Feeling Better

When I was experiencing morning sickness, people would tell me that things would look up around Week 12. I was skeptical because I started with the morning sickness so late. Well, Week 12 is truly the charm! I feel so much better!! My appetite isn't real strong yet, but it's getting so much better. (I guess the weight gain will soon follow - dang!) Also, the nausea is virtually a thing of the past ~ thank you, Jesus!!! As for energy, that's getting better, too. Yep, I'm feeling better!

I had my second prenatal appointment on Thursday. This appointment was really all about me. I was poked, prodded and pricked ~ lovely. All is well. Dr. S and I listened to the baby's heartbeat. Nice and strong ~ 160 beats/minute. YAY!!!! Oh, Dr. S isn't concerned about my 8 lb weight loss. She's confident that the weight gain will come as my appetite increases and as the pregnancy progresses. My goal is to stay at the low end of the spectrum - no more than 25 lbs! (fingers crossed....) As long as the baby is strong and healthy, I personally wouldn't mind being one of those women that lose weight during pregnancy. I'm still trying to lose my law school weight. Dang law school!!!

Friday, Trevor and I had a chance to see the baby because I had my first trimester screening done. It is made available to all women and is a useful tool in deciding whether to get an amnio or any other invasive testing. The screening involves a nuchal translucency (NT) scan that measures the amount of fluid under the skin on the back of the baby's neck. (i.e., another ultrasound) All babies have some level of fluid, but a Down's Syndrome baby has a higher volume of fluid. I'm happy to report that Baby D's fluid level was normal, thus the risk of the baby being born with Down's is low. Again, YAY!!! The second part of the screening involved an alphafetoprotein (AFP) test. AFP is a substance made in the baby's liver, so the test measures the amount of AFP in my blood stream. Elevated levels of AFP indicate the possibility of various birth defects, including, but not limited to, Down's, spina bifida, Edward syndrome (Trisomy 18), etc. The results of the AFP will be paired with the results of the NT scan. We'll know more in about a week, but Trevor and I (and our doc) aren't really concerned. Trevor and I pray for (and over) our baby daily, so we believe that this baby will be perfectly healthy!

During the first trimester screening, we heard the baby's heartbeat again. 171 beats/minute. Again, nice and strong and where it should be at this stage of the pregnancy. I think the baby was trying to get a nap in, but the doc kept jabbing at my stomach (ouch!) to get the baby to move around. Baby D was a little annoyed, but he or she cooperated. :- )