Week 24 Update: Second Maternal-Fetal Medicine Appointment

I guess I need not have worried about the bonding issues because at this point in the pregnancy everything is very real to me.  I haven't stopped feeling anxious about something going wrong, but that seems really normal given what complications we may potentially face.  I think that knowing who is in there has really helped and seeing Peanut looking healthy and very much like a baby on the Level II ultrasounds has helped dispel that feeling that somehow I was "making it all up".  I actually had a moment of true pride when I saw her move her hand and could see all the little tiny phalanges (finger bones) working as she made an itty-bitty fist.  I thought, with a sense of awe and amazement, "I made those hands!".  It is amazing to me!  I am sure the change also has some to do with the fact that I can feel her move all the time now and feel like I am getting bigger everyday.

Here we are at 24 weeks.  Obviously pregnant.  :)

You can see "the bump" better in this photo.  Strange how big I am considering I haven't gained any weight.  Peanut got bigger but not THAT big!

 We had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Nath at the Antenatal Testing Center on Thursday, January 26th.  They checked Peanut's spine again and it looks perfect.  Everything with my anatomy looked fine, including the amniotic fluid level.  They also checked on Peanut's growth.  She gained 5 ounces in the two weeks between appointments!  She is still pretty little; she averages in the 45th percentile for growth and weighs slightly less than most babies at this stage (1lb 2oz).  However, she did grow at a normal rate, she is just small.  (I guess her nickname winds up being apropos.)  They really tend to focus on the femoral length, or the length of the thigh bone, for checking growth, probably because it is the largest and longest bone in the body.  Her femur is small, but I did challenge the doctor a bit on how much to be worried about that issue.  After all, I have very short legs. (A 28" inseam!  LOL!)  But, he can be very dodgy and is extremely frustrating to talk to.  *Sigh*  Specialists are generally like that, in my experience.  He wouldn't say how worried we should be moving forward or how he felt things were progressing, but he didn't want to see us for four weeks, so I took that as a good sign and told him so.  We also have been given the go ahead to resume our routine care with the midwives, which is more evidence that I should probably relax more now.  I will have a regular prenatal appointment with the midwives on the Febrauary 9th and they will continue to stay in close contact with Dr. Nath.

        

This would have been another cute profile shot but then she moved.

We caught her yawning or drinking...well...we're not quite sure what she was doing!

So, to clarify for anyone who is concerned about how we are being cared for during the pregnancy...

As of right now, we will be seeing the midwives for our routine care.  The place that we go has three midwives and we have seen two of them so far.  One I really like and one I really don't, so I am guessing I will be ambivalent about the third when I finally see her.  The midwives are supervised by an ob/gyn that keeps track of everything that is going on in case there are complications during the pregnancy or delivery and are part of a practice that is based at Monmouth Medical Center.  Dr. K has been working with the midwives all along, and also with Dr. Nath, though I don't see him for my appointments.  He will continue to keep appraised as things progress and will be my doctor should I no longer qualify for midwife care or have an emergency during delivery.  He will defer to the Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists should I develop complications from the abnormal placenta or if it seems like there are issues with Peanut, but until then there is no need for them to be involved daily or weekly.  Dr. Nath will continue to follow us as our perinatologist and will work with the midwives and Dr. K to ensure that they are taking the best care of both of us as is possible.  Due to the complications that could possibly arise, I will deliver at Monmouth Medical Center, which is where Dr. Nath practices and where the dotors that supervise the midwives are based.  We hope not to need it, but they have a Level III NICU should Peanut need any extra help.  One of my friends delivered there and was happy with her experience.  I am hoping we are as lucky. 

This could all change at any moment, but that it what is happening right now.

My hip and leg are still a really problem, but I have been blessed with a few good days and so I haven't gone over the deep end.  Yet...LOL!  I am still waiting to see if I can get a referral for the chiropractor or for the orthopedic specialist.  (Ugh! More specialists!)  I have had some days where my leg completely stops working, which is frustrating and scary.  Besides that and the normal pregnancy issues, I feel pretty good.  Just really, really, REALLY tired.  Which is totally normal in pregnancy, I am told, but I imagine the placental issues are also a factor in how ridiculously exhausted I have been feeling.

I have been spending lots of time lately chatting and reading to Peanut and just trying to enjoy her. She does seem to be happy in there...and for that I am truly grateful.  We've done some shopping, which has been fun since I was so unwilling for so long for fear of "jinxing" ourselves.  I can't seem to do as much as I would like to without causing my leg and hip to really start hurting, but our short excursions have been successful all the same.  Gotta love finding 40% off the lowest clearance price sales!  Unfortunately, we're not taking as many rides as we used to because sitting in and getting out of the car is something that hurts even on good days and I have had to miss visiting with folks for the same reason (Love you, Court!). 

Things are going really well right now and it is great to share good news with all of you!  Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts.