See Monkey?

We did today! The Florida Institute of Ultrasound requests volunteers between 24-33 weeks of pregnancy for their students to practice on. I volunteered so I could see my baby again.
It was GREAT! The students were SO nice and much more forth coming with information than the techs at the doctors offices are.
Monkey is still measuring a little behind at about 26-27 weeks and weighing about 2 lbs 3 ozs (I'm 28 weeks and average weight is 2.5 lbs). But I'm not worried. I totally thought Monkey was still head down. WRONG. Monkey is between breech and transverse. The head is up under my left ribs. At the beginning of the scan the baby was breech and facing to my right. By the end it had scrunched it's butt and legs up into my right side to lie transverse and facing up. Now I know what I'm feeling under my right ribs -- Feet and knees. Silly baby!
And the BIG NEWS: we totally caved and found out the gender. Sorry blog readers (with the exception of my nestie pals), but you will have to wait until February 1st to find out. We're keeping it a secret until after my next baby shower.
With the way baby was facing we couldn't get a great picture of the face, but here's what we got (minus the money shots). That picture of the face is kinda creepy.

Anatomy Scan

Since they couldn't get a good shot of the spine last time I get another ultrasound today! Baby monkey is head down and measuring about 20 weeks...a little behind, but both the tech and Dr. Lile said that was ok. Infact he said everything looks wonderful. My belly is also measuring about 20 weeks. The quad screen for Downs and Spina Bifida also came back normal.
I've finally gained some weight, 8 lbs by the scale at the Dr's office. But I had to pee and I'd been up all night in preparation for my week of night shifts. So since they didn't get a morning weight don't think I've quite gained that much.
AND!!!!!! The best part: Dr Lile said that despite the septum in my uterus it is expanding and ballooning out almost normally!! So instead of having only 1/2 the normal amount of space, Monkey has almost a full uterus to grow in!!! He seemed so pleased by this unexpected miracle, as am I of course! I'm not completely off the "high risk for pre-term labor" radar, but What wonderful news! Praise the LORD!!!!
Next appointment Jan 5. I asked today if they would give me the glucose drink to take home with me at my next appointment so I can drink it before coming in for my 28 week appointment and avoid waiting around for an hour with the nasty orange glucose drink flavor in my mouth. So YAY!
Look at that little nose...It's just like daddy's.

Strike a Pose.

The Monkey was lying transversley with it's feet to my right side (where I was feeling those kicks yesterday!) so we couldn't get any great pictures today. The sonographer took lots of measurements and monkey is measuring exactly on time. It's little foot is 1 inch long! It was also curled up so tight. She said my baby just likes to stay in a little ball with it's knees to it's nose. So cute. Oh, and my placenta is almost exactly where I thought it was. I got the placement right, but the orientation wrong. It's not anterior, it's on the back wall of my uterus. She wasn't able to get a great view of the spine and the Dr. said it was still a little early to get what they needed for an anatomy scan. SO we're going back on December 8th for another try. YAY! But I'll show you some pictures anyway:

See the spine in that 2nd to last one? And how it's just about kneeing it's self in the face? And the face in the last one? How flippin' neato-burrito is that? That's my baby! I'm so in love.

I am totally impressed with Sacred Heart's facilities. They had a big screen TV positioned right in front of the ultrasound exam table so we could see what the sonographer saw w/o having to crane our necks to see her little screen. It was totally the Hilton of ultrasound rooms. Really it was the Hilton of Dr.s offices. They had free Wi-Fi in the waiting room and Justin was able to play games online while we waited (he was happy as a clam, and since the office is inside the hospital we'll deliver at he's excited to be able to play his game while we're there too). He commented "I like this place MUCH better than the other place". I'm just happy to have him entertained in the waiting room. And just like no Hilton establishment would give their guests cheap scratchy bathrobes...this office uses REAL CLOTH hospital gowns and sheets! I just about busted out a happy dance at the news that my modesty would no longer be decimated by too small paper sheets and vests that don't stay closed!!!!!!!! ::Breaks out Happy Dance::

And on top of all that I just adore my new Dr.! He is very informative and EXTREMELY up-beat. His smile never faltered and he made me feel SO comfortable. Very similar to my general practicioner. I am SO SO SO SO SO glad I switched.

The monkey's heartbeat was 133 and I am officially back up to my pre-pregnancy weight! And I am still feeling movement today. It's so cool to know that the pops on the left are fists and the pops on the right are feet...for now anyway.

1 inch baby

Wow! Look at how much he/she grew!! My nestie pal Sue predicts it's a girl. (Of course it's going to be a girl. We have a boy name all picked out but can't agree on a girl name.) The heartbeat is up to 183 and we're measuring 9w5d...A day ahead!
It was just AMAZING to see "her" wiggling around in there. The sonographer (Sandy) showed me "her" brain, and we could see arms, legs, and even fingers. At one point Sandy poked at my stomach to get "her" to move more and "she" waved! Sandy said that I will be even more amazed in a 2 weeks at the growth.
My uterus is definitely begining to correct it's position. It's no longer tilted all the way back and to rotated to the left. As such we can now see that the baby is in the right horn of my uterus as opposed to the left like they previously thought. There is some bleeding in the left horn and it appears to be the cause of the spotting and sharp cramping that I am feeling on and
off on that side. My OB said it's not a problem though. But she did reiterate that the shape of my uterus puts me at a higher risk for preterm labor (which I am SO scared about), and makes the likelihood that I will have to deliver by c-section go up. Apparently the baby can get stuck in a breech position. BUT...for now she thinks the kiddo has plenty of room to grow. I can only pray that it stays that way. Actually I think I am less afraid of a c-section than I am of pushing a little person out of my hoo ha. Plus, a c-section mean more time off work to spend with my baby!

The Prevacid has been a wonderful thing! I am still having gagging fits and dry heaving about twice a day, but at least I can eat again. Too bad almost nothing sounds appetizing because I am HUNGRY and I need to start gaining a few lbs.

I guess that's all that's new and not-so-new for now. I feel pretty lucky to get to see all that I have seen so far. It's not often that women get to see an ultrasound tech for a detailed scan before 20 weeks. So to have seen my baby grown in 2 week increments has been an awesome experience.

Keep growing strong baby "girl".
Love,
Mommy

1/2 inch long baby!