March 2010 Mommies

[ck121]

Hi ladies!

So I just got released from the IVF docs at almost 10 weeks! I thought they released you around 8 weeks but I guess I was wrong? But the good news is I have a few more days of progesterone shots..whoo hoo! And we saw our little bean move at the ultrasound!!! It wa exciting!

Not sure if I'll be able to get the nuchal test since I won't see my reg doc until I'm 13 and a half weeks! I think that test has to be done by the 12th week?

To answer Julie's questions:

-No bump yet but like you I have a muffin top and my pants are definitely tighter, I think I'm going to have to buy those pant extenders so my pants will fit more comfortably! But I don't know if the weight gain is due to the medicine or the baby!

-We are definitely finding out the sex of our baby! This is our first and we would just be dying of curiousity if we didn't find out!


Hope all you ladies are all doing well!!!

[Monkey Girl]

Julie - you are ahead of us all, so nice to hear how your 13-week stage is going - congrats on officially entering your second trimester!!!

In answer to your questions:

Yes, tomorrow is the NT scan, but we are doing it mainly to see the little one and to confirm number of fetuses (I have heard too many stories of first scans being wrong, and we've only had one at 7 weeks). But, of course, I suppose we will get the other trisomy risk information, like it or not!

Also, we will not be finding out the anatomical sex of the fetus - preferring to be surprised and to focus more on having a healthy baby - either would be lovely.

Finally, I still have only gained 2 pounds at this point (and those only in the last week or two), but I know it is not the meds, just extra baby fat, mainly in my hips. Once in a while my stomache looks unusually big, but then later I look and it is just a bit rounder - no bump, that's for sure! I would be happy not to show for quite a while. No pregnancy clothes yet, but some pants are a little tighter...

CK - I was "dismissed" by my clinic after my 7-week scan showed a HB, so that's not unusual - but I have heard some women staying with their RE much longer; it varies. I don't even have my first OB appointment until I am 13.5 weeks, so in the meantime I still call my clinic with questions, and they are great! In any case, I hope to find a midwife soon (they are in high demand, and I am on 3 waiting lists) so then I would not continue with the OB.

AFM - I also had some brief spotting last Mon-Wed, but it is all gone and I am not concerned. It was just strange, since I was a bit of the anomaly in that I had absolutely no spotting at all so far, even in the 2ww.

Otherwise, the nausea continues daily, but very manageable, as long as I have food at hand - it is magic!!!

Cheers,
MG[/quote]

[Monkey Girl]

Ck - I forgot to mention that the NT scan can be done between 11 weeks and 13 weeks 6 days, so you are within that range, but unless you confirm an ultrasound and NT with the OB, you are likely to only get a basic appointment - you may wish to check with them to find out. Most places will offer you one beforehand, but I am sure it varies across the board.[/quote]

[ck121]

Monkeygirl- wow our clinics are totally different, I've had weekly ultrasounds from week 6 to week 10! So I guess we should be happy that we have been able to see and hear our baby on a weekly basis so far.

I actually called my obgyn's office yesterday and got my appointment moved to my 12th week and the nuchal scan will happen on week 13!

I was wondering why some of you are against the nuchal scan? It doesn't have any risks to the baby or mother....is it more finding out the results of it?

[EYCI]

CK121 - We decided against the Nuchal for a couple of reasons...

The test itself is just a screening test, not a diagnostic. Meaning that it will only give you a percent chance that your baby is genetically normal or not. I don't want to spend the next 6 months worrying about my baby if I'm told I have a 1 in XX chance of having a baby with down's etc.

The results would not change the outcome of the pregnancy for us. If we were told that there is a high probability, we would still continue the pregnancy. I would NOT do an amnio to confirm the screening because of the associated risk.

Also, because my pregnancy started off with twins, that can skew the results of the blood work making the test less accurate.

If my baby is born with an abnormality, we'll learn about what that means for all of us at that time.

Really it is just such a personal decision for everyone. For those who do the test, I totally understand why. It's just not the decision for me.

--Julie

[Monkey Girl]

CK - I have to agree completely with Julie (minus the twin concerns). It is a personal choice.

Some women and couples would feel more comfort and in control believing or feeling that they are more prepared for a possible down's syndrome outcome and want to know everything possible, and others are more the worrier types and feel they might overanalyze and overstress over stats that end up meaning nothing to the actual outcome of their birth.

