Hey all,
So it has been a pretty uneventful month, which is always a good thing when talking about pregnancy. I am currently 28 weeks and 4 days! Woohoo! That is officially the start of the third trimester! I sometimes look back and think, wow where has the time gone, and then other times, getting to the third trimester seems like it has taken forever! I thought during my first trimester, with all the nausea and vomiting that I would never get here, but time passes and here I am!
I had my monthly checkup last wednesday and everything is right on track. The ultrasound technician that performed my ultrasound had so many questions as my chart says surrogate, and so she was just talking away! She stopped asking questions long enough to tell me that my placenta, which was still too close to my cervix at my last appointment, has officially moved well out of the way, and so I can deliver this baby safely vaginally. However, this little french baguette is still breech, so she will need to turn around, and meet this world head first before I am given the all clear, but my doctor and ultrasound technician seemed optimistic that this would happen. My uterus is measuring at 28 weeks, but the baby seemed to have had a little bit of a growth spurt and was measuring at 29 weeks. This little baguette has long arm and legs already, and is measuring right on track! I will continue to have ultrasounds every month until 36 weeks as well to continue monitoring growth and development. I have only gained 5 pounds so far. I am not gaining, but I am not losing either, and my OB doesn't seem concerned at all about this. She says as long as I maintain weight or gain then there is no need to worry about it. If I start to lose weight, then she will have something to say.
This last appointment was also the blood test for gestational diabetes. I had to drink 10 oz of some majorly sugar infused drink, and then 45 minutes later, have my blood drawn. Aside from the instant headache I got after finishing the drink, I felt fine. They said no news is good news for the results, and I haven't heard anything from them so that's good! Medically, everything is good! I asked the doctor about what happens if baby doesn't move head down, and if there is anything I can do, or they can do to nudge her in the right direction. If by 36 weeks, she has not moved, they can try to manually turn her. I have heard that this is pretty painful, but I would rather try it this way than have to have a c-section. So for those of you praying, pray this little baguette heads down!
The legal paperwork has begun as well. There are two lawyers here in Kansas that will be assisting with this process. One for the couple, and one for me. They will be petitioning the court for a pre-birth order that names the intended parents as biological parents of this baby. This will allow for many things including the hospital staff recognizing them as parents and as the ones who can make the medical decisions for the baby once she has arrived! I am so thankful there is an agency on board to deal with all of this!
I have another appointment at the end of this month which will be my 32 week checkup and then I will start going every two weeks and then weekly! Again, time has flown in some senses! I have been trying to prepare myself for labor again, and while I am not looking forward to it at all, I am looking forward to handing over this precious little miracle to her parents! I will update after my next appointment! Thanks for reading! :)
Sarah
Monday, June 9, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
Six months pregnant
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
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
Monday, April 21, 2014
20 Week Ultrasound results
Well, it has been about a week since the intended parents left Kansas to go back to France. It was a great visit filled with emotions, bipolar Kansas weather, and nice visits!
The intended parents flew in to Kansas City Thursday night, and the 20 week ultrasound was scheduled for the next morning at 11:00. I met them at their hotel on Thursday night and we went and had some dinner together since they had not eaten since their international flight! I took them to Chili's and they loved it! We said goodnight afterwards and made plans to meet up in the morning so they could follow me to the doctor's office. I needed to drop the kids off with a friend that was nice enough to watch them, so it worked out great!
Friday morning, the morning of the ultrasound, I did not feel the same way as I have felt with my own children on ultrasound day. As I have mentioned before, the ultrasounds were just confirmation for me on their sex, and not a surprise, but I'm still very excited to find out if I am right! This time was very weird for me. I was so excited for the couple to find out what they are going to have, but it had no impact on me whatsoever! So anyway, kids were dropped off and off we went to the appointment. We arrived right on time, and they took us back rather quickly to the appointment. I could feel the anticipation and excitement, and began to feel nervous myself. I was nervous for different reasons though. I was nervous that they would find something abnormal with the baby, or that they wouldn't find the heartbeat or that the baby's legs would be closed and that the intended parents had come all this way to find out the sex and wouldn't be able to.
The doctor came in, shook our hands, and got right down to business. I was informed of a risk with IVF patients in that we have a higher risk of preterm labor and that there is a way for them to check if you have a higher chance than normal of this happening. The way they check is with the cervix. If the cervix is short at this point in pregnancy, I would have a higher chance. If the cervix is long at this point, I have a lower chance of preterm labor. I don't know how many women can say they know what their cervix looks like, but mine is long. The doctor said I should be fine in regards to preterm labor. Yay!
The doctor went right to work, and placed the probe on my stomach and the intended parents got their first live view of their baby. The doctor was measuring the baby's head, all the organs, the heart, he showed us where all four chambers were and well developed, and then asked if we wanted to know the sex. The intended parents said: "Of course, that is why we have come all this way!" I kept looking for a penis, because I knew that if I couldn't see one, it would be a girl. I looked and looked and looked, and then all of a sudden, as we are all looking on the screen, we see the words: "Hi mom and dad, I am a girl!" Cheers, and laughter and disbelief came next! I am carrying a little baby girl for this couple, and they could not be more thrilled! They are very happy, and were glad to share the experience with me!
The doctor said that everything baby looks good! Organs, limbs, and baby girl look great! He noted that my placenta is low right now, and said that I need to have ultrasounds every month until delivery to make sure that it moves out of the way, and also to check on the overall growth of the baby. This is new to me, as I only had two ultrasounds total with each kid, so all these ultrasounds is a lot, but I will do what is asked of me!
The rest of their trip was pretty uneventful. We traveled to Topeka so they could meet my parents and sisters, and we spent the day together, enjoying a nice Lebanese meal my dad prepared, and spending time outdoors getting to know each other more. It was a long day, and my kids had a blast playing in the backyard with their cousins, and were out like lights before I could get on the highway to get home! It was a quiet drive home, and I struggled a little bit with wanting to sleep, but since I was the driver, I called my best friend and she distracted me for the rest of the ride. Sunday was a day of rest. The intended parents decided to go explore the city a little bit and ended up at Legends Outlet Mall where they did some shopping. Troy and I got a sitter for that evening, and we took them to Houston's on the plaza. If you have never been, their pork ribs are to die for! So delicious!
