Guinea Pig

I had my 32 week appointment this afternoon! Besides the hour long wait to be seen, it was a fun appointment. When my doctor came into the room, she had a 3rd year medical student tag-along. This young doctor-to-be seemed very excited to be allowed in the room to observe/learn. I kind of felt like a guinea pig... My OB started her normal routine of checks, but she had an odd face when she measured my belly. She then measured again, and told me that my belly is measuring at 34 weeks! She said sometimes the belly will measure further along if the baby is breech or just in a strange position... She then started feeling my belly to see how he was positioned. She didn't say anything and then asked the med student to try to feel for the baby's position because I was a "good example" to be able to feel body parts of the baby. The girl just grinned from ear to ear. She couldn't hide the extreme joy that she was about to put her hands on a pregnant patient! When feeling for the baby, she was so delicate that I don't know how she felt anything at all! Of course the baby kept pushing right back at her. That really got her excited! I believe she said at one point, "That's a very prominent limb." Eventually we were all laughing because he was going crazy in there, as usual! The med student really didn't figure anything out about his position... just that he likes to push and kick like crazy! So my OB then showed her how you could feel his head very, very low. He is officially head down!

Next, my OB handed the student the doppler so we could hear the heartbeat. Usually, they just stick the wand somewhere down low on my belly, and we can normally hear the heartbeat without even having to move the wand. Well the student, once again, starts feeling my belly. She feels around for a good couple of minutes without even putting the wand on my belly! I was about ready to grab it out of her hand and do it myself! (No wonder they are running an hour behind!) Luckily, my doctor spoke up just in time. Of course, the student then puts the wand at the top of my belly (when we just discovered how low he is hanging out). You could still hear the heartbeat, just not near as loud. Heart rate was in the 140's.

So back to why my belly is measuring ahead of schedule... They determined he is not breech, and he's not in some weird position. To me, that means he is just chunky. And based off the last quick ultrasound we had, his cheeks confirmed that suspicion!

After all of this, the doctor stressed to me that I need to start conserving energy. That's exactly what I wanted to hear! There was no mention of "if you haven't yet started a regular exercise routine, now would be a great time to start..." like she has said at all my previous appointments (to which I just nod as if I've been working out all along). I couldn't wait to tell Thomas the news that I am now restricted to the couch if I'm not at work! Ok maybe I'm taking her advice to the extreme, but he doesn't have to know that! (-;

About a week ago, I took this video while I was trying to sleep. He woke me up with the hiccups, and as you will see, he doesn't like having the hiccups! Disclaimer: I am wearing one of Thom's old t-shirts, so that's why there is a hole in it! Baby G Doesn't Like Hiccups