Pregnancy Info HOME

kristen...give or take a week for the u/s dates. It is a subjective measurement. Lets say if they measure the femur and it is at all foreshortened then the measurement will be scewed. I hate to also break the wives tale but during our NT we saw the definate male part (although it is still to early to say for absolute) so my 147 is a male. (I hope this stays true...this mama wants another boy!)

Hi ladies. I had my appt. today at the ob/gyn and it went very well. My weight is a little much. I have gained 7 lbs. in 4 weeks!! So needless to say, I have to start watching that, but everything else was great and we heard the heartbeat(168) on the doppler and that was great too! I think now that I started to work out again and the nausea is pretty much gone and I can drink water that maybe my weight gain will slow down now, so we shall see in the next few weeks how that all goes. I am also on one baby aspirin a day and somehow this may help prevent me from getting preeclampsia again this time and they also want to see me every two weeks instead of every month to keep a close eye on my b/p and urine, which at the present is excellent, so today was a good day and I just thought I'd share that with you all. Everyone have a super day!! XO

CHRISTA~I'm glad to hear that you are doing well. My doctor couldn't hear mine either. I think she had it too low too, because once she moved it up, there is was!! Are you hoping for a girl or boy? We are thinking pink in my family here. LOL. Except for my son, who insists it's a boy!! LOL. Darn him....

Mel..we (me and son) are hoping for a boy. DH wants a girl. I will be happy with healthy and "normal". I had an interesting experience today at the mall. There was a mother , son and daughter in the show store...normal looking daughter except she was holding a yellow bath tub duck and very oral with it (she was between 7-9) She kept biting the ruber duck and sticking her tongue on it, like licking but just holding it there. I was thinking "hmmm, odd...." then it dawned on me she was right. Her mom very gently took her hand, almost waiting for her to allow it to be taken and then she guided her out. My guess is autism. For all you women who are thrilled with whatever comes your way, I admire you. I am however scared to death that it may actually happen. Maybe because I am in a slightly different state of mind...who knows. Back to Mel...sorry for the deviation...glad you appt went well. Your babies HB is much higher then my peanuts (we are pretty sure mine is a boy) Hopefully you will get the little girl you want. Talk to you all soon.

Hi Girls..normal heart rates are between 110 and 180...but can go as high as 190 and still be considered normal. As you progress in your pregnancy the heart rate of the fetus reduces. Someone who is 12 weeks often may have a higher heartbeat than someone who is 14 weeks. I was worried that maybe my babies heartbeat was low because a couple of weeks ago it was in the 160's...and a couple of days ago it was 147. Also, depending on the time of day the heartbeat is taken can also effect the bpm's . If a women is under alot of stress this too can have a direct effect on the fetal heart rate. Hope your little beans are beating well :) XO Kristin

Hi everyone! I'm soo glad everyone has good reports! KRISTIN: My Dr. did not mention a part 2 to the NT/blood test. I think AFP is my next test but I'll find out next week. You mentioned delivery date. Do you already have an exact delivery date? Does this mean it will be a c-section for you? OB says I'm at "high risk" for c-section because of my bone structure but it's not a certainty yet. I prefer v____al delivery but I may not have a choice--whatever's best for baby. Still feeling nauseated and I'm starting to get some monster headaches. About the fetal heartbeat. . .should it be approximately the same as last time? If baby's heart bpm was 169 last month should it more or less be the same next week when I go for my next visit?

Hi Perl~I live in Toronto,Canada..they call our early testing Integrated Prenatal Screening. The first ultrasound is done and is used to check the age of the baby and measures the NT, on the same day.. a blood test is done to measure the level of protein in the blood. Then preferably at 15-16 weeks or anytime before 20 weeks a second blood test is given. The IPS result is given to the health care provider only after the ultrasound and "both" blood tests are done. In Canada we do not pay for any testing and everything is free. My brother's wife was not even offered the NT or 2 early tests in the U.S. but was given one blood test I think it was the maternal serum test at 16 weeks only and she also opted for amnio. The heartbeats can vary but like I mentioned anything between 110 and 180 is 'normal'. Heartbeats can vary slightly from the time of day it was taken to the progression of your pregnancy to the stress levels you are experiencing. As far as my delivery date goes that date is just the estimated date..and no I have not opted for C section unless it was necessary. Also, Perl 169 is a great strong heartbeat! Ask your doc if it should be the same..I only know mine changed a bit. I too have been getting occasional headaches..try to remember to keep your fluids up and avoid any dehydration. Often a headache can be a sign of this..but of course it is our hormones still going nuts. Have a great day! Kristin