There are significant false positives with NT diagnostics risk rates. I also understand that, in general, to get a more precise risk estimate, it is necessary to combine the NT scan with the bloodwork and the triple/quad tests later on (about a month later). You can research this info easily if you haven't. And, even then, unless you want to undertake the risk of amnio or CVS (miscarriage risk), you really still don't know.

For couples who feel strongly that they would probably terminate a pregnancy with a positive result or high risk, these tests may be very helpful.

For those like me (and Julie), no test or risk could change how we approach this pregnancy and birth, so they are not as helpful. Still, some women choose them to have all the possible information at hand, and I understand that, too. It just isn't me.

By the way, if any of this is a concern for you, my personal experience is that, the more research I did about Trisomy 21 (and 13 and 18 ), the more knowledgeable and comfortable I felt knowing that I was prepared and would be able to handle any child with or without down syndrome, so I am now fully relaxed and at ease in this pregnancy on that count.

As you can tell, the only reason we are going this afternoon is to see our little one, since we did not have the weekly (wow!!) scans that you had. You really do have a good choice to either have it done or not.

Okay, end of novel.

On another note - the worst nausea in a long time today.... but it still makes me happy.

MG

[Monkey Girl]

PS - CK, I am glad to see you were able to move your appointment to get the NT that you were wondering about. I still find we have to be proactive in getting the information or support we want - relying on the medical profession alone does not always work!

[ck121]

MonkeyGirl & Julie- Thanks for your insight on the NT scan! I'm a planner so that's why I want the scan, if there is anything wrong, I need to plan & prepare...but I also totally understand why some do not want the scan.

And MonkeyGirl- how did the ultrasound go?

I'm curious if you get an ultrasound at your first OB appt? or does it vary from office to office? I'll be just about 12 weeks at my first OB appt, isn't there usually a 12 week ultrasound??

I've luckily only had nausea during my 7th week but now I've been getting pretty bad indigestion! I guess you can't win!

[angeinhull]

Hi All!

I have eventually come over to this board. I did not want to join til we had our scan which was today. We have a singleton (1 transferred) measuring on target at 7w6d with a strong heartbeat.

I have been keeping up with you guys as I was with most of you on June/July thread.

We are actually due on April 1st but thought I would join this one too if you don't mind.

Take care all

Ange

[Monkey Girl]

Hi Ange - glad you joined! I also followed the June/July thread without posting, and I really enjoyed everyone on it and their comments! I also check the Feb due thread, since I, like you, am due at the beginning of the month (March 2).

CK - as far as OB appts, I am sure that mine will be just a basic appt - 3 or 4 questions, blood type and Rhesus factor, maybe weighing and measuring me. Nothing special. However, this is the chance to ask a bunch of questions about the Dr's practice and the hospital practice on a number of issues, including birthing interventions (which is very important to me), so lots of people suggest to come prepared with a list of questions so you don't forget them in the moment. If you are having an NT scan separately, I believe they may not offer you another scan, as the NT scan is also a dating scan which is typically done either at 12 weeks or only at 18-20 weeks. Again, depending where you live....

AFM - so, for the NT / dating scan, it was very interesting and pleasant. We had a great tech who said the fetus was very active while measuring. And, then she showed us all the individual body parts, the placenta, the brain, and the fingers and hand, at which the baby immediately stuck its little thumb in its mouth upon being prodded with the u/s prod. It was quite cute and finally really does look like a little human.

I appreciated all the time the tech took with us to explain, but I know that not everyone has this experience (our last was not friendly). Then, they took the blood work which checks free-beta HCG and, more importantly, PAPP-A (pregnancy associated plasma protein A) levels. From that, in combination with the neck measurement, they provide you with a risk level for down's and possible counselling if required for higher risks. At my hospital, the results will not be available for 7-10 days. We aren't fussed about it, anyway, but the process is interesting. They did not check the nasal bone yet, as it apparently is too early to confirm properly. There you go... next anatomy scan at 18-20 weeks.

Hope everyone else is well and keeping down some food. I couldn't eat much yesterday all day (which was unusual for me), so I drank litres of orange juice - I think that may have made the fetus more jumpy (something I read once).

