[Pom]

Hey Everyone -<br><br>
Am I the only one having difficulty tracking all the different/new threads? Wouldn't it be easy to just subscribe to one? Is anyone interested in starting a monthly general chat thread? It has worked really well for the Finding Your Tribe thread that I belong(ed) to...<br><br>
Anyway, here it is, if anyone wants to use it.<br><br>
Happy (early) New Year!

 

[darsmama]

Sure Pom. Works for me. :smile<br><br>
I had an U/S. I am 11 weeks now. 1 more week and I'll be out of the first trimester. Pretty crazy.<br><br>
*Just a reminder* To introduce yourself, a lot of moms are subscribed to the "A Little About Yourself" thread. You might want to subscribe to that as well, Pom :bounce

 

[Pom]

Hi Dars-<br><br>
I did! I did post on that one a couple weeks ago....I believe that's where I blabbed on about Nova Scotia (and called it an island, lol. I'm post #8). <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
I had an u/s this week, too. It was really sweet to see the heartbeat. But you know, I'm really surprised how many of us are getting an early u/s seeing how u/s that are medically necessary are generally frowned upon here at mothering.com as potentially invasive and damaging to the babe...and given how many of the July momma's are talking home birth and unassisted....it's even more surprising to me.<br><br>
Why do you think that is? Is it the overwhelming desire to SEE the new baby inside, to get proof, or ease fears? It wasn't even offered to me with #1, so I don't know if it's just become more popular over the last few years....<br><br>
Any thoughts, anyone? I know I really wanted proof that it was okay, given my friends' recent bad luck.

 

[Selissa]

well in my case it was cause they thought soemthing might be wrong wit hteh baby. I will be geting a 3-d ultrasound nearer to the end of my pregnancy however.<br>
I would rather not personally but dh really wants to knwo the gender and my little brother really wants to get us the the 3d and well...i am not passionate enough aobut it to insist...i insist alot around here ifigure the least i can do is givem ypoor hubby his ultrasound. ifigure it probalby helps him bond with the baby<br><br>
:LOL but i would rather not

 

[Mer]

I am one who go an early u/s and in my case I considered it medically necessary to rule out another molar pregnancy. It also gave me a lot of peace of mind and I think maybe helped me to accept the pregnancy a little more. After a loss it's sometimes a little hard to accept that this is really happening and it's going to turn out ok. So, I think too that sometimes an early u/s can help with the emotional aspect. In my opinion the risks are extremely small compared to the benefits. I will be getting a 20 wk u/s as well to rule out any gross abnormalities. I feel in this case the benefit outweighs the risks. I do have some reservations however about doing repeated u/s when there doesn't seem to be a medical reason. But, on the other hand, my opinion is that the risks are extremely small if they exist.

 

[darsmama]

My mistake Pom!! I see you now <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wave.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wave"> hehe<br><br>
I don't know why that is. Pamamidwife has an excellent thread in I'm Pregnant about the risks and such of Doppler and U/S. Interesting read, eh?<br><br>
I had an U/S because we had no idea how far along I was. After I had Darlene in August, I never got my period back. Then on November 30th I took a pregnancy test just for sh!ts and giggles and imagine MY SHOCK!<br>
I will have another one to make sure everything is developing properly, and yeah to see the gender.<br>
I personally am with Mer, if it puts my mind at ease (because I am a HUGE worrier) and the risks are so extremely small or undocumented or vague, then you kind of have to weigh the pros and cons. I think stress would be worse for the babe then the 40 minutes of U/S exposure.<br><br>
Just my opinion though.<br>
I'm with you, I thought U/S usage would be really looked down at here. Not that any of us mama's are judgemental or anything. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/bouncy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="bouncy">

 

[Beverly]

I'd like to have an u/s or at least a check for the heartbeat, just to ease my mind. I'm a big worrier -- though I really have no reason to be -- and this whole thing doesn't seem "real" without some independent confirmation. I'm in Sweden, though, and things are much different here ... you get one u/s at 17-20 weeks and they won't listen for the heartbeat until 16 weeks (but my 2nd mw appointment isn't until 20 weeks, so I won't get to hear it until then). I'm trying to relax and just "trust the process," but it's not always so easy.

 

[Pom]

Yeah, I'm not too concerned with the u/s risks, either. But I am completely paranoid about an amnio (at least, for me). I didn't take the triple screen last pg because I knew I wouldn't do it. Now that I'm older I'm worried the OB is really going to push for it, but I think I'm going to skip it again. Plus my dh and I are of such widely different genetic make ups that the risks for that stuff (I believe) are pretty slim. It just freaks me out. A friend mentioned that there's a $1,000 blood test you can take early on at about 10 weeks that will tell you everything an amnio will...anyway.<br><br>
Beverly, how do you like Sweden? A friend of ours just returned from there and loved it so much, and another friend of ours is debating moving there (her family is from there, and some are still there). I've never been.<br><br><br>
Day 3 of no instant nausea! Wooooooooo!

