So I decided since I am pregnant for the first time, I might as well help research along. The study is called NuMoM2b and it's looking for tests that can help identify women who might run into problems or complications during their first pregnancy (since they don't know how to predict first time mothers' complications or problems since they don't have a history with pregnancies yet). So what does this mean for me? Well, I have a bunch of samples, answered lots of questions about the foods I eat, and get three in-depth ultrasounds for my baby (measuring parts of the baby, calculating things, and measuring parts of my body inside). I wasn't sure if I was going to do it (even when it came down to the day of my appointment), but I decided to do it--partially because Jeff and I had a scare two days before that. Jeff and I are on an intramural kickball team together (I gave up being on the intramural soccer team because that's a more high risk game to be playing while pregnant) and during our last game, at the very last play of the game, as I was throwing the ball at someone to get them out, I slipped and fell--right on my stomach. My hands and legs were out, so my stomach got the full impact of the fall. I was really nervous for the next two days about baby, so I decided to go to the study for the ultrasound to make sure the baby was ok. Well, turns out the kid is really tough--didn't make him skip a beat. The baby wasn't doing as many somersaults this time, but baby was still kicking out and punching really hard. The baby is still on the most active side of the scale that you can be on--right now the normal heart beat for a baby is supposed to be between 120 and 160. Our baby, to no surprise, has a heart beat currently of 160. Every nurse and doctor that I've seen has said that it's one of the most active babies they have seen--and they ALL have warned me that this kid is so active that it might hurt more than other women's pregnancies once I start getting a little bigger (and the kid can kick even harder). Well, at least I know that our kid is all right. I have decided that I need to be extra careful, and less competitive, to prevent another scare like that. So here are some pictures from the ultrasound.
The baby has grown almost an inch over the last week. It is very apparent when you compare this week's ultrasound to last week's.
They conveniently labeled the foot just in case you have no idea what it is. It is the bottom of the right foot crossing over the left leg. You can see the femur and tibia of the left leg before it goes behind the right leg.
The baby is waving.
The baby has grown almost an inch over the last week. It is very apparent when you compare this week's ultrasound to last week's.
The baby is waving.
