Sorry I haven’t been very good at updating lately. Everything is still going good and I’m still very pregnant. So much so, that my pants are getting pretty darn tight. My belly has popped out a little but it just looks like I need to do some sit-ups. When BJ hugs me he says that he can feel the hardness in my belly. I think that is so cool. I actually experienced that sensation a little today, myself. I was leaning up against the counter and noticed that my belly wasn’t as mushy, it was definitely harder under the pudge.
We had our 12 week scan today that included an NT measurement. BJ came with me and I’m so glad he was able to stay for the whole thing. They were running late (shocker) and he was getting antsy about having to leave. We were called back and I hopped up on the table. The technician checked my uterus and my ovaries first…boring! Then up on the screen came the baby. It was laying there so still I was about to have a panic attack. Then I saw it’s little heart just beating away in its chest (167bpm) and I breathed a sigh of relief. It was short lived because the little bugger didn’t want to move. Then all of a sudden it twitched! BJ and I were amazed to say the least. The tech took some measurements of the NT area and I was trying to watch her lines and the baby at the same time. She marked a couple of different measurements so I was curious to see what the doctor would get when he came in afterward. She measured the CRL and I think it showed me at 12w1or2d. I’m actually 12w4d but I tried not to worry about that. I know it can vary from tech to tech and day to day but still…it concerns me a little. Especially since I forgot to ask her about it when we were finished. She was trying to get both arms and legs but the baby was not cooperating. She shook my belly and I laughed and shook my belly trying to get the baby to wake up and move because she could not see its other arm. Finally, it started twitching around and kicking its little legs (although they look really long) and turning its head from side to side. So cute! I really wish I could feel all of that movement. She finally got the arm measurement she wanted and then up popped a picture of a little tiny hand with 5 perfect little fingers! I almost cried when I saw that image. My baby has little fingers that I can’t wait to kiss and touch and hold. I’m getting teary right now just typing it out.
The tech left and in came the doctor. He tried to get his own NT measurement and wouldn’t you know that little baby would not sit still? We all got a good laugh about the tech waking it up too much. I said, “You know it’s a (insert our last name here) because it’s doing just the opposite of what you want it to do.” I was referring to the baby’s daddy of course. Between the tech and the doctor pushing on my stomach trying to get what they needed my belly was starting to hurt. The doctor’s arm got tired so he rested his forearm on my leg. Then he said, in a very serious tone, “just one more measurement, kid”. I laughed but didn’t particularly care for the seriousness or the tone he addressed my baby with. I guess that’s the mama bear coming out in me. He didn’t mean anything by it and he was quite pleasant but I’m hormonal and THEY are the ones that woke a sleeping baby. Haven’t they seen F.R.I.E.N.D.S when Rachel woke Emma? Ha ha…yes I’m a F.R.I.E.N.D.S geek.
He finally got the measurement and then asked me if I wanted to get the accompanying blood work done. He said the scan results were normal. From what I’ve read, when he told me the measurement I sort of freaked out…2.5mm. He said the test was 70% accurate. I asked BJ if he was ok with 70% and he said he was so I opted out. Then I came to work and googled. Mistake. We are in the 95th percentile with that measurement. Very scary indeed. I’m not sure if I should request the blood test or not. I want to believe that the 22 year old egg is fine and that the doctor was right and that everything will be ok. However, I can’t seem to shake the fear. Although, even if this child were positive for DS, I don’t think I could bring myself to abort. Not after all I’ve been through and seeing that precious little human on that screen. The baby was wiggling and twisting and trying to stand on its head in there, just so we could see how alive it is. I’m in complete awe of the life growing inside of me and I’m going to do my best to stay positive and have faith that everything will be ok. Because it will…as long as I can hold a live baby in my arms in January and kiss those little fingers and that little nose and see it looking up at me. Oh I just get so happy when I think about all of that…I’m not going to let that measurement ruin anything for me.
