Eighth Prenatal Dr Visit

We met our new doctor today and really took a liking to her.  I have to say I think I actually kind of like her better than my regular doctor.  She was nice, funny and very informative.  We asked her about a pediatrician and she gave us a list of referrals in our healthcare plan.  She also explained that the pediatrician will come to the hospital when we give birth to examine the baby and set up a follow up appointment at their office.  Joe asked her about cord blood banking vs delayed cord cutting.  She gave us both her professional and personal opinions on both subjects.  She said that for delayed cord cutting there’s not really much difference in waiting one full minute vs the three that are recommended besides the fact that the longer we wait the higher chance the baby has of getting jaundice.  That’s really the only risk.  So she suggested if we do it, to do it for one minute.  As far as cord blood, she said it’s so new that if there is any financial issue to us doing it, she doesn’t think it’s worth it but if we have the money no problem we can still do it and collect the blood after the one minute delayed clamping.  She even gave us a research studies article about both procedures.  She does agree that there are proven benefits to delayed clamping but the studies show no difference in the benefits between babies that delayed cutting for one minute vs three minutes.

I got my Tdap vaccine.  She suggested the Joe get one too if he hasn’t had one within the last ten years and anyone else who will be around the baby for prolonged periods of time since Whooping Cough is back and more of a risk now due to anti-vaxxers.  Most everyone had a vaccine as a child but we could still carry it and expose infants to it without knowing since our immune systems are matured and it takes longer to show any symptoms.  Pregnant women are supposed to get one Tdap vaccine per pregnancy between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.  Antibodies pass through the placenta to the baby to offer protection.  Babies can’t be vaccinated until they’re two months old so getting it during pregnancy is important.  I’m mentioned before that I’m extremely pro medical science and pro vaccine. 

My doctor said that the last test I’ll need to do is a vaginal swab for Group B Strep but that doesn’t happen until I’m 35 to 37 weeks.  Apparently all of us have Strep B bacteria in us naturally and there isn’t a way to get rid of it, but they have to check the levels to make sure they’re healthy for the baby.  If the levels are too high they’ll give you antibiotics during delivery to protect the baby.

Then we got to see the baby during our third trimester ultrasound.  She couldn’t really print us a picture because the baby is too big now.  The wand only captures the head or the arm or the leg at a time.  Apparently our baby is already head down in delivery position.  That round part that keeps pressing out near my belly button is apparently the baby’s butt.  So our baby is just pushing its little butt out.  The kicks I’ve been feeling are indeed kicks.  The legs are over on my right and the baby is doing mule kicks at me all the time.  The doctor basically told us that we would probably be able to see if we were having a girl or boy at this stage so she let us know when to turn away from the ultrasound when she went below the baby’s belly to keep it a surprise.  I had a hard time looking away and was kind of peeking.  Joe got mad at me and kept asking why I was trying to peek and not to ruin the surprise.  It’s so hard to resist the temptation.  I didn’t see anything though and she told us the baby’s private was in shadow anyway so not really visible.  Our Dr was really funny.  The baby’s hands were up by its face again.  She gave it a little poke with the want to see if she could get it to move for us since Joe was recording it.  However, it was the one time the baby wasn’t moving.  She gave it a couple pokes but no reaction.  “Stubborn baby,” she said.  Then we got to see its little baby foot pressed up against my belly.  She gave the foot a poke too and the baby kicked back.

She said that the baby is 3 lbs 10 oz and reading 31 and a half weeks as opposed to 30 and a half but the head is actually reading 32 weeks.  She said that’s all normal and good though so nothing to worry about.  I’m a little nervous about delivery if the baby ends up having a bigger head.  She didn’t change my due date or anything but I had suspected all along that they were wrong about my due date.  By calculation of my last menstrual cycle I should be due on March 16th as opposed to a week later.  By the calculations of the due date being the 24th my period would have started on the day it was already over.  I just have this feeling the baby will come early but we’ll see.  I guess the fact of the matter is that you never really do know when you’re going to ovulate.  So seriously, the Rhythm Method is complete BS.  You could ovulate at any time. 

During the drive home after our appointment I was so happy.  I can’t believe how close we are to having the baby.  Seeing the baby healthy and moving around always fills me with so much joy after our doctor’s appointments.  We’re only a little over two months away from having our baby!