Appointments Between Planning

Last week, I had two appointments that I managed to get to between having people at our house (okay, so it was while they were there), planning a funeral for my mother-in-law. On Tuesday, I had an OB check at Comprehensive, and on Wednesday an ultrasound to check her fluid levels at Perinatal. Since I didn't have time to post about them last week, and I have another appointment this afternoon, I wanted to get the post written quick about last week.

Tuesday OB Appointment
The OB check went well, and it was the first time I had ever gone to a prenatal appointment by myself (weird, huh?). I met Dr. Mahan, who I found I really liked. She asked if I was having contractions at all. I told her on the bottom half of my belly I would get cramps/contractions a little bit, but nothing more really.

She checked baby's heart rate, but I don't remember what it was anymore. Then, she measured me. For 36 weeks, I measured at 35 cm! Which was a big improvement from last time they measured me. Then she did my first ever prenatal internal exam = not comfortable! I was 50% effaced. And she did a quick test for Group B Strep, which she said I would hear the results of at my next appointment. (There are so many new things this time around. I was never measured with Danielle, never had an internal exam, never checked for effacing, never tested for Group B Strep...)

She gave me my Pampered Pregnancy gift, which was two different things of formula with two different bags/totes, and I went back home to my house-full of people.

Wednesday Ultrasound
I had a feeling on my way there that Krista would not be doing the ultrasound, and I was right. Julie, who I had seen a couple times with Danielle, did the ultrasound. She commented about how it had been a while since they'd seen me. But I told her I was in just two weeks ago for a growth ultrasound, and found that her fluids were low.

She checked the fluid levels, and found that they were at 12-point-something cm. (Remember, 8cm is the low end cut-off, and last time I was at 7.9 cm, so this is good too!) She had a full bladder again, but Julie said that sometimes what looks like a full bladder is actually an ovarian cyst. That kind of made me nervous, but she said that they disappear after the baby is born, as it's usually caused by hormones from the mother. She turned on the Doppler, and said a vein and an artery going around the "blob," and confirmed that it was indeed her bladder, not a cyst.

She took a couple pictures of her with the 2D ultrasound.

Our little girl had her face pretty well hidden in there, but I asked Julie if it would still be possible to get a decent 3D of her. She pulled out the other wand, and was able to get half of her face, after she "cleaned it up" a bit. (They can rotate the picture around and crop out "noise" around her, like umbilical cords and what-not.) Adam thinks she has hair on top of her head, but I don't think she has nearly the hair that her big sister had. I think she might just have some "peach fuzz" on her head. I guess we'll find out soon!