Visit with the Perinatologist Today...

The Good News:

 All looks great with lil man (as usual)! YAY!  Currently he is Vertex aka "Head Down".  All measured right no target, he is 1lb8oz, with a strong heartbeat at 163. Will go back in 3 wks. See he adorable pics below....

24weeks 3 days

Side View:

The Not So Good News (which has nothing to do with Jett):

 Before I had become pg and after my mc last year my doc had noticed a nice size cyst on my right ovary.  They don't typically like to see cysts get to over 5cm.  Well, before we could really do anything about I found out I was pg with this baby, so they decided to just keep an eye on it (with the hope it would just resolve itself).  In early pregnancy, it did appear to be getting smaller, having gone down to 4cm.  Well, today, they noticed it has blown back up to over 6cm. :-(  Frankly, there is nothing they can do about it while pg and they don't forsee it causing any trouble while pg.  The Specialist said, they would have to do something if it became larger than 10cm or if it caused a problem.  He said something about how it could cause the ovary to turn in on itself and could affect blood flow (?). I have no idea what that means, but he didn't seemed concerned.  I'll be sure to speak with my OB about it at my next appt though. Hopefully, it will not interfere with the pregnancy at all and will either resolve itself or will be taken care of for good, after the pregnancy.

24 weeks now!

I've made it to 24 weeks!  From what I've read, this is another milestone... supposedly 24 weeks is the age of viability, or when the baby is far along enough that it would actually have a chance of surviving if born now.  And the % of survival continues to increase from here on out.  This is very comforting to know, but I'm praying it will be a good 15 more weeks before my baby makes his appearance, when he'll be 100% ready to meet the world.  Only 15 more weeks to go!!  Some more exciting news, I felt his little hiccups for the first time last night, such a cute feeling...evidence his little body is growing and functionally perfectly.  I'm still feeling really good. Me and Jett are growing bigger and stronger each day.  In 3 days I get to see him again at my next Perinatologist appt! YAY!

Here's the most recent belly pic, taken at 23 weeks (last week):

And here's how baby is doing this week:



How your baby's growing:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

23 Weeks today!!

Feeling great at 23 weeks!  No nausea in a while, still heartburn in the evenings...Tums helps.  Still constipated for the most part, but no tummy upsets because of it.  My appetite has greatly increased!  I'm always hungry, when I'm not eating, I'm thinking about food...lol.  I guess baby is just needing to fatten up, cause my weight gain has been normal...about 11-12 lbs so far.  Baby's growing and Belly's growing to accomodate.  Jett's strength is increasing, I can feel it in his kicks and flips, which still make me giggle from time to time...I love being pregnant...I love my Jett...we'll be meeting soon :-)

How your baby's growing:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

22 wk Prenatal Checkup

I met with Dr. Allison today and had a very good visit.  Checked the typical things: weight, urine, blood, heartbeat (a beautiful 159bpm) and abdomen measurement.  All looked great and right where it needed to be.  I came prepared to ask lots of questions, including going over my Birth Plan.  Dr. Allison went over the whole plan with me and agreed most of it was do-able.  She said she wasn't sure about the Placenta removal being cord traction and not manual because she will have to wait and see how my uterus reacts to the surgery first, but she will keep my wishes in mind and try to accommodate if possible.  I'm glad that we're on the same page with everything, it makes me feel a whole lot better.  She's going to look into a good pediatrician for me, going by my birth plan wishes, and let me know who I should contact.  I thought that was sweet of her, and takes some of the leg work out of it for me.  Unfortunately there's not much she can do about helping me find someone to do the circumcision on the 8th day.  It appears from what I've discovered on my own, there aren't any pediatricians or surgeons willing to do something like that.  So, looks like I'll just have to settle for what I can get, which will be my Dr. doing the circ before we leave the hospital. :-( At least, I tried.  I will have to alter my plan to allow the Vitamin K shot, since the circ will be done so early, to help the blood clot appropriately, but that will be all the shots my babe will be getting.  We also talked about the delivery date, which has been set for Friday, June 8th!  I will be 39 wks, that would be the longest I've ever carried a baby.  Pending all continues to go perfectly with me and Jett til then....I pray we make it til then. 
I really like my Dr. and I really believe I'm going to enjoy having my baby at East Jefferson Hospital.  I'm hoping this is my best experience overall yet, so far so good.

