Ultrasounds

[mrkelley23]

have REALLY improved over the last 12 years.

No -- not us. One of the younger teachers in my department and his wife the English teacher.

Let's just say you don't have to squint to figure out the sex of THIS baby. He is proudly, emphatically, defiantly male. One of the shots looked like he was bent over with his hands on his knees looking between his knees backward at the camera.

When I can see it, it's easy to see.

[kayrharris]

I have yet to see an ultra sound that actually looks like a baby. I just can't get my brain programmed to what I'm supposed to see, I guess.

We didn't have them when my kids were born. Imagine waiting until they get here to find out if it's a girl or a boy. Just not done anymore.

[mrkelley23]

You haven't seen the kind I saw today, then, I'll wager.

Don't know if it was a super-duper ultrasound for some reason, or not. She does have a pre-existing condition that might make her at higher risk than some moms-to-be.

[marrymeflyfree]

I have yet to see an ultra sound that actually looks like a baby. I just can't get my brain programmed to what I'm supposed to see, I guess.

The images aren't exactly endearing, are they? The straight-on face shot that we got looks so bizarre. You can tell that its going to be a face at some point. Or at least you hope it will be a face at some point, else it will be one ugly baby!

We didn't have them when my kids were born. Imagine waiting until they get here to find out if it's a girl or a boy. Just not done anymore.

We are waiting to find out. Seems that people are either very proud of us for waiting, or very annoyed by it. Hell, we weren't even going to do an ultrasound at all, honestly. The benefit of maybe being able to see a potential problem isn't that great when compared to the low risk of actually having a problem. (My mom says I am taking all the fun out of it. Can't blame her, really.) But we changed our minds after my cousin's baby was born with the heart defects in November.

Of course it is fun to get a sneak peek into what is going on in there, but I think it erodes the anticipation of it all. Just a bit. So, when we did the big ultrasound, Cletus the Fetus was under strict instructions to keep his or her legs closed - and good kid that it already is, it complied without complaint and even flashed us a little peace sign to boot.

[marrymeflyfree]

You haven't seen the kind I saw today, then, I'll wager.

Don't know if it was a super-duper ultrasound for some reason, or not. She does have a pre-existing condition that might make her at higher risk than some moms-to-be.

They have some newish 3-D/4-D technology now that offers up some pretty crisp and vivid images...apparently they even have ultrasound boutiques in malls now where you can go have this done at will. Oy!

If the pictures you saw were sepia toned, its probably the new kind. But even the old black and white ones are getting better...we had a quickie ultrasound at the very beginning, and the tech was amazed that we were able to see and hear the heartbeat with her new machine. I can't remember how far along it was then, but it was only 8mm long at that point if I recall correctly.

[fantine33]

I have yet to see an ultra sound that actually looks like a baby. I just can't get my brain programmed to what I'm supposed to see, I guess.

We didn't have them when my kids were born. Imagine waiting until they get here to find out if it's a girl or a boy. Just not done anymore.

I'm with you, BoB. They're like Magic Eye pictures. People will even helpfully point out feet and stuff to me, but I still can't see the sailboat.

There was one on Scott Baio is 46 and pregnant that must be the new kind. It creeped me right on out.

As for learning the sex in advance, for some reason I was supposed to be a boy right up until the time they got me out into the light. My name was going to be Leadville. No joke.

Then my sister was supposed to be a boy. Her name was going to be Leadville. No joke.

Then my mom was just sure that my brother was going to be another girl, so his name was going to be Shari. Ha!

[5LD]

So, Fantine, is your brother named Leadville?

MMFF - we didn't find out with either of ours. My response to people who asked why was...."how many good surprises do you get in life?"

[marrymeflyfree]

MMFF - we didn't find out with either of ours. My response to people who asked why was...."how many good surprises do you get in life?"

Exactly! I think it will be much more fun, and will make a great moment for my honey since I want him to be the one to announce it.

[fantine33]

So, Fantine, is your brother named Leadville?

MMFF - we didn't find out with either of ours. My response to people who asked why was...."how many good surprises do you get in life?"

Ha, I did leave that kind of open ended, didn't I?

I was actually coming back to correct myself (like anybody cares or it matters). My mom always said that, if she had another baby after the three of us, she wanted to name it Shari. My brother's name was supposed to be Janice.

