32 Weeks - A future rugby player?

My 32 week scan was a little bit of a surprise...

The scan was done in the OB's office, so nothing too fancy. We couldn't really understand at all what we were looking at...everything just looks squashed. But we got the flimsy little print out as the photographic evidence.

But this was the scan where the OB gives you an estimate of the size of the baby. And our little chunky monkey was proudly sitting in the 90th percentile on the boof head scale - which means he's a whopper compared to other babies at 32wks. According to my pregnancy app, baby should have been around 1.8kg. Ours? 2.3kg.

Yep, I was growing a big, boof head, rugby player inside my unsuspecting uterus.

I thought I'd been quite small during my pregnancy, but had obviously hit some growth spurts after I reached 20 wks. I was a little stunned. The OB said we should be prepared for a possible early arrival and that he'll be carefully monitoring the baby's growth once I reach 38 weeks (if nothing has happened before then).

But you know what I thought was really scary? When I told my friend that the little boof head was estimated to be 2.3kg, she told me that was how much her baby weighed when he was born...at 37 wks. That's right. My baby was already the size of a 37 week old baby.

I have since discovered that a few friend's babies have weighed around 2.6 - 2.9kg...how much more is he going to grow?

Get this baby out now!

My IVF Cycle Report

I had downloaded an App called Menstrual Calendar after 2 years of trying to conceive. It helped me keep track of my menstruation cycle and predict my ovulation times.

One of the great features of this App (which I found invaluable during IVF) is that it records all your appointments, medications, weight, temperature, tests and any notes you might add. You can email yourself (or your doctor) a report that lists everything for each day of the month.

Below is an example of my "report".  If you can be bothered reading through the whole thing, it shows a good summary of the drugs that I was taking, how long I was taking them for and any relating symptoms as well as my test results. Well,  it's interesting for me to read it back anyway.

3/02/12 - Day 1 of cycle

• Notes : Period kind of started today. But it is really light and sporadic. It kind of started yesterday but it was more like spotting. Not sure if it's because of the Synarel? I've been taking it for over a week?
• Medications : Synarel
• Menstruation : Light

4/02/12 - Day 2 of cycle

• Notes : Start Gonal-f at 150
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f
• Menstruation : Moderate

5/02/12 - Day 3 of cycle

• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f
• Menstruation : Light

6/02/12 - Day 4 of cycle

• Spotting / bleeding : Low
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f

7/02/12 - Day 5 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.33
• Weight : 73.7 kg
• Spotting / bleeding : Low
• Abdominal cramps : Low
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f

8/02/12 - Day 6 of cycle

• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f
• Medical appointments : Acupuncture

9/02/12 - Day 7 of cycle

• Weight : 72.9 kg
• Intercourse : Unprotected
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f

10/02/12 - Day 8 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.15
• Notes : Blood test today. Levels at 750. Increase Gonal-f to 187.5.
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f
• Medical appointments : Blood test

11/02/12 - Day 9 of cycle

• Notes : Saw the counsellor today. Was a bit of an eye-opener...
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f

12/02/12 - Day 10 of cycle

• Intercourse : Unprotected
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f

13/02/12 - Day 11 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.15
• Notes : Blood test and Ultrasound today. Scan showed 1 follicle in the right and none in the left. Blood Test showed E levels increased to 2900 which indicates 2 or 3 large follicles (or possibly 6 smaller follicles). Even 750 levels from Friday indicate more than 1 follicle. 1 follicle would show levels of at least 500. Weird.
• Abdominal cramps : Low
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f
• Medical appointments : Blood test, Ultrasound

14/02/12 - Day 12 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.07
• Notes : Ultrasound - 11 follicles found!
• Abdominal cramps : Low
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f
• Medical appointments : Ultrasound

15/02/12 - Day 13 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.21
• Weight : 74.1
• Medications : Synarel, Gonal-f

16/02/12 - Day 14 of cycle

• Notes : Trigger shot at 9.45pm. Stop synarel and Gonal-f. Lining 12mm
• Medications : Ovidrel
• Medical appointments : Acupuncture, Blood test, Ultrasound

18/02/12 - Day 16 of cycle

• Temperature : 35.84
• Notes : EPU @ 9.45am. Be at clinic at 8.45am. Start Crinone tonight.
• Spotting / bleeding : Low
• Abdominal cramps : Medium
• Medications : Crinone
• Medical appointments : EPU Egg pick up

19/02/12 - Day 17 of cycle

• Notes : 5 out 5 eggs fertilised! Woo hoo!
• Bloating : Low
• Abdominal cramps : Low
• Muscle / joint pain : Low
• Medications : Crinone

20/02/12 - Day 18 of cycle

• Notes : Embryos have reached 4 cell stage. Will be having 5 day transfer on Thursday.
• Bloating : Low
• Abdominal cramps : Low
• Muscle / joint pain : Low
• Medications : Crinone

21/02/12 - Day 19 of cycle

• Weight : 73.8
• Notes : Ow! Sharp pain in my right ovary!
• Abdominal cramps : Low
• Medications : Crinone

22/02/12 - Day 20 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

23/02/12 - Day 21 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone
• Medical appointments : ET Embryo Transfer

24/02/12 - Day 22 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

25/02/12 - Day 23 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

26/02/12 - Day 24 of cycle

• Notes : Foolin around woo hoo
• Medications : Crinone

27/02/12 - Day 25 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

28/02/12 - Day 26 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.7
• Medications : Crinone

