I can't believe it's been so long since I last updated. There has been a lot going on, and yet not much all at the same time.
On December 3rd, at a little over 33 weeks, I started getting regular contractions every 10-15 minutes. Of course, this had to happen on the night that R had a show. Luckily, our friend M was hanging out with me and took me into labor and delivery and hung out with me. Sure enough, I was having contractions and at one point they got to every 3-4 minutes. The Dr examined me and while I was 1 cm dilated, my cervix was still long and Connor was still really high, which is exactly what it had been the day before at my last appointment. They put me on a drug called Procardia, which is a blood pressure med that works really well at stopping contractions. Between that, laying down and fluids we got the contractions slowed enough that they felt comfortable letting me go home. I was under strict instructions to stay on bed rest until 36 weeks and was told that I am only allowed to get up to use the rest room and to take a quick shower each day. Through all of this, Connor looked fantastic on the monitors. M took me back home and hung out with me for a few hours before heading home.
About 2:00 am, I was laying in bed and started having a really difficult time getting a full breath. I also had a splitting headache, but I had been warned that this could be a side-effect of the meds that they put me on. I called the on call Dr and was told to come in and go to the ER. So as soon as R got home, we went back to the hospital. When we got there, my blood pressure was high and my pulse was racing (125 bpm and up). While they were monitoring me and deciding which tests to run, the contractions started back up again, so two of the nurses from labor and delivery came down to monitor me as well. While they were monitoring me, Connor did have some variable hear rate decelerations, which seemed to clear up as soon as they got me on fluids. They were talking about doing a chest CT to look for blood clots, but I was really not excited about the idea of that much radiation so close to Connor, so they ran a blood test instead and since it came back normal I was able to avoid the CT scan. They also ran an EKG, which came back totally fine. They never really figured out what was going on with my racing pulse, but it started to get better with fluids. We did discover that the longer acting version of the meds they put me on had dairy in them, so one theory is that it was partially an allergic reaction to the meds.
Once they were done with me in the ER, they moved me up to labor and delivery for more monitoring. At this point it was 7:00 am and we were both totally exhausted. I was still having contractions, so they kept giving me the shorter acting meds and kept me hydrated. Connor was still doing great aside from that small incident with his heart rate while we were in the ER. Eventually we got them slowed enough that they felt comfortable sending me home. R picked up my meds and we stopped to get some burgers to go on our way home as it was 3:00 or 4:00 pm and we hadn't eaten all day.
So, I have been on bed rest ever since. I only have until this Thursday and then I am allowed to move around again. I am so looking forward to it. I am not good at bed rest. I am still having contractions, and the meds don't seem to be working all that well anymore, but there is nothing else the Drs will do at this point. I have been getting really uncomfortable and I think that he has dropped, because my hips, back and pelvis are killing me. I'm hoping that there is some progress at my next appointment on Friday.
I can't believe we could be meeting our son any day now!!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Catch up...
I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update. I've been really busy lately between Dr's appointments, trying to wrap up projects at work, and our baby classes. I will try to do an actual weekly post on Thursday, but for now I will just hit the highlights of the last few weeks.
Two weeks ago, the day after our second shower, we were headed home from running some errands and were almost in a potentially serious accident. An older guy, who had no business having a license, tried to merge into us without signaling or checking to see if there were any other cars around. Had he succeeded, we would have been sandwiched between him and a concrete barrier, and probably rear-ended by the car behind us. Luckily R was able to slam on the brakes to avoid the accident. However, the seat belt tightened on my belly and my OB decided we should come in for a check, just in case. It's a good thing we did, because I was apparently having contractions, although I couldn't feel them. At one point they were coming every 4 minutes. They weren't productive contractions, but the OB wanted me observed over night, so we spent the night in labor and delivery. It was actually one of the more comfortable hospital stays I have had. They were able to get my contractions slowed/stopped. In the morning, I had an ultrasound to confirm that everything looked good with my cervix and there was no bleeding or anything. I passed with flying colors, and so did Connor. They measured him while doing the scan. At that point, they were estimating his weight at 5 lbs 5 oz and put him in the 100th percentile for size. His head and abdomen were measuring 5 weeks ahead. He is going to be a big boy! He was very active and did not like being on the monitor all night.
At my follow up with the OB, we discussed Connor's size and agreed that we would schedule a primary C section for his due date, but if I went into labor before that (which she implied was likely) we will play it by ear. We will see what happens. I'm 32 weeks 4 days today, which means a little over 4 weeks until he is full term, and a little over 7 weeks until his due date. My goal is to make it to full term (12/29).
Connor has been very active lately and has had the hiccups almost every day. I think that is one of my favorite feelings. We were up visiting Mom and Dad for Thanksgiving this last weekend and Mom finally got to feel him move and got to feel him with the hiccups. Since we were also celebrating Christmas (I won't be able to make the drive for actual Christmas), it was like Connor's gift to his Oma. It was so great spending time with Mom, Dad, Alex and Sig. I can't believe the next time I see Mom and Dad, I will be a Mom myself! Now we just need to finish our classes (Newborn Care, Infant CPR, and Childbirth are done - Carseat Safety and Postpartum Prep still to go), and finish getting the apartment ready.
- J
Two weeks ago, the day after our second shower, we were headed home from running some errands and were almost in a potentially serious accident. An older guy, who had no business having a license, tried to merge into us without signaling or checking to see if there were any other cars around. Had he succeeded, we would have been sandwiched between him and a concrete barrier, and probably rear-ended by the car behind us. Luckily R was able to slam on the brakes to avoid the accident. However, the seat belt tightened on my belly and my OB decided we should come in for a check, just in case. It's a good thing we did, because I was apparently having contractions, although I couldn't feel them. At one point they were coming every 4 minutes. They weren't productive contractions, but the OB wanted me observed over night, so we spent the night in labor and delivery. It was actually one of the more comfortable hospital stays I have had. They were able to get my contractions slowed/stopped. In the morning, I had an ultrasound to confirm that everything looked good with my cervix and there was no bleeding or anything. I passed with flying colors, and so did Connor. They measured him while doing the scan. At that point, they were estimating his weight at 5 lbs 5 oz and put him in the 100th percentile for size. His head and abdomen were measuring 5 weeks ahead. He is going to be a big boy! He was very active and did not like being on the monitor all night.
At my follow up with the OB, we discussed Connor's size and agreed that we would schedule a primary C section for his due date, but if I went into labor before that (which she implied was likely) we will play it by ear. We will see what happens. I'm 32 weeks 4 days today, which means a little over 4 weeks until he is full term, and a little over 7 weeks until his due date. My goal is to make it to full term (12/29).
Connor has been very active lately and has had the hiccups almost every day. I think that is one of my favorite feelings. We were up visiting Mom and Dad for Thanksgiving this last weekend and Mom finally got to feel him move and got to feel him with the hiccups. Since we were also celebrating Christmas (I won't be able to make the drive for actual Christmas), it was like Connor's gift to his Oma. It was so great spending time with Mom, Dad, Alex and Sig. I can't believe the next time I see Mom and Dad, I will be a Mom myself! Now we just need to finish our classes (Newborn Care, Infant CPR, and Childbirth are done - Carseat Safety and Postpartum Prep still to go), and finish getting the apartment ready.
- J
Thursday, November 3, 2011
29 Week Check In
Well, it looks like it's back to my old ways. Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. We've been very busy the last few weeks. We've been working on the nursery and have it almost finished. We still need to clean out Connor's closet and hang some art on the walls, but aside from that, it's done. I'm still a little worried about getting it finished in time because we are booked up through the end of the year, but we will figure it out.
We also got to spend some time with Kate and Jeff before they left for their big trip. We had a very relaxing overnight trip to Whidbey Island for Jeff's birthday. We spent the evening chatting and hanging out on the beach, looking at the bio-luminescence. A few days later, we had a lovely dinner with Kate, Jeff, Sig, Penny, Callie, Ron and Linda. It was a celebration for Linda completing her cancer treatment and being able to go home, as well as a Bon Voyage dinner for Kate and Jeff. While we didn't get to see nearly enough of them, the time we spent was great.
R's been busy getting ready to go into the studio with Shedu to record their EP. The guy mastering the recording for them has worked with some big Seattle bands in the past and is working on getting them signed with one of two record companies. We'll see what happens. We are definitely not holding our breath, but it would be pretty fantastic.
