Life's Little Souvenirs: First Trimester Screening

Baby is 13 weeks (currently 13 weeks, 4 days) and has made their second appearance!

I had my First Trimester Screening on Monday, the 30th of April and I was very nervous about this screening because of all of the genetic testing that was going to be done. Face it, you don't want to learn that your baby is going to have a genetic disease or disorder, so I was nothing but a bag of nerves. My stomach was in knots as we embarked on our 45 minute trip down to Jacksonville to the Women and Children's Hospital where the testing was to be done. The last time I was this nervous for a doctor's appointment, I was 12 years old and diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. I always expect the worst of things and after the last few weeks of pregnancy, I really should learn to stop doing that.

After we arrived (and nearly to the point of passing out after the elevator ride) I signed in and filled out a stack of papers and began my wait in the extremely over crowded waiting room. How can you have that many pregnant women in a room with hardly any chairs and one bathroom?! It is just barbaric! Thankfully everyone was called back rather quickly so I was able to sit next to Brian and try to calm myself down a little bit before it was my turn to go back.

The first time we were called back the doctor checked my blood pressure (which was great) and my weight and then sat us down in her office and went over our family's medical history. I have no idea why they expect you to know absolutely every genetic problem that has ever occurred in your family because no one ever really knows. She went over the results of my Glucose Test and I was very pleased to hear that I had passed and my next test would be at 28 weeks. After giving her all of the information that we knew, she herded us back out into the waiting room.

About 20 minutes later we were called back in with an Ultrasound Technician and we began what would become a very long and tiring ultrasound. I was very pleased to see that familiar flickering of baby's heart and even more so when we actually heard their heart. I can't explain how I felt the moment I heard that thunderous beating coming from my stomach; it is one of those things that you can't explain exactly how it feels until you have experienced it for yourself. All I know is that I fell even more in love with that little baby and when I looked at Brian and saw the smile on his face and felt the gentle squeeze of his hand, I knew why I loved him just as much as the life we created together. Baby's heart rate was at 174!

Everything was going smoothly until it was time to try to measure the fluid behind baby's neck. We learned within the next five minutes that we have an incredibly stubborn one on our hands. Our baby would not cooperate for anything! I am convinced that it was nap time and we were disturbing them because every time our tech would get close to getting the measurement that little stinker would roll away from her. We tried everything to get baby back into the position they needed and nothing would work. I laid on my left side for a few minutes, I laid on my right side for a few minutes, I sat up and walked around, I emptied my bladder (for the third time while in the office!) and nothing. I even went and had my finger pricked for the blood work part of the testing and went back to try again and the little turd had stayed in the same spot! Admitting defeat, the tech and the doctors decided to reschedule me for another appointment to try again.

We had to get that measurement before baby reached 13 weeks, 6 days gestation, so we were back again on Tuesday, the first of May. I will admit, I was not happy about having to be back in that crowded waiting room and became incredibly irritated when I was questioned by three different people as to why I was back. I quickly became even more irritated when we were back having the ultrasound again because my stomach ached from all of the pressing down on it (I'm sorry, when you tell a pregnant woman you are going to press a little harder, you had better be pretty clear about how hard, because I can guarantee you were almost bitch slapped into tomorrow!) and the technician we had the second time didn't find it necessary to talk to us, so we were thinking something was wrong; I guess she was determined to get the measurement. On the bright side, we were able to get the measurement and baby didn't show any positive signs of Downs Syndrome. The doctor came in and talked to us and he said he was 75% sure the baby did not have any genetic issues, but would be 95% sure as soon as my blood work came back.

So I left satisfied and a little sore.

UPDATE: The doctor called me yesterday and told me that my blood work had come back in and everything looked great and we were now officially 95% sure that baby has no genetic problems.

***

Pregnancy has been great the last few weeks and I can honestly say that I am very happy with how I have been feeling. Of course, I still get emotional on those long stretches when Brian has to be down at work for several days or when I listen to certain songs; Demi Lovato's "Fix A Heart" gets me every time!

What I am loving the most is that my appetite is returning to its normal state and my sense of smell isn't nearly as strong as it was those first few weeks. Last weekend I was able to attend the Crawfish Festival with my fellow preggo, Magan and actually eat the Crawfish without getting nauseous from the smell! And if you try and tell me that I am not supposed to eat seafood and shellfish, you can most definitely SUCK IT because I live on the coast, right off of the Atlantic and it is practically summer! Down here we don't have county fairs, we have seafood festivals! Besides, it is totally safe as long as it is in moderation and from the "safe side" of the fish list; which includes shrimp, scallops, flounder, sole, clams, tilapia, catfish, whitefish, crayfish, etc.

Let me tell you, if you have never had Crawfish, it tastes like a combination of shrimp and crab and is rather delicious! I couldn't eat that many of them due to the fact that they still had heads on them and that sort of freaked me out a little bit. But I did try Étouffée for the first time and that is a very delicious dish! It did give me terrible heart burn, but it was worth it.

Most of my cravings have subsided for the most part with the occasional craving and the last two weeks it has been for peaches. You have not lived until you have had a fresh, Georgia peach! Peaches from up North don't even compare! I never knew a peach was so delicious until I tasted what Georgia is known for.

Aside from all of that, I am going to be doing my best to keep this updated (even though I was feeling discouraged a few nights ago and almost deleted it). I have been incredibly busy with work (I did my first wedding and have another scheduled this summer! Plus a few side jobs, couples and maternity shoots); which I am very thankful for. Plus still trying to get this house unpacked and cleaned is going to be the death of me, I swear!

Oh, before I end this, CONGRATULATIONS to my friends, Magan and Brian! You guys are officially on this baby boom train!