Hospital Update: Meeting the Consultant and measuring 34 weeks at 28 weeks.

My favourite image of our Baby Boy so far! Taken at 20 weeks, UCLH. 20th March 2012.

Yesterday morning we drove up to Broomfield Hospital for another appointment with our Consultant; to discuss the findings from our last scan –The Bilateral Talipes. But our actual consultant was stuck on the M25 (of course), so we saw someone else and had to go through the whole rigmarole of explaining everything that’s happened in this rollercoaster of a pregnancy!

Fast forward half an hour and I’m on the couch being measured up with a tape measure again. At my Midwife appointment, less than a week ago, my bump was measuring up at 30cm, so 30 weeks – Weekly Update: 28 weeks. So had expected it to be about the same.The two Doctors measured me again… I was measuring 34cm, so one would assume, 34 weeks! UH OH.

I was referred for an emergency scan to check out baby boy’s measurements properly, along with an index of my amniotic fluid. Had to sit around the hospital for 3 hours until the scan. MASSIVE YAWN.

Had the scan and everything was FINE. He’s measuring up at 29 weeks (of which I am 29 weeks tomorrow). He weighs about 2 and a half pounds. He couldn’t be more spot on measurements wise, he’s spot on all the ‘average measurement’ lines on the scan graph. Which is great!

Also, my amniotic fluid is showing up at 6cm at the deepest point, which again, is absolutely normal! So everything is great. I just have a lot of my own water retention and bloating..possibly because I drink far too much water. What can I say? I’m a thirsty girl!

Additionally, the Sonographer also said that we no longer need to go back to have a scan at 32 weeks. She’s more than happy with the progress of everything and doesn’t see why we should have to go back to the hospital to review baby boy’s Talipes. Which is also fine by us! We’re over the moon! But at the same time, I’m also a little bit sad that we won’t be seeing our baby boy for a little while… in fact, the next time we see him will be when he’s ARRIVED! Which to be honest, is also a little bit scary! It’s all very very very REAL now. EXCITED.

So the moral of this story is, don’t believe the measurements! It was never going to be an exact science, measuring your bump – who thought it would be?!

MM.

PART TWO: Cramping, Spotting and an emergency ultrasound scan.

We have GOOD NEWS!!

We went for the second scan at the Early Pregnancy Unit today – just under two weeks since my first scan. (You can read what happened during our first scan, here: PART ONE: Cramping, Spotting and an emergency ultrasound scan.). We were so anxious for the re-scan, for obvious reasons. But the Sonographer was able to find the baby straight away, with a very very healthy  and strong heartbeat. My DP immediately had tears. I however, was just so relieved – I can’t even tell you. The heartbeat was this absolutely mesmerising flickering movement within the sac.

I was measured at around 7-8 weeks. Which by my dates works out right – infact according to my dates I’m 8 weeks +0 today.

So so happy!!

We just can’t wait until the 12 week scan now – to get more of a look at our developing baby!

MM.

 [EDIT – I also wanted to add that I have not had any further spotting or cramps since Week 6].

PART ONE: Cramping, Spotting and an emergency ultrasound scan.

So I have a few things to talk about since my last post. I had some cramping, that initially started mild. The type of pains you have when you feel AF just around the corner. Then on 30th November the cramping was getting much worse and was lasting around 5 minutes. The cramping was really low down, almost at my pubic bone. I googled the cramping and found that is was completely normal! PHEW! It’s just all your muscles stretching.

But then yesterday I went to the loo at around10:30am at work. I noticed a TINY amount of brown spotting. But the spotting mixed with my cramps (and still not knowing when my first Midwife appointment will be!) made me call the doctors. My doctor gave me a telephone appointment and referred me to the EPU (Early Pregnancy Unit) at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford.

I was told to arrive at my 10:30am appointment with a relatively full bladder. We arrived at the hospital early, at 10:05am with the full bladder.  Time ticked on and I was eventually seen at 12noon! Needless to say I thought I was going to pass out with the pain of having to wait all that time with said full bladder. I had emptied my bladder, slightly, to relieve the pain, FOUR times whilst waiting to be seen. When I went in for the scan, I was told I was ‘too full’ for a normal scan and so had to empty my bladder completely (really pleased I sat there in agony for all that time and didn’t need to be!) and a Transvaginal Ultrasound Scan was used instead. The scan was uncomfortable, but wasn’t painful.

Unfortunately, the news we had this morning wasn’t good. The Sonographer was able to locate a small sac (dating me at 6 weeks) but could not find a heartbeat. We were told that it could either be too early to find the heartbeat or it could have been because my bladder was so full its altered the scanning capabilites. I have to go back for a further scan on Friday 15th December. We’re feeling really really hopeful. And I just have to make sure that my bladder is not as full next time!

Fingers crossed for us!

MM.