Monday morning, I had an appointment to tour the hospital for the intended parents and then my regular monthly checkup with my doctor. It was a busy morning for sure! I took the kids along and immediately regretted it, but my options for childcare are limited. The tour was good, and it was great for the couple to see where their baby would be delivered and where she would stay for a few days afterwards. The hospital was very accommodating and we met the director and clinical nurse coordinator of the maternity floor, who were very nice and had some questions about how this was all going to work, and let us ask them any questions we had. My OB appointment went well too. Everything was fine, and the intended parents got to hear the heartbeat for the first time as well! We came back to my house after the appointments so the kids could nap, and then we made plans to meet for dinner after I got my kids to bed, and Troy could stay home with them! It was a good last dinner, as their flight was early Tuesday morning. We said our goodbyes and we are all very excited for our next reunion, when baby will be born!
Everyone has been asking me how I am feeling. To answer, I am feeling well. I am not uncomfortable yet as I have been in past pregnancies, except for some heartburn here and there, and emotionally, I am constantly surprised at how easy it is to feel disconnected from this baby. She is moving a lot, and it is sweet to feel those movements, but I don't feel the same with her movements as I felt with my own children. I knew, going in to this, that I would be able to disconnect, I am just surprised at how easy it is. I have my moments of hormonal mood fluctuations, but I don't have the stress and worry, and anxiousness to prepare for a new baby. That part is definitely nice!
On saturday evening, as we were enjoying some family time, Brae asked me after playing with my tummy a little: "Mommy, do you have a baby in your belly?" I made eye contact with Troy and he said to go ahead and explain. I said: "Yes, Brae, Mommy has a baby in her belly."
Me: "Do you remember the intended parents (I used their names)?
Brae: "Yes, I like them."
Me: "Well, the intended mother's tummy is sick and she can't have a baby in there, and so their doctor put their baby in mommy's tummy and when the baby is all done growing, mommy is going to give the baby back to the intended parents."
Brae: "Okay."
Just like that! I have been stressing about this conversation since I found out I was pregnant. I have been worried and praying for the right words to explain to my 4 1/2 year old what I am doing. Just like that, he said: "Okay" like I was telling him we were going to get ice cream! lol He hasn't asked any more questions so far, but when he does, I feel more confident that I will be able to answer them in a way he can understand. He's a smart kid, probably smarter than I gave him credit for and I hope that when he is older, and has a better understanding, that he will be proud of what I did.
I will keep you all updated with the upcoming appointments with my OB and how the ultrasounds go. The goal is for my placenta to move out of the way so that I can stick with my plan of having a vaginal delivery, otherwise it will have to be a c-section. I would appreciate your prayers as always and will be back with the next update soon! :)
Sarah
The intended parents flew in to Kansas City Thursday night, and the 20 week ultrasound was scheduled for the next morning at 11:00. I met them at their hotel on Thursday night and we went and had some dinner together since they had not eaten since their international flight! I took them to Chili's and they loved it! We said goodnight afterwards and made plans to meet up in the morning so they could follow me to the doctor's office. I needed to drop the kids off with a friend that was nice enough to watch them, so it worked out great!
Friday morning, the morning of the ultrasound, I did not feel the same way as I have felt with my own children on ultrasound day. As I have mentioned before, the ultrasounds were just confirmation for me on their sex, and not a surprise, but I'm still very excited to find out if I am right! This time was very weird for me. I was so excited for the couple to find out what they are going to have, but it had no impact on me whatsoever! So anyway, kids were dropped off and off we went to the appointment. We arrived right on time, and they took us back rather quickly to the appointment. I could feel the anticipation and excitement, and began to feel nervous myself. I was nervous for different reasons though. I was nervous that they would find something abnormal with the baby, or that they wouldn't find the heartbeat or that the baby's legs would be closed and that the intended parents had come all this way to find out the sex and wouldn't be able to.
The doctor came in, shook our hands, and got right down to business. I was informed of a risk with IVF patients in that we have a higher risk of preterm labor and that there is a way for them to check if you have a higher chance than normal of this happening. The way they check is with the cervix. If the cervix is short at this point in pregnancy, I would have a higher chance. If the cervix is long at this point, I have a lower chance of preterm labor. I don't know how many women can say they know what their cervix looks like, but mine is long. The doctor said I should be fine in regards to preterm labor. Yay!
The doctor went right to work, and placed the probe on my stomach and the intended parents got their first live view of their baby. The doctor was measuring the baby's head, all the organs, the heart, he showed us where all four chambers were and well developed, and then asked if we wanted to know the sex. The intended parents said: "Of course, that is why we have come all this way!" I kept looking for a penis, because I knew that if I couldn't see one, it would be a girl. I looked and looked and looked, and then all of a sudden, as we are all looking on the screen, we see the words: "Hi mom and dad, I am a girl!" Cheers, and laughter and disbelief came next! I am carrying a little baby girl for this couple, and they could not be more thrilled! They are very happy, and were glad to share the experience with me!
The doctor said that everything baby looks good! Organs, limbs, and baby girl look great! He noted that my placenta is low right now, and said that I need to have ultrasounds every month until delivery to make sure that it moves out of the way, and also to check on the overall growth of the baby. This is new to me, as I only had two ultrasounds total with each kid, so all these ultrasounds is a lot, but I will do what is asked of me!
The rest of their trip was pretty uneventful. We traveled to Topeka so they could meet my parents and sisters, and we spent the day together, enjoying a nice Lebanese meal my dad prepared, and spending time outdoors getting to know each other more. It was a long day, and my kids had a blast playing in the backyard with their cousins, and were out like lights before I could get on the highway to get home! It was a quiet drive home, and I struggled a little bit with wanting to sleep, but since I was the driver, I called my best friend and she distracted me for the rest of the ride. Sunday was a day of rest. The intended parents decided to go explore the city a little bit and ended up at Legends Outlet Mall where they did some shopping. Troy and I got a sitter for that evening, and we took them to Houston's on the plaza. If you have never been, their pork ribs are to die for! So delicious!
