So this week I am fifteen weeks along in my pregnancy! 15 out of 40! I’m officially in my second trimester!
I still constantly forget that I’m pregnant. Not in any kind of harmful way, but just things like wondering why I find myself eating six meals a day, things like that. At times, it makes me feel really bad that I’m not paying as much attention to this pregnancy as I did with my first. But honestly, “paying attention to my pregnancy” would require me to pay attention to myself, and I have a toddler, so I’ve gotten used to that not happening. I have my first baby right in front of me, demanding care and constant attention, and I know that as long as I’m eating well, sleeping as much as I can and generally taking care of myself, my gestating baby is getting everything she* (haha!) needs from me.
*NO, we don’t know the sex of the baby, but let’s be honest people, my family doesn’t have boys, so this next one is a lady for sure!
Anyhow, this week I had my second midwife appointment. I swear I had like four OB appointments by this time in my first pregnancy, but I’m not disappointed. I’m enjoying the laid back nature of this second pregnancy.
Normally, this appointment would be a simple check in, hey-how-ya-doin-great-see-you-in-a-few-weeks, but since our first trimester screening ultrasound found an abnormality, this appointment was spent discussing that single umbilical artery and what it means.
Matt came with me to help ask questions and Adelaide stayed at home with Grandma and Papa Bauer, who were in town visiting. It was soooo nice to take an hour and focus all of our attention on our little-one-on-the-way.
Our midwife is amazing and answered all of our questions honestly, giving us the reality of the potential issues while somehow still reassuring us that our baby (and I) are in fantastic, experienced hands, with some of the most knowledgeable doctors in the country right here at our hospital. In fact, the doctor who confirmed the SUA on our 12 week ultrasound, literally wrote THE book on perinatology and ultrasounds. So, I guess our theory that the tech and the doctor just didn’t know what they were talking about is out the window. Sad face.
Anyhow, our wonderful midwife laid out our next steps—second blood draw today to check, again, for chromosomal abnormalities. We should get results today or tomorrow. Side-note: results from the first set of chromosomal abnormality screenings came back great—better than my screenings with Adelaide in fact. So we were really happy with that news.
Then our next step was scheduling our anatomy ultrasound. She wanted us to wait until 19 or 20 weeks so we can let the baby develop as much as possible and be as big as possible for our next looksy at that umbilical cord. I really wanted to get in as early as possible so I can finally know if we have an SUA or not, but I also want to know definitively, and without question, so I’m ok to wait until week 19. Anyhow, our anatomy ultrasound is scheduled for July 12th! It’s going to be such a mixed emotion day. I’m super excited to find out if our little one is a boy or a girl, but I’m more anxious for the SUA confirmation and then the corresponding physical exam to look for other developmental abnormalities. Seriously, this whole SUA business is really pissing on my pregnancy parade. Sigh, oh well!
To end on a positive note…
I can feel the baby wiggling around! This little one feels much stronger and more purposeful that I remember Adelaide feeling. I’m really excited to be able to feel the baby move. It helps me remember that I’m pregnant and gives me random smiles throughout the day. The baby is particularly active after dinner (probably because I’m usually relaxing on the couch right after the meal) so I love sitting on the couch and feeling the little bumps and flutters. Best part of my night!
I don’t have any good pictures of my bump this week. The best two I could find were taken during a trip to the Children’s Museum this week with Grandma and Papa Bauer.
For comparison sake, my bump is about 50% bigger than it was at 15 weeks along in my first pregnancy. LOL! That’s what an already-stretched-out-uterus-and-abdominals will do for ya!
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