Ultrasound

Today was my monthly trip up to the hospital to have an ultrasound. And I'm happy to report that everything is going well! I mean, everything else. Her kidneys aren't much bigger and everything else is developing just fine. Her (well... my) fluid is great, and she's big for her age. Now, the nurse/technician said that she is 1 week and 2 days "ahead," which probably means that she's that much bigger than babies typically are, but I'm sort of secretly hoping that means she'll come just a little sooner than her due date. I'm not super sure about my mother in law, but my mom had babies way late... as in, I think I came soonest to my actual due date and that's because the doctors induced her ten days after I was due. Whew. And both sides of the family have a history of big babies. Maybe if she came sooner she wouldn't be quite so massive? I mean, she's still got a good two months and she's already 4 pounds.

When the technician was looking at the heart, she pointed out that it was difficult to see because of shadows being cast by Baby's bones. She informed me that as the bones calcify and become harder, they cause a "shadow" because the ultrasound technology doesn't see through them. Cool! I mean, it could have been inconvenient because she really needed to see the heart, but fortunately our little girl is a mover and so they were able to get the images they needed.

Speaking of our little mover... The doctor came in to take a look also and right near the end, Baby gave a little kick. She went "whoa!" and later said it felt like she was beating me up in there. I informed her that the kick she felt really wasn't that hard at all... just typical baby movement to me. So it turns out that our child just really likes to move. Or hit me. Last night while I was lying in bed, she practically exploded. It really felt like she punched me with all the force her little body could. I wonder if she gets upset with me, or if she's just saying hi.

And, friendly aside, I really liked this doctor. She was friendly, informative, and encouraging. She believes Baby should come to term just fine (what she actually said was that "we will grow the baby" until at least 36 weeks), the check-ups are just precautionary to make sure her kidneys don't fail. Which I totally appreciate. And she encouraged me to call the doctor that I will be going to see after she's born - and part of the reason I hadn't called was that it almost seemed like I was discouraged last time I went, as if that doctor wouldn't have much to say to me until the baby was born. Anyway. I always like good doctors, instead of what seem to me to be 'routine' doctors. She also pointed out that I could get my weekly fluid/heart rate test at my clinic if I wanted, instead of at the hospital, which would be nice since the copay is twice as much at the hospital.

While it's intimidating to think of being new parents, I'm mostly excited to have our little baby girl. She might have a rough first few months, and poor Gary might be stressed out of his mind with work and school and baby complications, but... it's going to be so much fun to have her outside of my belly and in our arms. Just two more months!!