Went in for an ultrasound today to get the first integrated screening test for Downs syndrome and Trisomy 18. Everything looks good so far. The babies both have strong heartbeats and are measuring right on target. The risk assessment for Down Syndrome they gave us was 1:7,200 and 1:72,000 for Trisomy 18. I won’t pursue any further genetic testing for now. We have the second follow up screening in about 4 weeks, where hopefully we will find out the sex of the babies!

Meanwhile, I got to see the babies in action and heard the heart beats for the first time today (I am at 13 weeks 0 days today). It was pretty crazy to see them moving around. And the 3D images! Amazing! We couldn’t get a good one of Baby B but here’s one of Baby A. We’re ecstatic about everything so far, although slightly mystified with Baby A’s right foot which appears to resemble the foot of an elf.

Baby A

kick back and relax

hands and feet in boxing pose

testing reflexes

-o.o-

As I said, not a lot of detail in this one. Then again, I do think it’s kind of interesting. The arms and legs are longer than they appear from this angle, but there was quite a bit of kicking and hand waving going on.

Last week caused a big change for me in how I think about being pregnant and my connection with our baby. At our 20 week ultrasound we found out that Baby Bonner (BB) is in fact Baby BOY Bonner (B3). Neither Sean nor I had any preference about the gender, although my Mum had intuition it was a girl and proved it by sending down a plasma TV sized box of all my baby dresses.

On Wednesday we were sitting in one of the patient rooms at the doctor’s office with the ultrasound machine checking out all the buttons. I noticed the 3D and 4D buttons and we were prepared to give it a go because it’s just a computer and we know how to work those. Just as I was about to press a button, the machine operator, Dr. Blumenfeld entered the room. He asked us separately if we wanted to know the baby’s sex and we both eagerly nodded our heads and firmly said “yes!”

He put the goo on my stomach and my heart started pounding. Just like at my last ultrasound I started to get nervous that he would find something wrong with BB. He placed the wand on my belly and I held my breath. He moved it around a little bit and said, “it’s a boy!” I kinda choked and replied “it’s a boy?!” I was actually not surprised, it was more like a confirmation of something I felt like I already knew. We had been saying “he” when referring to BB and I think I just had some sort of feeling. I couldn’t see Sean’s face but I knew that he was excited to hear that he was going to have a mini Sean. The doctor continued the ultrasound for at least 30 more minutes. It was way more intense that what you see on TV, he wasn’t able to see part of BB’s heart and so he dug that wand into me with both hands trying to move him around to get a better view. It was so painful and many times I wanted to ask him to stop but I decided that knowing my little dude was healthy outweighed my temporary discomfort.

After the exam he said everything was perfect and he didn’t need to see us again for another ultrasound because he saw everything he needed to see. What a relief! He printed out the 3D pic of BB’s face and a few of his mini-man parts and one of his tiny feet. As you can see from the pic, if you know Sean, he really does look like him.

After we left the doctor’s office and we were sitting in the car I asked Sean what he thought about having a mini Sean, he had a little grin and he said slight relief because having a boy was a little less stressful than having a girl. Now whenever I say mini Sean he gets a little smile and I think he has visions of playing with toys, riding bikes, shooting guns and getting tattoos with his kid. Of course most of those things will happen after the age of 18.

Sean’s Mum is visiting us this weekend and brought us a couple of his baby blankets, a mobile and other precious items that she has been saving. I just can’t believe that both her and my Mum saved these items for 34 years. It’s pretty touching.

Now that we know it’s a boy I all of a sudden have this extra connection that I didn’t have before. “It” is now a “he.” The little guy is a little person in there getting bigger and stronger every day. We don’t have a name for him yet, I think that’s going to be a very very difficult decision. I also don’t think I want to tell anybody which names we like because everyone has an opinion and are less likely to share it after the baby is born.

