32 Week Echocardiogram

Last Friday Greg and I spent another full day down at Children's/Barnes. We started with the echocardiogram, which was a lot easier to appreciate as the baby gets bigger. The left ventricle/atrium remains small, but all other findings were positive. The cardiologist was very happy with everything that she saw, with no new surprises. The aorta continues to have flow across it from the left side of the heart, which again is a positive for the surgery. We will have one more echocardiogram at 36 weeks, and then not again until the baby is born. She said that this echo will provide a lot of new information for the surgeons, and confirm what they have been following in utero.

We next took a true tour of the labor floor since we have never really been there, other than a quick look last month with a physician friend that we bumped into in the hall (it is good to have connections)! A nurse showed us around, and I was sad to find out that I would not be delivering in a labor room, but rather in the operating room. It is just a sad reminder to me of the seriousness of the baby's condition. We also learned of the visitor restrictions - only two at a time in the room - and quite the lock down unit! The walk to the NICU is quite the journey, but Greg assures me that he will push me for the 10 minute trek (I kid you not on the distance).

Lastly, we had an ultrasound looking at the baby's well being and size. He is already 4lbs6oz, and should be on track to weighing the same as our girls (hopefully no bigger!). We again got some really good 3-D pics that I will have my sister upload soon.

So, all in all, good news. It's just getting a little more real as we get closer, and learn a lot more about the specifics of his birth, and all that will happen immediately after. I was spoiled with my last two deliveries - an epidural 5 minutes after walking in the door, no complications, getting to hold them immediately before going to the warmer . . . It will be difficult this time to not get to hold him. But, we obviously will do whatever is best for him. Remind me of that on the day he is born.

Ultrasound Pictures

Here are some ultrasound pictures of Baby Boy Ward. The last one is the head and chest. The other 2 are 3-D photos. He sure does look a lot like his sisters! It may be the nose. We are still working on a name. Any suggestions?