27 Weeks

 We went back to the maternal-fetal specialist (MFM) on Friday and we all feel much better. After having a week to think about everything, we definitely had some questions. My mom met Mike and I at the doctor's office and it was great to have her there for support. One neat thing I like about this office is that they have a big TV screen on the wall so everyone can see the ultrasound images, but unfortunately, the screen had stopped working so we all had to try and see the images on the little ultrasound machine screen. The ultrasound didn't take too long...we got to see and hear his heartbeat, which is such an amazing sound, and we saw him folded in half. He is quite flexible!! The tech measured the fluid and then looked at the blood flow to the cord. 

We then went and met with the doctor. She was very positive and we all felt such a sense of relief. She said the fluid level looked good and that while there are some spots on the cord that don't have great blood flow (which she said is typical at 27 weeks) that the rest of the cord looks great. We asked a few questions about some of the things we had read about. I knew that an enlarged kidney and being on the smaller side are both soft markers for Down Syndrome and asked if she thought we might be looking at a chromosomal abnormality. She said that is not at all on her radar screen which was very reassuring, Mike asked if there was anything we needed to do or not do and she said the typical, stay away from alcohol, massive amounts of caffeine, no seafood or cold cuts...all the things we knew. I asked if she was more concerned about the kidney or the weight (he is only a few ounces behind) and she said that starting next week, it is all based on his health testing. Starting next week at 28 weeks, he has "tricks" he has to do during the ultrasound...move, practice breathing, etc. They will also do another growth scan to see how much he has grown in the past 2 weeks. Again, she emphasized that a small baby is fine, they just want to make sure he is a small, healthy baby!

Yes, those are his legs and feet over his head!!

George wanted in on the picture!

27 weeks....headed to a baby shower for a friend

26 Weeks

So I am way overdue for an update so here goes. . .

Here are pictures from 24 weeks. . .

         

You can see the pack and play set up in the background. We actually got it around Christmas when we realized that the set we wanted was being discontinued. The pack and play, swing, and bouncy seat (we already have them all) are the Snug-a-bunny line by Fisher Price. We had seen the swing and bouncy seat in person, but had not seen the pack and play so we decided to go ahead and set it up to see what it looked like, and thankfully, we love it! 

If you remember from the previous post at 20 weeks, when we went for our anatomy scan they found that one of Will's kidneys was slightly enlarged. It is a very common prenatal diagnosis, but they watch it to make sure it goes down. We went last Friday at 26 weeks for a repeat ultrasound and they found that his kidney is still enlarged. One of his kidneys looks like a milk chocolate M & M and the enlarged one looks like a peanut M & M. The doctor didn't say how enlarged it was, but at 20 weeks, it was measuring at 4.5 milliliters of fluid instead of 4...so not an extreme case, but enough to keep watching it.

We also learned that Will is measuring small for his gestational age. When they what they call a growth scan, they measure the femur in the leg, the width of their tummy, and their head circumference. All of his measurements were about a week behind. They also measured the amount of amniotic fluid, which was normal, and the health of the umbilical cord by looking and listening to the blood flow, which also looked good.

I was hoping that I would not have to return to the maternal-fetal specialist after this visit, but that is not the case. I will continue to go each Friday to have my fluid level and umbilical cord checked as those are 2 good signs that everything is good. Then every other week, I will also have a growth scan to check his growth progress. I am trying to stay positive and not think about the "what ifs", but it is hard at times. After having some time to process what the specialist told us, we obviously have some questions. It is hard for Mike to get off from work and drive from Athens to Snellville, so thankfully my mom is going to go to the next 2 appointments with me. We appreciate prayers, specifically that Will's kidney to return to normal size and that he would grow like a weed...well, not too much...I'd rather not birth a 10+ pound baby!

William Lemke Hervey @ 26 Weeks!

How far along? 26 weeks 

Total Weight Gain? Zero....still hanging out at about 18 pounds lost..and not complaining about it!

Maternity Clothes? Definitely...now that spring is around the corner, I may need to get a few more things so I am not hot all the time.

Stretch Marks? Not any new ones!

Sleep: The last few nights have been anything but great. I am falling asleep ok, but have a hard time staying asleep after about 1 or 2 am. 

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling Will moving around!

Miss Anything? Great sleep

Movement? I feel rolls and tumbles a few times a day and some pressure on my bladder, but no real kicks or punches yet.

Food Cravings? Anything ice cream related

Anything making you queasy and sick? Brushing my teeth is still not my favorite thing

Gender: Boy!!

Labor Signs: Nope!

Symptoms: Just tired and I get very full after I eat

Belly Button: In

Wedding Rings: On and very loose

Mood: Good...just worried about out little guy

Looking forward to: Getting the changing table...it's a great shelf that my dad made years ago and my sister used it for both of her kids. We got it from them this weekend and my dad is repainting it. Once we get it in the nursery, we will be able to get things where they need to go!

Stay tuned for nursery pictures when we get everything arranged!