DISCLAIMER: This post contains information about our pregnancy. Because I know all too well how these kinds of posts may affect my fellow #ttcsisters and #ttcbrothers, I include this disclaimer to forewarn you. I understand how much these posts can sting and promise to continue to add the disclaimer on any post that may be related to this pregnancy (assuming viability) so that you may have the option to bow out of reading. I understand.
Hi everyone. Monday was my second trimester appointment. I think it was originally planned to be a sixteen week check-up, but since I’m at 17 weeks, no biggie. I went to work before the appointment and was all too excited to go to the doctor to hear the heartbeat. I was also nervous as all get out about what would happen if I didn’t hear a heartbeat. That’s the thing with this pregnancy. It’s so different being my first IVF/ICSI. I always wonder subconsciously if everything is going to be okay. In this case, worry was not necessary. Our little one was doing quite well, albeit seriously feisty.
The doctor couldn’t really get a sustained heart beat reading because the baby kept running from the Doppler. Then, it kicked the heck out of the Doppler when it was tired of running. We heard the heartbeat several times and know the baby is having a ball, but couldn’t get it otherwise. The doctor does know from the times we were able to capture the heartbeat that the baby heartbeats per minute range is 140. I believe my son was always in the 160s, so I’m starting to think this may be a girl.
The doctor was pleased with my weight gain. At my last appointment, I was 159 pounds. I am 164 pounds now. We’ve managed to put on about 11 pounds over all. She wants me to gain about 30 pounds. I’m trying very hard to hit 25 or less because the more weight I carry, the harder it is for me to breathe. But whatever is safe for baby will be safe for me.
I completely forgot to ask about the breast pump prescription covered by my insurance (for now). I’ll have to call back and do so. I did manage to ask permission to travel for some upcoming trips. This weekend, I’ll be traveling by church van with several of my choir members to minister in song in NC. I’m very excited about it, but very nervous as well. I learned the hard way that I must eat every two hours or I will get very ill and I still have to go to the bathroom a lot. Hopefully, I won’t have an issue with the transport. The doctor says as long as we stop and I walk at least 2-2.5 hours on the journey, we should be okay. But I’m packing snacks for days just in case.
S. and I are also planning a anniversary trip in April to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. I’m very excited about it and hope we can find some fun activities and just relax a while. The doctor cleared us for travel after we assured her we would remain stateside and were not traveling to Zika-infected areas. We’re thinking of Charleston, SC or Orlando, FL. Charleston will probably work best as we would like to drive and I can’t see a 17 hour trip with stops at every 2.5 hour mark.
Satisfied with travel plans, the doctor then asked if I’d scheduled my 20 week full scan at the perionatoligst. I told her I hadn’t, but was awaiting the phone call. The doctor’s office scheduled the scan for me. We go in on April 16th bright and early. I’m looking forward to it and hope S. would be able to join as well. The scan can be a bit lengthy as they will be reviewing everything–organs, circumference, length, weight, skeletal, etc. We just have to reiterate that we are team green and don’t want to know the sex of the baby. I think that will be the absolute best part of the baby being born. Just being excited about who and what our little bean is. So, we’re scheduled and are super excited to see bean moving.
Pretty soon, it will be time to query our friends and family about their guesses to the baby’s gender.
Talk to you all very soon.
-K