Monday morning, I had an appointment to tour the hospital for the intended parents and then my regular monthly checkup with my doctor. It was a busy morning for sure! I took the kids along and immediately regretted it, but my options for childcare are limited. The tour was good, and it was great for the couple to see where their baby would be delivered and where she would stay for a few days afterwards. The hospital was very accommodating and we met the director and clinical nurse coordinator of the maternity floor, who were very nice and had some questions about how this was all going to work, and let us ask them any questions we had. My OB appointment went well too. Everything was fine, and the intended parents got to hear the heartbeat for the first time as well! We came back to my house after the appointments so the kids could nap, and then we made plans to meet for dinner after I got my kids to bed, and Troy could stay home with them! It was a good last dinner, as their flight was early Tuesday morning. We said our goodbyes and we are all very excited for our next reunion, when baby will be born!
Everyone has been asking me how I am feeling. To answer, I am feeling well. I am not uncomfortable yet as I have been in past pregnancies, except for some heartburn here and there, and emotionally, I am constantly surprised at how easy it is to feel disconnected from this baby. She is moving a lot, and it is sweet to feel those movements, but I don't feel the same with her movements as I felt with my own children. I knew, going in to this, that I would be able to disconnect, I am just surprised at how easy it is. I have my moments of hormonal mood fluctuations, but I don't have the stress and worry, and anxiousness to prepare for a new baby. That part is definitely nice!
On saturday evening, as we were enjoying some family time, Brae asked me after playing with my tummy a little: "Mommy, do you have a baby in your belly?" I made eye contact with Troy and he said to go ahead and explain. I said: "Yes, Brae, Mommy has a baby in her belly."
Me: "Do you remember the intended parents (I used their names)?
Brae: "Yes, I like them."
Me: "Well, the intended mother's tummy is sick and she can't have a baby in there, and so their doctor put their baby in mommy's tummy and when the baby is all done growing, mommy is going to give the baby back to the intended parents."
Brae: "Okay."
Just like that! I have been stressing about this conversation since I found out I was pregnant. I have been worried and praying for the right words to explain to my 4 1/2 year old what I am doing. Just like that, he said: "Okay" like I was telling him we were going to get ice cream! lol He hasn't asked any more questions so far, but when he does, I feel more confident that I will be able to answer them in a way he can understand. He's a smart kid, probably smarter than I gave him credit for and I hope that when he is older, and has a better understanding, that he will be proud of what I did.
I will keep you all updated with the upcoming appointments with my OB and how the ultrasounds go. The goal is for my placenta to move out of the way so that I can stick with my plan of having a vaginal delivery, otherwise it will have to be a c-section. I would appreciate your prayers as always and will be back with the next update soon! :)
Sarah
Thursday, March 27, 2014
To attach or detach?
So, I know it has been several weeks since my last post, and while I have nothing medically to update, I thought I would give you an update on how I am feeling. For those of you who don't care, you'll want to read my next post. In two weeks, the couple will be flying to Kansas to attend the ultrasound appointment that is set up and to meet my OB and to discuss anything they want with her. We are going to also try to get a tour of the hospital so that the intended parents can see where they will be welcoming their newborn boy or girl!
I have to say, this pregnancy is very different in many ways, but the same in others. For example, the nausea was pretty much the same.While the nausea is gone for the most part and only returns when I haven't eaten enough or in too long, I have also discovered that this little French Baguette (as my best friend likes to call him or her), does not like Reuben sandwiches. I was craving them badly, and while I know that pregnant women are supposed to avoid lunch meats because of the preservatives and bacteria that can grow on them, I also know that they are safe when you warm it up and then proceed with your sandwich devouring. Well, I did that. I was feeling fine as I started to enjoy the sandwich, but when I got to the last bite, something hit me like a ton of bricks, and I knew the entirety of this glorious sandwich wasn't going to stay in my stomach. I was right, as I ran to the bathroom with the rest of my family still enjoying theirs, and tossed it all up! Ok, so no more of those for a while! I don't have a gallbladder anymore since it was removed 6 weeks after Brae was born, and I have found that there are certain things I cannot eat, especially during pregnancy. Lesson learned, will stay away from lunch meats until further notice!
There are other things that are different this time that my other two times. Most of it is mental, some physical. With both Brae and Kynlee, I knew very early in the pregnancy what each of their sex was. I knew at 7 weeks what Brae was, and at 9 weeks with Kynlee. The ultrasound appointments for both of them were just confirmation, instead of surprises for me! This time around, I have no earthly idea! Your guess is as good as mine, as it is in most cases! Mentally, I feel no attachment or desire of another of my own whatsoever. When I was early in the pregnancy and was doing all of the ultrasounds, I was in shock that they kept finding something in there! It was not registering like it did with my previous pregnancies. I still am when I go for check ups and they find a heart beat with the doppler. I have a friend who is a few weeks ahead of me in pregnancy and in talking with her, I have come to realize that although we are pregnant together, her and I are in different places mentally. She is preparing for the arrival of another child, and adding a new dynamic to her family, and I'm sitting over here, contemplating what my first move will be after this process is over. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound callous or detached from what is going on with me, but to some extent, I think I am. Besides the growing belly, and a reminder when I bend certain ways that there is in fact a human inside of me, I feel nothing. I didn't expect to feel this way. When I made this decision to do this, I knew that I would not feel attached or feel like I have some claim to the child but I didn't expect to feel so emotionally, and mentally detached. I feel small kicks, and while I'm glad that the pregnancy is progressing healthily and that baby is growing, it's not the same feeling as when I felt Brae and Kynlee moving inside. I'm not sure I am doing a great job at describing how I'm feeling, but hopefully you can try to understand. I am so excited for the intended parents and what their new arrival will mean for their family! Beyond excited for them, as I tear up just thinking about it. I will be so happy for them and cannot wait for them to experience parenthood with all of its ups and downs and everything in between.
On another note, I just signed Brae up for Kindergarten Round up. It is next friday, and while he is experiencing what it is going to be like in Kindergarten, Troy and I are going to meet the teachers and see his classroom, and get thrown a bunch of information and be able to ask lots of questions. I'm looking forward to it and I know that he is going to love it, but I am little worried about his transition. He will have been with me and only me for the last 5 years by the time school starts. He is my little boy and I am his mother and his person that he runs to when he is hurt or sad, or needs something. I have enjoyed being here for him, and I love the bond that we have. I am due two weeks after school starts. We have not told him that there is a baby in mommy's belly that is not his brother or sister, and I am honestly terrified of how he is going to handle the news. Is he going to cry and get mad, and demand another sibling? Is he not going to care at all? Will he even notice? He has pointed to Kynlee on a few occasions, and said: "Mom, I want another one of these." Umm, what?! I don't expect an almost five year old to understand that a baby in mommy's belly has no genetic relation to me or him whatsoever and so I am really praying that when the time comes, and it will be soon, that I have the right words for him to understand.
