Here's a handy tip for all of you someday mothers out there. When you get pregnant and they decide to do lab work on you, you will have instructions...and you should read those very carefully. For some, you will need to do urine samples, for others, you will not. For some, your bladder should be empty, for others, it should be full. For some, you will need forms, for others, you will not. Getting a trend here? Urine and forms, urine and forms.
At any rate, read the instructions. Today, we had our nuchal translucency ultrasound (don't I sound smart?). Basically, the plan was for a sonogram to catch a good look at the c-spine and count the number of vertebrae. No big deal right? Well, not exactly. See, for baby to be in the right position, we had specific instructions. First, empty bladder an hour before appointment. No big deal except I was on the road at that time so I emptied about an hour and a half before. Second, drink 16oz of water or some other liquid 45 minutes before. Check. Chug water. Don't eat spicy food. Ok, not really, but the water stuff, really.
We, Working Man and I, end up early because we're both crazy like that and hate to be late. It's a good thing because we got in early and that means we got more time to look at Baby. Now, she tells us she can't comment on the pictures because she's not a doctor. Working Man asks if we can tell the sex at this age. She says it depends. So begins the picture taking. For a long time I'm sitting there as she's pressing all over my belly with the wand...silence. Working Man can see but I can't see anything but a reflection in her glasses.
When she's done, she tells me to empty my bladder so maybe we can figure out what baby is. So I empty my bladder which I didn't realize was full (even though she'd been pushing on it rather hard) and go back. Back to the pushing on the now empty, rapidly filling, bladder. Baby is facing my back. Jiggle the tummy trying to move baby. Finally, baby turns a little.
Alien face!
Then my bladder was full again. Back to empty and come back to try again. Alas, baby has moved!
In this pose, we could see baby hiccuping. And I mean a lot! It's funny that I've been reading about how baby will hiccup now with the development of the diaphragm but it's out of this world to see it!
In this view we could see a straight profile down past the legs.
From this view, the lady put her money on...
GIRL!
It's not 100% certain because she is so small still and she was moving around quite a bit but she was pretty comfortable with that. She cautioned us not to buy clothes or anything just yet. So I caution you all who want to buy things, don't do it yet! Wait until we know for certain or buy neutral colors. She already has green socks :)
John Deere...Raise 'em right!
About this time, she got quite tired of us poking in at her. So we watched her hiccup some more...then we watched her turn over. She actually turned over and faced my spine again.
Remember how I said she was starting to respond to outside stimuli? She has begun to do just that. Do you have any idea what it's like to watch this little thing turn over in front of you?
After the sonogram, we met up with the doctor who could comment on the pictures. Everything looks great, arms, legs, organs, fingers, toes...all there. Ears, eyes, mouth, nose, there. Then she said our chances of having a down's baby is 1 in 4,700 and our chances of her being trisomy 18 is 1 in 12,000. Overall, extremely low and these are about 90% accurate. After the second round of lab work next month, it'll be 95% accurate. They start to worry about down's if you come up with 1 in 100 or less and trisomy 18 if you come up with 1 in 50 or less.
So many emotions today! Our little girl is growing fast and she's become more real today than before!
Personally, I was just glad to see she is still there. She's quiet for now but I guess I should be enjoying this period.
FFR
