Peace of Mind with Ultrasound1

I have been extremely paranoid about this pregnancy. It may be number four, but that hasn't made it any less unnerving during any ache or pain or headache. Part of that comes with pregnancy after a loss, and I think, honestly, part of that comes from just being older now. I know 30 isn't the "end of times" in terms of child birth, but I do know that as you get older risks can increase, and I also know that my body in general doesn't bounce back from things as easily as it used to. On top of everything else, while my head told me it was still early, I started to get nervous that I wasn't really feeling the baby move much yet.

Our little zombie looking baby

After spending weeks worrying from appointment to appointment (and we all know that stress isn't good for me or the baby) to hear the heartbeat, I did some research online, and came across a service that I actually used once long ago when I was pregnant for the very first time. I connected with Joyce from Ultrasound1 in Mason City. Joyce has been doing ultrasounds in and out of hospitals for decades, and was SO easy to work with for scheduling. I made my appointment when I was at 18.5 weeks and while yes, we did find out the gender, it was really important to me just to see that my baby was okay, had the basics like two arms and two legs, and hear a heartbeat again. We got to take home a DVD of our session, several pictures, and an offer to come back at a discounted rate (I did the $119.50 internet special) for a second ultrasound if we choose to do another one for ourselves or with the kids.

I love this sweet, snuggled in pose

Ultrasound1 is a really cozy space located on the backside of Willowbrook Mall. I sat in a recliner chair with Shon next to me holding my hand, and we watched as Joyce talked us through the different things we were seeing on the screen. She was *awesome* at keeping a secret when we said that Shon wasn't going to find out what the baby's gender is (of course that lasted about 5 minutes after we walked out the door), and showed us all the comparison pictures of the 3D/4D images and baby pictures that former clients had shared with her. She made it an incredibly special experience for both of us, and I hope we do get the chance to go back later in the pregnancy.

While Ultrasound1 is a non-medical ultrasound, Joyce was able to help me see that the reason I probably hadn't felt a ton of movement was because of an anterior placenta. Basically there is a giant pillow between me and the baby. In fact, "Baby O53orn" was pretty content to just snuggle into that "pillow" the entire time we were there - yet another indicator that it is my child (Shon hates my pregnancy pillow ;).That was pretty much all the reassurance I needed. If you're looking for some peace of mind like me, a way to bond with your baby during pregnancy, or a special experience to share with loved ones, I highly recommend visiting Joyce at Ultrasound1!

Stay tuned for the details of the gender reveal party that the princess is planning for us!