That's it for now. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me, as I'm an open book! Look for an update in the next two weeks with the results of the ultrasound! :)
Thanks for the reading!
Sarah
I have to say, this pregnancy is very different in many ways, but the same in others. For example, the nausea was pretty much the same.While the nausea is gone for the most part and only returns when I haven't eaten enough or in too long, I have also discovered that this little French Baguette (as my best friend likes to call him or her), does not like Reuben sandwiches. I was craving them badly, and while I know that pregnant women are supposed to avoid lunch meats because of the preservatives and bacteria that can grow on them, I also know that they are safe when you warm it up and then proceed with your sandwich devouring. Well, I did that. I was feeling fine as I started to enjoy the sandwich, but when I got to the last bite, something hit me like a ton of bricks, and I knew the entirety of this glorious sandwich wasn't going to stay in my stomach. I was right, as I ran to the bathroom with the rest of my family still enjoying theirs, and tossed it all up! Ok, so no more of those for a while! I don't have a gallbladder anymore since it was removed 6 weeks after Brae was born, and I have found that there are certain things I cannot eat, especially during pregnancy. Lesson learned, will stay away from lunch meats until further notice!
There are other things that are different this time that my other two times. Most of it is mental, some physical. With both Brae and Kynlee, I knew very early in the pregnancy what each of their sex was. I knew at 7 weeks what Brae was, and at 9 weeks with Kynlee. The ultrasound appointments for both of them were just confirmation, instead of surprises for me! This time around, I have no earthly idea! Your guess is as good as mine, as it is in most cases! Mentally, I feel no attachment or desire of another of my own whatsoever. When I was early in the pregnancy and was doing all of the ultrasounds, I was in shock that they kept finding something in there! It was not registering like it did with my previous pregnancies. I still am when I go for check ups and they find a heart beat with the doppler. I have a friend who is a few weeks ahead of me in pregnancy and in talking with her, I have come to realize that although we are pregnant together, her and I are in different places mentally. She is preparing for the arrival of another child, and adding a new dynamic to her family, and I'm sitting over here, contemplating what my first move will be after this process is over. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound callous or detached from what is going on with me, but to some extent, I think I am. Besides the growing belly, and a reminder when I bend certain ways that there is in fact a human inside of me, I feel nothing. I didn't expect to feel this way. When I made this decision to do this, I knew that I would not feel attached or feel like I have some claim to the child but I didn't expect to feel so emotionally, and mentally detached. I feel small kicks, and while I'm glad that the pregnancy is progressing healthily and that baby is growing, it's not the same feeling as when I felt Brae and Kynlee moving inside. I'm not sure I am doing a great job at describing how I'm feeling, but hopefully you can try to understand. I am so excited for the intended parents and what their new arrival will mean for their family! Beyond excited for them, as I tear up just thinking about it. I will be so happy for them and cannot wait for them to experience parenthood with all of its ups and downs and everything in between.
On another note, I just signed Brae up for Kindergarten Round up. It is next friday, and while he is experiencing what it is going to be like in Kindergarten, Troy and I are going to meet the teachers and see his classroom, and get thrown a bunch of information and be able to ask lots of questions. I'm looking forward to it and I know that he is going to love it, but I am little worried about his transition. He will have been with me and only me for the last 5 years by the time school starts. He is my little boy and I am his mother and his person that he runs to when he is hurt or sad, or needs something. I have enjoyed being here for him, and I love the bond that we have. I am due two weeks after school starts. We have not told him that there is a baby in mommy's belly that is not his brother or sister, and I am honestly terrified of how he is going to handle the news. Is he going to cry and get mad, and demand another sibling? Is he not going to care at all? Will he even notice? He has pointed to Kynlee on a few occasions, and said: "Mom, I want another one of these." Umm, what?! I don't expect an almost five year old to understand that a baby in mommy's belly has no genetic relation to me or him whatsoever and so I am really praying that when the time comes, and it will be soon, that I have the right words for him to understand.
That's it for now. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me, as I'm an open book! Look for an update in the next two weeks with the results of the ultrasound! :)
Thanks for the reading!
Sarah
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Hello Second Trimester
Alright, so it has been a few weeks since my last post, because there hasn't been that much to update you with.
I wanted to just address the OB situation one final time. A friend of mine that reads my blog sent me a message after reading my last post about my OB not wanting to see me for prenatal care, and asked if she could include an excerpt from it in her next article that she writes for Mommyish. I told her I was happy to let her share my thoughts, but got to worrying a bit when some of the feedback on the article wasn't totally understanding.
For those of you wondering, I saw my old OB for my prenatal care with Kynlee. He was great, laid back, didn't get too worried or cause me to worry about anything. I mentioned to him while pregnant with Kynlee that I was planning to do surrogacy after her. He never said anything to me then. I saw him for my six week checkup after Kynlee and mentioned it again, and he never said anything to me then either. Fast forward, and when I was gathering all the paperwork that the agency needed, one of those papers was a letter from my OB stating that I was OK to carry another pregnancy. The agency even provided a letter drafted by their lawyers that stated that my OB would not be held liable for anything. He wouldn't sign it. I had to go to my family practitioner to have it signed who was very supportive and happy for me and what I was doing. He had an opportunity then to say something, and still did not. The nurses would not explain why he wouldn't sign it either. About a month ago, when I was cleared from the clinic in Connecticut and released to see my regular OB, I called them up and made an appointment. I was very clear when making my appointment and shared exactly what my situation was, and they scheduled the appointment for me. When I got to that lovely appointment with the nurse, they were waiting for my paperwork and were fully aware of my situation. Opportunity number five was when I was in his office planning to see him. He lacked the professionalism and kindness to come and talk to me himself. It left me speculating over what his real problem with it is, other than the fact that "he is Catholic and doesn't agree with what I'm doing." At this point, I am over the situation and like I said before, he isn't worth my time if he is going to be like that. But I realized at my last OB appointment with the new OB, that while she is very nice, and understanding and supportive, it would have been nice to make my own decision on who I wanted to receive prenatal care from, instead of sort of being forced into it because of time constraints with testing that had to be done a week later. I'm over that as well, and while I'm hoping that the rest of this process goes smoothly, I am still left with a slight bad taste in my mouth regarding the whole situation. For the first time during this whole process, after the nurse told me what the OB's feelings were, I felt like I was doing something wrong, or bad in some way. I quickly excused that thought from my mind, of course and am as excited about this process as ever!