B3 is now starting to wake me up in the morning with his exercise routine. I think he likes to first stretch out his legs, then his arms, give a few kicks and punches and then practice his somersaults. I have also really noticed how much the food I eat affects how quickly he starts to move around and the amount of energy he exudes. This morning we had waffles for breakfast and I had some Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry syrup. Right after I finished eating he was the most active he has ever been, must have been the high fructose corn syrup that got him all riled up.

I started reading a blog by Teresa Strasser from the Adam Corolla Show and it’s my absolute favorite. She has brought real humor to some very difficult times during her pregnancy. I found her blog because I was looking up weight gain and was worried that I was gaining too much as according to all the pregnancy books I read. I gained 2 pounds this past week and I have now gained a total of 14 pounds. This is still within what the books say is “normal” but if I continue to gain 2 pounds a week that means I will gain 38 more pounds and that seems out of control. Teresa and many others who commented on her posts basically made me realize that the people that write those books must be using the skinny catwalk models as their references because not everyone is the same.

I was actually more worried about B3 because the doc told us he weighs a pound now and the books say that the baby should weight around 10.5 oz. The doc didn’t have any concern when he told us the weight so I’m not sweating bullets but I also know that babies that get too big can have medical issues. I know I know I need to stop worrying. I just want everything to be A-OK.

As for little old me, I am feeling pretty good except for some breathing issues. Sometimes I can’t get into a good enough position to feel like I’m getting enough oxygen in. It’s pretty scary. I have also noticed that my lower legs are getting a bit swollen by the end of the day if I have done a lot of standing. Nothing alarming, just noticed.

That’s about it for this week, the countdown is on, 19 weeks to go!

Andy and I had decided to go for a 3D/4D ultrasound to look at lil’ Madelyn in a few weeks. This is truly something new for today’s parents since we have come a long way from not having any ultrasounds in my grandparents’ time to my mom’s time who had 2D black and white ultrasounds but no photo printing capabilities to being able to go into the 4th dimension (time) and record a video of the ultrasound session.

We hadn’t really given much thought to doing this since the cost is coming out of our own pocket, but we were left having and wanting more information from the past 2 ultrasounds that we had done per doctor’s orders. In Canada, while it is free to see a doctor and get the tests done, we are only allowed to for an ultrasound if/when a doctor asks you to, and the scan is done by an ultrasound technician. He/she is not allowed to tell you about anything that appears on the screen, and all the findings are reported to the doctor. Worse still, the father/partner is not allowed into the ultrasound room until the very last few minutes of the session to look at the baby on the screen. You will not know the results of the ultrasound until your next appointment with your doctor, and you will be told if things are normal or not. We weren’t told anything more about our baby, such as size, weight, etc. There was no candidness or bonding opportunity with the new addition to our family during the ultrasound session.

Another reason why we wanted to go for 3D/4D is to confirm the baby’s gender. As a mom-to-be, I had a gut feeling that this baby was going to be a boy from the moment we knew that we were expecting, and everyone else who’s met me told me that I look like I’m expecting a boy. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have a baby girl, but with family and friends starting to buy us gifts and things are beginning to look very pink, we are worried that we will be having a boy instead of a girl.

We are going to take a day trip to Niagara Falls to PeekabooIseeU to get the 3D/4D scan done. I only heard about this place when the customer service rep at Flight Centre told me about it when I went in there the other day to obtain flight ticket quotes for my parents’ trip to Canada for the baby’s arrival. She had gone to this place with her friend who is also expecting and it seems like this place has a really good deal. Although it is out of the Toronto area, they will be reimbursing us with a $10 gas card for making the trip there. Our appointment is currently booked for Oct 3, and I will be 32 weeks by that time. Apparently, the scan must be done at the latest at 33 weeks.

I’ll be posting the pictures and video of our baby here when we have it.

Click here to learn more about 3D/4D ultrasound.

“Incredible”, “awesome”, “truly indescribable”. These are just some of the descriptions parents have used after seeing their babies for the first time. Watching their movements, facial expressions, and features—parents, grandparents, and friends alike all excitedly try to decide who the baby resembles most.