We had a growth scan and an OB appointment on Halloween. Both went really well. Connor is definitely going to be a big boy. He's now in the 93rd percentile and they are estimating his current weight at 3 lbs 8 ozs. His head is measuring 4 weeks ahead and they are guessing that he will easily be over 9 lbs by birth. We discussed delivery with my OB and discussed the pro's and con's of an elective C section. I think the plan at this point is to schedule a C section for as close to my due date as possible, but if I go into labor before that we will play it by ear and see how it goes. We got some great pictures of Connor's face. He has adorable chubby cheeks already. He was playing with his feet and was "talking" to us. Here are the most recent photos:
Weekly Check In:
We also got to spend some time with Kate and Jeff before they left for their big trip. We had a very relaxing overnight trip to Whidbey Island for Jeff's birthday. We spent the evening chatting and hanging out on the beach, looking at the bio-luminescence. A few days later, we had a lovely dinner with Kate, Jeff, Sig, Penny, Callie, Ron and Linda. It was a celebration for Linda completing her cancer treatment and being able to go home, as well as a Bon Voyage dinner for Kate and Jeff. While we didn't get to see nearly enough of them, the time we spent was great.
R's been busy getting ready to go into the studio with Shedu to record their EP. The guy mastering the recording for them has worked with some big Seattle bands in the past and is working on getting them signed with one of two record companies. We'll see what happens. We are definitely not holding our breath, but it would be pretty fantastic.
We had a growth scan and an OB appointment on Halloween. Both went really well. Connor is definitely going to be a big boy. He's now in the 93rd percentile and they are estimating his current weight at 3 lbs 8 ozs. His head is measuring 4 weeks ahead and they are guessing that he will easily be over 9 lbs by birth. We discussed delivery with my OB and discussed the pro's and con's of an elective C section. I think the plan at this point is to schedule a C section for as close to my due date as possible, but if I go into labor before that we will play it by ear and see how it goes. We got some great pictures of Connor's face. He has adorable chubby cheeks already. He was playing with his feet and was "talking" to us. Here are the most recent photos:
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 29 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 15 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of an squash this month.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Lots of strong kicks and movement! He's quite the prankster and stops moving as soon as anyone puts their hand on my belly to feel him.
- Stretch marks?: No new ones, but the ones around my belly button are getting worse.
- Sleep?: Still having a really hard time sleeping, which seems to be leading to migraines. I'm getting pretty worried about how I am going to sleep for the next 11 weeks.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, really vivid dreams, heartburn and movement. Also having some rib and hip pain now.
- Food cravings: Bagels and sweet foods are the foods of the week.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie, but my belly button is getting pretty flat.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: My second shower is coming up soon (11/12), which I am looking forward to. We are also going to start our classes soon.
- Best Moment this week: Spending time with Kate and Jeff was great, and seeing Connor was fantastic! I love getting to see my (not so) little guy.
- Milestone: Connor is starting to get fat deposits under his skin, making him look less translucent and wrinkly and giving him more energy. He's also running out of room in there!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
26 Week Update
I know that trend was too good to continue! Sorry I missed last week's update. This is going to be a long post; we had a lot happen in the last two weeks!
25 weeks:
We started the week by spending the weekend with Mom, Dad, Bruce, Christine, Tom and Joe. We had a great visit and I am so glad that R got to meet everyone. It was so nice to see them after all of that time. Connor was pretty active, but any time his Oma (Mom) tried to feel him kick he would stop. He's already playing games with her!
Tuesday I had an appointment with Dr J. Connor is doing great, but I was measuring ahead so she sent me for a growth scan. Turns out little man is not so little. He was measuring 2 weeks ahead and is already 2 lbs. That puts him in the 87th percentile! I was able to get a great profile shot of him as well. He's such a handsome little guy!
26 weeks:
Friday, we got to have dinner with Bruce, Christine, Tom and Joe. They were staying in town because their flight home was the next day. We took them to our favorite Thai restaurant and showed them our apartment. We had a great evening and it was a really nice way to end the week.
Saturday was my shower. We drove up early to help Mom out with the prep and then R dropped me off at the park and went and hung out with Corey and Jeff. We had a great turn out, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Sig, Mom, Alex, Kate and Kaimi went way above and beyond and really made it a special day. We got all kinds of great goodies for Connor. So many cute outfits! I can't wait until he can fit into them. He is going to be one well dressed kid! We also got some beautiful blankets (a couple were handmade) and some practical stuff as well. We are very blessed and Connor is one lucky little boy to have such caring friends and family.
The rest of this week has been pretty quiet. I have been working, writing thank you cards and trying to organize the nursery. This weekend we are going to do some massive work in there, so hopefully there will be a lot of progress.
Weekly Check In:
25 weeks:
We started the week by spending the weekend with Mom, Dad, Bruce, Christine, Tom and Joe. We had a great visit and I am so glad that R got to meet everyone. It was so nice to see them after all of that time. Connor was pretty active, but any time his Oma (Mom) tried to feel him kick he would stop. He's already playing games with her!
Tuesday I had an appointment with Dr J. Connor is doing great, but I was measuring ahead so she sent me for a growth scan. Turns out little man is not so little. He was measuring 2 weeks ahead and is already 2 lbs. That puts him in the 87th percentile! I was able to get a great profile shot of him as well. He's such a handsome little guy!
26 weeks:
Friday, we got to have dinner with Bruce, Christine, Tom and Joe. They were staying in town because their flight home was the next day. We took them to our favorite Thai restaurant and showed them our apartment. We had a great evening and it was a really nice way to end the week.
Saturday was my shower. We drove up early to help Mom out with the prep and then R dropped me off at the park and went and hung out with Corey and Jeff. We had a great turn out, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Sig, Mom, Alex, Kate and Kaimi went way above and beyond and really made it a special day. We got all kinds of great goodies for Connor. So many cute outfits! I can't wait until he can fit into them. He is going to be one well dressed kid! We also got some beautiful blankets (a couple were handmade) and some practical stuff as well. We are very blessed and Connor is one lucky little boy to have such caring friends and family.
The rest of this week has been pretty quiet. I have been working, writing thank you cards and trying to organize the nursery. This weekend we are going to do some massive work in there, so hopefully there will be a lot of progress.
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 26 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 9.5 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of an eggplant this month.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Lots of strong kicks and movement! He's been especially active the last couple of days!
- Stretch marks?: No new ones, but the ones around my belly button are getting worse.
- Sleep?: Sleep, what's that? I only seem to be able to sleep when I take a Tylenol PM, and even that's not working so well anymore.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, really vivid dreams, heartburn and movement. Also having some rib and hip pain now.
- Food cravings: Cereal is still hitting the spot.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: I have an OB appointment on Wednesday which I am looking forward to, and we will be working on the nursery this weekend.
- Best Moment this week: Since this is really a two week update, I am going to pick two; spending time with old friends and my shower. Both were fantastic!
- Milestone: Connor's eyelids are opening and he is taking practice breaths. He is viable now, so if he were to be born early there is a good chance he would be okay with medical intervention!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
24 Week Update & Milestone
And this makes three weeks in a row!
Today is a huge milestone for us. It's V Day, or viability day, which means that if Connor were born today the hospital would take measures to try to keep him alive and he would have a greater than 50% chance of survival. Obviously I want him to keep cooking for another 13 weeks at least (preferably 16), but I feel like I can breathe a little more easily. He has spent the day celebrating by kicking up a storm.
We have had a pretty quiet week, but we have a big weekend coming up. Tomorrow we will be leaving for B'ham as soon as R gets off work. Bruce, Christine, Tom and Joe are in town for a visit and I can't wait to see them. It's been 11 years since we last saw them. R hasn't met them yet, so I am looking forward to that as well. Then it's a lot of work on the nursery next week because my shower is a week from Saturday!
Weekly Check In:
Today is a huge milestone for us. It's V Day, or viability day, which means that if Connor were born today the hospital would take measures to try to keep him alive and he would have a greater than 50% chance of survival. Obviously I want him to keep cooking for another 13 weeks at least (preferably 16), but I feel like I can breathe a little more easily. He has spent the day celebrating by kicking up a storm.
