12 weeks brought our second doctor appointment. The baby decided to scare us when my doctor searched for the heartbeat. Nothing. For about three minutes. Of course, there were about a million thoughts running through my head, but surprisingly, I remained very calm. Something in me told me everything was just fine. My doctor reassured those thoughts when she said my uterus seemed to be growing, but the look on her face was still that of concern for a short period of time.
She pulled in the sonogram machine, and low and behold, there was the tiny beating of a heart! Whew! Baby was there, alive, and well! Just apparently hiding from us. (We got an extra picture from the ordeal!)
Because of Brantley's hydrocephalus, she encouraged us to do some first trimester screening. We opted not to do any tests with Brantley due to the possibility of false positives, but decided to go ahead with the tests this time. The tests included a sonogram that measured the fluid in the back of baby's neck (nuchal translucency) - extra fluid can mean a higher risk for Down Syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities - and bloodwork that can detect genetic problems that may lead to birth defects. The fluid in Baby's neck measured in the normal range. It will be a couple of weeks before we know the results of the blood work.
We also met with a genetic counselor who recorded our family history. The only strike against us is that we had a previous child with hydrocephalus. As she explained, this could have been a random occurrence, or due to an abnormal x-chromosome passed to Brantley by me. If the latter is the case, that means I'm a carrier of the gene for hydrocephalus, and my future babies (boys) could develop the same condition as Brantley. Since girls have two x-chromosomes, future girls would have a "back-up" x-chromosome and only be a carrier of the gene. (I think I have that correct.) We decided against having them test me for the hydrocephalus gene, since any problems will likely show up in ultrasounds, like they did with Brantley.
We also have to go for a level 2 ultrasound (at the hospital) at 19 weeks, so they can monitor this baby a little closer. No complaints there...we'll get to learn the baby's sex at 19 weeks, instead of 20 1/2, which is when our regular appointment would fall. The appointment has already been scheduled for November 27, the day before Thanksgiving! Six weeks and counting! Can't come soon enough!
Since our screening appointment was at the hospital, we got to check out the new birth center! I am super excited to deliver a baby in this new addition! We also ran into one of Brantley's NICU nurses. I don't think she remembered us (or Brantley), but it was nice to see someone who made such an impact in the first couple of weeks of Brantley's life!
Here's a selfie baby bump photo taken at 12 weeks and 1 day. I couldn't believe my eyes when it already protruded past my boobs! Pretty sure I didn't look like that until at least 25 weeks in my first pregnancy! But...it's super exciting that I'm starting to show! Who doesn't love a baby bump?!
How Far Along: 13 weeks
Size of Baby: ~3 inches, about 1 ounce; the size of a pea pod
Gender: Some days I think girl, but I always tend to refer to the baby as a 'he'. Whenever I think about this future kiddo, I also tend to think of our favorite boy name(s), not girl. Hmmm....
Weight Gain: About 5 to 6 pounds so far.
Food Cravings: No real cravings lately. I have been drinking hot tea quite often and snacking on an abundance of sugar cookies I made over the weekend (but I'd do that pregnant or not).
Food Aversions: Still no coffee (unless it's a latte or macchiato). It just doesn't sound good.
Movement: Nothing yet.
Sleep: Very normal.
Clothing: About 2/3 regular clothes, 1/3 maternity. Mostly maternity shirts (no pants yet). The shirts make me look more "pregnant" and less "thick around the middle", which I appreciate. Still wearing my normal pants/skirts without a Bella Band.
Other Pregnancy Symptoms: Still sick feeling, nauseous to the point of taking a Zofran every few days, still constipated (though not as bad), sore boobs, peeing at least once overnight.
Differences from Pregnancy #1: When I was pregnant with Brantley, I had a very high self-esteem. Don't get me wrong...I still feel pretty good about myself, but feel like I'm growing differently. I'm feeling much wider this time around.
Similarites from Pregnancy #1: I can't think of any specific similarities at the moment...
What I Miss: Craig installed a kegarater in our garage and I really wish I could have a frosty mug of draft microbrew beer. :(
Best Moment: Even though the screening tests can be nerve-wracking, it was fun getting an extra peek at Baby!
Looking Forward To: Learning the sex and altering the nursery! (And planning Brantley's "big boy" room!)
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