I hate how when they first start an ultrasound you see the baby and then it takes a few seconds to see the heartbeat. I think my heart stops and I don’t breathe during those few seconds. Then, there’s the heart, beating away! It’s such a relief to see that.
The doctor I had this week wasn’t as compassionate as last week’s, so I didn’t really get to see the baby move very much. He aimed the screen at me and I saw the heartbeat and saw the baby wiggle a little and then he turned it away to take his measurements. The baby was measuring right on this week and his or her little heart was beating away, although he didn’t measure it again.
He did tell me that he didn’t see any point in continuing the weekly ultrasounds because at this point he’s confident that everything will be fine. In my initial relief I agreed, but now I’m not so sure. March 24 is a long ways off. He also recommended I not get an at-home doppler to hear the baby because I might not find it right away and get worried. We’ll see. I did some initial searching for places you can rent them from and some of them require a prescription. I looked at eBay to see about buying one, but a lot of the listings mention that you need to be a certified healthcare provider or they won’t sell to you. If you’re using one (Meg, I know you have one), where did you get yours from?
I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned how my thyroid has been acting up or not, but my TSH, which is supposed to be between 1-1.5, is .02, so they’re having me stop my medication and retest in a month. I guess pregnancy hormones can cause your thyroid to function more normally than it does when you’re not pregnant. Which is good, I guess. One less pill to take! Plus, I usually take it when I wake up and you can’t eat for a hour afterwards, but I’ve been so hungry when I wake up it’s hard to wait. Now I won’t have to.
Another problem is my progesterone. The nurse called this morning and said my progesterone check last Friday showed it being at 12. Not good at all. However, my ultrasound this week was fine, and the doctor had my results and didn’t say anything to me about increasing my progesterone dosage or anything, so he must think it’s fine. He didn’t even mention what the level was to me, which drives me crazy. Did he think I was better off not knowing? Probably, because now I think I might call back and tell them I don’t want to stop the weekly ultrasounds after all. Seriously, though, I was just starting to think how everything might actually work out this time, and now this. It could still be nothing, but it’s just such a downer.
But since the baby looked great and the doctor said he thinks everything will work out and he’d seen my progesterone level when he said that, I’m trying to take confidence from that.
I don’t know at what point I’ll actually believe that things will work out, though.
Our baby at 10w1d
Love the picture!!!
I wonder if the progesterone level is wonky because you are right around the time when the placenta really takes over the production. I think if your doc is confident, go with that.
One of the nurses told me not to get a doppler but my doc said it might be a good reassurance until I feel regular movement. I will say that I had one in the house from 11.5 weeks onward and those first 4 weeks were really stressful. Sometimes I would find him and other times it would take like 20+ minutes so really stressful. But from about 15 weeks forward, I have been so happy to have it in the house. I only listed once or twice a week now but knowing it is here for aa quick check is very helpful for me to get through.
I borrowed mine from a friend who got it on Ebay for less that $40 and we have both been very happy with it. It does not have a reader but you can easily tally the rate on your own. The one I have is Angelsounds by Jumper Medical.
http://www.amazon.com/JPD-100S-Pink-Angelsounds-Fetal-Doppler/dp/B001NWC5PW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1236362844&sr=8-2
I am sooooo glad and happy for you!
The baby is already looking cute there