Leadville Story:

At the time I was born, we were in North Carolina and my Dad was homesick for Colorado. So he figured that Leadville was a good, masculine choice of name (why Denver Pyle didn't occur to him is beyond me). I think Fayetteville was briefly considered as being more feminine, but quickly jettisoned.

My sister was born two years later and we were back in Colorado, but the Leadville idea was still there.

By the time my brother was born two years after that, my Dad had apparently drug out the Rand-McNally and discovered a town with a more suitable name. So, my brother's name is

(Spoiled in case you'd like to think about towns in Colorado to see if you can guess correctly.)

Spoiler

Craig.

[Appa23]

You haven't seen the kind I saw today, then, I'll wager.

Don't know if it was a super-duper ultrasound for some reason, or not. She does have a pre-existing condition that might make her at higher risk than some moms-to-be.

They have some newish 3-D/4-D technology now that offers up some pretty crisp and vivid images...apparently they even have ultrasound boutiques in malls now where you can go have this done at will. Oy!

If the pictures you saw were sepia toned, its probably the new kind. But even the old black and white ones are getting better...we had a quickie ultrasound at the very beginning, and the tech was amazed that we were able to see and hear the heartbeat with her new machine. I can't remember how far along it was then, but it was only 8mm long at that point if I recall correctly.

We never got to use those newfangled machines last year, but we have a drawerful of pictures showing the development of our Princess Pudding. (My running joke was that the baby knew that her mommy constantly would be taking ppictures of her, so she wanted to get into the habit.)

I am guesstimating that we had well over 20 separate ultrasound appointments. They took lots during the first trimester (based on our history) and lots during the last trimester. The doctor kept noting that they did more ultrasounds when there is AMA (advanced maternal age), which tiicked my wife off every time someone said it.

Hey, it was that last ultrasound that caused us to have to rush home and then back to the hospital during a blizzard.

[Tocqueville3]

MMFF - we didn't find out with either of ours. My response to people who asked why was...."how many good surprises do you get in life?"

Exactly! I think it will be much more fun, and will make a great moment for my honey since I want him to be the one to announce it.

I found out with all three of mine. I look at it this way. If I have someone coming to live at my house for 18 years or so I wnat to know who is coming.

With all three of the girls it was pretty clear that they were girls. My mother in law was not convinced. She refused to buy anything pink or feminine until after the girls were born. In fact, she got all huffy when I got a pink carseat and stroller for Olivia. It is really adorable!! She said she just didn't trust some machine taking pictures thru my belly to tell her the sex of her grandchildren. Of course, my mother in law is the most contrary person I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. She's also a total bitch.

[mrkelley23]

C'mon, Tocq -- don't hold back.

Let us know how you really feel.

[Tocqueville3]

C'mon, Tocq -- don't hold back.

Let us know how you really feel.

I know...I know...I am a tad harsh when it comes to my mother in law. She loves our girls very much but she thinks I am the anti-Christ.

This morning I was listening to a story on the radio about the way that couples fight and the radio guy said that women who bottle their feelings during an arguement with their husband are more likely to die sooner. My mother in law tends to do this when having a spat with David's dad. In my most evil way, I thought maybe she'll die sooner. Maybe I am the anti-Christ. Sheesh.

[mrkelley23]

No, but if she is that passive-aggressive type, you make a convenient target.

Just remember, though, that she got a headstart with your hubby. I freely acknowledge what a whack job my mother can be sometimes, and yet it really makes me uncomfortable when my wife starts in on her.

Call it the Bill Cosby Syndrome.

[Tocqueville3]

No, but if she is that passive-aggressive type, you make a convenient target.

Just remember, though, that she got a headstart with your hubby. I freely acknowledge what a whack job my mother can be sometimes, and yet it really makes me uncomfortable when my wife starts in on her.

Call it the Bill Cosby Syndrome.

That is good advice. I try to keep my criticism to a minimum. My mother has her own little quirks and it annoys me sometimes when David picks at her. Unless I have some big issue with David's mom I usually just keep it to myself. Usually, I just ignore her. Heh.

[VAdame]

The doctor kept noting that they did more ultrasounds when there is AMA (advanced maternal age), which tiicked my wife off every time someone said it.

Hah -- wait till someone uses the word "elderly!" LOL