Anterior Placenta

We had our "after the ultrasound" check up yesterday. All went well! They ruled out 246 things that could have been wrong with baby, which means things are looking to progress smoothly throughout the remainder of the pregnancy. Now all that is left for the baby to do during the next four months of COOKING is grow fingernails, eyelashes, and practical things like that. He also did a great job of explaining my anterior placenta that the ultrasound tech told me about. It means that the baby is taking a backseat to the placenta. Most of the time a fertilized egg will attach to the part of the uterus closest to the spine (or the backside) allowing the thin layer of the uterus to be exposed on the front side (or belly side) where all of the nerves are. My fertilized egg attached to the front side of the uterus with the baby behind it. This location makes no difference to the baby. To me, I am less able to feel the baby's early kicks and punches because the placenta will serve as a cushion between the baby and my tummy. For the same reason, it is harder and will take longer for Adam to feel the baby's movements from the outside of my tummy. Thankfully my anterior placenta is not laying low in my uterus, rather is high, which if low, could partially or completely block off the cervix (and the baby's way out which would make a cesarean section necessary).

All this said, it really makes no difference where the placenta is, it will just take longer for me to feel that baby moving around or doing cartwheels in there. It made me feel great knowing this is the case because i was getting a bit worried about not feeling the baby move, thinking something maybe wrong, but as soon as we saw the little baby moving during the ultrasound, it reassured me that indeed it was moving, and the reason behind why i couldn't feel it was explained. It was also moving around quite a bit during the doppler yesterday to hear the heartbeat. Everytime you hear static while listening to the heartbeat the baby is moving, and the dr chuckled, and said, this baby sure is moving around a lot. I smiled :) even though i can't feel it, i know it is still doing flips :)

It will just be that much more exciting when i am feeling it often and more intense as the anticipation will grow with each week. I also am excited for Adam to be able to feel the baby...every time i do feel it move (which isn't all that often) i let Adam know, and he runs in and puts his hand on my belly, even though we both know it may be weeks before he can feel it still. I know he is excited for that moment!

Now you all had a little bit of a physiology lesson on placentas!