Four Month OB Appointment
I just got back from my “baby doctor” appointment.
The fourth month is a pretty routine visit. They screen your urine for protein and sugar and take your vitals. During the appointment, your doctor or midwife will go over your “symptoms” and ask if you have any concerns. They will ask to make sure that you have no swelling in your face, hands, or feet. They will also make sure that you aren’t having contractions, cramping or bleeding. These symptoms can signal a serious complication.
Some symptoms that have shown up for me in the past few weeks: nosebleeds and a stuffy nose. I dislike the stuffy nose thing, but I’ve found that if I use nasal strips, it helps me to sleep better at night. I also find that I get winded more easily than usual.
The midwife measured me and announced that I am large for my date. I am consistently measuring two weeks larger than I should measure she tells me. They feel that perhaps my dates are off. Wouldn’t that be nice to deliver earlier than expected? Maybe….can I get everything done that I need to do two weeks earlier than planned? We are remodeling to make a room for the baby. I’m not sure if it will be done by August!
This baby does not like the doppler and flutters around to get away from it. They had a hard time finding the heartbeat because of that. The midwife finally found the heartbeat at the very top of my uterus near my belly button!
My next appointment is at the Maternal Fetal Medicine center locally because of my–ahem–advanced maternal age. They’ll be discussing risk factors and doing a level 2 ultrasound to check on the baby. I’m hoping that we might be able to see if our child is a boy or a girl! My next regular appointment is two weeks after that.
