Tuesday, August 21, 2012

baby 4 and our week 7 visit

So at the end of July I went in for UTI test and asked that they add a pregnancy test to the lab slip.  I knew that if I was prescribed antibiotics that the most common type prescribed is not safe for pregnancy.   Due to my past experiences with the spotting, monthly pregnancy tests had become a commonplace in my life...just to make sure.  For those of you who know me well, I usually experience pain comparable to post miscarriage pains during PMS and without a test could never be sure if it was "normal" or indeed another miscarriage.  

Anyway, back to the test.   I received my results a day or so later, accompanied with a letter from my doctor, that yes I had the UTI, but that I was also pregnant!   After trying for 2 years after our last loss, it was a pleasant surprise.   But unlike many couples who find out they are pregnant, our joy was immediately followed with worry and concern.  All those old questions started running through my brain again...Will we lose this one too?  Will he/she be okay?   And even though I know that most of what I do will not cause a miscarriage, I have become too aware (and cautious) of my every move.  For example, waking up to find I'm sleeping on my stomach, accidentally eating blue cheese (not advised for those who are pregnant).   We have had a few VERY slight spotting "incidences"  but nothing to be worried about (ha!)

After we found out we were pregnant, I remembered that the fertility doctor in Fremont we had talked to in 2010 told us to contact them if we became pregnant so that tests could be run from the start.   As a result of these tests,  I found that I had a low level of progesterone.  My levels went from 9.3 to 10.4 and they should of been at least at a 12.  I was immediately put on doses of progesterone and my level went up to a 12.6.  Good news :)   A side effect of this drug...spotting.  Great!  I know that what I've been seeing so far isn't what I saw with the first 3, which is a good sign, (and the doctor also was convinced after a scan that it was either normal or from the drug).   So hopefully with my thyroid and progesterone in check this baby has a chance.  

The Fremont doctors also wanted ultrasounds ASAP and didn't want me to wait till the 9 or 10th week like most normal pregnancies.  Even though we couldn't see anything on 8.7.12, we had our first ultrasound at 5 weeks.  Today we went in for the 7 week ultrasound and we saw....A HEARTBEAT!!!!  After worrying about so many things and bracing myself for the worst, we saw the sac, and a little flicker that was our baby's heartbeat :)   I was so happy to see that little tiny flicker.   I know that we aren't out the "danger zone" yet, but I felt so much better.   We get to go again next week during week 8 because the view was still a little fuzzy and they wanted a clearer picture.  So stay tuned for more updates :)  

I do have to say that I am being watched like a hawk by my doctors this time, which is great, but did it take the loss of 3 little lives to make that happen?  3 miscarriages apparently puts you in the high risk pregnancy category, but still...

The cutest part of today, was a quote from the N.P. when measuring the baby, "Your baby is about 1/2 an inch long, like a little Jelly Belly Jelly bean".  

Now...we wait :)

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