the bohns: 28 Week Check-Up

Jonathan and I went for my 28 week check up on Tuesday. This check-up was filled with a couple of not-so-fun things... and one very fun thing!

At 28 weeks, most pregnant women are screened for gestational diabetes. Basically you drink this sugar solution (tastes like flat orange soda), wait an hour, and have your blood drawn. They are checking to be sure your body can metabolize the sugar in an accepatable fashion. I haven't heard back on the test results, so that means I passed the test (they only call if you don't pass and you get to do it again, but have even more blood drawn). So yay! I don't have gestational diabetes!

Another not-so-fun things that also involved another needle was the RhoGam shot. 85% of the population in America has a blood type that is positive. I'm in that lucky 15% that has negative blood (thanks, Dad). While this is not an issue for first pregnancies, it COULD pose a problem in subsequent ones (which we'll hopefully be blessed with at some point in the future). As I understand it, if the baby's blood is positive (which it more than likely is) there's a chance that the positive blood could mix with my blood at the time of delivery. If this happens, my blood builds antibodies against the positive blood. If I were to become pregnant again and I have those antibodies, my blood will essentially attack the baby's blood. Sounds scary, I know - BUT that's why I got the shot! The RhoGam shot supresses my blood's tendency to make those antibodies so that it will be safe for future pregnancies. Make sense? I'm sure I didn't explain it the best, but you can look it up if you're really curious. I'll get one more shot after the baby's born just to be sure I'm still covered. What's a few shots when you get a precious, healthy baby!?!

So the good thing - we had another ultrasound. At the 20 week ultrasound, they wanted to check the location of my placenta again, just to be sure it wasn't too low and wouldn't be in the way of delivery. It's not (yay) - she said it's under my belly button. The tech also said the baby is already head down and must have just had a growth spurt - no wonder I've been able to feel her much more in the last week! According to the ultrasound measurements, she's weighing about 3lbs 6oz and looks to be measuring ahead of schedule by 8 days. The measurements and estimated due date seem sort of arbitrary to me. She'll come when she's ready to come - I'm still hoping for my birthday. I think that would be really cool. Jonathan's just hoping she waits until he's finished with classes and exams (yes, they end the first week of August).