Monday, August 15, 2005

It's alive!

When I saw my doctor for the first time two weeks ago, it was too early to hear the baby's heartbeat. No big deal. She was very upbeat about it and reassured us that it usually isn't audible (with this crazy doppler machine) until 9-12 weeks.

So we made an appointment for today to give it another shot. She tried again with the doppler. (It's basically like a microphone that she pushes and prods into my belly). After at least five minutes of pushing and proding, she said, "Well, he's not going to cooperate with us today." I was a little disheartened and nervous, but before I could say anything, my doctor proceded, "So, let's take a peek!" I really didn't want to do an ultrasound because my insurance only covers one, and I didn't want to "waste" it this early. Well, she assured us that this would be coded differently and wouldn't count as our one ultrasound.

Instead of a regular "on the belly" ultrasound machine, this was a sort of camera-wand thing that went "into" me and right up to the uterus. (That wasn't too graphic, was it?)

At first, the screen was pointed away from me, so instead of watching it, I was watching my husband, doctor, and ultrasound technician watch it. Then the music to my ears from the technician. "There's baby...and there's the heartbeat!" I said, "Let me see!" So she turned the screen and my doctor pointed everything out to us. It moved around a little bit so we could see the little buds of arms and legs, and the ever-present heart fluttering away. It even stretched out perfectly so the technician could measure from it's head to butt and see that it is measuring exactly what it should for 10 weeks.

I've known I'm pregnant for about 6 weeks. I've been exhausted for at least that long. I've been nauseated for almost that long. But there is something so amazing about actually seeing this little being that's taking up residence in my amniotic fluid for the next 7 months. I've just been believing it's there. Now I know it is. That's cool.

Now the nausea (which is supposed to go away by the end of the first trimester--only two weeks away) seems a little more manageable and March 15th seems WAY to far away. :)

4 comments:

Grandma and Grandpa Benson said...

I love this story forming! Thank you sooooo much for keeping us posted! And sharing your joy!

Lisa said...

Yay!

little "e" is breathing... that's always a good thing! :)

Alissa said...

What an awesome story! I'm excited for you and don't even know you!

Take care!

gloria said...

Beautiful! What a joy to look "inside" and see the wonder of new life!
My own sweet Gunnar was born exactly on his due date, march 15th. :)