29/02/12 - Day 27 of cycle

• Weight : 72.9
• Notes : Bit crampy today. Could be PMS?
• Medications : Crinone

1/03/12 - Day 28 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.84
• Weight : 72.5
• Notes : Had apple strudel with cream, feeling a bit nauseous. Had a very heavy crampy feeling down low this morning and once last night. Skin looking good. 1.45pm: I'm either very hungry or feeling sick. It feels like its sitting at the top of my stomach. Gonna go eat now. 6.30pm: Feeling a bit breathless when walking the dogs. 9.44pm: Now I have a sharp crampy pain along my right side. Almost radiating from my ovary.
• Medications : Crinone

2/03/12 - Day 29 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.83
• Notes : 2.30pm: That sick feeling at the top of my stomach again! All my symptoms are Crinone side effects. Have been getting white rubbery discharge...ew!
• Medications : Crinone
• Medical appointments : Acupuncture

3/03/12 - Day 30 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.74
• Notes : Took temp a bit late, after I went to the toilet and went back to bed. Got my BFP Today!!
• Intercourse : Unprotected
• Pregnancy test : Positive
• Medications : Crinone
• Medical appointments : Blood test

4/03/12 - Day 31 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.86
• Notes : Very bloaty and gassy today. Short of breath.
• Intercourse : Unprotected
• Medications : Crinone

5/03/12 - Day 32 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.72
• Notes : Feeling really bloaty today. Actually have stomach pain. It feels really full and tight at the top of my stomach. So constipated. Will try pear juice. Incredibly itchy left boob. Ow!
• Medications : Crinone

6/03/12 - Day 33 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.86
• Notes : Symptoms not too bad today. Still very bloaty. Incredibly itchy boobs.
• Medications : Crinone

7/03/12 - Day 34 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.68
• Notes : So bloated. Heavy feeling at top of stomach. Breathing hard. Drank prune and pear juice. So full. Uncomfortable. Frightened I might mess my pants. Need to pee all the time and straight away!!
• Medications : Crinone

8/03/12 - Day 35 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.68
• Notes : Not so crampy or bloaty today. Still no period. Consistent temperature confirms the BFP...
• Medications : Crinone
• Medical appointments : Acupuncture

9/03/12 - Day 36 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.81
• Weight : 72.5
• Notes : A bit crampy tonight. It feels low. 
• Medications : Crinone

10/03/12 - Day 37 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.66
• Intercourse : Unprotected
• Medications : Crinone
• Medical appointments : Blood test

11/03/12 - Day 38 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.7
• Intercourse : Unprotected
• Medications : Crinone

12/03/12 - Day 39 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

13/03/12 - Day 40 of cycle

• Intercourse : Unprotected
• Medications : Crinone

14/03/12 - Day 41 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.74
• Medications : Crinone

15/03/12 - Day 42 of cycle

• Temperature : 36.84
• Medications : Crinone

16/03/12 - Day 43 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

17/03/12 - Day 44 of cycle

• Notes : HCG level @ 16978, progesterone @ 680. Everything normal.
• Medications : Crinone
• Medical appointments : Blood test

18/03/12 - Day 45 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

19/03/12 - Day 46 of cycle

• Weight : 71.7
• Medical appointments : Ultrasound

20/03/12 - Day 47 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

21/03/12 - Day 48 of cycle

• Medical appointments : Acupuncture

22/03/12 - Day 49 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

24/03/12 - Day 51 of cycle

• Medications : Crinone

31/03/12 - Day 58 of cycle

• Intercourse : Unprotected

1/04/12 - Day 59 of cycle

• Intercourse : Unprotected

2/04/12 - Day 60 of cycle

• Medical appointments : Ultrasound

13 weeks

13weeks 4days - no more jelly bean!

Well I got my appointment with my OB this week. They were really great to fit me in on such short notice. My OB seemed really friendly and informative and the nurse was great too! I had a whole list of questions to ask them, but of course they just went straight out the window when I got there. Thankfully, they pretty much answered everything I was wondering about anyway.

So onto the scan. This one was done on the belly (no internal scan, thank goodness!) I was worried that I hadn't drunk enough water and if I could go to the toilet beforehand, but turns out it wasn't an issue at all. Once the doctor put the scanning thingo on my belly,  I could actually recognise features of a little baby.  It wasn't a jelly bean anymore. We could see the face, arms and legs and a little round belly. And  I cannot describe how amazing it is to our little one moving around in there. It just didn't want to keep still at all, it was twisting and tumbling around! But the doctor was able to get a few good shots. It's hard to believe that all of that is going on inside, and I can't feel any of it at all.

You can also get the baby checked for their risk of developing Down Syndrome. The Nuchal Fold Test measures a fluid sac on the back of the neck for any chromosomal abnormality. While the doctor was able to measure it, he said that because the scan was left a bit late, the test wouldn't be as accurate.  He told us that the baby was within the safe range (less than 300? - not sure what that meant). We could have gone ahead for further testing, but he didn't see any reason for it. So we were happy with that.

The appointment went well. Baby was 79mm, which was the expected length at that time. The doctor explained a few of the horrors of childbirth and the expected procedures. He prefers to go with a natural childbirth, unless certain complications prevented it. He also said that because this was an IVF pregnancy, he would prefer to only let me go 1 week past the due date. This was because for some unknown reason, IVF pregnancies seem to present unexpected labour complications. OK, that's fair enough.

So, we were happy overall. Baby is coming along nicely. Phew! 27(ish) weeks to go.