We have had a pretty quiet week, but we have a big weekend coming up. Tomorrow we will be leaving for B'ham as soon as R gets off work. Bruce, Christine, Tom and Joe are in town for a visit and I can't wait to see them. It's been 11 years since we last saw them. R hasn't met them yet, so I am looking forward to that as well. Then it's a lot of work on the nursery next week because my shower is a week from Saturday!
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 24 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 6.5 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a papaya this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Lots of strong kicks and movement! And Connor finally let his daddy feel him kick!
- Stretch marks?: I just discovered some stretch marks right around my belly button.
- Sleep?: Still having a hard time sleeping although the migraine meds have been knocking me out.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, really vivid dreams, heartburn and movement.
- Food cravings: Cereal has been really good this week.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: Spending this weekend visiting with old friends. I also have an OB appointment next Tuesday which I am excited about.
- Best Moment this week: R getting to feel Connor kick for the first time.
- Milestone: Connor's skin is becoming less transparent as he packs on some fat, and he is starting to take on a rosy hue as his capillaries develop. He is making facial expressions: frowning, squinting and pursing his lips. His nostrils are opening and his lungs are developing!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
23 Week Update
That's two weeks in a row. Talk about a streak!
We've had a good week. It started with our gender reveal party last weekend. We had a great time and everyone was very excited about our little man. We had a great time with our family and friends. It was especially nice spending the evening with R's daughter A. Connor now has Godparents. His Godfather, C, is one of Raven's best friends and was the best man in our wedding. His Godmother, K, has been one of my best friends since High School She is like a surrogate sister to me.
I ended up getting a horrible migraine Sunday and when it wasn't gone by Monday, I ended up going to see my Dr. They ruled out anything having to do with my blood pressure (thank goodness!) so they sent me to the ER for further testing. I was not impressed with the ER Dr, who apparently couldn't tell I am pregnant or read my chart. He wanted to send me for a CT scan for the incredibly minute possibility of there being an issue in my brain. I decided that wasn't worth the risk to Connor and declined. He gave me some meds that took most of the pain away and sent me home. My OB has now given me some meds in case the migraines come back, so hopefully I am all set.
In more exciting news, I have started working on some projects for the nursery. I got Connor's initials in wooden letters and I have been working on painting and decorating them. I just finished a knitted blanket and I am starting to work on a quilt/wall hanging to go over the crib.
Weekly Check In:
We've had a good week. It started with our gender reveal party last weekend. We had a great time and everyone was very excited about our little man. We had a great time with our family and friends. It was especially nice spending the evening with R's daughter A. Connor now has Godparents. His Godfather, C, is one of Raven's best friends and was the best man in our wedding. His Godmother, K, has been one of my best friends since High School She is like a surrogate sister to me.
I ended up getting a horrible migraine Sunday and when it wasn't gone by Monday, I ended up going to see my Dr. They ruled out anything having to do with my blood pressure (thank goodness!) so they sent me to the ER for further testing. I was not impressed with the ER Dr, who apparently couldn't tell I am pregnant or read my chart. He wanted to send me for a CT scan for the incredibly minute possibility of there being an issue in my brain. I decided that wasn't worth the risk to Connor and declined. He gave me some meds that took most of the pain away and sent me home. My OB has now given me some meds in case the migraines come back, so hopefully I am all set.
In more exciting news, I have started working on some projects for the nursery. I got Connor's initials in wooden letters and I have been working on painting and decorating them. I just finished a knitted blanket and I am starting to work on a quilt/wall hanging to go over the crib.
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 23 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 6.5 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a papaya this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Much stronger kicks and movements the last week, and I was finally able to feel some movement from the outside. I can see movement from the outside now, but Connor still hasn't let his daddy feel him move yet.
- Stretch marks?: I just discovered some stretch marks right around my belly button.
- Sleep?: Still having a hard time sleeping although the migraine meds have been knocking me out.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, really vivid dreams, heartburn and movement.
- Food cravings: Cereal has been really good this week.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: At this exact moment, a nap. We are going to a housewarming party this weekend which should be fun.
- Best Moment this week: Sharing the news of our little guy with our friends and family.
- Milestone: Connor's face is fully developed at this point. Now he is growing nipples!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
It's a...
Boy! Now that we have had our gender reveal party, I can make the official announcement. Connor Grey will be joining our family in January 2012. He is doing great and as I write this, he is kicking me. We are thrilled and so excited to meet our little man.
- J
- J
Thursday, September 15, 2011
22 Week Update
I'm actually updating on time for once!! It's amazing!!
We are doing well. Little one has been kicking like crazy, and I have been loving it. We did have a little scare a couple of nights ago. I was having some lower abdominal pain, low back pain and some cramping. The on-call OB wanted me to come in and make sure I wasn't having contractions and didn't have a UTI. So off I went to Labor & Delivery. After about 30 - 45 minutes on the monitor, we determined that I wasn't having contractions and Baby hates the monitor. It keep kicking and trying to move away from it. Urine culture was clean, and they sent me home. I was very impressed with my sneak preview of the Maternity ward and am happy we chose that hospital.
Weekly Check In:
We are doing well. Little one has been kicking like crazy, and I have been loving it. We did have a little scare a couple of nights ago. I was having some lower abdominal pain, low back pain and some cramping. The on-call OB wanted me to come in and make sure I wasn't having contractions and didn't have a UTI. So off I went to Labor & Delivery. After about 30 - 45 minutes on the monitor, we determined that I wasn't having contractions and Baby hates the monitor. It keep kicking and trying to move away from it. Urine culture was clean, and they sent me home. I was very impressed with my sneak preview of the Maternity ward and am happy we chose that hospital.
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 22 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 7 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a papaya this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Much stronger kicks and movements the last week, and I was finally able to feel some movement from the outside. Unfortunately little one likes to hide, so R hasn't felt anything yet.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Still having a hard time sleeping. The body pillow really didn't help too much.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, really vivid dreams, heartburn and movement.
- Food cravings: Sweets, bacon, burgers, other than that not a whole lot.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: Our big gender reveal dinner with the family on the 17th!
- Best Moment this week: Hearing the baby on the monitor.
- Milestone: Baby is starting to develop a sleeping pattern. It spends 12 -14 hours a day sleeping!
Monday, September 12, 2011
21 Week Update (a little late)
Sorry this update is a little late. We had some very hot weather this weekend and I couldn't bear to have my laptop going.
Anyway, we had a great week. We had our anatomy scan last Tuesday and baby was not shy about showing the goods. We will be making the big announcement to our families on the 17th, so I will be doing another update here after that. Even more importantly, baby is doing great. The scan was done at 20 weeks, 5 days. Here are the measurements from the scan:
I am a little concerned about how big this baby is going to be, especially given how big R was when he was born. We are going to have another growth scan at 28 weeks and then discuss the possibility of having an elective C section. I have my next OB appointment and second glucose tolerance test on 10/4/11. After that, I go for appointments every 2 weeks instead of every month. We are going to be registering for our classes in the next week or two and we are starting to get the nursery ready. It's all becoming very real now!
Weekly Check In:
Anyway, we had a great week. We had our anatomy scan last Tuesday and baby was not shy about showing the goods. We will be making the big announcement to our families on the 17th, so I will be doing another update here after that. Even more importantly, baby is doing great. The scan was done at 20 weeks, 5 days. Here are the measurements from the scan:
- Biparietal Diameter: 51 mm/21 weeks 3 days
- Head Circumference: 197 mm/21 weeks 6 days
- Femur Length: 36 mm/21 weeks 3 days
- Humerus Length: 35 mm/22 weeks 0 days
- Abdominal Circumference: 159 mm/21 weeks 0 days
I am a little concerned about how big this baby is going to be, especially given how big R was when he was born. We are going to have another growth scan at 28 weeks and then discuss the possibility of having an elective C section. I have my next OB appointment and second glucose tolerance test on 10/4/11. After that, I go for appointments every 2 weeks instead of every month. We are going to be registering for our classes in the next week or two and we are starting to get the nursery ready. It's all becoming very real now!
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 21 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 7 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a banana this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Much stronger kicks and movements the last week, and I was finally able to feel some movement from the outside. Unfortunately little one likes to hide, so R hasn't felt anything yet.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Still having a hard time sleeping. The body pillow really didn't help too much.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, really vivid dreams, heartburn and movement.