So, I had the nuchal translucency exam done about a week and a half ago. It was a time sensitive test in that it has to be done between 11 and 13 weeks, and not a day over 13 weeks. It is an ultrasound, and a blood test. They are looking for the area between the spine and brain stem. There is a normal amount of fluid there, but if there is a lot of fluid there, it can be an indication of Down's syndrome or Trisomy 18. They want the level of fluid to be less than 3.5mm. When my ultrasound was done, the fluid amount was measured at 1.56mm! That was considered normal, but they couldn't give me a definite result until the blood test was done. So off I went to have blood drawn and the lab told me it would be a few days for the results. Great, while I expected the wait, I just wanted to know the results so I could quit worrying about this and focus on the next milestone. The blood test was done on a Tuesday, and the lab told me it would be back by Friday. Well, Friday came and went, and I knew not to expect anything on the weekend, but when Monday came and went without a word, I was really starting to worry and was playing the "what if" game in my head. By tuesday morning, I called as soon as the clinic opened and asked about my results. They did not have them back from the lab yet, and were waiting just like I was. I asked if there was anything I could do to expedite the results, but was told no, and that they will contact the lab themselves and get the results hopefully by the end of the day. The intended parents were getting anxious as well (I don't blame them one bit), and so it was a very long day waiting for the phone to ring. When I hadn't heard anything by three, I called the clinic again, and spoke to the nurse. She said that the lab was confused with my age and the maternal age of the baby being different and so they had called to get a confirmation but still needed the lab supervisor to sign off on it. The nurse was hoping it would still be that day, but told me at the latest, we would have results the next day. About a half hour later, she called me back with the results! As she started talking, my mind started racing. What if this, and what if that!? She said the results were negative. For a second, I started thinking that she was giving me bad news, but then I remembered that we wanted the results to be negative!
She explained it to me this way: If they were to just take the maternal age of the fetus, they would give the baby a 1 in 44 chance of having Down's Syndrome or Trisomy 18. After the results of the blood test, and the results of the ultrasound, and her age put together, they gave the baby a 1 in 312 chance of Down's syndrome. For Trisomy 18, they gave the baby a 1 in 5,000 chance. Those chances are very low and are great results! The nurse explained to me that it isn't just 312 babies in general, it is 312 babies with the same fluid measurements and the same age range of the mother, and the same blood results. When you mix that with all babies, the chances are like half a percent! YAY!! Big sigh of relief for sure! For those of you that were praying, thank you and keep it up! The next milestone is the 20 week ultrasound! The intended parents are coming for this ultrasound and I am very excited for them to see the area and the hospital and to spend time with them!
I am 14 weeks, and 2 days, and the nausea is finally starting to fade away. I am still very tired all the time, but when I think about what my body is doing, I can't blame it for needing some rest! I am thankful to you readers and hope you stick around! I'm sure it will get much more interesting!
Sarah
I wanted to just address the OB situation one final time. A friend of mine that reads my blog sent me a message after reading my last post about my OB not wanting to see me for prenatal care, and asked if she could include an excerpt from it in her next article that she writes for Mommyish. I told her I was happy to let her share my thoughts, but got to worrying a bit when some of the feedback on the article wasn't totally understanding.
For those of you wondering, I saw my old OB for my prenatal care with Kynlee. He was great, laid back, didn't get too worried or cause me to worry about anything. I mentioned to him while pregnant with Kynlee that I was planning to do surrogacy after her. He never said anything to me then. I saw him for my six week checkup after Kynlee and mentioned it again, and he never said anything to me then either. Fast forward, and when I was gathering all the paperwork that the agency needed, one of those papers was a letter from my OB stating that I was OK to carry another pregnancy. The agency even provided a letter drafted by their lawyers that stated that my OB would not be held liable for anything. He wouldn't sign it. I had to go to my family practitioner to have it signed who was very supportive and happy for me and what I was doing. He had an opportunity then to say something, and still did not. The nurses would not explain why he wouldn't sign it either. About a month ago, when I was cleared from the clinic in Connecticut and released to see my regular OB, I called them up and made an appointment. I was very clear when making my appointment and shared exactly what my situation was, and they scheduled the appointment for me. When I got to that lovely appointment with the nurse, they were waiting for my paperwork and were fully aware of my situation. Opportunity number five was when I was in his office planning to see him. He lacked the professionalism and kindness to come and talk to me himself. It left me speculating over what his real problem with it is, other than the fact that "he is Catholic and doesn't agree with what I'm doing." At this point, I am over the situation and like I said before, he isn't worth my time if he is going to be like that. But I realized at my last OB appointment with the new OB, that while she is very nice, and understanding and supportive, it would have been nice to make my own decision on who I wanted to receive prenatal care from, instead of sort of being forced into it because of time constraints with testing that had to be done a week later. I'm over that as well, and while I'm hoping that the rest of this process goes smoothly, I am still left with a slight bad taste in my mouth regarding the whole situation. For the first time during this whole process, after the nurse told me what the OB's feelings were, I felt like I was doing something wrong, or bad in some way. I quickly excused that thought from my mind, of course and am as excited about this process as ever!
