I know it's been a while since I've posted. My daughter has been sick all week and we've had so many things going on. That being said, on Tuesday of this week we had an ultrasound, doctor's appt, and a meeting with the hospital staff where I'll be giving birth, and so I have quite a few medical updates to pass on.
1. Heartbeat- Baby Joey's heartbeat seems to be back in the normal range- Praise the Lord! =) During our ultrasound and at the doctor's office, Joey's heartbeat was registering in the 140's, so the low readings from 2 weeks ago may have been just a fluke. Anyhow, that was great news.
2. Weight- Based on ultrasound measurements of Joey's stomach and leg bone, the technician estimates Joey's current weight to be right around 3lbs.
3. Pictures- We got some really cute pictures of Joey at the ultrasound. It appears that Joey has no additional (visible) birth defects, although many babies with anencephaly also have cleft palates, etc. He also has perfectly formed hands and feet, but he kept wiggling so much, it was tough to get any still pictures! (Oh, yes.. and he's still a boy!) The tech also gave us a free DVD of the ultrasound, which will be a lovely memento down the road.
4. Amniotic Fluid- I certainly have more than enough amniotic fluid present, as I pretty much suspected (based on how I feel/look at only 7 months!) According to our ultrasound tech, the peak amount of amniotic fluid in a normal pregnancy is 25, and then begins to go down as the baby gets close to delivery. My number currently is 41, and will not likely go down, but could continue to build up further. The reason I have too much fluid is that Baby Joey isn't swallowing it the way a healthy baby would, so it means his lungs most likely aren't working very well either. This is a typical occurrence for babies with anencephaly. ("41 what?" you might want to ask. Apparently, the numbers don't correspond to anything we know... ounces, grams, mL, etc. So, I guess.. 41 AFU (amniotic fluid units?))
5. Healthy Mama- My health is doing well, however. Good blood pressure, etc. I've just been getting more and more uncomfortable on a daily basis, feeling like I'm 9 months pregnant instead of 7, so I've been lying low for the past few weeks now. (I prescribed a self-induced, partial bed rest for myself lately!) At least I now feel justified in feeling 9 months pregnant, since my doctor says I'm definitely measuring the size of full term already.
6. Likely Early Labor- The above being said, there is also a good risk that I'll be going into spontaneous labor earlier than my due date (which is Dec 20th). Apparently, any day now is a possibility. As my body continues to feel full term, there's a good chance it will just say, "time to come out, baby!" I feel at peace about the situation, either way. It's uncomfortable feeling 9 months pregnant, but it's sweet to feel Baby Joey's wiggles, loving him, and knowing that he's safe for now. On the other hand, if God is ready to call him home earlier than expected, I feel at peace about God's timing too. (Regardless, I realize I better be getting my things ready to go!)
7. Natural Birth Center- At the hospital where I'll be giving birth, there is a natural birth center area, (which is where I delivered Elisa.) It's much more "home-like" than a hospital room, has a birthing tub, a family room for waiting family, etc. I was originally told I couldn't give birth there due to Joey's condition. However, on Tuesday at the hospital meeting, I found out that I now have special permission to birth there anyways (regardless of whether I go into labor early). I was really happy about that news, as the thought of the hospital atmosphere really stressed me out, and this area is much, much, more calming and welcoming.
8. Lots of Contractions- On the subject of delivery, I've been feeling loads of contractions lately. Last night, for example, I was so uncomfortable after going to bed, I decided to just get up and go downstairs. My abdomen was so tight and uncomfortable, that I finally realized that I was having contractions. They actually continued regularly for quite some time, and it occurred to me that I might need to think about timing them! Wowser. Well, they did continue on for some time, but then finally went away. (If you're reading this and not familiar with pregnancy, early contractions are normal for any pregnancy, called Braxton-Hicks. I just don't remember ever feeling them so early or so frequently with Elisa.)
Well, that's all the medical updates I can think of for now. I have a lot of other reflections on the past two weeks, but I'll just have to share those when I can. For now, we're in good spirits and just facing each day as it comes. Thank you all for sharing in this journey with us, and thank you for all the prayers! =)
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