2-17-11 - First Trimester Screening

Today we had an appointment to meet with a genetics counselor and have a first-trimester screening done.  Our meeting with the genetics counselor was pretty useless, if you ask me, and I don't think we'll go back unless something is found to be really wrong from the screening.  She seemed really scatterbrained and spent the entire time asking us questions about our family history and drawing a big family tree on a piece of paper for her records.  And that was it, really.  She didn't really "counsel" us in any way, or offer any advice or guidance as to how we should proceed with what ended up being a really convoluted and messy family medical history.  So we left without asking any questions, because we didn't really have any confidence that it would be helpful anyway.

I think we're ready to move forward with a positive attitude.  No worrying about the "what ifs."

I then had blood work and an ultrasound done as part of the first trimester screening, which is mostly a screening for Down's Syndrome.  I did not initially realize - until speaking with my insurance company to make sure that this screening would be covered - that we would have an ultrasound done as part of this appointment.  I was excited for that part of it, and it did not disappoint.

Even at only 13 weeks, the thing in my stomach definitely looks like a baby.

In fact, it even looks like a baby that might belong to us!  Big forehead (us), long legs (us), and an enormous nose (DH).

The ultrasound was definitely a more exciting moment for me than the heartbeat appointment was.  There were no "manual internal adjustments" needed for them to get a clear picture of my uterus so it wasn't uncomfortable at all.  I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but I was definitely shocked when we could clearly see the form of a baby the moment she touch the wand to my stomach.  No trouble finding it at all!

In about 7 weeks, we will have the ultrasound that will tell us the gender.  We had already talked about it and we both want to know.  I am tired of calling this child "it" and DH always resorts to saying "he" so we're ready to start using the proper pronoun!  I'm excited!