Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Blueberry with a Beat

It's a bird...it's a plane...nope, it's a BLUEBERRY with a heartbeat. 7 weeks pregnant today, our little peanut is about the size of a blueberry. We had our first ultrasound yesterday afternoon, and man was it an incredible experience. As soon as the nurse got into "position" we could see our little peanut (yes, I did say peanut, singular) all cozy in my tummy. It took another moment for the nurse to get it into focus and then, incredibly, we could see the flicker of the little peanut's heartbeat. It was unbelievable! I don't know if I fully took it in because I just sat there ecstatic that there was something in there and that it had a heartbeat. But I was completely in awe that God has placed something to tiny in my belly, and has created it in a way that it can already have a heartbeat. Completely mind-blowing. I wasn't ready to stop looking at my little bean when the nurse moved onto my ovaries, but I figured she'd give us another chance to see our baby before it was all said and done.

So then it was onto my other baby-makin' parts. My ovaries look pretty good. They aren't too, too big, but they are covered in cysts (which I understand to actually just be the follicles filled up with fluid). The cysts are quite large, and to be honest, a bit alarming, but the nurse said it was nothing to be concerned about and that they'd resolve on their own (I guess the fluid just gets reabsorbed). She did say that it actually can be good for the pregnancy, though, because they "help support the pregnancy" by producing hormones. She didn't seem at all alarmed, so I'm not letting my mind wander. She did take measurements of many of the larger cysts and I assume they'll be monitoring them over the next few ultrasounds.

I am excited to share that our little 'nut is measuring exactly as it should (exactly 6 weeks 6 days, which we were yesterday) and the heartbeat was "perfect" at 169 - that little heart was flickering like mad!

We will have another ultrasound next Monday, and all will continue to cruise along as it is now (hopefully). I did find out that I should hold off running (I think in part because of the cysts), so it'll just be walking and the elliptical for me until after 8 weeks. I will be on the Progesterone until who knows when. I thought that I'd be done next Tuesday (based on what I was originally told) but it sounds like it may be longer than that (but who knows, I didn't ask questions, I was too excited about my 'nut).

Below are our first two pictures of our baby!!

Comments (11)

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This is amazing news!!
Congrats to you both! Mandi, I must say the pictures are just a kick for those of us who live in the world of "large"! To you all seems big and out of proportion - to me there question is "WHERE?" It will be fun to watch the progress of your little Blueberry though! Thanks for the first pics! Blessings, Aunt J
1 reply · active 733 weeks ago
I suppose it is all relative. I don't feel as large in my yoga pants or sweats, but once I slip into some jeans or work pants, it's a whole different story. Most of the workday I sit with my pants unbuttoned! Ha! At this rate who knows if my bathing suits will fit in Rocky Point - do they sell muumuus there? :)
Congrats! Ovarian cysts are completely normal in most cases through pregnancy. I had them with all of my pregnancies and they were also large. They measured them at each ultrasound, but I never had to do anything else about them. They didn't cause any problems at all... Good Luck!
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Thanks, Stacey - I won't allow myself to wonder and worry then. Those suckers made my uterus look small ;-)
Elizabeth Gunderson's avatar

Elizabeth Gunderson · 733 weeks ago

So excited for you and Ronnie... What a beautiful "Blueberry". He or She is breathtaking! Thank You again for sharing this experience with us <3
Congrats mama and daddy!!! Scot and I are so happy and excited for you!!! We pray that everything stays well and you have an 'uneventful' pregnancy. Thank you for sharing all this and your experiences with us. So much love and many prayers to you both!!!
Dan Neville's avatar

Dan Neville · 733 weeks ago

Wonderful news!
Mandi, Not sure why you are on the Progesterone, but I needed it with four of our pregnancies. Your ovaries are suppose to produce the Progesterone until around week twelve when the placenta is developed and takes over the job. This hormone is also the one that makes you so sleepy! After week twelve that slacks off because the placenta takes over the job!

So awesome, isn't it, to hear the heartbeat the first time? Just incredible that God allows us to share in His creating! I'm telling you, I NEVER tired of the miracle. All four were just as incredible as the first. It is such a privilege to be a part of it. Our youngest just turned four today and it's especially sweet. Our oldest will be thirteen tomorrow.

So happy for you both! (Ronnie, you still in the hole?)
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
I was on Progesterone because when you do IVF, they pull the cells out of the follicles on ovaries, including the cells that create the progesterone in early pregnancy. Most women are on Progesterone from the day after egg retrieval until 8-13 weeks into pregnancy. Some don't do injections the full time, some do suppositories.
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray for baby peanut!! Truly the most amazing sight in the world (until that is surpassed by actually laying your eyes on him/her on delivery day!!!). So super excited for you and Ronnie. Just FYI, I did the progesterone shots til week 12 after my IVF.

Many hugs,
Liz
fellow CF wife

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