Hello all - I've been very busy, but just wanted to check in -- glad to see you all are doing well, and congratulations to Perl on your exam!!!! I haven't heard back from the amnio - I called yesterday and they said they expected the results to be back on Tuesday. Thanks for all the moral support, it really means a lot! ~ I've also been getting a lot of headaches as well, along with a lot of nasal congestion, which could be either the pregnancy, or allergies. Lots of mood changes as well. My peanut's heartbeat has also varied - it was about 160 for a couple Dr. visits, and at the amnio it was 147, so it does seem normal for the heartbeat to vary. Christa - I understand your fear of having a child with problems. As we haven't heard back from the amnio, we are still very worried about it as well, hoping for the best, but trying to be prepared just in case. Luckily I have a good friend who has a 10 yr old daughter who is autisic, and she has been very supportive, offering lots of help if we should have a DS or otherwise disabled child. (as it is, her daughter is so much more well behaved than many of our friends' kids! She has a lot of trouble communicating, but her mom has done a wonderful job letting her live the most normal life she can.) I'm also pretty much over the nausea, but had to laugh when I read that brushing your teeth sets you off, because that has been the one big MS trigger for me as well! - now I just gag, which is still uncomfortable, but at least I don't have to brush twice every time! :) ~ I may look into a doppler as well . I have felt a couple flutters, and one definate "wiggle" that I was sure was the baby - and one little "bump" that felt almost like a very light kick - very faint, but certainly not gas or anything. Haven't felt anything for a few days now, but at this stage I've read that it depends on where the baby is - if it is kicking towards your insides you are unlikely to feel it this early, but if it is kicking out towards your belly-b___ton, etc, you should be able to start feeling the movements about now. It was very exciting - still light enough for me to question if that was really what I was feeling, but thrilling just the same! ~ Anyhoo....I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend - it is supposed to be beautiful in our area for the next few days, hope the rest of you have a great time as well! Take care! XO

Hey guys. No doctor has, as of yet, checked the speed of the hb, or they havent shared it with me. I got the results from the NT blood test much quicker than expected - like 3 days after u/s - they said 10 days to 2 weeks. The results went from 1 in 266 for my age (just 36) to 1 in 11,000 + , so I am VERY pleased with that. Of course I just spent the last 2 days sniffing bleach, since our storage room (with NO AIR) got all molded and I needed to go in there, lift, remove, clean and reorganize. Not a job for someone pregnant, I know! Regarding the autism issue - please dont jump down my throat for this, I know opinions vary, but the number of autistic kids have gone from 1 in 1000's to 1 in 150 something - something really crazy! I put a lot of blame on the hepat_tis vaccine, and absolutely refuse it at birth (they actually stopped doing it here at birth I think), but I refuse it altogether, amongst some others, and I live in the Middle East! Anyways, do your own research, but just thought I would share that. Can some of you share what you eat in a day from morning till night? Thanks so much.

Thanks Kristin for the info. I was told that the NT scan in combination with the blood test is not even considered "standard of care" yet in the US, but it will be soon so that it will be offered to every pregnant woman over 35. It's unfortunate that your sister in law was not even offered an NT. Daffy: still wishing you luck on the amnio results. I also have felt a little "wiggle" here and there. Annishel: congrats on the great NT results. Have you at least been able to hear your baby's heartbeat? My goodness, try to avoid that moldy room and using bleach anymore. About what I eat. . .Breakfast: yogurt and raisin bran cereal or an egg scrambled with any vegetable and a small gla__s of cranberry juice. Snack: a cheesestick and some crackers; Lunch: usually some chicken with green salad or pasta of some sort or a turkey sandwich. Snack: a small plate with more of the same thing I had for lunch (I take what I normally used to eat pre-pregnancy and cut it into two meals eaten about 2 hours apart). Dinner: usually I've been wanting anything Mexican (enchilada beans & rice) or Italian (pasta & chicken). Snack before bedtime: baby carrots or another cheesestick or just a small gla__s of milk. I also drink A LOT of water throughout the day, take a prenatal vitamin, a calcium supplement and DHA/EPA (omega-3 fatty acid) supplement all of which I started using about a year ago. ***Has anyone else been cramping more than usual lately?? I started cramping Friday night. I'm not too concerned since it's not too intense and it seems to come and go. But I'm wondering am I the only one feeling more cramps now than the past several weeks?

Hi gals: Perl: yes, I've had cramps...it's time for "Round ligament pain" which is what I think it has been for me. Also, uterus is really s t r e t c h i n g, now!! I'm totally showing and not happy about it. By the way, my DH and I are arguing about dating.....I'm 14 weeks, and according to my pregnancy calendar, that makes me 4 1/2 months. He thinks I'm only 3 1/2 months.....since he's a doctor, of course, he's sure he's right. I think there's two ways to date, but common one is 'completed' weeks =new month. Thanks for your diet. I'm all mixed up about what I can and cannot eat. Since I live in NYC, fast food and deli food is common, but I'm too scared to eat anything. I would LOVE a salad, but can't have pre-prepared because of listeria....it's very difficult. I just eat soup everyday.