- Food cravings: Sweets, bacon, burgers, other than that not a whole lot.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: Our big gender reveal dinner with the family on the 17th!
- Best Moment this week: Seeing our beautiful baby at our anatomy scan.
- Milestone: Baby gulping down amniotic fluid for nutrition and practice swallowing. And baby can taste things now. They have done studies that show little one will prefer foods that it has already tasted in utero!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
OB Appointment Update
We had a great appointment today. Baby actually cooperated, so we will be making the official announcement on September 17th. Everything looks perfect and little one is measuring 1 - 2 weeks ahead. Here are some pictures!
Profile - Not the best as Baby didn't want to show it's face:
Foot:
Profile - Not the best as Baby didn't want to show it's face:
Foot:
Friday, September 2, 2011
One year ago today...
A year ago today, our lives were forever changed. One year ago today, I found out I was pregnant. I didn't know yet that we were expecting twins, and I certainly had no idea how it would turn out. I was ecstatic and naive. I never imagined anything would go as horribly wrong as it did. I miss having that naivety.
I'm so thrilled for the healthy baby growing inside me, but I miss our twins every day. I know they are watching over us, but I wish I could have known them.
- J
I'm so thrilled for the healthy baby growing inside me, but I miss our twins every day. I know they are watching over us, but I wish I could have known them.
- J
Thursday, September 1, 2011
20 Week Update - Half-Baked!
Things have been going pretty well this week. Baby's movements have been getting stronger which has been really cool. Other than that, the only big news is that I am halfway there today! 20 weeks down and 20 more to go! We have a long weekend coming up and then we get to see Baby again on Tuesday.
Weekly Check In:
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 20 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 2 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight as of Monday.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a cantaloupe this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Much stronger kicks and movements the last week. I can't wait until we can feel little one moving from the outside.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Still having a hard time sleeping. The body pillow really didn't help too much.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, really vivid dreams, and movement.
- Food cravings: Sweets, burgers, other than that not a whole lot.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: Still excited about my next OB appointment and our anatomy scan on 9/6!
- Best Moment this week: Getting definite kicks from little one.
- Milestone: Baby gulping down amniotic fluid for nutrition and practice swallowing. And baby can taste things now. They have done studies that show little one will prefer foods that it has already tasted in utero!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
19 Week Update
Not a whole lot going on this week. I think little one had a growth spurt because I have had stretching pain all week, and suddenly my bump seems much more noticeable. Work has been really busy, and R is busy prepping for a show on Monday. Other than that, same old, same old around here.
I have one more week until I am half-baked and only 5 more weeks until V-Day (viability day)!!
Weekly Check In:
I have one more week until I am half-baked and only 5 more weeks until V-Day (viability day)!!
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 19 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 2 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight as of Monday.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a mango this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Felt a couple of stronger kicks after eating a cinnamon roll the other day. Other than that, still wiggles and little pokes here and there.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Still having a hard time sleeping. I just got a second body pillow and that seems to be helping a little bit.
- Symptoms?: Heightened sense of smell, gassy, really vivid dreams, round ligamnet pain, and I really want to get started with cleaning and organizing everything. I'm not really sure that last one is a symptom, but there you go.
- Food cravings: Sweets, burgers, other than that not a whole lot.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: Still excited about my next OB appointment and our anatomy scan on 9/6!
- Best Moment this week: Getting definite kicks from little one.
- Milestone: Baby is getting very mobile. Baby is now coated in vernix caseoa (waxy cheese-like stuff) to protect it's skin. Last week was a much more exciting milestone!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
18 Week Update
Sorry for not updating last week. Thursday I got slammed at work and then we had a busy weekend so I wasn't able to get online. A good friend of ours had his birthday last week, so Friday we got together and caught up on So You Think You Can Dance and Saturday we hosted a BBQ for his birthday.
Monday, R had his big show at El Corazon with Diamond Head. The show went really well. I'm amazed that he was able to sleep that night, he was so jazzed. He got to meet the guys in Diamond Head (as well as the other bands) and got the show poster autographed by all of the members of the band.
I did have a small scare on Monday, but we went into the Dr for a check up and everything is fine. They are concerned about the possibility of incompetent cervix due to how I lost the twins, so I think they were being hyper-vigilant, which is okay with me. The Dr I saw was the one I saw right before my D&C. While he is an excellent Dr, he was not really the one I wanted to see, especially since they scared me by insisting I come in right away. I did get a surprise ultrasound out of the deal. Baby was moving around, heartbeat was nice and strong, and everything was just as it should be. It took me a few days to stop being worried, but I'm getting there.
Tomorrow we have friends from Bellingham coming to spend the night and then Saturday we have game at our place. I'm hoping it will be a nice relaxing weekend.
Weekly Check In:
Monday, R had his big show at El Corazon with Diamond Head. The show went really well. I'm amazed that he was able to sleep that night, he was so jazzed. He got to meet the guys in Diamond Head (as well as the other bands) and got the show poster autographed by all of the members of the band.
I did have a small scare on Monday, but we went into the Dr for a check up and everything is fine. They are concerned about the possibility of incompetent cervix due to how I lost the twins, so I think they were being hyper-vigilant, which is okay with me. The Dr I saw was the one I saw right before my D&C. While he is an excellent Dr, he was not really the one I wanted to see, especially since they scared me by insisting I come in right away. I did get a surprise ultrasound out of the deal. Baby was moving around, heartbeat was nice and strong, and everything was just as it should be. It took me a few days to stop being worried, but I'm getting there.
Tomorrow we have friends from Bellingham coming to spend the night and then Saturday we have game at our place. I'm hoping it will be a nice relaxing weekend.
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 18 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 2 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight as of Monday.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a sweet potato this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Still feeling some wiggles and a couple definite pokes here and there!
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Sleep has not been my friend this week. I have been waking up (mainly because of the dog) every night and then having a horrible time getting back to sleep.
- Symptoms?: Still having the heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligamnet pain. I have also had some back pain and I have been feeling movement!
- Food cravings: Carbs of any sort, Mexican food, strawberries, and melon.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: My next OB appointment and our anatomy scan on 9/6!
- Best Moment this week: Getting a sneak peek of our sweet baby.
- Milestone: Baby is getting very mobile. Little one is yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing!
Monday, August 8, 2011
OB Appointment Update
R and I went in today for my 16 week appointment. We were expecting to just have a quick chat, listen to Baby on the doppler, and then head out. To my surprise, Dr J wanted me to have an ultrasound this week and another in 4 weeks. She wanted the one this week specifically to make sure that there aren't any issues with my cervix, as I lost the twins in the second trimester and my cervix went from normal to way too short in less than a week. Luckily, we were able to get in for that ultrasound today, so R was able to see little one as well.
Baby was not being very cooperative during the scan and kept hiding it's face behind it's little hands. The ultrasound tech did a great job and was very patient, but the whole thing took quite a while. Baby was dancing on my bladder and hiding behind my belly button (which casts a shadow on the ultrasound). Finally, she got what she needed and we were able to go. If I didn't have to pee, I would have been fine with it taking all day. I love watching little one move like that. And I am so glad R got to be there as well.
Next appointment is scheduled for Sept 6th. We will go and have another ultrasound prior to the appointment and then go over the results with Dr J. It seems so far away.
- J
Baby was not being very cooperative during the scan and kept hiding it's face behind it's little hands. The ultrasound tech did a great job and was very patient, but the whole thing took quite a while. Baby was dancing on my bladder and hiding behind my belly button (which casts a shadow on the ultrasound). Finally, she got what she needed and we were able to go. If I didn't have to pee, I would have been fine with it taking all day. I love watching little one move like that. And I am so glad R got to be there as well.
Next appointment is scheduled for Sept 6th. We will go and have another ultrasound prior to the appointment and then go over the results with Dr J. It seems so far away.
- J
Thursday, August 4, 2011
16 Week Update
I feel a little silly posting an update when I did one yesterday. This will likely be a short update.
