Wanted to toss out the latest update regarding “peanut” or “bump” as Gareth likes to call her/him who is yet to arrive.
I met with my doc today. She's lovely and her nurse is a real peach! I think I'm going to like going to Coastal. I've had a lot of friends that have received great prenatal care there and they have two well respected high-risk specialists there. While I'm not technically going to be classified as "high risk" yet, I am however classified as "Advanced Maternal Age"....well so much for feeling great about being 36! *lol*
Up until today, I’ve been expecting my first sonogram to take place on July 15th, and I’ve been expecting to have to undergo amniocentesis at around 16-20 weeks due to my age, and have to undergo a test called Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) which is another invasive and uncomfortable test. Well, not only does my doctor NOT recommend having the amnio, but she said there is no reason for the CVS test either, as both are invasive and carry the risk of miscarriage. Was I ever relieved to hear that!
Rather, I’m going to have something called; Nuchal translucency screening combined with first trimester multiple marker blood tests.
What is Nuchal Translucency screening you ask? This screening test (also called the nuchal fold scan) uses ultrasound to measure the clear ("translucent") space in the tissue at the back of your developing baby's neck. This measurement can help your practitioner give you an assessment of your baby's risk for Down syndrome (DS) and other chromosomal abnormalities. Babies with abnormalities tend to accumulate more fluid at the back of their necks during the first trimester, causing this clear space to be larger. While it won't give you the definite diagnosis you'd get from more invasive tests like CVS and amniocentesis, it can help you decide whether you want to undergo diagnostic testing. And unlike diagnostic tests, it's painless and involves no risk to you or your baby.
So, being that aside from my age, there are no other risk factors that might lead one to assume I’m at a higher risk of having a baby with some sort of abnormality or genetic defect, my doctor (who happens to ROCK!) doesn’t feel it’s necessary for me to undergo anything other than the Nuchal screening combined with the multiple marker blood tests!
I could have danced a jig when she told me that. Since the moment my pregnancy was confirmed, I’ve been worrying almost constantly about amnio and the risks associated. And then when I heard about the CVS test, I have pretty much wanted to cross my legs and not undo them.
Next big news is that because we aren’t sure exactly how far along I am, they are going to do a sonogram TOMORROW at 10:45am and skip the one on the 15th. I’ll still have another one at 20 weeks, plus the Nuchal translucency screen which is done between 11-13 weeks. But as of tomorrow, we’ll know for sure whether or not there is one peanut or a pair as there is some concern about that as well, and be assured that the placenta is in the right place, this time around. (fingers crossed, prayers needed!) And we’ll hopefully get to hear the heartbeat too! Doc thinks there is a good possibility there might be twins because she said my "fundal height is more advanced" and she suspects I am only 6-7 weeks along rather than where I estimate at closer to 10 weeks! I told her that's not possible. Well I didn't say it like that! But tomorrow we'll see for sure!
Ok the good news doesn’t stop there. My weight is fabulously better than I thought. I’ve lost almost 40lbs in the last 6 weeks (I attribute a lot of that to my almost total lack of an appetite) And my blood pressure is NOT high! I’ve been stressing with the back pain and the drive to Portsmouth each day for work and that’s contributed to it being slightly elevated at times, but no where near “HIGH”. It was normal when I went in for my check-up this morning. But she does want me to stop the daily commute because she’s not comfortable with me being 60-75 minutes away from Maine Med should anything happen, or should I actually be determined a “high-risk” patient. I’m not too upset about that. The commute was really starting to wear on me.
Doc says the weight loss has to stop now, while it’s not directly harming the baby, as the baby takes everything it needs from me, it’s leeching my body of the things it needs to stay healthy, so the baby won’t be harmed by I will, if I continue to lose weight. She understands that I have no appetite and that my morning sickness has been bad, but she asked me to consider eating between 7-8 small meals a day and that she’s comfortable with me gaining between 30-35lbs through the pregnancy. 7-8 small meals a day sure sounds like a hell of a lot of food to me, especially when my tummy can’t even hold 4 salt-free soda crackers, but I’m going to try. I know in the next month, the morning (noon and evening) sickness should subside some, but I’m going to make an effort to at least not lose any more weight.
So there you have it. This time tomorrow I should have peanut’s first photo and have heard the heartbeat.
Oh yeah, I told my Mom and the rest of the world. I think she's happy but a tad restrained. I told Amanda and Diana too. I really wish my sisters lived closer....*sigh* Selfishly I wish Amanda had never moved back home to Cali from Atlanta. Oh, I understand why she did, but it would have been a quick flight for her, or me, either direction.
Oh now look at me, crying! Bloody hormones! I'd write more but not only do I have to go blow my nose now, say it with me now everyone....I have to pee.
