Nov
05

Another Dimension.

Today was my Nuchal Translucency ultrasound. The Nuchal Translucency is a transparent space behind the neck of a fetus, the measurement of which can sometimes indicate risk for genetic disorders. My trained eye could see instantly that both of my babies had unusually adorable neck-backs, but still I was relieved when the perinatologist confirmed that the measurements were normal (1.4 and 1.2mm). The appointment was not, however, without incident.

Baby A cooperated immediately, wiggling into position and giving us an array of adorable pictures, like this one:
Arm and Leg
And this one:
Kicky
And my favorite, this one, in which it flipped upside down and waggled its long legs at us:
Legs

Baby B, on the other hand, had no interest at all in being photographed (something about ultrasound machines stealing your soul, I think). He bobbed out of view and waved an arm at us threateningly…
Arm
…before turning stubbornly on his side to lay still. The babies are stacked one atop the other in my abdomen, and Baby B’s angle did nothing to help the poor ultrasound technician, who poked around for twenty minutes before having me roll on my side to try to jostle the little so-and-so into place. Eventually we got the necessary measurement and afterwards, Baby B turned to face the camera:
When Babies Attack
I think that was a warning.

At the end of the exam, the technician whipped out a fancier ultrasound transducer, this one glimmering with gold-plate and studded about its hilt with rubies. This transducer had the power of three dimensions, and seeing my bobbing, shimmying babies in 3-D was indescribable. Tomorrow I will start announcing that I am pregnant, and I am finally starting to believe it is true.

Baby A:
Shy

Baby B:
Baby B

Both babies—B is on top. A on the bottom (upside down, maybe?):
Twins

By Alexa | Posted in Ceci N'est Pas Une Ecrivaine |