25/26 week check up!

Today we saw our specialist, Meera Sood, for the 25/26 week check up.

Other than the reassurance of seeing Meera our favourite thing is getting to see our little man on the ultrasound, today the cheeky monkey kicked the ultrasound scanner just to say hi lol!

All is going well, Chickling is the right size for his age (based on head, stomach and leg measurements), weighs about 700 grams and the amount of fluid around him looks good. His heartbeat is nice and strong as it has always been and Meera was pleased with the progress.

My vitamin B12 levels have been low but they have risen again and Meera is happy for me to continue without the need for B12 injections as long as my levels stay above 100 (currently we are at 125 and normal range starts at 130).

I was checking my weight loss records today and since conception (taken as the date of my last period 6/3/09) I have lost 11 kilograms, not bad considering I could have put on about that much by now! Meera is not worried about me continuing to lose weight as she says that baby will take whatever he needs and leave me with the rest :o)

The only hiccup so far has been that last week when I had my 18 month follow up for my gastric bypass the gastric specialist thought I may be developing an incisional hernia. Naturally this caused us some worry but Meera is not concerned and says it should not affect my ability to have a natural birth, so I am going to make a concerted effort not to worry about it!

Chickling is currently busy kicking me so I guess he wants to say hello...."Hello"!

Off to bed for us now,
Love Mummy and Chickling

Octopussy!!

Hello there Chickling - or should I say Mr Octopus (due to the amount of wriggling you are doing of late lol).

It has been a while so I thought it was time for an update! Yes, Mummy has been slack - though partly it was due to the internet not working at home for nearly a month!!

Dada and I have enrolled in prenatal classes at the Mana Parent's Centre, hypnobirthing classes, breastfeeding classes and hopefully a baby and infants CPR class as well - that is certainly going to keep us very busy!!!

I can't believe that in a couple of weeks I will be in the 3rd trimester and that you will be here in about 3 months time!! Mummy still doesn't really have a noticeable bump - probably because you are filling in the space from me losing lots of weight (and I haven't put any on really since I got pregnant) but my tummy is definitely firmer and I know you are there because of the squirming :o)

Mummy is starting to find it harder to get comfortable at night time but a few extra pillows help and I feel like I am in a nest....of course I just get comfortable and then you start your Octopus act (I do feel you moving during the day too but I think you are definitely more active at night time - though that could also be because I am lying still and paying more attention)! I don't mind really, whenever you move I feel very reassured that you are all okay in there and I feel connected to you so end up smiling too. Dada has felt you move several times too now so is quite chuffed about that. He has also been reading to us a little at night time which will help you learn to recognise his voice more - as you get to hear Mummy rabbit on all day :o)

We are off to see Meera (our specialist) on Wednesday and we will get to see you on the ultrasound again which we always love :o)

Night, night my little one (though you always seem to be awake at night time!)

Lots of love from Mummy XX00

It's (probably) a boy!

We've had the 20 week scan, and we're 90% certain that the baby is a boy (it took some time, but eventually the ultrasound technician found his 'boy bits'). More importantly, everything is the right size, in the right place, and has the right orientation -- the chickling is boringly normal!

Heartbeat

For your entertainment, we managed to hook the foetal heartbeat monitor up to the laptop on Saturday, and recorded the baby's heartbeat.

Two days till we find if the baby's a boy or a girl...

In limbo....

Well Mum feels a little like she is in limbo right now, past the first trimester so not as tired but only 15 weeks (as of Friday) so cannot feel you moving around just yet and still 5 weeks to go to the 20 week scan and we can find out if you will be a boy or girl (provided you are not too shy that is)! Mummy is getting impatient...Daddy would say that this happens a lot with Mummy :)

We next see Meera after the 20 week scan so not til the end of July - Mummy bet check that appointment card to see exactly when it is!!

Not much else is happening right now, we need to move some things around in the house so that the kitties are not being fed in the room which will now be yours and then we will need to start sorting that out as Daddy wants to paint it for you :)

It is getting pretty late now so Mummy thinks we should both go to bed.

Lots of love,
Mummy and Daddy

Ever better odds

Just heard from Meera again, and the blood tests are back from Australia. The odds of our chickling having Downs syndrome have gone from 1 in 350 (based purely on Juliette's age), to 1 in 6800 (based on mucal translucency) to 1 in 70,000. I like dem odds!

Time for the big reveal!!

Well we saw Meera again today and everything with the scan is good - the down syndrome risk has dropped from 1:350 to 1:7000 so very reassuring!

We actually got to see Chickling move on the scan Meera did today which was so awesome - such a thrill :o)

So now we wait a couple of months before the 20 week scan when we can find out the sex (provided baby co-operates) and then we see Meera again to review.

And of course now we feel reassured that all is well we can tell EVERYONE!! We've already been to visit my Nan and tell her and I am going to call my Nana (Dad's Mum) shortly.