Today I had the NT Scan. I started to get nervous a few hours before. It's hard not to, when it's so early and you know almost nothing about this little person - not even their gender, much less their general health. So many things can still be, can still go, wrong. But as mentioned before, I just have a really good feeling about it.
Sure enough the technician said based on measurements alone, I have a perfect, healthy baby. My blood work of course is the other part of the equation. I didn't realize there's a second blood draw in three weeks. I don't believe I did this last time - which is probably why I got this random call from the genetics dept asking if I was still a Kaiser member and why I hadn't come back in to see them (obviously nobody told me - or I misunderstood - that there was another blood draw involved). But I got to see the little fluttering heart, the brain, the stomach, the bone structure. It's pretty fascinating. The baby was "very active". It's so odd when I still feel nothing. I try to remember what it was like to feel B shifting about in there, but it's such a vague memory.
I am definitely "feeling it", though, just in the sense that I always have this "full" feeling like I just ate a huge meal and can't button my pants, and any abrupt movements, particularly standing up quickly, causes little shoots of pain in my abdomen. It's in there. It's definitely in there.
It's hard not to fixate on the last few weeks of the pregnancy and worry about the birth...largely, these days, about just how much this birth is going to cost me. I hate that I live in a country where I even have to consider things like that, but yes, the thought of being slammed with another unexpected $7000 hospital bill terrifies me. I'm also afraid of being induced again, having an emergency c- section that I then have to recover from, or having a normal labor that ends up totally sucking anyway. Is there ever a happy ending to these stories? Are women ever pleased with their birth experience? I think it does happen, but it's rare. I keep telling myself no matter what it's going to be VERY unpleasant. It's labor. It's no walk in the park. I'd rather be a realist than just assume I'm going to have this awesome empowering experience this time after last time's three day torture fest. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than wickedly disappointed. The one thing for sure is I will never, ever ever, for realz this time, have to do it again. And that's pretty awesome.
Here's a pic of the nubs from today's scan:
Aww look how cute. :) Glad the scam went well! For the record, my SIL had a great birth experience, so it does happen.
ReplyDeleteAdorable already! My birth experience sucked, but I don't think it would be predictive of any future experiences (maybe the opposite, I wouldn't be walked over again).
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Glad it went well. I had a planned C-section, which isn't what I wanted but I can't say it was a horrible experience although in the middle of it as I could feel them moving my organs around I remember thinking, "I'm never doing this again." I hate to say it but most of the women I know who have had "amazing" birth experiences did it at home in their living rooms. Although my sister after having 2 "natural" births, one of them being very difficult, had a medicated one with her last, said it was wonderful and wishes she'd done it with the others.
ReplyDeleteIt does happen. I enjoyed my son's birth but was still pretty sure for the longest time that I was never doing that mess again. It's different every time. This time could very well be awesome for you.
ReplyDeleteNubs is looking good! Sounds like a positive scan experience. I very much didn't have an easy labor (induced on a Thursday but he wasn't born until I requested a c-section on Saturday), but I didn't think it was that bad. Looking ahead to the idea of #2, I am going to request we forgo the long laboring and skip directly to a planned c-section. I know it holds certain risks, but I really didn't think it hurt much.
ReplyDeleteHi sweet baby! So glad all looks well!
ReplyDeleteI've heard more positive stories than negative birth stories :) I myself have had three awesome natural births. I can honestly say if I had the worry of the cost tho (I'm Canadian ) I'd of not enjoyed pregnancy as much
ReplyDeleteGlad you've got a healthy baby growing in you! As far as experience, my labor/delivery wasn't great because it was long, I pushed for 2 1/2 hours, and ended up with too many stitches to count, but it wasn't bad experience overall. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteHello little one! Glad you are doing well in there!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a perfectly healthy little baby to my untrained eye! Glad it went so well, and just think, in just a few months, you'll never have to worry about labor again!
ReplyDeleteI;ve followed you for a while, but never commented. Just wanted to say, for what its worth, that my first baby was a long painful induction as i had leaky waters and wasn't sure how long they'd been leaking for and my second flew out in a completely natural three hour labour.
ReplyDeleteGlad things are going well.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous little guy or gal!! Glad it went well!
ReplyDeleteAgain, great post. Maybe skip Lindy Hop all together and just become a full time writer?!?!?!? :)
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