they were going to call me back and let me know. At my Cardiology appointment I had an Echo and EKG done. Right after the Echo, the radiologist put the wand on my belly and gave my mom and me a peek at the baby. She was sucking her thumb looking as cute as ever.
I am 6 months already, the last month in my second trimester. I am so thankful that things are going well.
I went to Orlando for one night this weekend with my parents because it was my mom’s birthday last Saturday. We met up with my brother and my SIL and had a very nice time. We ate dinner at the Latin Quarter in City Walk. There were soooo many people there; I guess it was a combination of Mardi Gras and Spring Break. The restaurant turned into a club at 11PM and Nugget was not happy with the racket. She was startled and was kicking like crazy.
Poor Norman ended up staying home because of how sick he was feeling. You know he’s been fighting a nasty ear infection and I guess that turned into a really bad head cold. He missed work on Friday because of it and I felt terrible leaving him at home knowing how sick he was. But he was able to rest up and managed to get himself well enough to go back to work today.
I barely slept on Saturday night (I woke up with an awful leg cramp) and was exhausted last night. I felt really sick as soon as we got back home yesterday – swollen throat with a stuffy nose and head. I drove over to Jamba Juice and bought us both smoothies with Immunity boosts then took a nap that left me feeling worse than before. Don’t you hate when that happens? And I have hemorrhoids again.
I saw my Cardiologist last Thursday and he feels I am doing well. He wants to continue to monitor me and is going to give me an Event Monitor so that I can record the tachycardia I have been having. I called my Perinatologist this morning to see if he had sent the report over to her. I wonder if she will want to keep seeing me or not. They told me they were going to call me back and let me know. At my Cardiology appointment I had an Echo and EKG done. Right after the Echo, the radiologist put the wand on my belly and gave my mom and me a peek at the baby. She was sucking her thumb looking as cute as ever.
I am 6 months already, the last month in my second trimester. I am so thankful that things are going well.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
22w6d
Today was our appointment with the Perinatologist. The appointment went very well. It was the first time I could actually feel the baby kicking while actually seeing her do it at the same time. She was kicking and punching harder than I have ever felt. It was making me laugh so hard because she was tickling me at the same time! Even the technician said she couldn’t believe how amped up she was and how hard she was kicking. She could feel the baby while she was scanning me.
It was a looooong scan. Right before we began the technician told me it was another Level II. This technician was awesome. She gathered all of the baby’s measurements and captured a bunch of great images for us:
Nugget is measuring 23 weeks, weighs 1 pound 5 ounces and her heart rate was 161 BPM.
She even stuck out her tongue! It was so cute. (We got 2 pictures of her doing this and although they are scary looking I think it’s adorable lol) She loves grabbing at her feet and is very squirmy. Every technician so far has noted how hyper the little rugrat is, this one was no different. She kept commenting how Nugget wouldn’t stay still.
I was basically discharged from the Perinatologist’s care. Since everything looks so good and I am doing so well, the Doctor felt that unless I begin feeling cardiac symptoms or if my Cardiologist notices a significant difference in my heart function, she no longer needs to monitor the baby.
I have an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow. I’ll be getting an EKG & Echo and the Doctor will compare it to my last exams from early October, right before I got pregnant. I am feeling great. The only thing I occasionally get is mild tachycardia, which I have been told is very normal in pregnant women given the large increase in the blood volume.
Without any further ado, I present the Nugster at 22 weeks and 6 days old:
Profile picture
Another profile
With her tongue out
Another
It's a Girl!
It was a looooong scan. Right before we began the technician told me it was another Level II. This technician was awesome. She gathered all of the baby’s measurements and captured a bunch of great images for us:
Nugget is measuring 23 weeks, weighs 1 pound 5 ounces and her heart rate was 161 BPM.
