it's all good

I had my second prenatal appointment with the midwife today. In addition to finally hearing Ishkabibble's heart beat (glorious!), I got the preliminary results of the NT scan and bloodwork. The odds of someone my age carrying a child with Downs Syndrome are 1 in 84 (or 1 in 67 if you consider maternal age at delivery... my EDD is 6 days before I turn 42). According to the NT scan, my odds are 1 in 150. Hurray! As for other trisomies, the risk for my age is normally 1 in 53. Based on the preliminary blood work, my risk, aside from the risk of Downs, is 1 in 10,000.

I can't stop grinning. Ishka was very cooperative to start off with today, allowing the MW to find a heartbeat in less than 5 seconds of searching. As soon as the probe pressed a little into my belly, though, Ishka backed off toward my spine and tried to hide. We could still hear the heart, albeit slightly muffled. Everything looks, sounds, and measures perfectly for 13w4d. I go back in another 4 weeks, and since I'm over 40 I get to schedule a more detailed u/s with an MFM. I have no intention of doing anything risky or invasive, but I'll take any opportunity or excuse to peek at Ishkabibby and see for myself that there's a little person thriving inside me.

I've gained 3 pounds, which is perfectly acceptable (my scale at home hasn't budged since five days past transfer... I need a better scale). I have yet to measure my waistline, but judging from the fact that I can't even zip most of my pants, let alone button them, I estimate I've grown at least 4 inches around the middle. None of my bras fit, although one remains serviceable. I'm planning to do a little shopping this week- I bought a maternity skirt, dress and shirt online, but it's getting cooler every day and I could really use some comfy pants.

As far as how I'm feeling at this point... well, dog-tired, for one. The constant mild nausea that was so like a hangover has dissipated, replaced by occasional but convincing gagging, triggered usually by an offensive odor but sometimes by the presence of a toothbrush in my mouth. I haven't measured, but suspect that my belly expands by several inches during the course of the day. By the time I get home from work each night, I am so bloated and exhausted that I have no interest in eating a decent dinner, let alone assembling one. Food still has no real appeal to me, flavorwise, although I find myself hungrier the last few days than I've been in months. I've completely lost my taste for coffee (decaf, of course, were I interested at all). All the symptoms are manageable so far. And I'd probably be less tired if I got to bed a little earlier every night. Bring on the second tri!