Week 24

Had another ultrasound and routine doctor’s appointment the other day. Baby girl’s stomach is just fine.

They thought it looked a little “pronounced” in the last ultrasound, a month ago. When I heard this, I immediately thought it was some sort of possible deformity. In reality, it’s just that babies in utero ingest the amiotic fluid, which plumps up their bellies, then they pee it back out again, returning the belly size to normal. This happens all day long, over and over, all the time. That is all it was. And that if it were something serious, they would not have waited a month to call me. But still. You have to wonder why they couldn’t have explained the whole “pronounced” thing over the phone. Sheesh.

Somehow I was able to keep my worrying to a minimum.

Jesse got to attend, and see how big they are. It was pretty great. We saw the four chambers of their tiny hearts, pounding away. We saw them stretching out their legs completely and kicking each other. A lot. (Baby girl’s feet have been kicking my bladder today, in fact) They are still in the yin-yang position. Boy is vertex (head down) and girl is breech (feet down). There’s still time for them to change positions, so I can’t get too excited about at least one of them being in the perfect vaginal birthing position.

Speaking of The Birth...I’m conflicted. Of course I would LOVE to have natural childbirth. In a groovy tub of water. With no pain meds. Goddess-style. I’m not sure how great the odds are since I’m HIGH RISK (cue the bells of alarm!). On one hand, it seems like a c-section would be easy in that it could be scheduled, they do it, there’s no hours of pushing and shit like that. But it IS major surgery. And how do you feed and care for two tiny ones when you are recovering from being cut open? I just can’t know how it will turn out. I have to just keep imagining the perfect scenario in my mind: an easy, uncomplicated labor and delivery. Heck, why not imagine an orgasmic birth while I’m at it? It has been known to happen.

We met with Dr. Grant, too. She gave me the rundown on heartburn, body pillows and round ligmament pain. (so that’s the funny dull ache I feel right after I pee.) Also, she has cleared me for air travel.

I’m flying to California in two days for Thanksgiving. I have aisle seats, and I will move about the cabin as much as possible. I wish Jesse were coming too, but his new job and schedule kind of got in the way. He will be able to spend the day with Ann and the family, so that’s good. I’m really looking forward to having more than a week off from work! Yessss! And to really start things off right, I’m ending my workweek today with a Watsu massage. It’s a combination of Shiatsu and water. You float in a warm pool and the therapist sort of floats you around and works on you. Apparently, it’s just the thing for expectant mothers. I am so excited to be floating weightless and being massaged at the same time!