So, I had the nuchal translucency exam done about a week and a half ago. It was a time sensitive test in that it has to be done between 11 and 13 weeks, and not a day over 13 weeks. It is an ultrasound, and a blood test. They are looking for the area between the spine and brain stem. There is a normal amount of fluid there, but if there is a lot of fluid there, it can be an indication of Down's syndrome or Trisomy 18. They want the level of fluid to be less than 3.5mm. When my ultrasound was done, the fluid amount was measured at 1.56mm! That was considered normal, but they couldn't give me a definite result until the blood test was done. So off I went to have blood drawn and the lab told me it would be a few days for the results. Great, while I expected the wait, I just wanted to know the results so I could quit worrying about this and focus on the next milestone. The blood test was done on a Tuesday, and the lab told me it would be back by Friday. Well, Friday came and went, and I knew not to expect anything on the weekend, but when Monday came and went without a word, I was really starting to worry and was playing the "what if" game in my head. By tuesday morning, I called as soon as the clinic opened and asked about my results. They did not have them back from the lab yet, and were waiting just like I was. I asked if there was anything I could do to expedite the results, but was told no, and that they will contact the lab themselves and get the results hopefully by the end of the day. The intended parents were getting anxious as well (I don't blame them one bit), and so it was a very long day waiting for the phone to ring. When I hadn't heard anything by three, I called the clinic again, and spoke to the nurse. She said that the lab was confused with my age and the maternal age of the baby being different and so they had called to get a confirmation but still needed the lab supervisor to sign off on it. The nurse was hoping it would still be that day, but told me at the latest, we would have results the next day. About a half hour later, she called me back with the results! As she started talking, my mind started racing. What if this, and what if that!? She said the results were negative. For a second, I started thinking that she was giving me bad news, but then I remembered that we wanted the results to be negative!
She explained it to me this way: If they were to just take the maternal age of the fetus, they would give the baby a 1 in 44 chance of having Down's Syndrome or Trisomy 18. After the results of the blood test, and the results of the ultrasound, and her age put together, they gave the baby a 1 in 312 chance of Down's syndrome. For Trisomy 18, they gave the baby a 1 in 5,000 chance. Those chances are very low and are great results! The nurse explained to me that it isn't just 312 babies in general, it is 312 babies with the same fluid measurements and the same age range of the mother, and the same blood results. When you mix that with all babies, the chances are like half a percent! YAY!! Big sigh of relief for sure! For those of you that were praying, thank you and keep it up! The next milestone is the 20 week ultrasound! The intended parents are coming for this ultrasound and I am very excited for them to see the area and the hospital and to spend time with them!
I am 14 weeks, and 2 days, and the nausea is finally starting to fade away. I am still very tired all the time, but when I think about what my body is doing, I can't blame it for needing some rest! I am thankful to you readers and hope you stick around! I'm sure it will get much more interesting!
Sarah
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
First OB Visit
Hi everyone,
Well, it has been a few weeks since my last post but I didn't have much news. Now I am back with an update!
The last I left you with was that I needed to go to my last ultrasound with the monitoring clinic and then as long as everything was fine, I would be discharged from there and then free to see my regular OB. Well, I had the last ultrasound, and while the sub chorionic hematoma is still there, the doctor didn't think it would cause any more problems, and that my body will just absorb it on its own. So, the clinic in Connecticut has discharged me as their patient and I was cleared to see my regular OB.
I am 12 weeks on Thursday, and while this trimester has taken forever, largely because I found out so early that I was pregnant, but also because I haven't felt well, I am so glad that it is almost over! I am currently weening off of the progesterone in oil shots. I have to take the shot every other day until I get to 12 weeks. Instead of two tablets twice a day of estrogen, I am down to two tablets, once per day, and of course, the low dose aspirin, all until I reach 12 weeks. I tell ya, I am going to be very happy when these shots and the popping pills are over with. For those of you that know me well enough, you know that I don't like to take medications, even for a headache. I usually try to deal with the pain, or sleep it off, before I pop an ibuprofen or something. This has by far been the most medications I have ever taken in my life!
So, once I got the clearance, I called my regular OB's office to schedule my first prenatal appointment with them. The way my doctor's office does it, I make the first appointment where I see the nurse who does blood work, and takes a urine sample, to confirm pregnancy. Well, I told them that wouldn't be necessary given my monitoring appointments with the other clinic and brought along my medical records from there so they could have a look. After that appointment, I can see the doctor, usually the next week, and so I made an appointment for that as well.
Monday was my appointment with the nurse. I went to the appointment with a little anxiety. Mostly because when calling to make the appointments, after explaining my situation, there would be silence on the other end of the line. No: "Oh that's great" or "Oh, okay, let me help you with that." Just silence! So, arriving to my appointment, I was trying to be prepared for whatever they would say to me. The nurse called me back, and I handed her my medical records to take a look at, and then she weighed me. I surprisingly have only gained 4 pounds. Considering I haven't been throwing up, just extremely nauseous, and haven't been able to work out, I thought it was decent. Whatever lol.
She then brought me to one of the rooms, and took my blood pressure and filled in some information on their computer system. The subject of my next appointment came up, and the nurse mentioned that I would need a pap smear at my next appointment, and I said: "oh okay, I guess Dr. Snider can do that when I see him next week." Then I knew why I had been so nervous! The nurse clasped her hands, sat down in front of me, and said: "Actually, Dr. Snider won't be seeing you for this pregnancy." Umm, what?!?!? She continues with: "He is Catholic, and doesn't agree with what you are doing. He doesn't prescribe birth control to his patients either, haha." Slowly, but surely, my eyes started filling with tears, and while the nurse continued with whatever excuse he had told her to say, I was trying to control the outburst of emotion that was hitting me. The tears were flowing at this point, and I say in the middle of gulps (thanks hormones): "Well, it would've been nice to know that ahead of time, like perhaps when I called to make the appointment, so that I could have made other arrangements." The nurse said: "What other arrangements?" I said: "Well I could've tried to find another OB that does agree with what I am doing, maybe?" Which is when the nurse mentions Dr. Petelin. She has great things to say about her, and as I am still wiping tears, she suggests that I could meet her before my next appointment. I agreed. A woman doctor might be nice for this situation, perhaps a little more understanding, and compassionate. The nurse left the room, and came back with Dr. Petelin. She's young, has three small children of her own, and I felt comfortable with her right away. But now, having had time to process the appointment and what was said, I am angry with Dr. Snider. He didn't even have the nerve to talk to me himself, and to explain his beliefs to me. Instead, he made the nurse do it! Ridiculous. I have said up to this point, that I had yet to find someone would didn't agree or like what I was doing, but I can no longer say that. My OBGYN of all people! Whatever, good riddance is all I can say if that is truly how he feels.
