Our 4th Prenatal Visit

Okay folks, 4 more weeks have gone by and here we are at our 4th prenatal visit. So how did things go? Well, everything went great. It was nothing different to report except we did opt to have the 3 screen or tri-screen blood test done. This is what it is. The test measures the levels of up to four substances in your blood: AFP, hCG, uE3, and inhibin A. Having abnormal levels of these substances in your blood is associated with an increased likelihood of carrying a baby with Down syndrome. Thanks BabyCenter.com. This screen isn't mandatory, but they most at least offer it. Me and Phil had decided from the start to have this done. The test does more times than not comes back with a bad reading when actually there's no problems, and visa versa. But when it comes back good, more times than likely it is. Understand? Either way, you'd just go and have a more detailed screen done. We are not worried, not thinking about it, leaving it in God's Hands. Screens take 1 1/2 weeks. Will keep you posted on that.

Outside of that, it was business as usual. We got the joy of hearing Our Lil' Monkey's heart beat and it was strong. Video? Of course I took a video :) Check it out below.

So what's on the horizon? Well, this Friday is our Big Ultrasound! This is where they do a more detailed ultrasound looking and measuring the baby's head, legs, arms, body length and basically everything and then, hopefully if the baby cooperates, you will be able to know the sex of the baby. Excited!! So, if you haven't done our gender poll, do it!!

http://channersfirstbaby.blogspot.com/2009/03/baby-gender-poll.html

If you post a comment anonymously, then make sure you put your name in the post.

Peace Out Folks
Chris C.

Our 3rd Prenatal Visit

We are in the 2nd trimester and about 4 weeks ago we had our 2nd prenatal visit. Well, what felt like the longest 4 weeks in our lives finally came and we had our 3rd prenatal visit. We were all excited like kids waiting for Christmas. We had all our documents in order, like Phil always has. We had all the questions we wanted to ask. I mean, we had 4 weeks to think about them. Plus, every day we are watching the Discovery Health channel and baby stuff, so we always seem to have questions there and all we do then is write them down. And we were off. Appointment was at 9am.

So we got there, checked in, and waited to see the doctor. While waiting, we are racking our brains for other questions we might have missed or just thought of. Also, we are playing with the kids in the waiting room. Cute. Finally, we are in! I wait in the room while Phil goes off and does her vitals and stuff and comes back. The doctor...or wait, she was a Nurse Practitioner, comes in and we were like, wait a second, you're not the person we have been seeing! I guess people are allowed to have a day off too. But this NP was pretty down to earth and cool. She was lively and made us feel very comfortable and when we brought out our note pad with many questions, she just sat back and said shoot let's hear the questions. She likes questions :) All in all, we got all our questions answered and we were good.

Finally she said the words we have been waiting for for like 4 weeks, LET'S HEAR THAT BABY'S HEART BEAT. YYYEEESSSSS!!!! Finally :)

So she pulls out her Doppler, squeezes the cold gel on Phil's stomach and we were off. At first nothing. She reassures us that sometimes when the baby is positioned in a certain way, it's sometimes difficult to hear off the back. But then, there was the very familiar and welcoming sound we have come to just love, our baby's heart beat. There it was, thumping away interrupted by whooshes and knocks and cracks. I just thought that it was the Doppler, but the NP said, wow you have an active baby. All those the sounds along with the heart beat was the sound of our little one moving around. I guess he didn't care to be bothered. And I say he, because well we don't know yet, and I refuse to say it.

I took a video which I hope you can hear the NP as she explains the different sounds you hear from the Doppler. You'll hear the baby's heart, the baby's movement, and she showed us the difference between the baby's heart beat and Phil's heart beat which you heard through the placenta.

So, the next prenatal visit is in *sigh* another 4 weeks and very shortly after that we'll have the longer more detailed ultrasound to measure the baby and see what we are having. EXCITED!!!

In the mean time, take our poll. What do you think we are having? Boy or Girl?

Ok, here is the video. Enjoy.

Peace Out Folks
Chris C

Our 2nd Prenatal Visit

Well folks, today was the 2nd of our prenatal visits. We are happy to say that everything is all good. Thank You Lord. Today's visit was more about going over the results of all the tests that were done at the 1st prenatal visit about 2 wks ago. The doctor said that Phil was all good, the tests were all negative, which is good :), and well most of all the baby is good. We will be at 11 weeks now come tomorrow, and the best part is that we were able to hear the heart beat again and it is beating strong and great.

The doctor was able to do this with the help of an instrument called a Doppler stethoscope. She gelled up Phil's abdomen and then the instrument amplifies the sound. At first, it sounds kinda like static from a radio, but then all of a sudden, you start to hear this little fast thumping sound. That was the sound of our baby's heart! It truly is incredible what technology allows us to do in this day and age. The doctor measured the heart beat at 160 bpm. That's fast for us, but not for the tiny little fetus which is about the size of a kumquat, a little over an inch or so long, that was just right.

Anyway, we have our next appointment in 4 weeks. It's going to seem like forever the wait. *sigh* But look at it this way, next week we will be at 12 wks, 3 months!!! Wow!!

Lord, I pray and ask for health and strength with Phil and our little gift from You. Amen.

Here's a short video of the heart beat one more time. Thanks Dr. Kelly.

Peace Out Folks

Chris C.

We Can Breathe Now

Today at 2:30 Chris and I, along with my daddy, went to our first ultrasound appointment. I would have to say the worse part of the appointment was that I had to drink 32 oz's of water and not use the restroom until the ultrasound was completed. Since it uses sound waves the more liquid present the better. And man I had to go so bad about 15 minutes before the appointment even started.

Well luckily the technician who was preforming the test understand and had me taken right in and started her procedure. Right away she found the baby and said the most wonderful words I could think of ..."see there is the heart beat." It was great. She had to do a bunch of technical shots first and then started with the good pictures of the baby and showing me the different stuff inside. Then halfway through the procedure she let us hear the heart beat. Below is a video Chris took. We got pictures and everything.

So the baby is real, it is fine, has a great strong heart beat and now I can relax a little better. Lord continue to let us be healthy, grow strong and bring me to 12 weeks please Lord Jesus.

Peace Out,
Philippa Channer