Another week has passed. Thankfully I haven’t had the leg cramps again, but I do feel like my ankles are starting to swell slightly the last couple of evenings. The baby feels less like it’s kicking and more like it’s just moving around these days, though there are times when it obviously kicks (or punches).
We had our second appointment at the birth centre today. My blood pressure was 130/70 even though I was unexplicably nervous in the waiting room and could feel my heart pumping. The fundal height was spot on, and the midwife (Amy) said that the heartbeat was perfect. She couldn’t feel the baby’s position yet, but she said that was because I was only at 25 weeks (she said by 30 weeks she’d be able to tell what’s what). Amy also said that slightly swollen ankles is perfectly normal, particularly given the weather has been quite hot lately. She gave me the paperwork to do the gestational diabetes test, but that’s done between 26 and 28 weeks so I don’t need to do it straight away. It’s the 1 hour test that doesn’t require fasting before it.
At my last appointment the midwife had looked at my blood results that the obstetrician had ordered to test me for blood clotting, and said that there was nothing abnormal. However, the obstetrician thought differently, and wants to see me. So I’ve made an appointment for Monday next week.
Info from Birth.com.au:
You are now 25 weeks pregnant and at the beginning of week 26. Your baby measures about 33 cm from head to toe and weighs about 800 grams. Your baby’s eyelids are no longer fused, so they can now open their eyes and blink! It is also possible for your baby to respond to bright light (such as shining a torch through your belly). Newborns have vision that is perfectly focussed from about 20 to 30 cm, usually as far away as the face of the person holding them!
Your baby’s movements are generally more regular now and they may physically respond to you if you press on parts of their protruding feet, bottom or hands. Some parents play games with their unborn baby when they seem awake and alert! Your caregiver can now probably hear your baby’s heartbeat with a Pinnard’s stethoscope now (rather than just an electronic Doppler), beating at around 110 to 170 beats per minute. Babies born between 24 and 26 weeks are regarded as extremely preterm, but have a 50 to 70% chance of surviving if they have access to a fully equipped intensive care nursery.
Your growing baby is much larger and now big enough for your caregiver to feel where their head is lying. Your caregiver may even be able to guide your hands during a routine pregnancy visit so you can feel your own baby’s head. Ask them to do this next time you see them.
Babies change position frequently during this phase of pregnancy and are quite often in a breech position (bottom down) or lying across your belly in a transverse position. Your caregiver may start to write your baby’s position on your pregnancy record card.
Between 26 and 30 weeks your caregiver may recommend some further tests. Depending on their preferences and/or the hospital or birth centre’s policies, these could include a glucose tolerance test (GTT) to screen for gestational diabetes; a full blood count (FBC) to check for anaemia and to see if you need iron supplements and perhaps a vaginal swab to screen for Group B strep.