What makes this truly an amazing experience is that it is all happening months before the baby is born—while baby is still in the womb!

This is the miracle of 3D/4D ultrasound. 3D/4D ultrasounds offer parents the opportunity to see their babies well before their birthday, creating an incredibly intimate bonding experience.

It is one thing to feel your baby move but quite another to see that those movements are not only feet kicking; but also hands waving, stretching, yawning, and even thumb sucking! Studies have shown a profoundly positive impact on parents.

Visualization of the baby enables an unparalleled bonding experience. This fetal visualization can help in alleviating maternal anxiety and depression as well as enabling the fathers to feel more connected to the pregnancy, strengthening their bond with their child.

How does it work??

2D ultrasound works by “listening” to sound waves in a single plane. The ultrasound is directed out and reflected back again. An ultrasound is the interpretation of these reflected sound waves to form a visualization of the baby.

In 3D ultrasound, the same ultrasound used in traditional 2D is emitted—this time at multiple angles. 3D ultrasound images are created by an algorithmic process commonly know as “surface rendering”.

These multiple reflections are interpreted through sophisticated software, and an accurate 3D image of the baby is instantly created. These amazing rendered images are displayed with incredible surface detail which delineates both body and facial features.

4D ultrasound is captured in the same manner as 3D ultrasound—but the rendering occurs many times per second. Instead of looking at a single still image (3D), you are now able to view real-time “video” of the baby in the womb (4D).

In this case, that 4th Dimension is “time”.

It is also important to note here that 3D/4D ultrasound is NOT a product of increased power levels. The levels are the same as with a traditional 2D scan.

As with any other emerging technology, there will always be questions regarding exposure, safety, and other medical concerns. Extensive studies over the last 30+ years have found that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to mother or baby.

Ultrasound equipment used to obtain these amazing 3D and 4D images are the very same devices being utilized in hospitals and physicians offices throughout the country. And it’s the FDA that sets the standard level for energy to be used for various scans, including 3D/4D.

The Positive Impacts of Bonding

Expectant parents everywhere are opting for elective 4D ultrasounds—believing it will have a positive impact on their pregnancy. Mothers tend to improve their diets and eliminate harmful behaviors such as smoking or drinking.

Other ultrasound benefits can include increased paternal involvement, family support, and empathy. Some feel it may even help siblings share in the experience and bond with their new brother or sister.

However, always keep in mind that an elective ultrasound should only be used to complement the diagnostic ultrasounds prescribed by your physician. Elective ultrasounds should never be used as a replacement for prenatal care.

Some physicians are understandably concerned that mothers will use an elective ultrasound in lieu of the diagnostic ultrasound prescribed by their physicians. This is why it is imperative that a physician-ordered, full anatomical ultrasound study should always be the prerequisite to confirm due date, screen for fetal anomalies and identify any other potential prenatal issues.

The parents-to-be can then utilize this elective session as an insightful, bonding experience.

Finding a Responsible 3D/4D Provider

Although there may be plenty of entertaining aspects to 3D/4D ultrasound, safety and professionalism should always remain paramount when choosing a provider.

A responsible ultrasound provider will require proof that the client is seeing a healthcare provider for prenatal care during her pregnancy. The provider should always use the system’s obstetric mode to keep well within the FDA-established levels for frequency and power for prenatal use.

Remember that word of mouth is usually the best method of referral amongst expectant mothers. So do your homework and ask around.

The most rewarding 3D/4D ultrasound experience will be the culmination of a comfortable and inviting facility, the finest equipment, and a professional, experience, and courteous staff whose primary focus is on you, your experienced and, (of course) your baby.

 Editorial provided by Henriette Clark, RDMS, of InSight Imaging in Pittsburgh, and Joseph J Psiuk, B.S. EE/CE, of Innerview Ultrasound in Malvern, PA.