So, I made an appointment to see Dr. Petelin next week. The intended parents have elected to have the first trimester screening done typically between 11-13 weeks, and so I have that appointment scheduled as well. It is an ultrasound and a blood test for me, and no harm to the baby. That appointment takes place on February 18th. This test will be able to tell us if the baby has any abnormalities or birth defects. I ask you to pray that everything is found to be normal and that the baby is in good health! I will of course, keep you posted on those results! I will also post an update after my next appointment with Dr. Petelin. February has been a busy month with doctor appointments but after this, I should be doctor appointment free for at least a full month! :)
Stay tuned for more updates to come! Thanks for reading!
Sarah
Well, it has been a few weeks since my last post but I didn't have much news. Now I am back with an update!
The last I left you with was that I needed to go to my last ultrasound with the monitoring clinic and then as long as everything was fine, I would be discharged from there and then free to see my regular OB. Well, I had the last ultrasound, and while the sub chorionic hematoma is still there, the doctor didn't think it would cause any more problems, and that my body will just absorb it on its own. So, the clinic in Connecticut has discharged me as their patient and I was cleared to see my regular OB.
I am 12 weeks on Thursday, and while this trimester has taken forever, largely because I found out so early that I was pregnant, but also because I haven't felt well, I am so glad that it is almost over! I am currently weening off of the progesterone in oil shots. I have to take the shot every other day until I get to 12 weeks. Instead of two tablets twice a day of estrogen, I am down to two tablets, once per day, and of course, the low dose aspirin, all until I reach 12 weeks. I tell ya, I am going to be very happy when these shots and the popping pills are over with. For those of you that know me well enough, you know that I don't like to take medications, even for a headache. I usually try to deal with the pain, or sleep it off, before I pop an ibuprofen or something. This has by far been the most medications I have ever taken in my life!
So, once I got the clearance, I called my regular OB's office to schedule my first prenatal appointment with them. The way my doctor's office does it, I make the first appointment where I see the nurse who does blood work, and takes a urine sample, to confirm pregnancy. Well, I told them that wouldn't be necessary given my monitoring appointments with the other clinic and brought along my medical records from there so they could have a look. After that appointment, I can see the doctor, usually the next week, and so I made an appointment for that as well.
Monday was my appointment with the nurse. I went to the appointment with a little anxiety. Mostly because when calling to make the appointments, after explaining my situation, there would be silence on the other end of the line. No: "Oh that's great" or "Oh, okay, let me help you with that." Just silence! So, arriving to my appointment, I was trying to be prepared for whatever they would say to me. The nurse called me back, and I handed her my medical records to take a look at, and then she weighed me. I surprisingly have only gained 4 pounds. Considering I haven't been throwing up, just extremely nauseous, and haven't been able to work out, I thought it was decent. Whatever lol.
She then brought me to one of the rooms, and took my blood pressure and filled in some information on their computer system. The subject of my next appointment came up, and the nurse mentioned that I would need a pap smear at my next appointment, and I said: "oh okay, I guess Dr. Snider can do that when I see him next week." Then I knew why I had been so nervous! The nurse clasped her hands, sat down in front of me, and said: "Actually, Dr. Snider won't be seeing you for this pregnancy." Umm, what?!?!? She continues with: "He is Catholic, and doesn't agree with what you are doing. He doesn't prescribe birth control to his patients either, haha." Slowly, but surely, my eyes started filling with tears, and while the nurse continued with whatever excuse he had told her to say, I was trying to control the outburst of emotion that was hitting me. The tears were flowing at this point, and I say in the middle of gulps (thanks hormones): "Well, it would've been nice to know that ahead of time, like perhaps when I called to make the appointment, so that I could have made other arrangements." The nurse said: "What other arrangements?" I said: "Well I could've tried to find another OB that does agree with what I am doing, maybe?" Which is when the nurse mentions Dr. Petelin. She has great things to say about her, and as I am still wiping tears, she suggests that I could meet her before my next appointment. I agreed. A woman doctor might be nice for this situation, perhaps a little more understanding, and compassionate. The nurse left the room, and came back with Dr. Petelin. She's young, has three small children of her own, and I felt comfortable with her right away. But now, having had time to process the appointment and what was said, I am angry with Dr. Snider. He didn't even have the nerve to talk to me himself, and to explain his beliefs to me. Instead, he made the nurse do it! Ridiculous. I have said up to this point, that I had yet to find someone would didn't agree or like what I was doing, but I can no longer say that. My OBGYN of all people! Whatever, good riddance is all I can say if that is truly how he feels.
So, I made an appointment to see Dr. Petelin next week. The intended parents have elected to have the first trimester screening done typically between 11-13 weeks, and so I have that appointment scheduled as well. It is an ultrasound and a blood test for me, and no harm to the baby. That appointment takes place on February 18th. This test will be able to tell us if the baby has any abnormalities or birth defects. I ask you to pray that everything is found to be normal and that the baby is in good health! I will of course, keep you posted on those results! I will also post an update after my next appointment with Dr. Petelin. February has been a busy month with doctor appointments but after this, I should be doctor appointment free for at least a full month! :)
Stay tuned for more updates to come! Thanks for reading!
Sarah
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Ulrasounds, ultrasounds, and more ultrasounds!!!
Hey everyone!
Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I have not had much energy to do much of anything lately. The nausea started around 6 weeks, and some days are better than others but for the most part, the nausea is all the time, all day long even when I wake up to pee in the middle of the night! I am 9 weeks today! Yay!! So the nausea shouldn't hopefully last for too much longer and I am definitely looking forward to it!
The first ultrasound was done a few weeks ago, which confirmed a heartbeat and gave us a better idea of how far along I am. That's right, there is just one in there!!! The oven won't get overcrowded and the bun is going to brown very nicely! :) For many reasons I was a little relieved when we figured out there was only one, but I am so glad that it is a healthy baby right now and so are the intended parents.
