This is my first entry into the blog format. It has become difficult to keep everyone up to speed on this baby's progress. Some want to know every detail, others want to the big picture. I figured this is the best way to keep everyone up to date.
THE BACK STORY...
Around Thanksgiving, I went for my 19 week ultrasound. This is a routine ultrasound that most women get to find out the gender of their baby. We went to New Beginnings Diagnostic Center here in Providence. We learned the baby was measuring one (1) week small. There was no big concern due to human error or the baby's due date was correct. The physician who runs the diagnostic center is Dr. Marshall Carpenter, he was somewhat more concerned after hearing that Rachel was only 5 lbs. 11 oz. at birth. At his suggestion, we requested a pathology report of Rachel's placental and found out there was blood clots in it. (I was surprised to find this out since I never knew why I had an emergency c-section with Rachel; the blood clots make it very difficult for the baby to tolerate labor.) I was screened for a blood clotting disorder which would explain Rachel's placenta and the baby's small size. It came back negative. We went back two weeks later to have another ultrasound to check on the baby's progress. This time, the baby was 2 1/2 weeks smaller than it should be. This raised some red flags. I was then sent to the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department (High Risk Docs) at Women & Infants Hospital (where 10,000 babies are born each year here in Rhode Island). The doctors there said the common reasons for this problem is: the mother is doing something wrong like smoking or drinking; the baby has Down Syndrome; the baby has a viral infection; or there is a placenta problem. I went for additional testing and met with the genetic counselor. After much investigation, they decided it was a placental problem and gave the diagnosis of IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction).
On January 6th, I went to Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department's Pre-natal Diagnostic Center (PDC) for a follow up ultrasound. This ultrasound made us feel like the heavens opened up and our prayers have been answered. The baby grew tremendous! The baby was at the 18% percentile and was only a few days behind its gestational age. I was taken off the high risk track and the doctors said the baby is "constitutionally" small. In other words, I am small person so I am going to have a small baby. I was told that I did not have to come back for one month. I believed that I should come back in two weeks just to make sure everything was okay and that's when things went haywire again.
On January 20th, I went back to the PDC for the two-week follow up ultrasound (about 26 weeks pregnant). I had a non-stress stress indicating the baby's heartbeat was perfectly normal at 145 beats per minute and then had a Doppler Ultrasound. I was told the Doppler Ultrasound was very important because it shows the flow or pressure of the umbilical cord. Obviously, it should be normal (the pressure should be less than 4.5). If the pressure is elevated (restricted) then they might give me steroids for 24 hours and deliver this 1 1/2 pound baby. If the flow is stopped or reverse, that is very serious and means the baby is in a fatal situation. I would be rushed to the operating room. My test showed it was elevated at about 5.5-6.5. The high risk doctors advised me not to go to England on the following Wednesday and needed to put me back on the high risk track.
January 24th and January 27th: Now that I am on the high risk track, I have to go every Tuesday and Friday to the PDC. The Tuesday appointment showed that pressure was stablized and went down to 3.8 (normal) and then Friday's appointment showed the pressure was down to 3.3 (even more normal). Both times, the non-stress test was normal and the baby's heartbeat was 145. I was terribly sad and feel awful that I was not able to go to England. I feel guilty that my co-worker had to do my job for me.
This has been our roller coaster ride so far. We are praying for the best and preparing for the worst. It has taken an emotional toll on us. Rob and I are very divided on how we are thinking about this pregnancy. I am hopeful and he is full of fear. I wanted to stay with my super-awesome doctor, Susanna Magee and have this baby at Memorial Hospital...the only Mother-Friendly certified hospital (google it!) in the state. Rob wants to have this baby at Women & Infants because they have a NICU. We have divided viewpoints on birth and pregnancy. Rob believes it is my fault that the baby is not growing because I am not eating enough. To counteract that, I am trying my best to keep to the Brewer's Diet (google that!) and going to acupuncture. We are left with a lot of mixed emotions and resentment. We are both tired and frustrated but need to keep moving on... for the sake of this baby and our Rachel who we absolutely adore. We want her to be a big sister to a healthy baby. Now how can we get this baby here???...