On a preparation note, I've been getting some things done here and there... We now have Jett's first little bed up and ready for him, a Pack-n-Play I ordered online at a really good price.

We found a really nice swing on Craigs List for $20.  It's in great condition, swings in two directions, plays music/sounds, has a spinning mobile. I'm very happy with my bargain purchase.

We also set Jared up a new dresser in his room, so the spare bedroom closet and dresser is empty and ready to be filled with Jett's stuff.  I found three boxes of salvageable clothes in the attic that I'm going to wash and put away.  Also, a good friend of mine is planning on bringing me alot of her new baby boy's things/clothes.  Score!  Another friend gave me one of her Ring Slings, which I can't wait to use and I just ordered a beautiful Wrap online the other night.  I'm looking forward to wearing Jett constantly!  I will need to do some practicing though, to get use to working with them. 

I've also been working on my Registry online and I plan on going next month to finish it up in the store.

Things are coming together. :-) Jett will be here before we know it...only 4 more months to go!!

21 week Specialist Appt

Today I saw the Perinatologist again.  Baby still looks awesome, growing perfectly!  He now weighs 1 whole pound *smile*.  He was moving around nicely and was in the funniest position with his leg going up by the side of his face.  Heartbeat steady at 153bpm.  I got a couple cute face shots, one of which is in 3D (awesomeee).  Scott's blood results came back showing he does have the Duffy A & Duffy B antigens, which means baby has a 50% chance of having it as well, but the Dr. seems to think he mostly likely doesn't because all of my tests keep coming back looking so great.  So YAY!  I will still continue to be monitored by him every 3wks., which is fine with me, I get to see Jett again.

I also took a tour of the Labor & Delivery area, which was very helpful and am really looking forward to having my birth experience there.  They are very pro-mommy with baby at all times, which I love! 

I went and picked up a Sling for him to carry him in, from a friend who was giving a few away.  I can't wait to "Wear my Baby" this time around.  I'll also be getting a wrap too, so I can see which way I prefer best.

Here's my lil guy!....

Side of face with little hands up.  The arrow is pointing to his leg!..lol

My cutie!



21 weeks and getting ever so closer...

The days are fast approaching when I will hold my sweet Jett in my arms and the excitement grows daily.  I love him so much already!  I've started purchasing items for him here and there, which has been so fun, especially when I get great deals!  I found an awesome swing on Craigslist the other day, for $20! And me, Scott and the boys went all the way to the Westbank to pick it up last night, I love it!  Today I turned it on and watched it sway back and forth for a few moments as I daydreamed about my baby enjoying it soon.  Also, I'm awaiting a Pack N Play that I ordered to arrive today and can't wait to put it together!  The plans that were only a hopeful dream are starting to become a reality and I'm overwhelmed with Gratefulness & Joy!  Only the weekend seperates me from seeing my little one again, Monday!  I'm hoping I get some good shots to admire this time.

Here's me and Jett growing together...

21 weeks

I've been feeling the best I have in the pregnancy so far...rarely get m/s, heartburn has lessened, and my energy has returned.  My only complaint is my lower back which aches when I do too much and sometimes I can feel my belly stretching, and the pressure that goes along with that is not always the most comfortable.  But, I'm still enjoying every second and trying to enjoy each day before it passes.  Daddy is the only one who still hasn't been able to feel you move yet, our timing is always off, but he'll feel it soon.  I was just feeling you this morning and wondering what you were doing in there...stretching, fliping, kicking, punching, doing a handstand...haha...wish I could see in there!

Here's how big you've grown so far...

 

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.