Baby Girl

Yup - It's really true!  We've got a baby girl here!!  Gotta admit - I'm a little nervous, but super excited all at the same time!!

I had another ultrasound earlier this week.  Back on July 1st, when I had my 20 week ultrasound, the technician heard something weird in the baby's heartbeat.  I thought I heard it too, but she didn't say anything and just kept on going - although she did keep going back to measure the bumps in the heartbeat pictures.  So, when I saw the doctor, he said that everything looked good, but that he wanted to take a listen to the heartbeat.  He put the gel on my tummy, and I immediately knew that something was up.  I could very disctinctly hear 3 strong clear beats, and then nothing - 3 beats and a space - 3 beats and a space.  My doctor said "Do you hear that?  It's bump, bump, bump, drop, - bump, bump, bump, drop".  YES - of course I heard it - now what's wrong???  (I wanted to shout those words, but I held it together and calmly said something like "Yup - I do hear that")

My doctor called it a first degree heart block.  He explained that sometimes the electrical pulses in the heart don't fire correctly in one of the chambers so it's like there's a beat missing.  He also said he didn't think it was anything to worry about, but he would like to send me to Maternal Fetal Medicine so they could take a closer look and listen and see if they would recommend any treatment.  Then he asked me if my stress level had sky-rocketed?  Uhhhh - ya!  I of course, said "no, I'm ok" and we went on with the rest of the appointment.  The first thing I did when I got back to work that morning was call Maternal Fetal Medicine to make an appoinment.  Unfortunately, it was Friday afternoon, and we were leaving Sunday morning to head to Idaho Falls for a family reunion (more about that later).  So, I made an appointment for the Tuesday after we got home, and tried not to think about it.

One great thing about heading to a family reunion, is that all of my immediate family was together!  All three of my brothers, their kids, my sister and my parents were all there.  So, I took advantage of it and asked my dad, brothers and husband to give me a blessing.  I am so greatful for the Priesthood!  What a comfort that blessing was!

So, the reunion went by, and Tuesday, July 12th came, and I went in for my appointment feeling pretty calm, all things considered.  The first thing they did was sit down with me to discuss my "advanced maternal age" (good grief - I'm only 37!!).  The genetic counselor was very nice, and I re-learned some things that I remember learning in high school biology.  We sat and talked for almost an hour.  And then, finally - the ultrasound....  2 hours of ultrasound.  The tech. started out by doing all the measurements that had been done at my 20 week ultrasound, and by confirming that yes, we really do have a little girl growing in there!  Then she got to work on the heart.  She zoomed in and out, had me rolling all over the place to look from every single angle, measured everything going in and coming out of the heart, and listening to a perfect little heartbeat!  Every time she turned the sound on, I was sure we would hear that beat drop out again - but it never did.  The heartbeat was absolutely perfect!! 

After 2 hours, the tech left and the doctor came in.  She said that structurally, my baby is perfect!  The heart is perfect!  They were unable to reproduce the heartbeat that my doctor had heard.  She said it could be many things - immaturity on the baby's part, stress during the initial ultrasound, a one time arrythmia...  She suggested that I go back to my regular doctor and that he monitor the heartbeat more closely than they normally do, and if they hear it again to send me back.  But from everything they could see and hear there was nothing wrong with my baby's heart.  If something pops up again, she said that it would most likely be just a minor arrythmia and that she feels that there isn't anything to worry about.  I admit that I did cry as she talked to me!

I am still a little nervous about upcoming doctors appointments, but I am feeling this little girl move around so much, and I still feel comforted by the blessing I received!  So, of we go!  Adam is thrilled to be having a little sister, and Jackson likes to give my tummy kisses for the baby.  Scott went to the mall on Saturday, and a new store had just opened up!  He said it was a zoo - they had people directing traffic and lots of valet parking.  It's an American Girls store.  I told him he'll get the chance to learn all about it....