Llama, Llama. Pregnancy Drama!

Last night at 24 weeks, 4 days, I started bleeding....heavily.  By the time we made it to the hospital, the bleeding had eased a bit.  Ultrasound showed baby and placenta are fine, so they aren't really sure where the bleeding was coming from.  They were about to send me back home when the bleeding picked up again, so I was admitted.  Monitoring overnight showed baby continuing to do well.  

Today I was scheduled to have an MRI to locate the source of the bleeding, which has almost completely stopped.  But I'm unable to lay on my back for more than a minute or two before baby cuts off my breathing and circulation.  After 2 tries with my arms going numb and almost passing out on the second try, the tech decided that obviously was not possible.  This afternoon doctors orders had me up and walking for 20 minutes to see if the bleeding would start again... Nothing!   

A bit more bleeding this afternoon, but very light means another night in the hospital for me.  Hopefully home tomorrow!

Update:  Bleeding pretty much stopped and headed home from the hospital today!  No running marathons, but no activity restrictions either!

23 weeks, 2 days

23 weeks, 2 days

Today's checkup with the fetal/maternal medicine went well.  The ultrasound looked good with baby's heartrate at 153 bpm, weight estimated at 1pound 5ounces, which puts her at the 53% for growth... right on track.  Next ultrasound scheduled for March 14.

Overdue Announcement

Well, I guess it's time to make it officially known.  Anyone who's seen me has known since around  October ... Cassidy is going to be a big sister!

After 2 years of trying, we finally got the positive pregnancy test the first week of 

October, which gives us a June 7 due date.  This time around, things have been less eventful and dramatic, and the same but different.  It's been different because it's been way harder, physically.  I had about 3 weeks of morning sickness that lasted pretty much all day and intense fatigue.  After that let up, I continued throwing up daily for about 3 months.  I'm still battling pregnancy congestion which leads to gagging and throwing up a couple mornings each week.  I'm sure having a 5 year old plays a role in the physical aspect of it as well ... no crashing on the couch as soon as I walk in the door.

It's been the same because of the fibroids.  While we've not had any ER visits yet (last time around our first visit to the ER was at 8 weeks), the fibroids will again be an issue.  At 7 weeks I was visibly pregnant.  At my first 9 week appointment I was measuring around 24 weeks.  I gained 17 pounds within the first trimester, all fibroids.  At my 18 week appointment I was measuring 35 weeks. 

18 weeks.

Now at 22 weeks, the fibroid growth seems to have plateaued and baby growth should really be kicking in.  I'm measuring 37 weeks and hovering right around a 20lb weight gain.  I can see my belly move with baby, who is above my belly button and under my rib cage just like Cassidy was, and moving all the time!  I'm starting to have those really wonderful symptoms most women experience in their last month.... breathlessness, insomnia, exhaustion as a giant belly takes its toll.   Its something to look forward to for the next 14 weeks.    I'm starting monthly ultrasounds with a maternal/fetal medicine specialist to monitor growth of the baby and position and growth of the fibroids and also continuing to see my OB every 4 weeks.  The C-section will be around week 36-37, just like last time assuming we have no crazy complications pop up.

This time around we did a really cool, new test called the MaterniT21 test at 11 weeks. With a simple blood draw from me, they extract cell-free fetal DNA and analyze the chromosomes. We got the all clear from this which comes with about a 99% detection rate for chromosomal disorders and found out we are having another girl! At 18 weeks, we decided to pass on the amniocentesis offered to women who are "advanced maternal age" because of the high detection rate and low error rate of the MaterniT test.

We've moved Cassidy into her new girly, princess room (the former guest bedroom). 

We've turned Cassidy's bed back into a crib and she's taken over the guest bed and furniture.  We've moved the futon double bed into the "nursery" where it will stay indefinitely to serve as a couch or guest bed as needed.  

We've started to buy some baby items again, as we passed on all of our birth-12month clothes to others who had children after us.  (We still have a lot of stuff from 12months-5T because everyone else outgrew Cassidy after the first year or so!)

Still on the agenda is the purchase of a new changing table as we passed our old hand me down on to a friend who is still using it and the purchase of a new baby monitor ... probably one with video this time around as we didn't like the one last time too much.

We are all getting excited here, especially Cassidy who proclaims on a daily basis that she will be an awesome big sister and is going to be such a good helper!  I have complete faith.  She's already my little helper, fetching me tissues, crackers, and sprite zero as I bend over the sink or toilet retching each morning.  She willingly jumps up to let the dogs out or get whatever I need because it's too hard for mama to get up off the floor or couch.  She hugs my belly, thinks of names for her baby sister ("Cinderella Ballerina"), and draws me get well cards during aftercare at school on days when I've been sick in the morning.... Sweet, sweet girl!