She even stuck out her tongue! It was so cute. (We got 2 pictures of her doing this and although they are scary looking I think it’s adorable lol) She loves grabbing at her feet and is very squirmy. Every technician so far has noted how hyper the little rugrat is, this one was no different. She kept commenting how Nugget wouldn’t stay still.
I was basically discharged from the Perinatologist’s care. Since everything looks so good and I am doing so well, the Doctor felt that unless I begin feeling cardiac symptoms or if my Cardiologist notices a significant difference in my heart function, she no longer needs to monitor the baby.
I have an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow. I’ll be getting an EKG & Echo and the Doctor will compare it to my last exams from early October, right before I got pregnant. I am feeling great. The only thing I occasionally get is mild tachycardia, which I have been told is very normal in pregnant women given the large increase in the blood volume.
Without any further ado, I present the Nugster at 22 weeks and 6 days old:
Profile picture
Another profile
With her tongue out
Another
It's a Girl!
Friday, February 22, 2008
20w1d
We had the fetal echocardiogram this morning and everything looks awesome. Nugget’s heart and all of her valves are in tip top shape.
The doctor gave me a report and told me to pack in it my hospital bag so that I can give it to the doctor on call. (If my OB isn’t on call I will be so disappointed). The doctor told me he didn’t expect for the baby to have any heart problems whatsoever and he doesn’t need to see me again.
We couldn’t have asked for better news.
Happy Friday
The doctor gave me a report and told me to pack in it my hospital bag so that I can give it to the doctor on call. (If my OB isn’t on call I will be so disappointed). The doctor told me he didn’t expect for the baby to have any heart problems whatsoever and he doesn’t need to see me again.
We couldn’t have asked for better news.
Happy Friday
Thursday, February 21, 2008
20w0d
20 weeks today!
5 year wedding anniversary today!
I am officially halfway through my pregnancy, I cannot even believe it. On a day to day basis time really seems to drag, but looking back it’s amazing how time flies.
As you can all see I am getting bigger by the day. Yesterday I asked my mom how it is humanly possible for my stomach to get any bigger than what it already is. I have been slathering the cocoa butter on because I am really beginning to feel the pull.
I feel the baby so much more these days. She especially likes to kick at night. Last night in the middle of the night I could swear I felt her when I put my hand over my belly. I was this.close to waking Norman up but I was in a haze and poor Norm has been sick with a chronic ear infection so I didn’t want to bother him with a false alarm. He has yet to feel Nugget and I am desperate for the day when he can!
I have bad nausea at the end of the day. I remember reading that fatigue exacerbates nausea. Believe me when I tell you I am drained by 4PM. Plus I get thirstier than I’ve ever felt in my entire life at night for some odd reason. So there I am, chugging a ton of water very close to bedtime. Not good, but kinda funny since I also read somewhere that needing too pee a hundred times a night is just my body’s way of getting used to needing to get up two hundred times a night once the baby arrives.
I am also really plumping up. My face, arms and legs look so chubby to me. I look so much…softer. I’m taking it all in stride while trying to really watch what I eat. Yesterday I had a horrible craving for a Snickers Bar. I haven’t had any cravings during my pregnancy and decided to indulge myself. Mind you, six months ago I wouldn’t have been caught dead with a Snickers Bar. But there I was in Walgreens buying one. A king sized one no less. I ate it and it was good – but then I remembered why it is that I can’t eat chocolate while pregnant: I got the worst heartburn. To make things worse, I somehow ended up sleeping on my back for the majority of last night. When I got up to pee, I could hardly move the heartburn was so bad and my back was killing me.
Tomorrow we go in for the fetal echocardiogram. Since everything looked great during my Level 2, this is just extra precautionary. I am so excited to see the baby again. When I first heard that Tom Cruise bought Katie Holmes an ultrasound machine when she was pregnant with Suri I just about feel over. But to be completely honest, if I were given the chance to see Nugget every day I would take it in a heartbeat!
I will post tomorrow with results from the fetal echocardiogram.
5 year wedding anniversary today!
