24 Weeks and Scared...
Well, it's time for another update on the Claire front. Where do I begin?
This pregnancy has definitely been slightly topsy-turvy. From bleeding to extreme sickness, we haven't really caught a break. And today we had to take on another worry.
Yesterday we had our regular check-up and today we turned 24 weeks. Although, my doctor was a bit concerned that not only Claire (who was measuring too small at her anatomy scan) but now I was measuring too small for this gestational age. In fact, we both are about 2 weeks behind schedule.
At first glance, that doesn't seem like a whole heck of a lot, but apparently it is. Even though her anatomy was normal and everything from the placenta to fluid was checking out she wanted a double-take on her growth and sent me for another ultrasound this morning.
About a solid 40 minutes of jousting, a frustrated (and mute) ultrasound technician that didn't have the best bedside manner, a radiologist that needed too to find some sensitivity ... we found out that Claire was still, in fact, measuring too small. And even more so, she's in the 1 percentile of weight in babies at her age. They then sent me directly over to my doctor for a chat.
My doctor comes in and repeats, "She's too small." By this time, I've gone mute and shaky and upset and am just trying to function normally. Since we didn't have any genetic testing done earlier in pregnancy, we went ahead and got a verifi test in motion to rule out any genetic abnormalities; although the radiologist, my own doctor and the high risk doctor they sent me to later really doesn't think that's the cause since her anatomy is looking normal - just small overall.
Once that lab visit was over, I went over to the high risk doctor's office - whom I'll be seeing from here on out as well. They did yet another ultrasound and more measurements and we had a nice long chat. She relayed that again she really doesn't think it's a chromosomal/genetic problem but is happy we're ruling that out. But we are on a path with IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and thinking that may be from the placenta not working at 100%, although her fluid and blood flow all look good right now.
We talked about the hemorrhage I suffered, and we're thinking if there is something or a part of the placenta that's not giving Claire everything she needs to grow alongside other babies her age, it probably happened during that whole ordeal. Which got us talking about the possibility of blood clot disorders that I may have that just haven't been detected yet. And if we sit and think about my injuries in the past, and how they've all been super wonky (i.e. a broken nose that doesn't bleed out and a rectus sheath hematoma at 18 years-old), it kind of makes sense that it could be a possibility. So, we did another panel of bloodwork to see how to treat that in the future of this pregnancy and others (which may be just as simple as taking a baby aspirin everyday).
Obviously we're a little shaken up. Questions come at every 10 minute intervals, but we realize right now is just a waiting game. We rule out things and learn things with these two tests and if it's that the placenta may not be at 100% we will be monitoring Claire very closely. From a visit every 2 weeks to a week to twice a week towards the end, and the probability of her coming early, we believe this journey will be an appointment by appointment scenario.
I've already heard a lot of stories from others, "they said we'd have a small baby and we didn't" etc, etc, I think after all the information today we have settled on the fact that she will be small and she won't catch up completely to where she's suppose to be gestationally. We can only hope she's able to stay in there long enough to develop and survive on her own when she's here.
And in the meantime, I'm on strict bed rest. <-- and apparently that isn't to be taken lightly. For one, if I do have a blood clot issue, she wants me to keep off my feet for long periods of time so nothing forms in my legs and secondly, keeping the placenta and baby snug and out of harm's way.
Entertain me and take away my worries now, would ya?
At first glance, that doesn't seem like a whole heck of a lot, but apparently it is. Even though her anatomy was normal and everything from the placenta to fluid was checking out she wanted a double-take on her growth and sent me for another ultrasound this morning.
About a solid 40 minutes of jousting, a frustrated (and mute) ultrasound technician that didn't have the best bedside manner, a radiologist that needed too to find some sensitivity ... we found out that Claire was still, in fact, measuring too small. And even more so, she's in the 1 percentile of weight in babies at her age. They then sent me directly over to my doctor for a chat.
My doctor comes in and repeats, "She's too small." By this time, I've gone mute and shaky and upset and am just trying to function normally. Since we didn't have any genetic testing done earlier in pregnancy, we went ahead and got a verifi test in motion to rule out any genetic abnormalities; although the radiologist, my own doctor and the high risk doctor they sent me to later really doesn't think that's the cause since her anatomy is looking normal - just small overall.
Once that lab visit was over, I went over to the high risk doctor's office - whom I'll be seeing from here on out as well. They did yet another ultrasound and more measurements and we had a nice long chat. She relayed that again she really doesn't think it's a chromosomal/genetic problem but is happy we're ruling that out. But we are on a path with IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and thinking that may be from the placenta not working at 100%, although her fluid and blood flow all look good right now.
We talked about the hemorrhage I suffered, and we're thinking if there is something or a part of the placenta that's not giving Claire everything she needs to grow alongside other babies her age, it probably happened during that whole ordeal. Which got us talking about the possibility of blood clot disorders that I may have that just haven't been detected yet. And if we sit and think about my injuries in the past, and how they've all been super wonky (i.e. a broken nose that doesn't bleed out and a rectus sheath hematoma at 18 years-old), it kind of makes sense that it could be a possibility. So, we did another panel of bloodwork to see how to treat that in the future of this pregnancy and others (which may be just as simple as taking a baby aspirin everyday).
Obviously we're a little shaken up. Questions come at every 10 minute intervals, but we realize right now is just a waiting game. We rule out things and learn things with these two tests and if it's that the placenta may not be at 100% we will be monitoring Claire very closely. From a visit every 2 weeks to a week to twice a week towards the end, and the probability of her coming early, we believe this journey will be an appointment by appointment scenario.
I've already heard a lot of stories from others, "they said we'd have a small baby and we didn't" etc, etc, I think after all the information today we have settled on the fact that she will be small and she won't catch up completely to where she's suppose to be gestationally. We can only hope she's able to stay in there long enough to develop and survive on her own when she's here.
And in the meantime, I'm on strict bed rest. <-- and apparently that isn't to be taken lightly. For one, if I do have a blood clot issue, she wants me to keep off my feet for long periods of time so nothing forms in my legs and secondly, keeping the placenta and baby snug and out of harm's way.
Entertain me and take away my worries now, would ya?
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