MG

[Hopeful_VA]

Hi All,

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile. We are still getting over the shock of being pregnant with triplets, taking it one week at a time. We went to a specialist last Thursday and had another u/s. All 3 hbs are good which means baby C's hb increased which was a concern as it was low at 113 during the first u/s. Now, the only concern is Baby B's sac. It is still measuring very small so they will be watching it closely. We have another u/s appt tomorrow with our fertility doc and then another u/s next Thursday with the specialist. I will be seeing a lot of the doctors and babies over the next few weeks which gives us little time to wait between appts to find out new information. This last week the neusea has been hitting me pretty hard in the evenings and have even had some dry heaves but have not thrown up as of yet.

I am happy for hear all the good news over the last week. I think about you all regularly and hope the best for everyone throughout their pregnancy.

[Daisy106]

Hi you BEAUTIFUL PREGNANT LADIES!!! I am sure each of you are just glowing!! Sorry I have been missing, I have had a lot of travel and meetings for work.

Hopeful - CONGRATS on the triplets! That is wonderful! Keep care of yourself and put your feet up.

MonkeyGirl- Great to hear you are doing wo well!

Angie- So happy to have you with us! I am just estatic for you!!

CK- I have two OB appointments and no U/S from them. But I went to the hospital for Nuchal Trans.

AFM- I have been so blessed with a really easy first trimester. I have had zero morning sickness. Thank God. My weight hasn't changed and I really haven't been too tired. My pants just started to get tighter, but I had some that were a size bigger from before I lost some weight -so I am rolling in those. I did order a Bella Band, but haven't used it yet. I am trying very hard not to gain a ton of weight. I know that I would have a hard time losing it, so I am trying to be really sensible.

I also ordered the Snoogie. I am a back sleeper, so it has been hard learning to transition to my side. The Snoogie has really helped.

I am also now addicted to PreNatal Yoga! Love it. Great stretches and can really feel it. The DVD that I got was just from Target, but it works for me. I do the yoga every other day and treadmill walking every day. I have bumped my acupuncture down to every two weeks. She is treating me for heartburn, gas (oops), and keeping the baby held high in the uterus. Not sure if it totally works, but is really relaxing and I always feel better following treatment!

We did NT Scan yesterday. It was so cool!! We had not seen the baby since the RE scan at 7 weeks, so we cried all over again. My first OB appointment did not scan. Then my second, we just listened to the HB on Doppler (very cool). NT Scan was really worth it. The baby looks like a baby now and not a lima bean! She was jumping all around and was very active. I loved it when she would move her arms. (We do not know the sex. I say HER, DH says HIM. That way it is 50/50. We really do not care, but I hated calling the baby IT). My insurance pays for NT Scan, so we went for it. The more info, the better. We had an awesome tech. I don't think that I get another scan until 20 weeks. UGH - that's like 2 months away!!

I think of you all often and include you each in my prayers. My wish is for all of us to continue with such healthy pregnancies! XOXOXOXOXO

[baylorbear33]

Hi ladies, just checking in... I am feeling quite a bit better on the morning sickness front. I haven't vomitted in about 4 days. Still feel nauseous and dry heave, but no actually throwing up. We are scheduled for our NT scan on Thursday of this week at 12w1d. We decided that we wanted to be prepared, plus, it gives us a chance to see our little one again, so we are of course hoping for good news. We are having better luck with our doppler as well. It is getting easier to find the heartbeat each night. So comforting to hear I hope you are all doing well!

[ck121]

Daisy- are you sleeping on your side now? I am also a back sleeper and I was just wondering when you're supposed to transition to sleeping on your side? I assumed it would be further along in the pregnancy.

[Daisy106]

CK- The 3 books that I have say between 14-16 weeks. I just decided to go ahead and start figuring it out. I also have sleep apnea, and am on a CPAP. So I had to get a new mask, etc. The Snoogie has helped a lot. Just a lot to get used to at one time.

The main problem that I have is I keep sleeping on my left hand! I just can't seem to figure out where to put that arm and shoulder! So I wake up to a hand that has that horrible "sleepy" feeling. UGH. Thankfully, the bathroom trips have slowed down during the night. Now I am only up twice a night. MUCH better than the every hour and half I was traveling!

I stopped PIO last night! YAY! No more shots. Doc says that I am no longer a 'high risk pregnancy'! I am now just a regular pregnant lady. HMMM...sounds good, but I also really like special attention