Ultrasound #1

So Justin and I went today for our Nuchal Translucency test.  It is a combination of ultrasound looking at specific characteristics and measurements as well as a blood test to pre-screen for the risks of Down Syndrome.  Our doctor's office recommends the test to everyone, although I am naturally at a lower risk due to age, etc.  Well I was pretty excited but also unsure of what was going to happen.  The test has to be done between 11 weeks 3 days and 13 weeks 6 days gestation.  So we are nearing the end of the window...or so we thought.

I was instructed to drink 32 ounces of water an hour before the exam without "releasing" as the office person told me on the phone.  Um...this would be difficult for most people, I can't believe many pregnant ladies find this easy to accomplish.  My appointment was at 1, and I promptly went to the restroom at noon and then drank 32 ounces of water on my way to the testing clinic.  When we got there, we went back with the ultrasound technician and I told her I didn't have to pee but I had drunk the required allotment of water on my way.  She told me she couldn't see anything because my bladder wasn't full so we were to wait in the waiting room for about 15 more minutes.  5-10 minutes later, I really started to have to go.  The same technician called us back about 15-20 minutes later, when I was 110% sure my bladder was full.  She did all the tests, measured the space behind the neck, measured the nose, etc...and kept telling us our little one wasn't cooperating.  Great...we have a trouble-maker on our hands.

The whole situation was kinda fun and entertaining because the tech was young and when she was taking the "rump-to-crown" measurement, it was showing that we were at least a week further along than we thought...which would make the test invalid.  She stepped out to find out what she should do.  When she came back, she said she was told to "fake it."  We laughed and she tried to get a shorter measurement so it would say were weren't as far along as we are.  So turns out, I am actually more like 14 weeks and 4 days along...and here is the debut photo of "Baby Markowski-Hales" :)



P.S. The ultrasound tech and we got pretty close in the long time we were there trying to figure out what to do about the test and we asked her if she had any kids and when she got married.  She had been married for a year in August.  She also mentioned they were "trying" right now.  I nicely told her that maybe they should stop trying...that seemed to work for us! :)