I am officially halfway through my pregnancy, I cannot even believe it. On a day to day basis time really seems to drag, but looking back it’s amazing how time flies.
As you can all see I am getting bigger by the day. Yesterday I asked my mom how it is humanly possible for my stomach to get any bigger than what it already is. I have been slathering the cocoa butter on because I am really beginning to feel the pull.
I feel the baby so much more these days. She especially likes to kick at night. Last night in the middle of the night I could swear I felt her when I put my hand over my belly. I was this.close to waking Norman up but I was in a haze and poor Norm has been sick with a chronic ear infection so I didn’t want to bother him with a false alarm. He has yet to feel Nugget and I am desperate for the day when he can!
I have bad nausea at the end of the day. I remember reading that fatigue exacerbates nausea. Believe me when I tell you I am drained by 4PM. Plus I get thirstier than I’ve ever felt in my entire life at night for some odd reason. So there I am, chugging a ton of water very close to bedtime. Not good, but kinda funny since I also read somewhere that needing too pee a hundred times a night is just my body’s way of getting used to needing to get up two hundred times a night once the baby arrives.
I am also really plumping up. My face, arms and legs look so chubby to me. I look so much…softer. I’m taking it all in stride while trying to really watch what I eat. Yesterday I had a horrible craving for a Snickers Bar. I haven’t had any cravings during my pregnancy and decided to indulge myself. Mind you, six months ago I wouldn’t have been caught dead with a Snickers Bar. But there I was in Walgreens buying one. A king sized one no less. I ate it and it was good – but then I remembered why it is that I can’t eat chocolate while pregnant: I got the worst heartburn. To make things worse, I somehow ended up sleeping on my back for the majority of last night. When I got up to pee, I could hardly move the heartburn was so bad and my back was killing me.
Tomorrow we go in for the fetal echocardiogram. Since everything looked great during my Level 2, this is just extra precautionary. I am so excited to see the baby again. When I first heard that Tom Cruise bought Katie Holmes an ultrasound machine when she was pregnant with Suri I just about feel over. But to be completely honest, if I were given the chance to see Nugget every day I would take it in a heartbeat!
I will post tomorrow with results from the fetal echocardiogram.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
19w0d
Yesterday was one of the most emotionally exhilarating days of my life.
Our morning started bright and early and as you can imagine my tummy was in knots of anticipation. All I could force down was some OJ and off we went to see my Perinatologist.
They took me in right away and I was disappointed that it was a different technician who was going to perform my Level 2. I really liked the girl who did my Level 1 and was immediately turned off by this new lady’s off-putting attitude – but such is life. I am really good at first impressions and was not disappointed in my assessment of her, she was a heffer. This is our first child. I am emotional. I need compassion from people who are going to be dealing with me, my husband and child directly. But she did talk us through everything she was doing, explaining to us everything we were seeing.
As soon as the wand was pressed on my belly we got a perfect view of the baby’s bum, which gave us confirmation that Nugget is indeed a SHE! My eyes immediately began watering and Norman got a huge smile on his face. His little girl. The moment was truly priceless. I tried for the remainder of the scan to keep it together and did manage to do so. Norman and I were alone to wait for the Doctor and that’s when I really let it out. I was bawling tears of happiness. It is a feeling I will never be able to put into words. It is this complete and total unconditional love I have for this child that I never knew I could experience. It is a raw, primal love I have for our daughter. My daughter. I am so overwhelmed that sometimes I just can’t breathe. I am already a completely different person. My life and perspectives have changed entirely. I am a mother.
The doctor came to see me and said everything looks fantastic. The baby’s heart looks great and so do all of her other organs. I have a fetal echocardiogram scheduled for next week Friday, and then she wants to see me back on March 12. She told me that after the March 12 appointment she would no longer need to see me unless there is a complication. I am so thrilled. Of course I love having the scans done but parting ways with my Periniatologist is a good thing.