I did get my several test results back, which I am very excited about. I passed my early Glucose Screening test with flying colors, found out I am not a carrier for cystic fibrosis, and I had excellent quad screen results (where they assess your risk for various chromosomal abnormalities). Here are those results:
Down's Syndrome - My risk is 1:20,000
Neural Tube Defect - My risk is 1:5300
Trisomy 18 - My risk is 1:100 (the lowest risk possible on the test)
Weekly Check In:
I did get my several test results back, which I am very excited about. I passed my early Glucose Screening test with flying colors, found out I am not a carrier for cystic fibrosis, and I had excellent quad screen results (where they assess your risk for various chromosomal abnormalities). Here are those results:
Down's Syndrome - My risk is 1:20,000
Neural Tube Defect - My risk is 1:5300
Trisomy 18 - My risk is 1:100 (the lowest risk possible on the test)
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 16 weeks
- Total weight gain: As of last week, I am down a pound from my pre-pregnancy weight. We'll find out where I stand now at my next appointment on Monday.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a large avocado this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: I have started to feel some little baby wiggles. I thought is was far too early, but it is definitely the baby moving around!
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: This week has been a little better. Still having a hard time getting comfortable, but I think I am getting used to it. At least, I don't seem to be waking up quite as much to change positions.
- Symptoms?: Still having the heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligamnet pain. I have also had some back pain and I have been feelin movement!
- Food cravings: Ham and potatoes are my new go to comfort food.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: My next OB appointment (on 8/8/11) and hopefully have my anatomy scan soon!
- Best Moment this week: Getting my test results back.
- Milestone: Baby is starting to get bones in his/her ears, which means that s/he can start hearing me soon!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
15 Week Check In (a little late)
Okay, maybe more than a little late, considering that I'll be 16 weeks tomorrow. We have been very busy this last week and I have been recovering from an inadvertent dairy allergy attack, which has left me sick for several days and with very little energy. Here's our big news for the week:
R's band got booked to play El Corazon again. On August 15th, they will be opening for Diamond Head (huge British Metal band here on their 1st ever US tour). They are also going into the studio and recording their EP in a few days. He has been very busy with increased practices and pre-production stuff.
On Sunday, we saw R's Dad's side of the family and shared our good news with them. It turns out that baby is due on R's grandma's birthday, which is pretty cool.
Aside from all of that, we have the typical work drama going on (that's what happens with 3 company mergers). I am not totally sure who my boss is right now, but the guy who is going to be my boss was so desperate to have me on his team that he didn't even blink when I told him I would need to work from home full time once Baby arrives, and I need a title change (which will hopefully lead to a pay increase). I also told him that I would be working from home at least part time leading up to Baby's arrival. This is one of the times it pays to be the only one in the company that can do my job.
Weekly Check In:
R's band got booked to play El Corazon again. On August 15th, they will be opening for Diamond Head (huge British Metal band here on their 1st ever US tour). They are also going into the studio and recording their EP in a few days. He has been very busy with increased practices and pre-production stuff.
On Sunday, we saw R's Dad's side of the family and shared our good news with them. It turns out that baby is due on R's grandma's birthday, which is pretty cool.
Aside from all of that, we have the typical work drama going on (that's what happens with 3 company mergers). I am not totally sure who my boss is right now, but the guy who is going to be my boss was so desperate to have me on his team that he didn't even blink when I told him I would need to work from home full time once Baby arrives, and I need a title change (which will hopefully lead to a pay increase). I also told him that I would be working from home at least part time leading up to Baby's arrival. This is one of the times it pays to be the only one in the company that can do my job.
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 15 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am down a pound from my pre-pregnancy weight.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a navel orange this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: I have started to feel some little baby wiggles. I thought is was far too early, but it is definitely the baby moving around!
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: This week has been a little better. Still having a hard time getting comfortable, but I think I am getting used to it. At least, I don't feem to be waking up quite as much to change positions.
- Symptoms?: Still having the heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligamnet pain. I have also had some back pain and I have been feelin movement!
- Food cravings: Ham and potatoes are my new go to comfort food.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: Not a whole lot at this point.
- What I'm looking forward to: Hitting 16 weeks, my next OB appointment (on 8/8/11) and hopefully have my anatomy scan soon!
- Best Moment this week: It's a tie between feeling little one moving and hearing the baby's heart beat on the doppler for the first time.
- Milestone: Baby is taking practice breaths, and is also practicing swallowing and sucking starting this week!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
14 Week Update
Another big week!
Mom is doing much better. She does have a tumor in her brain, but apparently it has been there since at least November (hard to see on her previous scan) and it hasn't changed appreciably since then. The Dr doesn't think it is causing the stomach issues and doesn't think radiation or surgery is necessary at this point. He wants her to go in for repeat scans every 3-6 months for now. She goes back to talk to her oncologist again on 8/8, so we will see what he has to say. And the steroids are helping. Her appetite is getting better and she is keeping food down. I am going to spend the weekend with her and Dad, so I am really happy about that.
I met with my surgeon this week and we have a preliminary plan in place. He wants me to see a hematologist 8 weeks after little one is born to discuss whether I need to be on blood thinners for surgery or not since I have had a post surgical blood clot before. He also wants me evaluated for clotting/bleeding disorders. We are tentatively scheduled for surgery March 27 or 28 depending on which surgeon does the operation and what the hematologist says. And he also said that he won't know whether expansions are necessary or not until he gets in there, but either way, it will be an outpatient procedure. Huge weight off my mind.
Weekly Check In:
Mom is doing much better. She does have a tumor in her brain, but apparently it has been there since at least November (hard to see on her previous scan) and it hasn't changed appreciably since then. The Dr doesn't think it is causing the stomach issues and doesn't think radiation or surgery is necessary at this point. He wants her to go in for repeat scans every 3-6 months for now. She goes back to talk to her oncologist again on 8/8, so we will see what he has to say. And the steroids are helping. Her appetite is getting better and she is keeping food down. I am going to spend the weekend with her and Dad, so I am really happy about that.
I met with my surgeon this week and we have a preliminary plan in place. He wants me to see a hematologist 8 weeks after little one is born to discuss whether I need to be on blood thinners for surgery or not since I have had a post surgical blood clot before. He also wants me evaluated for clotting/bleeding disorders. We are tentatively scheduled for surgery March 27 or 28 depending on which surgeon does the operation and what the hematologist says. And he also said that he won't know whether expansions are necessary or not until he gets in there, but either way, it will be an outpatient procedure. Huge weight off my mind.
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 14 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 2 lb (3 from last week).
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a lemon this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Still way too early. I have an anterior placenta, so it will likely be quite a while before I get to feel little one moving around.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: This week has not been good. I can no longer sleep comfortably on my stomach, and I am not supposed to sleep on my back anymore. The left side is more comfortable, but triggers my sciatica and the right side is really uncomfortable. If I am having a hard time sleeping now, I hate to see how it will be later.
- Symptoms?: Starting to be a little less exhausted and nauseous. Heartburn, heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligament pain are all still there.
- Food cravings: Still wanting sweets, but I am also enjoying bacon and potatoes. R likes to say that my Irish is coming out. Other meats are not sitting well any more.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: I'm actually not missing too much at the moment. I was missing coffee, but I have started having the occasional iced decaf coffee and am feeling much better now.
- What I'm looking forward to: Spending time with Mom and Dad this weekend. And going to see Harry Potter with R on Sunday.
- Best Moment this week: Finding out that Mom doesn't have to have surgery or radiation and coming up with a plan for my surgery.
- Milestone: Baby is growing hair, eyebrows and eyelashes this week!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
More pregnant than I have ever been.
Finally, I can say that I am more pregnant than I have ever been before. Yesterday was a hard day, but it was an important milestone. I have gotten past all of the problems with my first two pregnancies, and so far, everything has been going splendidly.
As a celebration, I bought Baby it's first stuffed animal; a blue corduroy elephant. It is soft and cute and I am so happy to be able to celebrate this. Here's a picture:
- J
As a celebration, I bought Baby it's first stuffed animal; a blue corduroy elephant. It is soft and cute and I am so happy to be able to celebrate this. Here's a picture:
- J
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Update on Mom
I just talked to my mom and she was able to get her results sooner than expected.
Good news: There is no bowel obstruction and the lesions on her liver and gallbladder and in her abdomen haven't changed significantly since her last scan in May.
