First Ultrasound: That flicker is a heartbeat! · 08/26/2002

After waiting a very very loooong week we went in for our first real ultrasound. The ultrasound we had had in the doctor's office the week before had shown a yolk sack but no fetus. So while my HCG levels had been going up accordingly there was fear that there still wasn't really a baby in there in which case a miscarriage would soon happen. And with my bleeding we were very scared.

I had to drink a ton of water for this ultrasound with NO bathroom trips. They need a full bladder to see the baby at this early stage.... ugh. Strangely enough however this was kind of a good thing for me. My head was so preoccupied with keeping me from peeing my pants that it helped keep my mind off the fear of what we may... or may not see in the ultrasound. Poor Brad however did not have the luxury of a horribly full bladder to keep him occupied.

We went in and the started on the ultrasound. With in moments we saw a little peanut shaped thing on the monitor with a little flickering light in the center. I knew what it was but was afraid to ask. The technician doesn't tell you anything either. She just moved it around and took pictures. She then said I could get up and go to the bathroom and come back and they'd do the vaginal ultrasound. Okay that may not sound like something good but believe me... I had to pee SO bad by now that I didn't care where they put that ultrasound device as long as I got to go potty!

So I ran to the bathroom and all the time was thinking about what I'd seen on the monitor. Dare I hope?!

Back in the room the ultrasound started back up. The radiologist came in now and looked at the monitor and finished up the ultrasound. I finally asked if that was the baby. He said yes. :) He pointed to it's heart and told us where every part of it was.

I could feel Brad next to me and knew he was thinking the same as me... we'd never gotten this far with a pregnancy before.

We then headed over to Dr. Johansen's office with a picture in hand of our little fetus. Since the pregnancy now seemed indeed to be a viable pregnancy all we could do now was wait and let nature take its course. I asked her again about the bleeding and she said that as long as it didn't get worse then it had been to just take it easy, no sex, and try not to stress about it, that sometimes women just do that.

My next appointment was set for September 5 at 10am. We left the office finally now daring to hope and be happy. :)