We got to see our little boy again today.  Everything looks very healthy (we are so blessed) and he weighs approximately 4 1/2 pounds right now (keeping in mind that ultrasound estimates can be off by up to a pound).  But assuming the ultrasound is somewhat correct and the baby gains the half pound he should moving forward, that would make him weigh in around 8 1/2 pounds when he’s born.  That sounds about right.

The radiologist took one look at the baby’s legs and said, “Wow, this baby has great muscle tone in his quadriceps.  He’s going to be a buff little baby!”.  This, of course, made DJ very happy.  He thinks it means the boy will be able to run fast and throw a mean football from an early age.

We didn’t get many great shots of his face, but here is one the doctor was able to capture.  I just don’t see a lot of DJ in this baby like I did with Jolie.  With Jolie, she looked just like her dad and her grandmother to me instantly.  Not so much with this one, other than maybe in the eyes.  But it’s always hard to tell what the eyes and nose will actually look like from these ultrasound images because they always looks way puffier in the ultrasound.

Does he look like DJ’s dad, maybe?  Does he look like me?  The milkman?  (kidding!)  Hmmm….

Update:  Since Jac-Jac asked about the hair, I will add that the radiologist said that he does already have quite a bit of hair, so we’re expecting another hairy-headed child.

Teaser Tuesday asks you to : Grab your current read, Open to a random page, Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. That’s my first grandchild, baby Brooklyn, posing yesterday for her very first portrait! Meagan is having contractions and if the baby isn’t born on her own they will go to the hospital on Wednesday so the docs can help can get things moving along more quickly. When I picked up After This by Alice McDermott just now, the first (I so swear!) sentence I read was in the middle of page 33: Mary Keane watched her daughter and felt as well the punch and turn of the baby not yet born and saw the similarity of the mystery of them both – the baby unseen, moving and elbow or a foot, the means to an end all its own, unfathomable; her daughter with the unseen life playing like reflected light over her face, her lips moving in a conversation forever unheard.

Expectant couples that are too excited to wait can now commission a life-size model of their unborn baby.

The amazing new medical technology is the result of a Royal College of Art design student’s PhD.

Brazilian student Jorge Lopes has pioneered the conversion of data from ultrasound and MRI scans into life-size plaster models of living embryos using a method called rapid prototyping.

‘It’s amazing to see the faces of the mothers. They can see the full scale of their baby, really understand the size of it,’ said Dr Lopes.

‘The technology can be also be used as an emotional tool for parents whose foetus might be deformed or need treatment,’ added Hilary French, who heads the School of Architecture and Design Products.

King’s College head of obstetrics Stuart Campbell, called the invention ‘absolutely unique’ and ‘a fantastic development’.

Professor Campbell, who pioneered the use of ultrasound in the 1980s, also hoped the technology would help mothers – blind mothers in particular – to bond with their babies.

This is Cruz at twenty-eight weeks pregnant. 

This picture sits in a little frame on my desk. I’ve been spending a lot of time in our office, so whenever I look up, it catches my eye. The frame was given to me by a friend of mine.

It says ‘tiny miracle’ on it. 

He’s one of my favorite things. 

my family and I went for a 3D ultrasound yesterday.  the baby was in breach position which made it difficult to see his beautiful face.  the baby eventually cooperated and we got great pictures.  it was nice to see his cute little nose and hands.  it was a great experience!

