Tuesday, June 27, 2006

4 weeks and counting

Okay, so it's been about 28 weeks since I posted. I guess you could say I've been rather busy, with growing a baby and three other kids!

I've decided to "go public" here so that everyone can keep up with the pregnancy progress. It's been quite a ride! We're having a girl, due date July 25. Her name will be Charlotte Ivey and we are all terribly excited. Well, except for Mitchell, who has NO IDEA what's headed his way. He's not quite 21 months old and, while he loves babies, he still likes to be rocked and snuggled himself.

I had a test done early in the pregnancy (about 15 weeks) that showed that the baby had an increased risk of having Down's Syndrome, so I went to a perinatologist who did an extensive sonogram. She looked good ... well-developed nasal bone (lots of Down's babies don't have a nasal bone at all) and some other indicators that were good. We went back four weeks later to have a look at a more developed heart and everything looks good for now. Unfortunately, without having an amnio, we can't know for sure that everything is okay until she is born. But we aren't losing any sleep over it. She is what she is and we love her just the same.

When we were getting ready to go on our annual trip to Vermont I got kind of apprehensive. I was about 30 weeks along and something didn't feel quite right. I was honestly afraid I was going to deliver in Vermont. So right before we left we had a sonogram that showed the baby was breech! So that's why it felt different! She's turned now and is head-down, ready to go. Which brings me to the 35-week appointment (last week). With Mitchell, I was dilated to 2-3 cm. and 50% effaced at 35 weeks. With this baby, however, I was only at 1.5 cm. and not at all effaced. So I think I may be in this for the long haul! I have appointments every Wednesday morning from now till delivery, so I'll try to post soon after each appointment. I guess I'd better learn how to post photos, too, so everyone can see the baby after her appearance!

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