 

[colobus237]

I've had no u/s and at this point am not planning to have any.<br>
With Simon I had a ton of ultrasounds that in the end were only anxiety-producing and inaccurate. I don't believe there are very significant risks to the baby from ultrasound (though it did seem to make him uncomfortable), but the risks to my peace of mind are too great. Ultrasounds are sold as a reassurance but the truth is that sometimes they are not reassuring - even when the baby is perfectly healthy. We were told that Simon had first a heart lesion, then no heart lesion but maybe hydrocephalus, then we refused further testing and he was born with no problems. Later in pregnancy ultrasound was used to tell us he was breech (he was, okay) and also monster-big, unturnable and unbirthable, with low fluid (bs).<br>
It's a challenge for me to trust my body and live with the mystery inside but I am not willing to go through that again. If my husband was not supportive in reminding me of our experiences I would be more tempted to "have a peek" you know?<br>
Hope all are well today!

 

[Pom]

hey cassidy -<br><br>
I'm often told it's the technician, not so much the ultrasound that tells you things...I'm curious, did you like/trust your provider's at your last pg? I was also warned of a heart thing with #1, but was told in the same breath that it almost always resolved itself...(I had forgotten completely until you mentioned yours)...and while our MW thought we were saying we were probably just borderline low fluid (she knew how much I wanted a natural birth), once the doc came in to look again he said we were actually much lower...of course, I'll never know who was right, but our m/w did seem to believe his analysis and see things she hadn't before. But who knows?

 

[fiddledebi]

I had two early ultrasounds with DD#1 because I had a lot of bleeding/spotting and we couldn't hear a heartbeat -- and then the standard one at 20 weeks. I also had one four days before she was born because my blood pressure was so high that they were worried about pre-e...and they wanted to see how the fluid was. At that US, the technician told us he estimated her weight at 7-8 lbs, plenty big enough to do an induction if we had to. Boy am I glad we didn't do it that day, because when she was born 4 days later, she was 5lb7oz. I'm glad she had a few more days to grow!<br><br>
I'm going to see my midwife at 13 weeks and she'll try the doppler -- if we don't get a hearbeat, she'll probably send me for an US for peace of mind. If we do hear one, I won't want an US until the 20 week point. I'd like to bring my little DD to that 20 week one -- I think she'd love it, and I enjoyed seeing her in there at that point last time. Also, DH and I refused all the genetic tests since we were already pregnant and wouldn't have terminated for any reason, so the US can let us know if there is something we need to prepare for (we're both eastern european Jews, and could carry some rare diseases). I am willing to do tests for medical reasons, but refuse things that wouldn't change the way we'd handle our situation. I won't learn the gender, I don't think. We didn't last time, and that was fun.<br><br>
I do wish US was universally considered harmless and that you could feel safe having one at every appointment, because it is really neat to see -- maybe technology will improve over time, and our daughters and sons will all get that opportunity when our grandchildren are gestating. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[BlueSkyJennifer]

I am having a nuchal translucency u/s done a week from friday. It is a u/s done around 12-13 weeks that is pretty accurate at detecting Downs. It is offered to a lot of women who will be 35 or older when their baby is born now INSTEAD of having an amnio. Amnio is most acurate (100%), but of course it has more risk. Basically a nuchal transluscency u/s is just a normal u/s where they measure the thickness of the skin on the back of the baby's neck.<br><br>
I will still be 34 when this baby is born, but I asked for one because I do not want an AFP triple screen later since they aren't that accurate. If your triple screen comes back high risk for Down's it is already too late to have a nuchal screen and then there is all this pressure to have an amnio if you want to know for sure. I would not ever have an amnio personally.<br><br>
I also have a level II u/s at 17 weeks specifically to screen for spina bifida since I have a sister and 1st cousin who have it. It is very accurate (I think it is 97%). Between the 2 u/s I feel I have the downs & spina bifida risks covered and so I am opting out of the AFP this time and my midwife agreed with that. Last time I got a HUGE amount of pressure from my original OB to have the AFP because of my family history even though I insisted I would not have an amnio in the event it came back high risk. I later switched to the midwives and was much happier on every level with my care the rest of the pg.<br><br>
It is great that they are more diagnostic options now that are as risk-free as simple u/s. I think there is a huge benefit to knowing as much as you can about any potential probelms your baby might have BEFORE birth. For example, when my sister was born she was in the wrong hospital and she got airlifted by helicopter to a hospital an hour away as soon as she was born and my Mom was stuck at the 1st hospital until she was discharged. If my Mom had known she could have been at the right hospital, had a neuro surgeon picked out and have already educated herself about my sister's disability and all the surgeries she was going to need at birth. I can't imagine what my Mom went through those first days trying to absorb all that. Also, my dad had left her during the pg so she was all alone a single mom to 3 under the age of 3.<br><br>
That said, I can also completely understand people who just want to opt out of all the diagnostic testing because they certainly can create unnecessary worry and stress. If I had had your experience ccohenou I can totally imagine choosing the no u/s path. BTW - I love the name Simon, it was on our very short list of boy's names.