OK, REALLY?!?  WHY IN THE HELL DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEE YOUR ULTRASOUND PICTURE ON FACEBOOK OR MYSPACE.  IS THIS ’COOL’ OR SOMETHING!?!  NOPE!! IT’S STUPID!!  I UNDERSTAND SHOWING IT TO PEOPLE CLOSE TO YOU AND WHAT NOT, BUT NOT EVERYONE WANTS OR NEEDS TO SEE THAT (should i have said child, who knows, if i offended anyone, sorry, continuing…).  I SEE MOST OF THESE PICTURES ON THE “PEOPLE YOU MAY KNOW” SECTION, SO NOT ONLY AM I NOT FRIENDS WITH YOU I HAVE TO SEE YOUR ULTRASOUND PHOTO, BUT DON’T GET IT TWISTED, I WOULDN’T WANNA SEE 99% OF THE PEOPLE I’M FRIENDS WITH ON THE SOCIAL NETWORKS ULTRASOUND PICTURES EITHER!  I GET IT THAT BIRTH IS A GREAT TIME AND WHAT NOT & WHEN I HAVE A CHILD ONE DAY I’LL PROBABLY CRY WHEN I SEE THE ULTRASOUND PICTURE… BUT REALLY PROFILE PICTURE?!  COME ON, DOES YOUR WHOLE NETWORK NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN YOUR PREGNANCY!!  I SAY NO! NO! NO!  IF YOU’RE GONNA PUT IT ANYWHERE PUT IT IN AN ALBUM OR SOME OTHER PLACE THAN YOUR MAIN PROFILE PICTURE!!  COME ON PEOPLE HAVE SOME COURTESY PLEASE… YOUR ULTRASOUNDS DOESN’T NEED TO BE PUBLIC RECORD!  SO, FOR THE LOVE OF DDISBORED… STOP IT NOW DAMN IT!!  THIS TREND NEEDS TO END… I UNDERSTAND THAT IT’S ‘YOUR SPACE’ BUT EVERYONE DOES NOT NEED TO SEE IT ALL!!  dudley…gone

Q. What is an elective prenatal ultrasound?
A. We offer elective 2D, 3D & 4D prenatal ultrasounds to provide a proactive, positive bonding experience for the mother, father and family members with the unborn baby. Realistic surface images provide a connection between the parents and baby that can be beneficial to the whole family. A medical, diagnostic ultrasound should have already been performed to assess the gestational age of the fetus and to evaluate for fetal anomalies, as well as the basic components of fetal anatomy.
Q. Does this take the place of an ultrasound at my doctor’s office?
A. ABSOLUTELY NOT! Women seeking an elective prenatal ultrasound at Beautiful Beginnings Motherhood Center must already be receiving treatment with a healthcare provider for prenatal care and have already undergone a medical, diagnostic ultrasound ordered by their provider to confirm their due date, screen for fetal anomalies, and to look for any other pregnancy related issues. Your imaging session at Beautiful Beginnings Motherhood Center is strictly an elective ultrasound. Please note, at no time is this elective experience to be confused with, or used in place of, a diagnostic ultrasound.
Q. Is it safe? Are there any risks to me, or my baby?
A. Extensive studies conducted over 35 years have found that ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to mother or baby. Routine scanning of all pregnancies is now normal throughout the United States . These routine scans would be considered highly irresponsible if there were even a small risk to mother or baby. In 3D/4D scanning, exactly the same type and intensity of ultrasound is used as with conventional 2D scanning. 3D and 4D Ultrasound both utilize sound waves to look inside the body. The technology is similar to radar. A probe placed on the body emits sound waves into the body, listens for the return echo and generates an image. 3D/4D ultrasound will be similar to a conventional scan in terms of sound exposure.
Q. Do I need an appointment?
A. Yes, appointments are necessary for all of our services.
We require 24 hour notice to cancel an appointment. We will not reschedule your appointment without a 24 hour notice.
Q. How long does the 3D/4D ultrasound take?
A. Depending on the package you choose, the 3D/4D ultrasound session will last between 15 and 30 minutes. How far along should I be before I have a 3D/4D ultrasound? If you plan on having only one 3D/4D ultrasound session, we would recommend having the ultrasound performed between the 25th and 34th week of the pregnancy.

  
Q. Will I always get a beautiful picture of my baby?
A. Usually, but not always. Sometimes if the baby is looking face down, i.e. towards your spine, it may be difficult to see the baby’s face. Other factors that can influence the images are gestational age, amount of amniotic fluid, and maternal obesity. We will be happy to discuss with you our policies and your options should your scan be difficult to obtain.

