Today was the day of my 26 week growth scan (at 25 weeks 6 days!). This scan was initially not scheduled in my care plan of scans every 4 weeks (24, 28, 32 etc.) but for some reason two weeks ago the consultant decided to book me in for it.
Not knowing why this scan had been booked I was worried that maybe they had found something last time and not told me, so I approached this scan with trepidation.
I was called in for the scan quite quickly, and found that the lady was really friendly. I asked at the beginning for a couple of pictures, and I also asked if she could just double check for me that he was indeed a boy.
She started at his head, moving down she checked he had a heartbeat, then went straight to check the gender and low and behold I could tell he was a boy even without her telling me! It is amazing the growth and development from the 20 week scan where I couldn’t see anything when they told me he was a boy and pointed to what they said was the penis and scrotum, to the 26 week scan where I could clearly see what it was! So there is now definitely no doubt he is a little Jackson Theo!
She then went on to measure his head circumference, his abdominal circumference and femur length – at which point she begged him not to kick while she tried to get a good angle! Infact I was amazed at how still he remained throughout the scan having been kicking like mad in the waiting room before it! After that she checked my fluid levels, and at this point I got a bit worried. I hadn’t noticed in any of the other scans how many measurements they took of this, though had you asked I’d probably have guessed at one. This time however she took lots at all different points. After this she went to plot everything on the computer and graphs and told me that everything seemed good but would be discussed further with the consultant.

Following my scan I was called in to see a maternal medicine consultant – one I hadn’t come across before. He went through everything with me, and decided to continue with the 4 weekly growth scans from today meaning my next one will be at 30 weeks not 28. I asked him about my injections as my side is starting to bruise again, and I am sometimes bleeding a lot when I inject. He told me to change location, so I will try the left side of my bump to give my right side a break. I have been avoiding the left side as it is difficult to reach around the bump! He told me that he was very happy with Jacksons growth and how the pregnancy is progressing. I asked about the multiple fluid level measurements and he reassured me that she was just measuring at different points around baby but that it was all normal.
I then saw an endocrinology registrar who told me that it won’t be necessary to change me back to PTU towards the end of pregnancy as this is done because it transfers less in breast milk. However as I am on the lowest dose possible of Carbimazole that will be safe even if I have to continue taking Carbimazole when I breastfeed. He also gave me a blood test form to test my antibody levels, I’m booked in for that blood test tomorrow morning, and I am to have a thyroid function test in 4 weeks just before returning to clinic.
After a very positive clinic everything is still looking good and as after each positive outcome I can feel everyone around me breathing another little sigh of relief. With each positive result I allow myself to believe a little more that I will be bringing my little boy home, and that I will get to raise this child.