Growing Lorelei

Well, after a lot of annoying lab work, doctor’s appointments, and general pregnancy discomforts, we had a fabulous sonogram and doctor’s appointment today.

A few weeks ago, I was informed that because I was Rh-negative, I had to go to a lab at the hospital to do the blood work that proves I have Rh-negative blood. (I’m B negative; Chris is A positive—or, as he calls himself, “A PLUS!” which means Baby Lorelei could have a positive blood type and that would be BAD if Mommy doesn’t get her shot of Rhogam. Charlotte ended up being one of the 1.5% of peeps out there with B negative blood, just like her mommy, but who knows with Lorelei.) So, I went to the lab and had blood drawn. I hung around the area, and 3 hours later, the lab confirmed that yes, I am indeed STILL Rh-negative, so the insurance company gave its blessing for them to shoot me up with Rhogam. I was absolutely irritated by the hoop jumping (they didn’t require the preliminary lab work with Charlotte) until I found out that a shot of Rhogam retails for around $1,000. Then I wasn’t so mad at my insurance company. So, I returned to the lab, received the shot, and went on my merry way.

In the meantime, I failed my 1-hour glucose test (which screens for gestational diabetes) by a measly 2 points. With Charlotte, I absolutely FLUNKED—my score was in the stratosphere (in a bad way), and the nurse had told me to get the 3-hour test handled NOW. I did, and my results were borderline—of the 3 blood draws, I failed one, hit the cut-off number with the second, and barely passed the third. So, with that pregnancy, I was told to watch my sugar and carb intake (and was simultaneously told to gain more weight—HOW? With vegetables?!). Anyway, Charlotte clocked in an ounce shy of 7 pounds, so obviously we did not have gestational diabetes. This time around, because Baby #1 was so obviously NOT a gestational diabetes baby, and the fact I just barely failed the 1-hour test, the level of concern on everyone’s part was way lower for this round of testing. Still, the doctor insisted I do the 3-hour test (I fought it), and I finally complied.

The 3-hour glucose test is unpleasant. I was required to fast from midnight on, and seeing as how my test wasn’t until 10:00 a.m. the next morning, I was hungry and cranky. They took the first baseline blood draw, then I downed double the amount of glucose syrup that the 1-hour test requires. Let me tell you, that is a LOT of sugar to hit your totally empty system all at once. The resulting nausea was less intense than the round with Charlotte, which was good, because you have to start over if you puke. Still, I got instantly lightheaded and just leaned my head against the wall until my poor body managed to metabolize some of that sugar. Every hour for 3 more hours, the lab tech took blood. You’re not allowed to leave, in case you pass out—and at the time, this seemed highly possible in my case, so I sat on an insanely hard chair for over 3 hours, working on my trusty laptop. You can see why pregnant mommies REALLY want to just past the 1-hour test.

Today, I learned that I fully passed all three blood draws from the 3 hour test—not one of them was even close to borderline, so we are now totally in the clear of gestational diabetes. This was good news, as I had been feeling pretty guilty about all the ice cream I’ve been consuming lately (I justify it as calcium intake). Chris bought me a giant sugar cookie to celebrate. It was tasty.

Also today, I had a sonogram, which Chris managed to attend (after rearranging a couple meetings). Oh, that little girl gave us quite a show! She was head-down, which is good, and currently measures 4 pounds, 7 ounces, clocking in at the 52^nd percentile. Her heart rate, body parts, placenta, and so on all measured just right. As the doctor said, “The sonogram was beautiful—everything looks just perfect.”

During the sonogram, the technician showed us Lorelei’s head. “Look! She has hair!” she said, pointing out these funky wavy lines floating around her head like a halo. Chris and I grinned at each other. Just like Charlotte! She then showed us Lorelei’s face. Oh, my heart! Chris and I just melted. She played with her cheek for a second and then . . . . PLUG went that little girl’s thumb into her mouth. “And . . . she’s sucking her thumb!” the technician said. “Come on, little girl,” she urged, trying to prod Lorelei with the ultrasound wand to remove her thumb, so we could see her face again. No luck. That baby held on to her thumb no matter what.

Just. Like. Charlotte.

The technician gave up, measured some other things, then came back to Lorelei’s face. She was still sucking her thumb; again, no amount of prodding could loosen it.

“Great,” Chris said, visions of orthodontia clouding his brain. Now for TWO children.

“Hey,” I said. “Thumb-suckers are good sleepers and good feeders.”

“She could have the same overzealous sucking reflex that Charlotte had,” Chris warned while we waited for the doctor. I had already thought of that: super painful breastfeeding plus major spit-up (she’d eat to fast as a result of her super suck).

“Yeah, but I’m not going to be blindsided this time,” I said. “I'm more mentally prepared. Besides, I’d rather have a kid who sucks too hard and eats too fast than a kid who never seems to eat enough.” Chris agreed with that.

And there are also the extra germs that enter a thumb-sucker’s body, as thumbs aren’t always the cleanest things, no matter how many packages of Wet Ones I go through each week.

But let’s remember: THUMB-SUCKERS ARE EXCELLENT SLEEPERS. The ability to self-soothe is priceless.

Anyway, we’re totally jumping the gun. Lorelei might be just a temporary thumb-sucker, with a penchant for doing it only while in utero. Who knows?

The appointment with the doctor then took place, and everything went great. Blood pressure? 110/60. Glucose test results? Pass, pass, pass. Belly measurement? 32 weeks exactly. Weight? Heading ever upward.

Chris and I grabbed a quick lunch after, which was nice to do without Charlotte (much as we love her). “We are so stinkin’ lucky,” I said. “Do you know how many people would give anything to have a sonogram and doctor visit like that?”

Chris nodded as he shoved his sandwich into his face (he was hungry). “I know,” he said. “And seeing her face in the ultrasound made me anxious to meet this kid.”

I felt the same way—sometimes I feel like this pregnancy is Charlotte Part II, which I know is wrong. I mean, Lorelei is a totally different kid. But goodness, seeing that baby girl’s face! It totally hit us: Lorelei is her own little person, even if she IS super active (Charlotte), has a full head of hair before birth (Charlotte), and is a thumb-sucker (Charlotte).

Oh, I just can’t wait to meet her!