13 weeks 0 days: hello again, little red!!

The Nuchal Translucency

baby measured 13 weeks 0 days (exactly MY assertion all along)
heartbeat: 150
Crown to Rump length: 68.0 mm
Nuchal translucency: 1.7 mm
placenta: anterior high
amniotic fluid: normal
cord: 3 vessels

In terms of anatomy: nasal bone, spine, skull, brain, adbomen all appear normal. the stomach, bladder, hands and feet were all visible.

The estimated risk of Downs Syndrome went from 1:545 based on age to 1:5524. The estimated risk of trisomy 13 or trisomy 18 went from 1:1021 based on age to 1:9016.

I took a rather spectacular tumble yesterday after the pilates ball I was sitting on popped. (I think it was overinflated, and then I rolled it over a piece of sharp grit or something in the carpet). Anyway, the doctor said that the baby looked great, and the placenta was firmly attached to the uterus. He also told me that falls for the next 10 weeks are likely to be fine, as long as I don't land on my stomach.

The actual ultrasound was incredible. The technical information was very reassuring, but it was amazing to spend 35 minutes looking at Red. I think my favorite part was watching Dyke Two's face as she watched the ultrasound screen. The emotions were right there in her eyes, and it was so reassuring to know that she is as excited and invested in the baby as I am. I feel as secure as I can that we won't be one of the couples whose relationships deteriorate after the baby is born. As a child of divorce, this is very important to me. i need as much tangible proof as possible.

As we were waiting in the lobby to see the genetic counselor, we began talking to a woman who was waiting for her sister to come out of the genetic counselor's office. She had her son and nephew with her. When we went back into the office, the pregnant woman was not around, so we assumed she left. However, when we were leaving, thrilled to pieces that everything was OK, the two women were leaving the office right behind us. The sister had left her son's baby carrier, and when I reminded her about it, she said, "We're coming back." They turned into the bathroom, and I heard the pregnant woman say to her sister, "I haven't told you the worst part yet."

Dyke Two and I looked at each other, walked down the hall in silence and then, as the elevator was opening, Dyke Two quietly took my hand and said, "We are so blessed with this pregnancy."

How quickly our joy was shadowed by someone else's pain.