Q. Can I bring my family and friends?
A. Yes. In fact, we encourage our clients to invite family and friends to attend the elective 3D/4D ultrasound session. This is a joyous and wonderful experience, one that can be shared with your family and loved ones.

Q. Are you able to tell the sex of the baby?
A. Yes, in most cases we can provide an indication of the sex of the baby. We can’t however guarantee that the baby will cooperate during your session. Certain factors such as body tissue content, developmental stage and fetal position all affect the ability to determine sex.

Written by Beautiful Beginnings Motherhood Center, Scarsdale, Westchester County, NY

Ultrasound News from USA

Sneak A Peek 3D/4D Imaging

United States of America (Press Release) December 17, 2007 –

performed, while her husband, SPC Shawn Branson will be serving his country in Iraq. Thanks to cutting-edge technology, however, he will not miss a beat of the upcoming ultrasound. He will actually be able to see his baby boy for the very first time – live- from a computer in Baghdad as it is being performed on his wife in Maryland.

New ultrasound technology and the Internet have allowed Army Spc. Nicholas Weaver to see the baby he has on the way at home while he’s serving in Iraq.

The 20-year-old soldier got a sneak peek of his son in the womb in a sonogram streamed live from a Folsom imaging center. The sharp, 3-D image clearly revealed little Aiden Weaver’s wide eyes, pug nose and tiny fingers. A slight smile crossed his face beneath a full head of hair.

“He looks squished – but adorable,” Weaver said in a computer instant message to his wife, Megan. “He looks a little bit like both of us.”

The expectant mother, who is 32 weeks, she was excited to beam the images to her husband, who is not expected to be home in time for the birth in April.

The dad-to-be began a three-year enlistment last April. He is expected to return home in June, although his commanding officers are working to get him a leave in April to be present for his son’s birth.

Many 3D Ultrasound clinics offer families the opportunity to see their growing relatives over the internet. It is definitely a nice twist that this dad was able to log on from so far away.

I made a movie of all the pictures and clips of Rochelle’s ultrasound when she had her pre-natal check-up a few weeks ago.  It was routine to check for congenital anomalies.  She’s progressing normally on her pregnancy, however, the size of my son was slightly bigger that what we expected.

Woo-hoo … I remembered!

My Dr’s nurse is the sweetest person on the planet–which you almost have to be if you deal with pregnant, hormone crazed woman all day. So sweet and conditioned to dealing with freaked out prego woman that it is hard for her to NOT think you are freaking out and being hormonal.

I thought it would be fun to get a 3D ultra sound to see what this little guy looks like. I’ve found companies in the area that do it – but asked the US clinic in Seattle if they did. They told me they do, but only with a dr’s prescription. So I called my dr and left a message asking if A) I was going to need another US, and B) if she could prescribe me a 3D US. My dr’s nurse called me back and I tried to explain that I just wanted to see what he looked like, then I made the mistake of joking with her that I wanted it because he looked like a pig in the last US, which resulted in her trying to comfort and reassure me that I wasn’t having a pig for the entire rest of the conversation! ha! I just gave up! She didn’t get that I just wanted the picture! Now I’m sure my file says something about me freaking out that I was having a pig!

Okay, the 3D ultrasound is one of the coolest things in the world. The ultrasound tech took some normal-looking scans and then exported them into the 3D modeling software. One second I’m looking at the familiar black and bluish-gray haze of the ultrasound, and the next, I’m looking at my daughter’s beautiful face and pouting lips for the first time. It literally took my breath away.

The Photo section has been updated with today’s ultrasound images, including two in 3D. Click the little angel below to see more.