About a week and a half ago, I was bathing the kids before bed, and felt some warm fluid gush out and so I quickly sat on the toilet, and discovered a light days pad full of blood! Dark, crimson, blood and I have to admit, I FREAKED out!!! With my previous pregnancies, I had never had any bleeding and so especially with this pregnancy, I was a lot more worried and wanted some kind of answer as to what it could be coming from! Troy, being the awesome person that he is, finished up the baths for the kids, and I went upstairs and called the nurse emergency number to the clinic in Connecticut. I got a call back pretty quickly and spoke to the nurse that was there with me when the transfer was done. She immediately told me not to panic, and that 80 percent of their patients have bleeding in their first trimester. She acted like she was used to this happening and said to take it easy for the rest of the night and that I was on pelvic rest from that point on until further notice. This happened on a monday, and my first ultrasound was scheduled for thursday, three days later. Well, honestly, I didn't feel like I could wait that long! So, we moved my appointment up to Tuesday morning, and by that afternoon, most of the bleeding had slowed down significantly and almost stopped. I was still very nervous, and couldn't wait of the appointment. At the first ultrasound, we immediately heard the heartbeat and a lot of my fears subsided. At 6 weeks, the baby is still considered an embryo, and they are just so tiny on the screen, but we could still hear and see a heartbeat which was great! The heart rate was 123 beats per minute and the doctor said that was very good! He then did a little exploring in the rest of my uterus, and found what he called a sub chorionic hematoma. He explained to me that it is a large bruise in my uterus that was the cause of the bleeding and that the hematoma will either bleed out, so I could have weeks of more bleeding, or my body will just absorb it over time. It was definitely nice to have an explanation for the bleeding and he said that if it were going to cause a problem for the baby it would have done so already. I was relieved to hear that for sure!
On Monday, I had another ultrasound to check on the hematoma and just to make sure everything is still fine with the baby. Strong heartbeat still and heart rate has now increased to 180 beats per minute! I have not had any more bleeding since the first time but the hematoma is still there and still fairly large according to the doc. He said, at this point in the pregnancy, the cervix has for the most part, closed up, so more than likely, my body will slowly absorb the blood clot and bruise over time.
On January 30th, I will be considered 10 weeks, and will have my last ultrasound with the monitoring clinic and as long as everything is fine, will be discharged as a patient from the clinic in Connecticut and will be free to see my regular OB. They have been notified that I'm pregnant and should be expecting me as a patient again soon! I'm a little nervous with how my doctor will react to this pregnancy but from his perspective, it's no different than any other pregnancy.
I will keep you posted on the last ultrasound coming up of course!
The intended parents are having a hard time registering that they actually have a baby on the way! For a regular couple, able to conceive on their own, there is a constant reminder there. But for them, we are countries away, and while we speak on FaceTime a lot, it's not the same. They are planning to visit at the 20 week ultrasound, and I am looking forward to it, for sure!!!
Will update next week after the last ultrasound!
Thanks for reading!
Sarah
Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I have not had much energy to do much of anything lately. The nausea started around 6 weeks, and some days are better than others but for the most part, the nausea is all the time, all day long even when I wake up to pee in the middle of the night! I am 9 weeks today! Yay!! So the nausea shouldn't hopefully last for too much longer and I am definitely looking forward to it!
The first ultrasound was done a few weeks ago, which confirmed a heartbeat and gave us a better idea of how far along I am. That's right, there is just one in there!!! The oven won't get overcrowded and the bun is going to brown very nicely! :) For many reasons I was a little relieved when we figured out there was only one, but I am so glad that it is a healthy baby right now and so are the intended parents.
About a week and a half ago, I was bathing the kids before bed, and felt some warm fluid gush out and so I quickly sat on the toilet, and discovered a light days pad full of blood! Dark, crimson, blood and I have to admit, I FREAKED out!!! With my previous pregnancies, I had never had any bleeding and so especially with this pregnancy, I was a lot more worried and wanted some kind of answer as to what it could be coming from! Troy, being the awesome person that he is, finished up the baths for the kids, and I went upstairs and called the nurse emergency number to the clinic in Connecticut. I got a call back pretty quickly and spoke to the nurse that was there with me when the transfer was done. She immediately told me not to panic, and that 80 percent of their patients have bleeding in their first trimester. She acted like she was used to this happening and said to take it easy for the rest of the night and that I was on pelvic rest from that point on until further notice. This happened on a monday, and my first ultrasound was scheduled for thursday, three days later. Well, honestly, I didn't feel like I could wait that long! So, we moved my appointment up to Tuesday morning, and by that afternoon, most of the bleeding had slowed down significantly and almost stopped. I was still very nervous, and couldn't wait of the appointment. At the first ultrasound, we immediately heard the heartbeat and a lot of my fears subsided. At 6 weeks, the baby is still considered an embryo, and they are just so tiny on the screen, but we could still hear and see a heartbeat which was great! The heart rate was 123 beats per minute and the doctor said that was very good! He then did a little exploring in the rest of my uterus, and found what he called a sub chorionic hematoma. He explained to me that it is a large bruise in my uterus that was the cause of the bleeding and that the hematoma will either bleed out, so I could have weeks of more bleeding, or my body will just absorb it over time. It was definitely nice to have an explanation for the bleeding and he said that if it were going to cause a problem for the baby it would have done so already. I was relieved to hear that for sure!
On Monday, I had another ultrasound to check on the hematoma and just to make sure everything is still fine with the baby. Strong heartbeat still and heart rate has now increased to 180 beats per minute! I have not had any more bleeding since the first time but the hematoma is still there and still fairly large according to the doc. He said, at this point in the pregnancy, the cervix has for the most part, closed up, so more than likely, my body will slowly absorb the blood clot and bruise over time.
On January 30th, I will be considered 10 weeks, and will have my last ultrasound with the monitoring clinic and as long as everything is fine, will be discharged as a patient from the clinic in Connecticut and will be free to see my regular OB. They have been notified that I'm pregnant and should be expecting me as a patient again soon! I'm a little nervous with how my doctor will react to this pregnancy but from his perspective, it's no different than any other pregnancy.
I will keep you posted on the last ultrasound coming up of course!
The intended parents are having a hard time registering that they actually have a baby on the way! For a regular couple, able to conceive on their own, there is a constant reminder there. But for them, we are countries away, and while we speak on FaceTime a lot, it's not the same. They are planning to visit at the 20 week ultrasound, and I am looking forward to it, for sure!!!
Will update next week after the last ultrasound!
Thanks for reading!
Sarah
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