Hi Ladies. Well, got the amnio results back. Not too good unfortunately. Have to go for more tests tomorrow, but it looks like a rare genetic disorder, which could be potentially fatal for the fetus, or at the very least leave it severely disabled. DH and I need to submit blood tests to check our DNA to see if it was inherited and if it could affect future pregnancys, or if it was just a fluke. Sadly, it probably means this pregnancy won't last, or that our next option is to terminate as the child will have no chance at a normal life. The upcoming tests will tell us more, but the Dr.s are warning us that things don't look good. (Again, they stressed that this is very rare, so I don't want any of you to start worrying about your own beans, I'm sure they will all be fine!) I'll check back in next week when I know a bit more what is going on. I wish all of you the very best and pray for happy healthy babies for all of you. XO

Daffy...my thoughts and prayers are with you now. Although this is tragic I hope (and I will pray) that is is an isolated case and not something that will affect your future. I hope you are able to find peace. I'd also like you to know that if you must terminate the pregnancy you have my support. Please remember there may be some who may not understand what a tough decision you are making but it is yours and your DHs decision to make and no one can say what it is like to walk in your shoes. I hope you are able to find strength. My deepest sympathies.

Oh Daffy, I'm so very sorry that you did not receive good amnio results. It sounds like something much more serious than Down syndrome like perhaps one of the trisomies. Whatever it is, I will pray that it is not a result of your and your husband's DNA and that it is just a "fluke" as you say. I'll also pray for comfort, wisdom and peace in what must be a difficult time for you and your DH. May God bless you and comfort you in whatever events happen to unfold next.

I feel so sad for you Daffy. I know you must be feeling such uncertainty in this trying time. My heart just sank..I was still expecting things to be just fine for you. I knew you had gone for the amnio..I thought that was great that you were taking control of your situation to find out early detection for disorders. If I do remember your NT was fine but your blood levels put you at high risk. Having a rare disorder just seems so bizarre for two seemingly healthy parents. I can only hope and pray for a miracle for you and your baby...if their was any chance for mistake on the doctors part...this would be the time..I just hope there is something that can be done. If not I want you to know we will all be here for you. Please try and remain strong and at peace with yourself..as there are will many options even if by chance you or your husband do have an inherited genetic disorder...and the baby cannot be healthy. I too support any dicision you make. When I had my loss last Dec..the genticist thought maybe we could have had a genetically inherited disorder too..it turned out we did not..and the chromosome testing on my little girl came up without any problems either. If I am not mistaken you too had suffered a loss before..and this time it is just the most tragic thing to happen..especially at this point in your pregnancy. I hope you and your husband can be there for each other..and like i mentioned we will all be here for you too..I am still praying for strength for you and your family in this trying time. God Bless you and your baby. XO Kristin :(

im so sory to hear that daffy. i am due november 20 and have been having trouble since my 2nd appointment. The good news is that the baby looks to be fine which is all i can ever hope for but ill tell you what happened and you can be the judge of if medical testing helps or hinders in most cases. so i went in at 10 weeks and my lovely doctor couldnt find the heartbeat with a doppler even though the previous week when I had come in for cramping, they found it fine. they decided to do an ultrasound, which showed the baby jumping around all cute totally happy and healthy. then the doctor decided to tell me it looked like the baby had downs. didnt tell me about how it was actually too early to do the NT scan, or what "soft marker" meant, any of that, just told me "it looks liek your baby has downs, well test in 2 weeks" and that there was blood clots on the placenta not telling me anything except when my high risk appointment was. So i wait those awful 2 weeks and go in for the NT scan, and it turns out to be just fine!! but then the doctor there told me it looked like i had a blood clot or fibroid or tumor but it was noton the placenta. but that y doctor would do another u/s and tell me for sure. They allso did first trimester blood screening, which thankfully came back normal. 2 weeks later i went back again to my regular practice and the doctor this time wasnt even going to look at it. i askled and then they decided they were going to do an u/s but i had to wait an hour because someone was having an amnio done. so they did it and the lump was gone the baby was fine but they said i have borderline placenta previa which usually will correct itself. then they asked if I was going to have them do the AFP, the one with all of the false positives. all i could say was f*ck NO!! im switching doctors for my 20 week appointment from now on i will be going to my best friends mom who is a well known obstetrician. good riddence to my doctors! im freaking done worrying, to make things worse, my fther pa__sed away the day after the one doctor said the baby minght have downs what a horrible day. whew! I hope from here on out its smooth sailing.