Did you know at 36 weeks that an ultrasound can tell a lot about your baby?
I didn’t!
Of course, with your first baby everything seems to be a “big deal,” so when the doctor told me that they would be monitoring our baby’s kidney function shortly after he was born, it wasn’t what I’d expected to hear.
While I wasn’t overly concerned, when you’re told at your 36 week ultrasound that your baby may have a significant issue and that you’re waiting to see if everything will be okay, it adds a layer of stress. With him still on the inside and not being able to control the issue, it was a worry, an intangible concern…
When Tyson was around 4 months old we made the trek down to Orillia’s hospital for “the test.” After a long drive on a snowy day, we arrived at Soldier’s Memorial.
We were off to a rocky start with a mean lady working where we had to check in. After going through the basics, they advised me that my son would need a catheter inserted before I headed upstairs for the next portion of the test.
Let me tell you, just when you think you’ve heard a blood-curdling cry before, think again…. I was asked not to be in the room when they inserted it, and it was clear why within seconds. It took 2 nurses to hold him down while the third nurse inserted it. I held back tears while his screams echoed through the hallway, but another nice mother let me know that his screams were normal.
What seemed like an eternity later, my son was brought out to me by a nurse, and they told me to bring him back downstairs for the test (on his kidneys). I had no idea what to expect, but I brought him down.
Thankfully, the technician let me know what to look for (we wanted to see Tyson pee) in the renal ultrasound picture (and have things operate the way that they are suppose to). The technician ran water (which apparently gets babies to pee) and within seconds the technician let me know that Tyson’s kidney functions were perfect!
Just like that things were good with our son’s kidneys. I’ve had a few friends that have had to do this test with their young son or daughter and they all say that the catheter was torture.
To any parents out there, keep that in mind. It’s a tough experience, but I bet your little one will not remember it.
Krista Holmes, KH Mgmt, became a mother in the summer of 2014. She works behind-the-scenes in the Canadian music industry, designs several social media campaigns and manages special events. Her love for motherhood & music can be found on her blog, mommylovesmusic.wordpress.com.