Bad news: She has a lesion on her left temporal lobe. She has a consult with a neurologist or neurosurgeon (not sure which) on Tuesday to see if she needs to have surgery, radiation or both.
Her oncologist believes that the stomach issues may be a combination between her brain and abdominal lesions. His goal is to get her eating, retaining food and to start weaning her off of the IV fluids. He started her on steroids today and she is going back for 1 liter of fluids a day for the next 7 days and then see how she is doing.
So not great news and we still don't know a whole lot. I guess we will find out more on Tuesday. Ironically, we are both consulting with surgeons that day.
- J
Good news: There is no bowel obstruction and the lesions on her liver and gallbladder and in her abdomen haven't changed significantly since her last scan in May.
Bad news: She has a lesion on her left temporal lobe. She has a consult with a neurologist or neurosurgeon (not sure which) on Tuesday to see if she needs to have surgery, radiation or both.
Her oncologist believes that the stomach issues may be a combination between her brain and abdominal lesions. His goal is to get her eating, retaining food and to start weaning her off of the IV fluids. He started her on steroids today and she is going back for 1 liter of fluids a day for the next 7 days and then see how she is doing.
So not great news and we still don't know a whole lot. I guess we will find out more on Tuesday. Ironically, we are both consulting with surgeons that day.
- J
13 Week Update
Fair warning, this is going to be a long update. A lot of stuff went on this week.
Mom has not been doing particularly well. She was struggling to keep down any food last week and it has continued this week. She saw her Dr on Monday and her cancer markers have gone up. He feels that her stomach problems could be a result of the cancer, not a side-effect of the chemo. He sent her to the hospital every day this week for rehydration. She also had an MRI of her brain on Tuesday and a CT scan of her abdomen yesterday. She thought she would be getting the results tomorrow, but she doesn't have an appointment, so we are not sure when she will be getting them now. She has been sounding a little better, but she has still been having a hard time keeping food down.
I am also having a hard time with work right now. We are currently going through a 3 way merger and it sounds like someone I can't stand is creating a team of people who do what I currently do. He really wants me on the team, but I don't know if I can stand working for him. I also don't know if he would allow me to work from home once baby is here, which is important since daycare is so expensive. I could possibly take a different role under my current boss, who is flexible about me working from home, but I am not sure if they would try to cut my pay.
I have my consult with the plastic surgeon on Tuesday. I found out at my last OB appointment that I will have to be on the Lovenox for 6 weeks after baby arrives, which is going to delay having the first reconstructive surgery, as they won't do it while I have blood thinners in my system. I am hoping I will be able to talk to him and get a better idea of what we are looking at for a time frame and what I can expect since it will only be one side instead of both sides like last time.
Baby is doing wonderfully which is such a relief. I had my NT scan, first series of blood test for the quad screen, and OB appointment last Friday. Little one was looking great, had a nice strong heart rate of 159, and was bouncing around and waving. The blood work all came back good, and I go in on 7/29 for the remaining blood work and my first glucose tolerance test (they are doing an early one because of my PCOS). I'm getting nervous because I am approaching the point in my pregnancy where I lost our twins. If I make it to Saturday, I will be the most pregnant I have ever been. Saturday will also be my last day on the progesterone and Metformin.
Weekly Check In:
Mom has not been doing particularly well. She was struggling to keep down any food last week and it has continued this week. She saw her Dr on Monday and her cancer markers have gone up. He feels that her stomach problems could be a result of the cancer, not a side-effect of the chemo. He sent her to the hospital every day this week for rehydration. She also had an MRI of her brain on Tuesday and a CT scan of her abdomen yesterday. She thought she would be getting the results tomorrow, but she doesn't have an appointment, so we are not sure when she will be getting them now. She has been sounding a little better, but she has still been having a hard time keeping food down.
I am also having a hard time with work right now. We are currently going through a 3 way merger and it sounds like someone I can't stand is creating a team of people who do what I currently do. He really wants me on the team, but I don't know if I can stand working for him. I also don't know if he would allow me to work from home once baby is here, which is important since daycare is so expensive. I could possibly take a different role under my current boss, who is flexible about me working from home, but I am not sure if they would try to cut my pay.
I have my consult with the plastic surgeon on Tuesday. I found out at my last OB appointment that I will have to be on the Lovenox for 6 weeks after baby arrives, which is going to delay having the first reconstructive surgery, as they won't do it while I have blood thinners in my system. I am hoping I will be able to talk to him and get a better idea of what we are looking at for a time frame and what I can expect since it will only be one side instead of both sides like last time.
Baby is doing wonderfully which is such a relief. I had my NT scan, first series of blood test for the quad screen, and OB appointment last Friday. Little one was looking great, had a nice strong heart rate of 159, and was bouncing around and waving. The blood work all came back good, and I go in on 7/29 for the remaining blood work and my first glucose tolerance test (they are doing an early one because of my PCOS). I'm getting nervous because I am approaching the point in my pregnancy where I lost our twins. If I make it to Saturday, I will be the most pregnant I have ever been. Saturday will also be my last day on the progesterone and Metformin.
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 13 weeks
- Total weight gain: I am up 1 lb.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a peach this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Still way too early. I have felt faint little twitches and rumbles, but I am not sure if that is Baby or not.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: I was sleeping better, but this week I have been having a hard time. Partly because R has been on vacation and staying up all night playing video games.
- Symptoms?: Starting to be a little less exhausted and nauseous. Heartburn, heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligament pain are all still there.
- Food cravings: I think baby has a bit of a sweet tooth. I have been craving chocolate, cookies, cake, ice cream. If it's desert, I want it. I have also been loving faux macaroni and cheese from the box, which I used to hate.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: I'm actually not missing too much at the moment. I was missing coffee, but I have started having the occasional iced decaf coffee and am feeling much better now.
- What I'm looking forward to: Finding out what the plastic surgeon has to say about my reconstruction.
- Best Moment this week: Having an excellent NT scan and getting to share it with Mom.
- Milestone: Baby is forming teeth and vocal chords and the intestines are moving from the umbilical cord into little one's stomach!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
NT Scan Update
Friday we had our NT scan. This is a more detailed ultrasound where they are checking to make sure that there aren't any signs of neural tube defects, or any soft markers for chromosomal abnormalities like Down's Syndrome. They look at Baby's spine, the thickness of the skin at the back of the neck, the nasal bone and the brain. The also take measurements of the other parts of Baby's body.
So Friday morning Mom came down for my appointment. We went to Swedish, tracked down a wheelchair for Mom and found the ultrasound office. They got us back pretty quickly and found Baby immediately. Our little one's heart as beating at 159 bpm, nasal bone was present, brain and spine looked good, and the skin thickness was 1.6 (I believe you want the measurement to be less than 3). Baby was bouncing around and waving. It started with it's legs crossed, but then began kicking them out, looking a little like a frog. The ultrasound tech loved our little one and took lots of pictures. She was thrilled that she got to see each of Baby's fingers, and loved the kicking Baby was doing. She also had a guess as far as gender, but we are going to keep that under our hats for the time being as it is way too early to be accurate.
After the ultrasound, I met with a woman who is working on a study at Swedish. They are trying to determine factors that make certain women more at risk for pre-eclampsia, looking specifically at women who have had migraines. She went over the study with me and then met me at my OB's office to do a blood draw. We stopped for lunch, and then went up to the OB's office.
Mom got to meet Dr J, which was great. I had told Mom so much about it, I'm sure it was nice to match a face to a name. We went over my list of questions and because we had just had an ultrasound, Dr J didn't use the doppler. She said that she couldn't give me the official results of the NT scan because they had to also look at blood work that was taken that day and then would be taken again at 15 weeks, but she thought it all looked good. She is also going to have me come in an do an early glucose tolerance test at 15 weeks when I come back for the other blood draw. And she gave me a prescription for physical therapy for my back since insurance won't cover massage therapy. She went over my operative report from my uterine surgery in 2004 and said she doesn't think there is a reason why I would need to have a C section, but she is going to double check with some of the perinatal guys to see what they think. Finally, she warned me that I will be on the Lovenox for 6 weeks after delivery, which means I won't be able to have my reconstruction until my blood goes back to normal after going off the Lovenox. Overall, it was a pretty good appointment.