Click here for all the Ultrasound Pics

So my little sea monkey now looks like a alien. YAY alien baby. heh well ill tell you what it goes a lot faster than you think it would. we are 20 weeks into pregnancy half way over. its a strange feeling sometimes just thinking about the little thing in Christina’s belly. she started feeling it recently and wow that is crazy too. sometimes its hard to really wrap your head around that there is some living little thing in there. i automatically think she got a face hugger on her and she feels fine and then at dinner bam little alien comes out. he he seriously though its a strange feeling cause it kicks so hard you can see her stomach move and you can feel it hit your hand. I can’t even think about what that would feel like on the inside. but any way we went to the doctors today for our 20 week ultrasound and check up. Up front everything looks great. 10 finger 10 toes a head and some other parts. everything points to a beautiful healthy baby just needs to bake for a few more months. So we have had a few arguments/disagreements lately concerning the baby. let me break it down for you so you will compeletly understand every argument

ME

Don’t want to know the sex

HER

Wants to know the sex!!!

so now your up to speed. I really would never have believed that we would dispute so much over this. even though i should have seen it coming. Christina is a very planed organized have to know everything to plan everything type of person. i am the type of person that … how does she say it…… the kind of person that flies by the seat of his pants. yeah that it. so personality wise we are ying and yang we fit perfectly together cause the things she really cares about and wants to control i don’t care and let her control it. and just the opposite so we complement each other rather well. but i will tell you what we have butt heads on this topic more than we have ever butted heads being married. mainly cause the dispute never ends cause no one is right and no one is wrong thats what makes this such a hard thing to dispute cause this is a dispute where no one is winning or losing.( i keep saying dispute cause its not an argument where it ends up screaming and throwing things across the room FIGHT. it just disagreeing) I never wanted to know what my first child is i think the joy of finding out when you first see it is part of the fun the experience. that is something that will stick in your mind for the rest of your life kinda thing. Its just something that makes that moment even better. it one of the last real surprises left in a persons life. then walking out to the waiting room where you family is and saying Its a (insert gender here)!!!! what a feeling it must be. thats what i have tried to explain to her but she thinks its just as surprising knowing while she is laying on a table with a bunch of jelly on her stomach while a woman rubs this probe on her belly and we see something or nothing on a black and white monitor ITS A ….. yeah thats not exciting not a moment you will remember for the rest of your life. it goes yeah we found out what you were we planned and everything…. meh. everything she comes up with i come with a counter and vise versa so you see how difficult it is to disagree on such a topic. so what are we doing? as of now we do not know the sex….. as of now.

(fingers crossed)

-MeaD.

DR RAMA RAJU & DR KAVITHA

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous endocrine disease affecting about 5–10% of women of reproductive age One of the most important and newly discovered features of the syndrome is insulin resistance (IR), which is constantly accompanied by compensatory hyperinsulinaemia. Despite the frequent presence of obesity in PCOS patients and the wellestablished relation between obesity and IR, a specific mechanism of IR in PCOS, independent of obesity and consisting of a specific post-receptor defect, has been demonstrated. The rationale to use insulin sensitizers for ovulation induction in infertile PCOS patients is based on these findings.

The first study showing the beneficial effects of insulin sensitizers on ovarian function was published in 1994 by Velasquez and co-workers (Velasquez et al., 1994). They demonstrated that metformin at doses of 1500 mg daily is effective in reducing body weight, improving menstrual cycles and fertility in PCOS women. Following this study, there was a dramatic increase in the number of publications concerning the use of insulinsensitizers and PCOS.

Not even born yet, but already he knows how to do kawaii poses complete with V-signs plugged in his ear.

Ah, technology. So advanced that 3 dimensions are no longer enough. It used to be 2 dimensions are all you’ve got when it comes to looking at your child before it makes its debut into the world from its mother’s womb. Add another dimension and a 3D ultrasound scan will yield the images you see above, and then you add yet another dimension and call it a 4D scan just to make it sound like paying S$250 for it is justified (actually the 4th dimension is movement; I’ve got videos that show him fluffing his pillow and digging his nose in his sleep too).

