"The" Ultrasound

OK, before I get to the BIG NEWS and tell you all what "kind" we're having, I feel the need to speak to those of you out there who are thinking/planning/trying to get pregnant regarding this ultrasound, as I don't feel like I had enough warning about what it actually entailed!

I went in for my anatomical ultrasound this morning.  My directions, prior to arriving at my appointment, was to empty my bladder two hours before the appointment time, then drink 32 ounces of water in the next hour, and not relieve myself again until I got the my appointment.  My OB nurse told me that this was a little ridiculous, she told me that I should be fine if I emptied my bladder an hour before the appointment and then down the 32 ounces in the hour leading up to it.  So, I split the difference.  I used the restroom a hour and a half before my appointment, then drank a bunch of water--finishing it all 30 minutes before I was supposed to be at the ultrasound.

I'm telling you, this is cruel and unusual punishment for anyone.  But for a PREGNANT woman??  I need to pee every hour any way, and now you're going to pour water into me and tell me I can't go?  What the hell??

I thought that they wanted my bladder full to give a urine sample.  Why would an ultrasound tech want me to give a UA?  I don't know, but in my mind it's the only thing that made any sense.  But boy was I wrong!  Turns out, not only did they want to fill my bladder up and then make me sit there refusing to let me near a bathroom, but they were they going to take their little wand and PUSH on my stomach!  Apparently a full bladder helps with some of the imaging.

They took several images of my cervix and then allowed me to use the bathroom before they continued.  It was slightly torturous! 

I then laid there for over an hour while they moved the wand from one side of my stomach to the other, occasionally taking a photo and typing out some codes.  I was able to watch the whole thing on the screen and would get some narrative now and then regarding what I was looking at.  On occasion this kind of hurt.  The tech would really dig the wand into my gut trying to get an angle that she needed.  Sometimes I wasn't sure if all of the discomfort I was feeling was from the wand, or if the baby was fighting back from all of the pressure it was receiving! lol

About 45 minutes into the ultrasound (in a warm room, lying down, after not sleeping well the night before... I was a little worried that I was going to fall asleep!) the tech put the wand away, wiped off my belly and told me to do some toe touches to make the baby move into a better position and that she would be back in 5 minutes. lol  I don't know if she was serious about the toe-touches or not, but, i did them anyway. =)  It was a nice stretch at least.

Five minutes later she was back, I was lying down again and the wand was out.  More pushing, poking, and prodding, and then, FINALLY, she asked if we wanted to know the sex.  I, very enthusiastically, said yes.

Now, Jacob and I wanted it to be a girl.  Obviously, if she said boy we'd be happy to, but we only want to have two kids and want at least one of them to be a girl.  But, unfortunately, I had this feeling deep down that it was going to be a boy.  And Jacob has had several dreams that it's a boy.  So, I was hoping, but ready for whatever the verdict was.  Plus, it seems like every time I watch "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and they use the "ask the audience" feature, the audience is right.  So, I was hoping that my "audience" poll that I've run on my blog the last several weeks would prove accurate, as the vote was for a girl.

Well, this is what the technician showed up when she gave us the news:

Apparently three little lines equals "Girl". =)