16 Week Appointment—Where are you, baby?

We saw Doc on Thursday, March 13th for my monthly check-up. I am now about 16 weeks along and still not looking very pregnant, or feeling very pregnant. Which is lucky, I guess, but I’m wishing I had a big ol’ belly to show off, rather than this soft stomach that looks more like a beer gut.

Anyway, I’m the first appointment on Doc’s calendar—I don’t like to wait at doctor’s offices so I opt for the first appointment of the day—and I was so happy Corey joined me again. I love that he comes with me to see Doc, though I’m sure he feels a bit awkward as the only man in the waiting room. As soon as I’m called, we go back. Corey is led to the examination room, and I have to take a detour for the usual urine sample and weigh-in.

Now, I have professed my affection for Doc profusely. And I so look forward to my check-ups each month, you’d think it was Christmas morning each day I have an appointment. But the one thing I dread, even more so than the blood work, is the weigh-in.

It wouldn’t such a big deal if the nurses let me take off my shoes, or at least put down my purse before taking the reading on the scale, but no such luck. I mean, isn’t the point to try and get a “true” reading on what I weigh, not what I weigh plus a pair of jeans, boots, sweater, coat and purse full of junk? Needless to say, the scale at the doctor’s office always puts me 2-4lbs above my reading at home, and that just irritates me, since it’s that higher number that gets recorded.

Surprisingly, I hadn’t gained an ounce since the prior month. All the books tell you to expect to gain 2-5lbs in your first trimester, and about 1lb per week for the rest of your pregnancy. I did have a terrible bout with the stomach flu a few weeks prior to this appointment, during which I’d lost several pounds, but with my appetite back in full swing after a few days, I was shocked I’d managed to keep the scale the same. We’ll see how I do next time.

The nurse takes me back to meet Corey and I notice we’re in room 3, not room 6 like the last two times. And right away, I realize there’s no ultrasound machine in this room #3. Bummer! I thought I’d get to look in on Baby B each appointment. Though I was disappointed I didn’t get to see Baby B, we did get to listen to him/her.

With my blood pressure check all good, the nurse brings out the contraption and starts lathering me up with jelly to listen to the baby’s heartbeat. She’s moving that thing all over my abdomen and we’re not hearing a thing. After a few minutes, I’m giving Corey a worried look and wondering, “Where is it???? Is everything ok?” They found the heartbeat so easily the first time. And Nurse isn’t saying anything to give me an indication if this is normal or not.

She moved a little lower and to the right, and finally, she found Baby B beating right along at a healthy clip. Phew! Nurse said sometimes the little critters are hard to find and to think nothing of it. Would’ve been nice if she’d said that 10min earlier. I would’ve liked to have seen what my blood pressure was after all that—good thing they take it at the beginning of the appointment!

Always allaying my fears and concerns, in comes Doc remarking on what a strong heartbeat the little bean had and tells me I’m looking great. I love him. He always knows just what to say, and his timing couldn’t have been better. We chit chat about how I’d been feeling and then tells me he’s sending me down to the lab to get some blood testing for neurological disorders, such as Down’s Syndrome. Doc has no big concerns for us given our family history, my health and age, but says the tests are a must.

Also, he tells us that at our next appointment, we’ll get another ultrasound to look at Baby B’s anatomy—including the genitalia—and to think about whether or not we’d like to find out the sex.
Cool—room 6 again. I like that!

As promised, the lab got back to me within 5-7 days and said that all test results were normal.

Now we just have to make up our minds on whether or not to find out if Baby B is a he or a she….