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Say hello to Xander. See the way he’s waving back at you like a superstar, eyes closed and nose turned up like he’s just nonchalantly acknowledging your presence with a flick of his pudgy little fingers? That’s my boy…

As I mentioned, I got videos too, but after describing it the way I did, putting the video on will just seem a little contradictory (he’s just sleeping, and his hand isn’t even facing palm out, which just goes to show a little imagination can go a long way).

And as usual, the doctors and technician never cease to be fascinated by my boy’s fast-growing genitalia. Our ultrasound technician showed us this wonderfully indecipherable prepubescent porn picture confirming Xander’s status as a miniature manly male man complete with man-thing (which I have explained graphically in red and green circles).

Balls to you! (Proudly brought to you by Thomson Medical Centre)

Personally, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s a boy, girl or other, particularly after the world around us found out. In fact, reactions around us upon hearing that it is a boy made my wife and I wonder why everyone thought it would be more of a good thing.

We’ve gotten responses like, “Great! Now the carrying on the family name is out of the way…” and “Wah, so lucky! First time is boy already…” and “Boy ah? Your parents must be pleased.” My wife has always responded to these comments with, “Actually, it doesn’t really matter to us if it’s a boy or girl,” which will lead to one of two outcomes: awkward silence, or change of subject.

The truth is, it should no longer matter. Having a kid of any sex will be fun in its own way. With boys, you probably get to play a little rougher, get a little more exercise (with all the running around chasing him), and potentially less problems with the opposite sex (a misnomer by all counts, but worth looking into as a valid theory for another time, possibly the next blog post). With girls, you get to play dress-up more (80% of the retail market is built to cater for girls), life tends to be more peaceful, and they tend to be more loving too.

So as far as we’re conderned, gender bias shouldn’t ever be an issue; we’re dealt with the cards that we’re dealt with, we’re gonna play those cards as best as we bloody well can. My only real concern here is not how my child will fulfill my expectations, but how I’m going to do as a father, and it’s going to be a concern for me from when Xander’s born until the day I die.

That being said, I know we’re lucky. People can try for years and years and still get nada, and here we are, a boy on the way after just thinking about trying for a kid. There’s a lot of “what ifs” that can be raised if Xander turned out to be Xandra, but at the end of the day, they’re just “what ifs”. The questions that present themselves through reality are what’s really gonna screw with us now.

By Margo
36 weeks, 3 days

Several weeks back, Jed and I had a 3D/4D ultrasound appointment. I was pretty excited, because I’d seen several full-faced examples emblazoned on the brochure and a couple of pretty successful videos on youtube. I knew that sort of result wasn’t guaranteed, though. The one bit of reassurance in their “small type” was that if baby wasn’t in a suitable position, we could come back later for no additional charge and try again.

And try again we would do, since during our first visit, Grembaby Boy was in the transverse position (side to side, all curled up in a ball, rather than up and down). We got a decent look at the little fellow, though. What a heart-breaker.

Two days after that first visit, we had an adventure/dry-run/impromptu tour of the hospital, when I thought something was amiss… Fortunately, all was well! It was that night, amidst all the tests and checks, that we found out that Grembaby’s little noggin had found its way downward. (Which is probably why things had felt unusual in the first place!)

Our second shot at the 3D/4D ultrasound was scheduled for 7/31. It was perfect timing since my mom would be coming into town that night for the weekend. I hadn’t seen her since last summer, so it was a fun, teary reunion! Mom saw the belly in all its glory.

Meanwhile, we crossed our fingers that baby was in a good spot. Sure enough, his head was down, but he still had the silly little habit of being all curled up. In our ten-minute session, he moved his hand out of his face maybe once. Silly little guy. So shy! It was really fun to see him again and say hello, though!

We had our 7 month 3D ultrasound last Friday, and captured this amazing picture…

I can’t begin to express how cool that is.

He has my nose.

What were you saying about us not being divinely created?….