She is so cheeky. Waving at us and showing us her 10 fingers and 10 toes. She is very active. She likes to cover her face with her legs and feet. So adorable. We got to hear her heartbeat again yesterday; it’s the best sound ever. It was pumping strong at 158BPM.
I was floating in another world all day long yesterday. I couldn’t focus on anything. I am so happy and blessed and truly thankful for our daughter.
Our morning started bright and early and as you can imagine my tummy was in knots of anticipation. All I could force down was some OJ and off we went to see my Perinatologist.
They took me in right away and I was disappointed that it was a different technician who was going to perform my Level 2. I really liked the girl who did my Level 1 and was immediately turned off by this new lady’s off-putting attitude – but such is life. I am really good at first impressions and was not disappointed in my assessment of her, she was a heffer. This is our first child. I am emotional. I need compassion from people who are going to be dealing with me, my husband and child directly. But she did talk us through everything she was doing, explaining to us everything we were seeing.
As soon as the wand was pressed on my belly we got a perfect view of the baby’s bum, which gave us confirmation that Nugget is indeed a SHE! My eyes immediately began watering and Norman got a huge smile on his face. His little girl. The moment was truly priceless. I tried for the remainder of the scan to keep it together and did manage to do so. Norman and I were alone to wait for the Doctor and that’s when I really let it out. I was bawling tears of happiness. It is a feeling I will never be able to put into words. It is this complete and total unconditional love I have for this child that I never knew I could experience. It is a raw, primal love I have for our daughter. My daughter. I am so overwhelmed that sometimes I just can’t breathe. I am already a completely different person. My life and perspectives have changed entirely. I am a mother.
The doctor came to see me and said everything looks fantastic. The baby’s heart looks great and so do all of her other organs. I have a fetal echocardiogram scheduled for next week Friday, and then she wants to see me back on March 12. She told me that after the March 12 appointment she would no longer need to see me unless there is a complication. I am so thrilled. Of course I love having the scans done but parting ways with my Periniatologist is a good thing.
She is so cheeky. Waving at us and showing us her 10 fingers and 10 toes. She is very active. She likes to cover her face with her legs and feet. So adorable. We got to hear her heartbeat again yesterday; it’s the best sound ever. It was pumping strong at 158BPM.
I was floating in another world all day long yesterday. I couldn’t focus on anything. I am so happy and blessed and truly thankful for our daughter.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
18w6d
IT'S A GIRL!!!
We just got back from our Level 2 Ultrasound and we found out that we are expecting a baby girl!
She is feisty like her mama, wouldn't stay still for very long for the radiologist to get good shots!
Everything looks great, she weighs 10 ounces and is 19 weeks and 1 day old, 2 days ahead of what the doctor's initially thought - which is great!
We got to see the 4 chambers of her heart, her kidneys, bladder, EVERYTHING!
I will be sure to post some new ultrasound pictures and more details about today soon.
We just got back from our Level 2 Ultrasound and we found out that we are expecting a baby girl!
She is feisty like her mama, wouldn't stay still for very long for the radiologist to get good shots!
Everything looks great, she weighs 10 ounces and is 19 weeks and 1 day old, 2 days ahead of what the doctor's initially thought - which is great!
We got to see the 4 chambers of her heart, her kidneys, bladder, EVERYTHING!
I will be sure to post some new ultrasound pictures and more details about today soon.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
18w0d
I just got off the phone with my Perinatologist’s office and all of my blood work from my combined first and second trimester screen came back negative for Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18 & Spina Bifida. This is great news! Norman and I had decided we would only have an amniocentesis done if the blood test results came back positive or abnormal. I knew everything would be fine but I just want to cry in relief. Pregnancy is like a rollercoaster and it’s so reassuring to know that everything is looking great so far.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
16w6d
Tomorrow we have our next OB appointment. I am hoping to have an ultrasound done and maybe the Doctor can tell us Nugget’s sex. Right after that we are heading over to my Perinatologist’s office in order for them to draw some blood for part 2 of my prenatal screening. If I don’t have an ultrasound done tomorrow, we’ll have to wait until February 13 in order to find out. The anticipation is killing me!