We got back home and Mom was wiped out. She hasn't been feeling well (can't seem to hold any food down), so she asked if we could drive her home. Once R got off work, we stopped and got gyros and then took Mom home. Since we were in the neighborhood, we also stopped to visit with R's mom and daughter. We had a nice chat, but didn't get home until almost 3:00 am. Man, was I wiped out! It ended up being quite the big day. Without further ado, here are the latest pictures of our baby:
Baby waving at the camera.
Baby crossing it's legs.
Baby kicking its legs out like a frog.
- J
So Friday morning Mom came down for my appointment. We went to Swedish, tracked down a wheelchair for Mom and found the ultrasound office. They got us back pretty quickly and found Baby immediately. Our little one's heart as beating at 159 bpm, nasal bone was present, brain and spine looked good, and the skin thickness was 1.6 (I believe you want the measurement to be less than 3). Baby was bouncing around and waving. It started with it's legs crossed, but then began kicking them out, looking a little like a frog. The ultrasound tech loved our little one and took lots of pictures. She was thrilled that she got to see each of Baby's fingers, and loved the kicking Baby was doing. She also had a guess as far as gender, but we are going to keep that under our hats for the time being as it is way too early to be accurate.
After the ultrasound, I met with a woman who is working on a study at Swedish. They are trying to determine factors that make certain women more at risk for pre-eclampsia, looking specifically at women who have had migraines. She went over the study with me and then met me at my OB's office to do a blood draw. We stopped for lunch, and then went up to the OB's office.
Mom got to meet Dr J, which was great. I had told Mom so much about it, I'm sure it was nice to match a face to a name. We went over my list of questions and because we had just had an ultrasound, Dr J didn't use the doppler. She said that she couldn't give me the official results of the NT scan because they had to also look at blood work that was taken that day and then would be taken again at 15 weeks, but she thought it all looked good. She is also going to have me come in an do an early glucose tolerance test at 15 weeks when I come back for the other blood draw. And she gave me a prescription for physical therapy for my back since insurance won't cover massage therapy. She went over my operative report from my uterine surgery in 2004 and said she doesn't think there is a reason why I would need to have a C section, but she is going to double check with some of the perinatal guys to see what they think. Finally, she warned me that I will be on the Lovenox for 6 weeks after delivery, which means I won't be able to have my reconstruction until my blood goes back to normal after going off the Lovenox. Overall, it was a pretty good appointment.
We got back home and Mom was wiped out. She hasn't been feeling well (can't seem to hold any food down), so she asked if we could drive her home. Once R got off work, we stopped and got gyros and then took Mom home. Since we were in the neighborhood, we also stopped to visit with R's mom and daughter. We had a nice chat, but didn't get home until almost 3:00 am. Man, was I wiped out! It ended up being quite the big day. Without further ado, here are the latest pictures of our baby:
- J
Thursday, July 7, 2011
12 week update, 4th of July and a surprise!
This has been an interesting week. I was able to get a prosthetic on Friday and while I don't like wearing it, I am feeling more human when I leave the house. We had a very busy weekend. Saturday we took a "day trip" to Mt Rainier. We were supposed to go camping, but I wasn't up to it, so this was our compromise. We left at 9:45 am and didn't arrive until 4:00 pm. It should have taken 2-3 hours, but there was a traffic light out in South Hill which held up traffic. It took us two and a half hours to go 3 miles. The campsite was gorgeous though. R and I are already talking about camping there next year with little one. We ended up hanging out until 10:00 pm and didn't get home until 1:00 am. It was a very, very long day. I ended up sleeping most of Sunday in an effort to get caught up on my rest.
Monday was the 4th of July and with it, baby's first fireworks. We woke up early and went upstairs to camp a spot on the roof to watch the fireworks from. We sat up there from 9:00 am until midnight. We both got so sunburned!! We had a great time though and everyone enjoyed the BBQ. Surprisingly, the roof was not as packed as it has been in prior years, but it was still good that we camped a spot. And the fireworks were fantastic!
Tuesday, my Doppler arrived. I tried it out immediately, but had a really hard time trying to find baby's heartbeat. I'm sure it was a combination of being early, overweight, and user error. I ended up calling the on call Dr though because I get paranoid after our previous experiences. She said that I could come in for a quick check on Wednesday, so that is exactly what I did. I felt a little better when the nurse couldn't find the heartbeat either. I knew in my heart that little one was probably okay, but they offered an ultrasound to make sure, so I went with it. I was waiting for the nurse to do the ultrasound, but my Dr ended up doing it instead. Baby was bouncing around and waving. There was a nice strong heart beating away. Here's the latest pic of baby:
Little one's head is down in the middle, and the little hand is waving. Baby's butt and feet are up in the air to the right. And the best part is that I will have more pics tomorrow!
Weekly Check In:
Monday was the 4th of July and with it, baby's first fireworks. We woke up early and went upstairs to camp a spot on the roof to watch the fireworks from. We sat up there from 9:00 am until midnight. We both got so sunburned!! We had a great time though and everyone enjoyed the BBQ. Surprisingly, the roof was not as packed as it has been in prior years, but it was still good that we camped a spot. And the fireworks were fantastic!
Tuesday, my Doppler arrived. I tried it out immediately, but had a really hard time trying to find baby's heartbeat. I'm sure it was a combination of being early, overweight, and user error. I ended up calling the on call Dr though because I get paranoid after our previous experiences. She said that I could come in for a quick check on Wednesday, so that is exactly what I did. I felt a little better when the nurse couldn't find the heartbeat either. I knew in my heart that little one was probably okay, but they offered an ultrasound to make sure, so I went with it. I was waiting for the nurse to do the ultrasound, but my Dr ended up doing it instead. Baby was bouncing around and waving. There was a nice strong heart beating away. Here's the latest pic of baby:
Little one's head is down in the middle, and the little hand is waving. Baby's butt and feet are up in the air to the right. And the best part is that I will have more pics tomorrow!
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 12 weeks
- Total weight gain: I will find out tomorrow. I am actually really nervous about it.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a plum this week.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Still way too early. I have felt faint little twitches and rumbles, but I am not sure if that is Baby or not.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Still waking up in the middle of the night at least once to pee, but I am sleeping better. My dreams are still crazy though.
- Symptoms?: Starting to be a little less exhausted and nauseous. Heartburn, heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligament pain are all still there.
- Food cravings: I think baby has a bit of a sweet tooth. I have been craving chocolate, cookies, cake, ice cream. If it's desert, I want it. I have also been loving faux macaroni and cheese from the box, which I used to hate.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: I'm actually not missing too much at the moment. I was missing coffee, but I have started having the occasional iced decaf coffee and am feeling much better now.
- What I'm looking forward to: My NT scan and OB appointment are tomorrow! I can't wait to get a nice long view of little one.
- Best Moment this week: Getting to see baby moving around and waving on the ultrasound yesterday.
- Milestone: Baby has fingernails and toenails now. Also, little one's facial features are becoming more defined. Depending on which method you use to calculate the trimesters, I will be in the second trimester at the end of this week!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
11 Week Check In
Oh what a week! We went on a trip to Portland, which was so nice. Just R and I went without anyone else. Even Pickles stayed at home. It was really relaxing to just go enjoy ourselves with our friends without having to do any loading, unloading, caravaning, etc.
However, when we got home on Sunday things started to go poorly. I noticed that my right implant was looking strangely shaped and was feeling softer than the left side. I was hoping it was no big deal, so I went to bed. The next morning it was obvious that my implant was leaking. I am starting to go concave and misshapen on that side. I called my OB and my plastic surgeon's office to discuss what my options were. I had been told that if one of the implants leaked, I would need to come in for surgery right away so that I wouldn't have to go through expansions again. The OB said that I could go through surgery but she would prefer I wait until the 2nd trimester. The plastic surgeon said that there is no way they will do the surgery while I am pregnant and on blood thinners. So, I will need to have a prosthetic until little one is born and then I will get an expander placed, go through the expansion process and then have a second surgery to replace the expander with an implant.
I am happy to do whatever is best for baby, and I certainly don't want to have surgery if it is risky for my little one. I am really worried about trying to go through all of this while learning to be a mom and taking care of a newborn. I am going to have to try to have the first surgery during my maternity leave since I won't be able to take any extra time off. I am also worried about how R is going to cope with taking care of the baby, me and the animals while I recover. Ugh. What horrible timing!
