I don't know how this happened, but suddenly I find myself six months pregnant! I've been asked a few times if this pregnancy is going quicker than my other pregnancies, and the answer to that is yes and no. I inquired with the agency that I'm using when I was six months pregnant with my daughter. I knew that surrogacy was something I wanted to do, especially since Troy and I are done having our own children. I knew there would be a lot of paperwork involved and a lot of time spent waiting for approvals and medical records to be sent, and I also took into account that for the year that I was breastfeeding my daughter, there wouldn't be any magic happening. But with all that being said, I have been preparing myself mentally and physically for the last two and a half years. So when I get asked if this pregnancy is going quickly for me, the no part is because of all the prep work involved. On the flip side, yes, this pregnancy feels like it is going quicker than my other pregnancies because I don't have the anticipation of meeting my child. There is no: "oh, I can't wait to meet my little girl/boy" or "I wonder when I get to finally meet you, little one." So, the answer to that question is yes and no.
At the 20 week ultrasound, the doctor that performed the ultrasound recommended monthly growth ultrasounds until delivery. Thankfully, these appointments aren't on top of my regular appointments but they are involved enough to where bringing the kids with me to my appointments isn't exactly ideal. At my last monthly checkup with my OB, I was laying on the table waiting for the doctor to find the heartbeat with the doppler, and Kynlee was between my legs, and Brae was up by my chest, sharing the tiny table with me. My OB said: "wow, you don't really get a moment to yourself, do you?" No, not really. But I think it is good for Brae, especially since he knows now that mommy has a baby in her tummy, that he hear the heartbeat and just have a visual. He's so excited to tell people that there's a baby in mommy's tummy and that she is just growing her until she is ready to meet the intended parents when it is time.
Today, I had my first growth ultrasound since the doctor recommended it. At 24 weeks and 4 days, the baby is measuring great! They were and will be looking for three things. The head circumference, the torso, and the length of the femur bone in her legs. As long as they are growing steadily, they will be happy. Today, she passed her test! I really think that the doctors are being overly cautious with my situation and so these growth ultrasounds are just a way of covering their butts should any problems arise, and let's all pray that doesn't happen!
At my last OB appointment last week, the doctor informed me of a few things that I wasn't exactly prepared for. One of the reasons why I think the medical staff is being overly cautious is because of the maternal age of the fetus. While there are plenty of women who get pregnant well after their mid to late thirties, and everything is fine, they are treating me like I am in my forties having my own biological child. My OB told me that because of the maternal age of the baby, the risk of stillbirth goes up. She did not give me a percentage or comparison numbers, but that after 41 weeks gestation, the risk goes up significantly. Definitely was not prepared for that news, and that certainly wasn't the easiest conversation to have with the intended parents. The doctor will be monitoring me pretty closely towards the end of the pregnancy and I'm sure that if there are any indications, or alarms, that something will be done quickly. I went to 41 weeks gestation with Kynlee. Yes, a week overdue, and every day felt like a month, not to mention the level of pain I was in that prevented me from walking without holding on to something. I sincerely hope that I don't got overdue again, but with IVF, the dates are pretty exact, so I have a good chance of delivering on time, or possibly early. We'll see how that goes! I am trying to mentally prepare myself for induction or C-section, or whatever else could possibly be different than the idea I have in my head about how my labor is going to go. I want nothing more than for the experience where the intended parents get to meet their little girl be one they will never forget and one that will allow them to fully take in their first moments as parents.
After some contact with the doctor that performed the embryo transfer in Connecticut, the intended parents feel better about their odds, and agree that the doctors here are probably being a little more cautious than normal. My younger body has to count for something, I say! I passed a medical screening for a reason, and was deemed physically fit enough to carry another child, so I'm sticking to positive thinking that everything will be alright! (Knock on wood)
The ultrasound technician checked on the location of my placenta and while it is still low, it is not considered a placenta previa (where the placenta is blocking the cervix, making vaginal delivery life threatening). She was pretty confident in saying that as the baby keeps growing, the placenta will move out of the way and allow for a smooth vaginal delivery (fingers crossed). The baby is still breech as well, but it is still early and I'm also thinking positively that she will move into the proper position when she is ready!
Just keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Physically, I feel great! Probably better than I have felt with my other pregnancies. Mentally, it is still very easy to feel disconnected to the baby, and I have to constantly remind myself that I am pregnant. It is like my brain and the rest of my body is not connected or refuses to acknowledge what the other is doing lol. Pray that these placental issues and baby being breech fixes itself with time and nature, and that I can hang on to feeling good for as long as possible!
My next appointment is the first week of June. I will have another growth ultrasound done, will have the blood test done for gestational diabetes, and my regular checkup with my OB. I will keep you updated after than appointment! Thanks for reading! :)
Sarah
