(hell, yeah) Scarleteen

It’s been an exciting and also unexciting couple of weeks. Life is changing, as it often seems to do.

At my last doctor’s appointment I had gained a couple of pounds. My care provider was okay with this because it puts me back on the way to my pre-pregnancy weight. My partner was able to come to my appointment with me this time. We got to hear the heartbeat again. I’ll also have my “survey ultrasound” (level II ultrasound) in the next couple of weeks. Sometimes people refer to this as a “gender ultrasound,” although checking out reproductive organs is not even the primary goal of the procedure. It’s not a required procedure. The primary purpose is to look at specific aspects of the fetus and see if there are any indications of possible abnormalities. The technician will take measurements of the limbs, look at the placenta & umbilical cord, and take pictures of the brain and spinal cord.

They also may be able to see the reproductive structures. In some areas, ultrasound technicians in medical practices are not allowed to give out this information, even if they can see it. In my area, they are allowed to give that information and I will probably find out about it. People keep asking me whether I think I’m having a boy or a girl. To be honest, I have no idea, nor does it particularly matter to me. I’m not going to run right out and purchase every pink (or blue) item I can find. I’ve got clothing and gear from my other child and will reuse as much of that as is possible. My partner & I are not huge on set traditional gender roles anyway, so it just doesn’t matter at the end of the day.

The main reason we’ll go ahead and find out (assuming they can tell during the ultrasound) is that if I can know information, I tend to feel like I should. Curiosity is just not a good look for me.

Read the rest here.