Quickening and 21 week appointment

I am feeling the little one quite a bit these days. It's been a few weeks now that I have felt her, but she is definitely getting stronger this past week. Yesterday evening she was very active, so I had Will put his hand on my abdomen and she gave two intense kicks in a row. His eyes opened wide, and he said, "Wow!!!" Yup, no joke now. There is definitely a baby in there. Mostly she feels like she's rolling and twisting around, but there is also some intense elbow and foot action going on from time to time.

I saw my OB this morning (21 weeks, four days) and all is still looking good. She checked the cervix - said it is still long and closed, checked for bacterial vaginosis - negative, blood pressure is good and low 115/65, and she said I should be checked again for the previa issue around 28 weeks (at which point she also wants me to do a growth scan) but don't need to check it before that. While we are on vacation next week, she advised me to call any time I am worried about anything. Said that I should call after 5pm to get a prompt return call from whichever physician is on call. She did an ultrasound, but I didn't even need it. I knew the little miss was alive because I could feel her squirming around.

I asked her too at what point they would try to resuscitate my little girl if she came too early. She said I have to get to 24 weeks. I'm certainly not planning on having Magpie join us any time soon, but it helped (and scared me a little) to know how far I have to go before they would try to save her. So at this point, I need to get two and a half weeks further along (gulp) for her to have any chance at all. I think I will be holding my breath just a little bit until then...exhaling a bit more at 28 weeks...then some more at 33...and maybe not fully until she's here in my arms.

Mo

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Magpie's 20w6d anatomy scan

We had a second anatomy scan this morning, just shy of the 21 week mark. First off, baby is still alive! Phew.

This time, we saw the corpus callosum, good amniotic fluid level, well functioning four-chambered heart, femurs, arm bones, hand bones, feet, vertebrae, cute nose and lips, intact palate, properly positioned cord insertion, and a three vessel cord.

They also checked down below and Magpie is definitely still Ms. Magpie, not a mister.

Cervix remains long and closed, measuring over 4mm (phew!)

The only potential issue they saw is that the placenta is somewhat close to my cervix. (1.9 cm and they said it should be over 2.0 for safety). So they want me back again in a month to check on this. I am not super worried about it at this time. It is close to 2.0cm, and the fallout if I have marginal placental previa is that I will have a cesarean. I would strongly prefer a vaginal birth, but mostly what I want is a healthy, live baby. However we get her here is secondary.

So I have to go back in four weeks to check the placenta again.

It was a long, long appointment, because the little miss wouldn't get in the right position to finish checking the heart and pulmonary artery. She finally did (after me drinking juice, coughing, doing jumping jacks, rolling around on the table, and lots of poking... but it took her over an hour!). Apparently, this is one stubborn little girl.

The coolest part is that my mom is here this week visiting from across the country. She hasn't seen me pregnant until now, so this in itself is super wonderful, and she came with Will and me to the anatomy scan and saw the baby up close and personal, which was very special. I took her out to Sarabeth's for breakfast afterward. All in all a great start to a Friday.

Here she is...one day shy of 21 weeks...I still can't believe it.

Mo

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