Pickled Peaches update - 20 weeks

First of all, if you asked to be included in the email updates and did not get an email from me, please let me know. Some people told me in person or in a different email so I'm afraid I forgot some folks.

I had my 20 week appointment today. Here's the short of it: so far, so good.  The baby looks good. This was the big anatomy scan, when they spend lots of time looking everything in great detail and heart, face, arms, legs, 10 fingers and toes, etc. all look good. Baby was moving around and uncooperative at times, and also adorably had his/her hands up by their face some of the time, just like Emmy used to.

We did not find out the gender, sorry to disappoint, we all have to wait! :)

The long of it: I really won't feel good until they hand me a healthy baby. I was hoping for some sort of huge relief when I walked out, but I don't feel that way.  The baby is measuring 89th percentile, that's quite big!  But Sara Hawley measured 80th at 20 weeks, then her growth dropped, so I don't put a lot of stock in it right now. There is still notching in one of my uterine arteries but probably not in the other, so we can't rule that complication out. It can be an indication of high blood pressure (which I have, but is well controlled with meds right now), Intrauterine Growth Restriction, and a host of other things. You can read more about that here or here.

The lab screwed up royally and failed to draw the 2nd set of blood tests (the sequential screen, it's called), which would include the AFP levels (alphafetaprotein, high with both Emmy and SH) and another level which could be useful in evaluating placental function. So I go get that drawn tomorrow, it's actually almost too late to have it done. Frustrating for me and the doctor. 

The lab has proved to be frustrating for me on more than one occasion, so I'm doubly not looking forward to going tomorrow for a 3 hr Glucose tolerance test. I was right on the borderline with my 1 hr test in May (to test for gestational diabetes) so I have to go do this one. I actually am mad at myself, I drank a protein shake the morning i went in and I should have chewed my breakfast because those shakes are great but always make me need a snack mid morning so no wonder my body didn't process everything.  If the lab had not screwed up, I'd have completed it 2 days before in the afternoon when I went in to get it done but long story short, they screwed up, so I'm blaming them, too. ;)  So prayers, please, that this is not too miserable (I've heard that it is) and that I pass with flying colors so this is not one more thing for me to worry about.

All that is to say, yes, everything look good today, (uterine arteries aside) but the risks are still there and I'm still scared and I am just going to be.

Alien baby 3D shot, baby kept moving around at this point so it was hard to get a clear picture.

Ok, so maybe it's not adorable, per say, but the little hands are pretty cute! Again, moving baby made it hard to get a good face shot.

Sara Hawley's birthday was last Thursday so that weighs heavily on my mind now, too, I'm sure.  It was hard not to burst into tears during the ultrasound, it's hard to explain.  I'll write more about that and our trip home in a blog post later this week, I'm working on one.  We had a great time visiting with those we could see, so thanks to those who hosted or drove to visit. It was a fun, but tiring trip!

Thanks for your continued prayers and good wishes.  Keep them coming!

Love to all,
Beth