 

[OnTheFence]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Pom</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Hi Dars-<br><br>
II had an u/s this week, too. It was really sweet to see the heartbeat. But you know, I'm really surprised how many of us are getting an early u/s seeing how u/s that are medically necessary are generally frowned upon here at mothering.com as potentially invasive and damaging to the babe...and given how many of the July momma's are talking home birth and unassisted....it's even more surprising to me.<br><br>
Why do you think that is? Is it the overwhelming desire to SEE the new baby inside, to get proof, or ease fears? It wasn't even offered to me with #1, so I don't know if it's just become more popular over the last few years....<br><br>
Any thoughts, anyone? I know I really wanted proof that it was okay, given my friends' recent bad luck.</div>
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Hi, I am 13 weeks and a few days.<br><br>
I have had two US. One was for dating. I had no idea when this pregnancy happened because I have only had one period since May. And I was not charting either. Anyway, I need to know an approximate gestational age because I have uterine anomaly.<br><br>
My second US was because they couldn't get a heartbeat at my last appointment. My prog level had only been 14 and I refused to take meds this time. I also have a history of miscarriage and since it was close to Christmas I wanted to know what was going on.<br><br>
I will have another US at around 19 weeks. This will be the Level 2, and I am hoping they are going to do a few minutes with the 4D. I normally have one at the end of pregnancy for positioning of the baby and to check for growth due to the uterine anomaly. I am hoping to go to 40 weeks this time but not sure if I will make it.

 

[anamama]

I haven't had a u/s yet, but I plan to have one at around 20 weeks. It was very reassuring with ds, but I do have reservations about the risks.<br>
So far, we've heard the baby's little heartbeat twice. It is so amazing that we can hear the beat of a heart that tiny, yk?<br>
We are going to find out the sex of this baby (didn't with ds) because we used the Shettles method to try for a girl and I am SO curious to see if we did it! Of course i will welcome and adore any kind we get!!

 

[colobus237]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Pom</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">hey cassidy -<br><br>
I'm often told it's the technician, not so much the ultrasound that tells you things...I'm curious, did you like/trust your provider's at your last pg? I was also warned of a heart thing with #1,</div>
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Actually the heart thing was in the radiologist's report, tech had said nothing about anything. The "hydrocephalus" was found during an ultrasound performed by a perinatologist, so was the "low fluid" (different perinatologist). To clarify, I believe that the fluid level may have been "low" by all indications, but upon further investigation I do not believe that this is abnormal or dangerous at 38 weeks of pregnancy, I think it's CYA/scare provider stuff. In fact, that's what all of our ultrasound troubles were - things that were nothing, that the providers probably knew were 99% likely to be nothing. But they turned our pregnancy into a medicalized nightmare until we just refused to go any further with the testing testing testing.<br>
For me, young and healthy with no family history of genetic problems, I feel that testing is more likely to scare me over nothing than to reveal information that I can do anything about. But, that's just me. I understand the desire to be as prepared as one can be - but my husband's feeling is why spend the rest of the pregnancy grieving over a problem that you cannot change and that may not even be real.

 

[Pom]

cchouenou -<br><br>
I understood your point. I was just wondering if you believed your doctors, technicians, etc. were trustworthy at the time -- as in, were they just going by the charts, very med-happy, scare tactic kind of people, or did you feel they were giving you a balanced opinion....based on your response, I guess they did not.<br><br>
I just think that can make a difference.<br><br>
I felt the midwives I ended up with really were more balanced, and not so med-intense and so I trusted them. My first OB, I dropped after just 2 appointments b/c I felt she was way too scary and not respectful of my concerns, questions, etc. KWIM?<br><br>
As someone who plans on skipping the triple screen and amnio, I certainly can understand at least some of what you're talking about.

 

[BinahYeteirah]

I hope to avoid u/s during this pregnancy. I have had several bleeding episodes (the most recent on was only a week or so ago with a gush of blood), but I have not gone to the dr. about it since I know they will just want to do an transvaginal u/s. I had an early u/s due to bleeding during my dd's pregnancy, but I wish I hadn't had it, since the bleeding had stopped and she was fine. My second pregnancy I have the u/s because I was bleeding, and after the u/s I knew my baby was dead, but the whole ER experience was so hard. For this pregnancy, I would rather just wait and see what happens. If I am going to miscarry, I would prefer that it be a private event. If not, then I should feel fetal movement in the next month or so and that will confirm that all is well.

 

[colobus237]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Pom</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">cchouenou -<br><br>
I understood your point. I was just wondering if you believed your doctors, technicians, etc. were trustworthy at the time -- as in, were they just going by the charts, very med-happy, scare tactic kind of people, or did you feel they were giving you a balanced opinion....based on your response, I guess they did not.</div>
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Oh, I get you. Sorry I missed your point.<br>
I had freestanding birth center nurse-midwives in my last pregnancy. I chose them specifically because I did not want overly medical care, but it was always something. I did trust them at the time, though I came to be dissatisfied with some aspects of their care later on. It's why I chose homebirth with no OBs in the background this time.

 

[Pom]

Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying. How frustrating this can all be!

 

[Pom]

Oh, Binah, I hope everything's okay with the baby. I could never wait a month or so like you are. I don't think I could wait a week. You must be of strong faith in the way the world works....