29 weeks

I learned a few new things at today's doctor appointment. The good news is I passed the 1 hr glucose test so I don't have gestational diabetes. I was feeling pretty confident that I had passed since usually no news is good news with my dr, nor did I have it with either of my prior pregnancies.  The bad news is that I do have anemia, apparently they check for that at the same time. I actually wasn't too surprised to hear that since people have always suspected that I have anemia, but my test results always come back with in normal ranges. It is nice to know that the exhaustion I have been experiencing can be attributed to anemia and not just my Advanced Maternal Age.

A few stats:

• I've gained 13-14 lbs. (I can never remember what my starting weight was. I always think I'll remember and I always forget. I was 146 lbs and at today's apt I was 159.something.) My dr is happy with that amount and thinks I am right on track.
• My blood pressure was 90 over 40 something. I'm not great with numbers so I have no idea what normal range is, I just assume they will tell me if there is a problem. But the nurse today said the numbers in a shocked tone. I asked if it was okay and she said yes, that it was very good, it is low. She has just never had anyone who was in the 40s before. Maybe it was lower today since I only had Baby Boy with me rather than both boys together like my last two appointments. :)

I've been receiving a lot of very emphatic advice on the internet that I should get the DTaP vaccine during the 3rd trimester. Apparently the CDC recommendations have changed since I had Baby Boy in December of 2010.  At that time my dr told me I needed to get it in the hospital after I gave birth, and Mr. W should get it in advance, since there was a pertussis outbreak in the city.  So technically I am still current with my vaccination. However, now it is being recommended during pregnancy so that the antibodies can build up in the mother and it can be passed to the baby in utero, protecting them before they can receive their own vaccination at 2 months. When I asked my dr about it today he told me it wasn't the standard of care yet, and that he didn't have the vaccine to give me anyway. He told me it was totally up to me, that if I wanted it I could go to Walgreens.  I think I will follow up with the children's pediatrician and get her opinion on the new recommendation as well.

Since only one boy was tagging along today I was also able to clarify something he had mentioned about my anatomy scan. I had heard him mention previously that they couldn't see everything they wanted to very well and were recommending another ultrasound. He reviewed his notes and read that the they were able to see all the chambers of the baby's heart, but there were some other details they couldn't see well enough. My dr has decided that he'd like me to wait til 32-34 weeks so that it can double as a growth ultrasound.  I'm determined to not get freaked out about this ambiguity about the baby's heart.