I have flirted with the idea of getting back on the nausea medication but I’ve managed to somehow persevere through this morning, noon and night sickness. I feel a lot like I did when I first got pregnant; nothing too severe but a constant, nagging, low grade nausea at all times. But last night it got so bad I thought I would throw up…of course I didn’t. Most people would be thrilled to not have to throw up but in my case all I want is some relief!
I have been drinking a ton of water. I am so thirsty all the time. I try to stop by about 8PM otherwise I am in the bathroom all night. If I do wake up to go to the bathroom I usually need more water to get back to bed. I have thankfully been doing much better getting back to bed after waking up to pee.
Nugget’s kicks are getting stronger and I suspect that Norman will be able to feel them soon. Nugget likes to hang out on my left side, that’s always where I’ve been able to feel him/her. Now that Nugget is getting bigger it’s getting a bit uncomfortable at times, I guess depending on the position he/she is in. If you open your hand and stretch out your fingers you can see how big Nugget is now. About 5-7 inches long already (growth will continue at about an inch a week), Nugget weighs about 3-5 ounces.
I have flirted with the idea of getting back on the nausea medication but I’ve managed to somehow persevere through this morning, noon and night sickness. I feel a lot like I did when I first got pregnant; nothing too severe but a constant, nagging, low grade nausea at all times. But last night it got so bad I thought I would throw up…of course I didn’t. Most people would be thrilled to not have to throw up but in my case all I want is some relief!
I have been drinking a ton of water. I am so thirsty all the time. I try to stop by about 8PM otherwise I am in the bathroom all night. If I do wake up to go to the bathroom I usually need more water to get back to bed. I have thankfully been doing much better getting back to bed after waking up to pee.
Nugget’s kicks are getting stronger and I suspect that Norman will be able to feel them soon. Nugget likes to hang out on my left side, that’s always where I’ve been able to feel him/her. Now that Nugget is getting bigger it’s getting a bit uncomfortable at times, I guess depending on the position he/she is in. If you open your hand and stretch out your fingers you can see how big Nugget is now. About 5-7 inches long already (growth will continue at about an inch a week), Nugget weighs about 3-5 ounces.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
12w6d
Without any further ado, I present you Nugget at 12 weeks and 6 days old:
Our sweet adorable baby!
Norman and I arrived at the perinatologist's office first thing this morning. I wasn't anxious at all about the NT scan, only excited to get to see Nugget again. The baby's big enough so that transvaginal ultrasounds aren't necessary anymore (yay), so they placed the gooey goop on my belly and used the abdominal ultrasound probe - Nugget appeared right away, looking as cute as can be all cozy in my uterus. I was amazed at how big and hyper the baby was. Heartrate was 158 beats per minute. SO ADORABLE, all wriggly and squirmy and giddy. Super active, somersaults and all. I'm talking non-stop headbanging, hand waving and leg kicking! In fact, the tech was having a had time getting the measurements from the back of the baby's neck because the baby wouldn't stay still, and then when the baby would stay still she couldn't get the angle she needed. We were there for about 25 minutes while she begged and coaxed my Nugget. Even though I was being poked and prodded I enjoyed every minute of it.
Finally Nugget caved and rested peacefully the way the tech needed in order to get the measurements. She told us that the measurements were perfectly in range. Afterwards, the doctor spoke to us and we discussed the second part of the diagnostic testing which was the blood work. They drew blood and I need to go back in in 4 weeks to draw some more.
In 6 weeks I go in for the Level 2 ultrasound when they'll (hopefully) tell us Nugget's gender, perform the fetal echocardiogram, check all the major organs, etc., etc.
