Today at 22+3 I went for an anomaly scan

With Mr Penman

Mr Penman is a specialist in Fetal Medicine

And has scanned us with all our babies

He knows us

He knows me

He knows our history

He knows the level of detail I like when scanning

He knows the level of reassurance that I need that all is well

Today was wonderful

Mr Penman had a new scanning machine to test out

And a very uncooperative baby

Meant that the scan was lengthy

And detailed

And every measurement was checked and double checked

I also got to see Sprinkle in 4D

Though mostly I saw hands and feet

As she is now in a breech position

Curled up in a ball

Her bottom is low in my pelvis

And for the duration of the scan

Her hands and feet were up in front of her face

She is going to be a character!

Mr Penman always begins his scans

By finding baby’s heart

And listening to the heartbeat

Once I have remembered to breathe

He continues

And tries to next focus on the head and the brain

Today he was measuring the head

And checking the shape and size of different parts of the brain

Everything looked as it should

After the head Mr Penman

Looked at the placenta

And he then checked the blood flow

From the placenta through the cord to baby

Again everything looked as he would expect at this stage

At this time in my scan I also ask about Vasa Praevia

In honour of a little boy who died and his awesome mummy

And because of what happened to a very dear friend of mine

This rare but potentially fatal condition

Can be checked for during the anomaly scan

And people should not be afraid to ask for the check

To be carried out at their NHS anomaly scan

Please read more about Vasa Praevia and The Harry Cunningham Trust here

After head comes heart

Mr Penman looked in great detail at the heart

Checking the four chambers

Next he looked at Sprinkle’s abdomen

Checking the stomach and the bladder and the kidneys

Mr Penman was also able to confirm that Sprinkle is indeed a girl

So now it is time to seriously start thinking about names!

Next to be measured was Femur length

And we were lucky to capture this super clear image

Of a perfect foot

At a perfect 90 degree angle from the ankle

We saw all her lovely toes and beautiful fingers

Mostly in front of her face

She was not in the mood to be photographed today

It took a long time for her to give us a good profile shot

But Mr Penman was patient and in the end got the view that he needed

The profile is the traditional first baby view

The photograph parents clasp as they leave their 12 week scan

Now there is also the possibility of seeing so much more

Our little lady would not play the game today

So our 4D pictures are not as good as others I have seen

But they are enough

They show me what she might look like

Today I watched my baby yawn

I saw her opening and closing her mouth

Today I saw my baby holding her hands to her ears

I saw her ears!

These images make the pregnancy feel so much more real

When you see your baby moving around inside of you

You realise the enormity of what is going on inside you

I am growing an entire human being

How amazing is that?

What a miracle life is?

And now I am a mother all over again

And I have seen my daughter

I have seen her living inside of me

And I love her with all my heart

A teeny tiny 1lb Sprinkle of Stardust

My beautiful darling daughter

I cannot wait to meet you

To hold you

And to hopefully bring you home

No obvious signs of fetal anomaly were found today

All the measurements place Sprinkle

Between the 50th and 75th centiles

She seems to be a happy and healthy baby

So far

From what we can see

Now we count down to our next milestone

Hoping and praying that we can reach it together

24 weeks and viability

And important milestone for all parents

But especially those who have had previous premature births

On the day I reach 24 weeks

I have my next midwife appointment

I am looking forward to chasing up

Things that should have happened by now

That have not

Including meeting the hospital consultant

And having contact with the local CONI Health Visitor

My next scan will be a growth scan

At 28 weeks

29 weeks actually for me

Which seems a very long time away

As before then we have Matilda Mae’s anniversary

And the anniversary of her funeral

And all the horrific days in between

But today

I am taking a moment

For Sprinkle

For we have made it to 22 weeks

And if we have nothing else

My daughter and I

We will always have today