18 Week Appointment "A Week Late"

Last week I went for my 18 week appointment, and yes I am just now posting about it.

Baby Girl is about the length of a bell pepper

How Far Along: 18 weeks
Weight Gain: 13 lbs (I feel like such a fatty but Dr. says this is perfect. I am just thinking I have a long way to go and not many pounds left in my goal)
Maternity Clothes: Yes I have given in. I can still wear my regular cloths with the bella band but why would I do that? I mean have you priced a pair of maternity dress pants? I am going to get my money's worth...;)
Stretch Marks: Not yet but I am still lathering up with Mother's Friend

Morning Sickness: It's easing up but I still have to eat breakfast as soon as my feet hit the floor to keep from being sick.

Sleep: Still having to pee once a night and I am sleeping with tons of pillows behind my head to help combat sinus drainage.
Baby Movement: Yes. However it's not as often as I would have thought. I am not sure if she is just really laid back or if I can only feel her at certain times/positions, etc.
Food Cravings: Salty and unhealthy. I have always despised McDonald's McNuggets and have never ate them. However I am finding myself craving them....weird.
What I Miss: My relatively flat waistline, being able to move at the pace I used to and not feeling uncomfortable when I bend over.

Looking Forward To: Deciding on her name, painting her nursery, ordering her bedding and getting to all of those crafts on my list.....oh so many crafts.

Milestones: Baby girl's uterus, fallopian tubes and other girlie parts are formed and in place. When we go for our 20 week sonogram we should really be able to verify she is still a she :)

As I mention I had my 18 week appointment last week. I knew they said they would run some tests but I was not prepared when they asked me if I wanted to test the baby for chromosomal abnormalities. Justin and I thought this test was performed via amniocentesis. We decided we would defiantly not have this done due to the slight risks to the baby. However this was a blood test  so I wasn't sure if this was the same test. I decided to let them take my blood.

Turns out it kind of was the same test (all you moms probably know this). They draw blood and test for certain chromosomes (downs syndrome, etc.) If it comes back positive they would send me to UAB in Birmingham to have in depth testing done. This is where the amniocentesis would come in.

If the results did come back positive (note false positives are possible), I would not have had the follow up amniocentesis done. In my mind what was the point? I mean if it came back positive and I didn't get the follow up testing then all that will have done is make me worry the rest of my pregnancy.  (I am a worrier) So having thought about that I called the Dr. and asked her not to send the blood sample to be tested.

There are ALOT of things out there that can not be tested for to worry about so what's adding one more thing to the unknown. God will take care of us no matter what.

To each their own but that was my thinking on the subject anyhow. I just pray daily everything turns out to be okay.



Until Next time....

   Brandi