I am looking forward to February 13 when we'll get to see Nugget again!
Our sweet adorable baby!
Norman and I arrived at the perinatologist's office first thing this morning. I wasn't anxious at all about the NT scan, only excited to get to see Nugget again. The baby's big enough so that transvaginal ultrasounds aren't necessary anymore (yay), so they placed the gooey goop on my belly and used the abdominal ultrasound probe - Nugget appeared right away, looking as cute as can be all cozy in my uterus. I was amazed at how big and hyper the baby was. Heartrate was 158 beats per minute. SO ADORABLE, all wriggly and squirmy and giddy. Super active, somersaults and all. I'm talking non-stop headbanging, hand waving and leg kicking! In fact, the tech was having a had time getting the measurements from the back of the baby's neck because the baby wouldn't stay still, and then when the baby would stay still she couldn't get the angle she needed. We were there for about 25 minutes while she begged and coaxed my Nugget. Even though I was being poked and prodded I enjoyed every minute of it.
Finally Nugget caved and rested peacefully the way the tech needed in order to get the measurements. She told us that the measurements were perfectly in range. Afterwards, the doctor spoke to us and we discussed the second part of the diagnostic testing which was the blood work. They drew blood and I need to go back in in 4 weeks to draw some more.
In 6 weeks I go in for the Level 2 ultrasound when they'll (hopefully) tell us Nugget's gender, perform the fetal echocardiogram, check all the major organs, etc., etc.
I am looking forward to February 13 when we'll get to see Nugget again!
Monday, December 17, 2007
10w4d
I must be having a girl. I have never craved sweets the way I am craving them now. In fact, I have never had much of a sweet tooth. Norman and I went to Dadeland Mall for lunch today because we were in the area. I ate Johnny Rockets and had to exercise serious self control to not order an extra large chocolate milk shake. I am getting tons of Christmas gifts consisting of Godiva chocolates and all types of sweet goodies. Evil. I think I am going to give them out here at work.
Speaking of having a girl, my dad is so sure I’m carrying a bambina that he has already bought me adorable girlie onesies and other girlie clothes. So sweet.
In other news, I think my morning sickness is subsiding (fingers crossed). I haven’t felt nauseous today or yesterday. I have been having bad acid reflux but no nausea. I am trying not to get too excited because I had 2 nausea-fee days right before week 9, but I am hoping that this is it. I have read that HCG levels peak at 10 weeks so this is the time when most women begin to feel some relief. We shall see. In the meantime, I am afraid to stop taking the Unisom/B6 just yet. Though I have been able to lessen the B6 dosage and am only taking 50mg at night. I think I will wait until Thursday. If I feel this good on Thursday I will quit the Unisom.
16 days until our next ultrasound. We will be seeing the perinatologist on January 2 and having the nuchal translucency screening test (NT) done. It feels as though the days are dragging by. I guess it’s because of the 4 weeks in between ultrasounds! I wish I could see the Nugget every day.
Speaking of having a girl, my dad is so sure I’m carrying a bambina that he has already bought me adorable girlie onesies and other girlie clothes. So sweet.
In other news, I think my morning sickness is subsiding (fingers crossed). I haven’t felt nauseous today or yesterday. I have been having bad acid reflux but no nausea. I am trying not to get too excited because I had 2 nausea-fee days right before week 9, but I am hoping that this is it. I have read that HCG levels peak at 10 weeks so this is the time when most women begin to feel some relief. We shall see. In the meantime, I am afraid to stop taking the Unisom/B6 just yet. Though I have been able to lessen the B6 dosage and am only taking 50mg at night. I think I will wait until Thursday. If I feel this good on Thursday I will quit the Unisom.
16 days until our next ultrasound. We will be seeing the perinatologist on January 2 and having the nuchal translucency screening test (NT) done. It feels as though the days are dragging by. I guess it’s because of the 4 weeks in between ultrasounds! I wish I could see the Nugget every day.
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