I ordered a Doppler last Friday, so I can listen to baby's heartbeat in between appointments. It was supposed to arrive yesterday, but the shipper used the wrong kind of shipping and it won't be here until next week. I know it is a little thing, especially compared to the other stuff going on, but my fuse is pretty short and I am frustrated beyond belief. I was really hoping to hear little one today.
The only thing that went according to plan this week was getting my new phone, which actually rings when people call me. At least there is that. I am really hoping next week is better. I have my NT scan and next OB appointment a week from tomorrow. Fingers crossed!!
Weekly Check In:
However, when we got home on Sunday things started to go poorly. I noticed that my right implant was looking strangely shaped and was feeling softer than the left side. I was hoping it was no big deal, so I went to bed. The next morning it was obvious that my implant was leaking. I am starting to go concave and misshapen on that side. I called my OB and my plastic surgeon's office to discuss what my options were. I had been told that if one of the implants leaked, I would need to come in for surgery right away so that I wouldn't have to go through expansions again. The OB said that I could go through surgery but she would prefer I wait until the 2nd trimester. The plastic surgeon said that there is no way they will do the surgery while I am pregnant and on blood thinners. So, I will need to have a prosthetic until little one is born and then I will get an expander placed, go through the expansion process and then have a second surgery to replace the expander with an implant.
I am happy to do whatever is best for baby, and I certainly don't want to have surgery if it is risky for my little one. I am really worried about trying to go through all of this while learning to be a mom and taking care of a newborn. I am going to have to try to have the first surgery during my maternity leave since I won't be able to take any extra time off. I am also worried about how R is going to cope with taking care of the baby, me and the animals while I recover. Ugh. What horrible timing!
I ordered a Doppler last Friday, so I can listen to baby's heartbeat in between appointments. It was supposed to arrive yesterday, but the shipper used the wrong kind of shipping and it won't be here until next week. I know it is a little thing, especially compared to the other stuff going on, but my fuse is pretty short and I am frustrated beyond belief. I was really hoping to hear little one today.
The only thing that went according to plan this week was getting my new phone, which actually rings when people call me. At least there is that. I am really hoping next week is better. I have my NT scan and next OB appointment a week from tomorrow. Fingers crossed!!
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 11 weeks
- Total weight gain: Won't know for another couple of weeks. Sometimes I feel like I have gained and somedays I feel like I have lost. I guess we will see.
- How big is baby?: Baby is the size of a lime this week. I can't believe how big s/he is getting.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Still way too early.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Still exhausted and still waking up in the middle of the night at least once for a bathroom trip. I have also been having some crazy dreams, which are making it hard to sleep consistently..
- Symptoms?: Exhausted, heartburn, heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, decreasing nausea at this point, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligament pain. I am most excited about that last one. I feel like it is good evidence that LO is growing away in there.
- Food cravings: Gyros, chocolate and garlic bagels are the only things that sound appealing, at least at this particular moment.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: I am missing sushi at the moment. Oh! And sandwich meat.
- What I'm looking forward to: My NT scan and next OB appointment are a week from tomorrow!! We are taking a day trip to Mt Rainier on Saturday, which should be a lot of fun, and we are hosting a BBQ on our roof for the 4th of July, which will be a lot of fun too.
- Best Moment this week: This has been another bad week. Again, nothing to do with baby. I have been mostly feeling confident this week, but the closer we get to 13 weeks, the harder it is going to be.
- Milestone: Baby's fingers and toes are no longer webbed and hair follicles, nail beds and teeth buds are starting to form!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Baby's first trip to Portland and other updates.
We went to Portland last weekend for the annual Solstice party. We left Friday night and got there late, but avoided all of the traffic, which was a great start to the weekend. People were still awake when we got there, so we spent some time sitting around the fire and chatting. I finally went to bed around 1:30 am when I couldn't stop yawning and immediately passed out. R stayed up chatting longer and ended up drinking a little too much. He told a friend of ours about little one. We had talked about it, and I wasn't really upset, but since we hadn't decided for sure, I was a little surprised. I was more upset when he got drunk the next day at the party and told everyone. While I am thrilled for the love and support that everyone is giving us, it makes me nervous to have so many people know at this point. I miss the naivete that goes with never having experienced a loss.
In other news, it looks like I will be having surgery. Yesterday night before bed I noticed that my right implant was looking weird and was really soft. This morning it became obvious that it has sprung a leak. It is deflating rapidly and I am already starting to look concave. I had been told in the past that if my implant were to leak, I would need to have surgery to replace it as soon as possible to avoid having to go through the expansion process again. I called both my OB and my plastic surgeon today. The OB said that I could have the surgery once I am out of the first trimester and it should be safe for baby. The plastic surgeon's nurse wasn't as sure. She said for sure there would be no surgery until the 2nd trimester at the earliest, but they may want me to wait until after little one has arrived. I want to do whatever is safest for baby, but I am concerned that waiting will make me require multiple surgeries, a painful re-expansion process (which will be incredibly difficult with the newborn), and could cause scar tissue problems since that is the side that is more prone to scar tissue. She couldn't tell me for sure what the surgeon thinks because he was in surgery, so now I have to wait until tomorrow to hear back.
Here's to waiting to tomorrow I guess...
- J
In other news, it looks like I will be having surgery. Yesterday night before bed I noticed that my right implant was looking weird and was really soft. This morning it became obvious that it has sprung a leak. It is deflating rapidly and I am already starting to look concave. I had been told in the past that if my implant were to leak, I would need to have surgery to replace it as soon as possible to avoid having to go through the expansion process again. I called both my OB and my plastic surgeon today. The OB said that I could have the surgery once I am out of the first trimester and it should be safe for baby. The plastic surgeon's nurse wasn't as sure. She said for sure there would be no surgery until the 2nd trimester at the earliest, but they may want me to wait until after little one has arrived. I want to do whatever is safest for baby, but I am concerned that waiting will make me require multiple surgeries, a painful re-expansion process (which will be incredibly difficult with the newborn), and could cause scar tissue problems since that is the side that is more prone to scar tissue. She couldn't tell me for sure what the surgeon thinks because he was in surgery, so now I have to wait until tomorrow to hear back.
Here's to waiting to tomorrow I guess...
- J
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Weekly Check In
It's that time again! Before I get on with the good news, I feel like I need to acknowledge some bad news from this week. A good friend of ours, who we both worked with and who was a regular part of our social circle, is now a convicted pedophile and child porn maker. We are both in absolute shock. No one who knew him had any idea. It's like mourning the death of a friend and trying to adjust to an alternate reality all at the same time. I feel like I don't know who we can trust at this point. I am so glad we are going to Portland this weekend and can enjoy our friends and relax.
Anyway, on to the weekly check in...
Weekly Check In:
Anyway, on to the weekly check in...
Weekly Check In:
- How far along?: 10 weeks
- Total weight gain: Won't know for another couple of weeks. Sometimes I feel like I have gained and somedays I feel like I have lost. I guess we will see.
- How big is baby?: Little one is now the size of a date.
- Maternity clothes?: Fully in maternity clothes at this point. They are so comfortable.
- Movement: Still way too early.
- Stretch marks?: Just the ones I already had.
- Sleep?: Still exhausted and still waking up in the middle of the night at least once for a bathroom trip. I have also been having some crazy dreams, which are making it hard to sleep consistently..
- Symptoms?: Exhausted, heartburn, heightened sense of smell, frequent urination, gassy, constipated, decreasing nausea at this point, really vivid dreams, food aversions and round ligament pain. I am most excited about that last one. I feel like it is good evidence that LO is growing away in there.
- Food cravings: Nothing sounds good now. In fact, more things sound bad than good.
- Belly button in or out?: Still an innie.
- What I miss: I'm still missing coffee, but also sandwich meat, sushi and the other foods I can't eat right now. It's already difficult with my food allergies, but to add more restrictions makes it really hard.
- What I'm looking forward to: My NT scan and next OB appointment on July 8. Mom gets to come with me and I am so excited! I am also really looking forward to going to Portland this weekend.
- Best Moment this week: This week has been pretty bad, but not because of the pregnancy or baby.
- Milestone: Baby is now officially a fetus!
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