14 WEEKS!!

So we just had our fourth sonogram of the pregnancy and we are 14 weeks pregnant. It's just now barely starting to feel real. I'm still in awe of the amazing things that are happening inside my body. It's the wildest feeling. I feel so honored and so thankful and so amazed that it's finally happening, but at the same time I still want to remain cautious and unattached. But being unattached to the pregnancy is not fair to our Bean. Our Bean deserves the absolute best we have to offer throughout the entire journey. So I'm coming around to getting REALLY excited and shouting it from the rooftops and dropping my guard.

The appointment went well. Our bean had a HB of about 135 and was hunched in the fetal position when his/her picture appeared on TV screen hanging above our heads. Typically when I use my at-home fetal doppler I always get a HB of about 150-160 for Bean. Now, I don't know how accurate these at-home things really are, so I don't really put too much stock into the readings. I did ask the sono tech about this and she said that we had caught the baby while resting and this is why the HB may be lower than normal. But we did see the baby moving it head around and making suckling motions with its mouth. Makes sense. My cervix also measured 3.68cm. WHOO HOOO!! This is perfectly normal. However, the doc said they will continue to watch it every month, then every 2 weeks through 18-24 weeks, which the doc says is the critical time.

Our bean was about 3 inches in length and had the most beautiful facial profile. You could totally make out the little nose and mouth. It's absolutely crazy to me that in 6 months I will be kissing on that very nose and mouth. We could clearly make out the entire skull and tons of things growing and happening in the head. The entire spine and all the ribs were all so clear, I was amazed at how much had changed in 4 weeks. The baby tripled in size in a month. Now that's a growth rate! Our Bean was all curled up with it legs tucked tightly underneath him/her. The position looked rather uncomfortable. I kept telling the baby to stretch out!

This sono was transvaginal, as we needed to get a more accurate reading of my cervical length. This is a great story! ( Not!) So I'm laying there and the tech. gets the good ol' wand ready for me. She puts the wand in position before inserting...or so she thought. So at this point it's resting against my body.  She was not in the right spot, if you know what I mean. I'm laying there looking at the ceiling wondering if she knows it's in the wrong spot or if she's about press on. No, she had no idea. She was ready to press on..and she started to. I started feeling pressure in the WRONG SPOT and realized I had to speak up or I was about to be even more violated than if it was going in the right spot.

Me: " Umm I think you're in the wrong spot."
Tech: Really??!" ( As she looks under the sheet to take a look)
Me: " Yea"
Tech: "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. Can you just put it in yourself? I don't want to hurt you."
Me: (Silence) With an awkward look on my face while I'm thinking, " Is she freakin serious??!"
Tech: " Yea, just reach under the sheet and grab the wand and push it on."

So I reluctantly do...
Tech: " Aw, perfect. Thanks."

Can you say AWKWARD! Kevin found this entire scene hilarious!

But all that mattered is that our Bean looked great. The appointment with the doc also went well. We covered many, many things and she answered all of my questions, which was a ton. She also told me to stop all of my progesterone and estrogen. I am soo scared to do this! The doc said there was absolutely no risk whatsoever in doing so. She went on to say the placenta was very well formed and there should be no worries. Uuumm...have you met me. I always worry. And I will worry for at least a week after I stop  all meds as I rush to check for spotting a zillion times a day. The doc was very, very adamant about me getting a flu shot. I told her I really, really did not want one for many reasons.  She looked at me like I was crazy. So she went on to give me her very tough sell and essentially made it seem like if I valued this baby then I would need to get the vaccine. I  told her I absolutely was not getting one until I'm further along but that I would think about it in between now and my next appointment that's in a month. So off to do more research..

We are very pleased about this appointment and I give all the Glory to God that my cervix is so far in adequate condition. Soo happy about this!