12 weeks!

I am 12 weeks along today. Soon, the 2nd trimester will begin. I am praying it will come with less nausea and fatigue. I have been pretty sick with baby #4. I've lost over 12 lbs now.

This week, I had my nuchal translucency scan (NT scan). It's an ultrasound in which the tech measures the fluid on the back of the baby's neck. In babies with chromosomal or other issues, the measurement can often be quite high. I never had this test done with any of my other babies because I know it is not always reliable. However, I am curious about the results of these screenings this time around, so I chose to do the test. And of course, the doctors are recommending every test imaginable. The baby's measurement was within the "typical" range. While some might think this would be a major relief to someone with automatic 1:100 odds for having another baby with Down syndrome, I did not feel relief. It is hard for the doctors to understand, but having another baby with DS would be fine with me. In a way, I am even saddened to think this baby might NOT have DS. I was so ready to be there for Gabby for as long as she needed me. DS was a part of her. Without it, she would not have been Gabby. So, it was something I loved about her. However, the heart defects DO worry me, and knowing this baby has quite a high risk makes me uneasy. So far, the heart has looked wonderful. But it is way too soon to tell whether or not there are any defects. We won't know much until we have our first fetal echo, around 22 weeks.

The 2nd part of the screening test in which the nuchal thickness is measured is a blood test. I will not have those results for several more days.