Monday, May 31, 2010

16 weeks pregnant



At this point of your pregnancy, your baby is approximately 4.3 to 4.6 inches long and weighs 2.8 ounces. Not only is your baby growing, your uterus and placenta continue to grow to accommodate the growing baby inside of you! Just six weeks ago, your uterus weighed about 5 ounces. This week it now weighs 8.75 ounces! The amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby is increasing and there is about 7.5 ounces of fluid. You will easily be able to feel your uterus approximately three inches below your navel.

This is an important week for testing and you will most likely have an AFP test done. This is a harmless blood test that is done to detect abnormalities such as Down's syndrome or spina bifida. This is a non-invasive test and it carries no risk to your developing baby. Most doctors will offer the test, but in most cases it is completely optional.

Your milk glands start production at this time and this causes some tenderness and swelling in early pregnancy. Your veins will become more visible because there is an increased amount of blood flowing to the breasts.

Five and a half inches tall and only six ounces in weight. The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.

At this time, your baby is holding her head erect. Because her muscles are developing, she can make some faces now. Your baby is able to squint, frown and open its mouth. There is enough calcium in the bones that they will show up on an x-ray. Your baby's fingernails are well formed now and the legs are longer than the arms. Because your baby is moving well now, you may begin to feel his movements! Some women say that the early movements feel like gas bubbles or a slight flutter. If you have not yet felt the baby move, don't worry. Fetal movements are usually felt between the 16th and 20th week of pregnancy.

You may feel your heart beating 'louder'. This is because there is a lot more blood in your body than normal. (about 20-25% more) 

Sunday, May 30, 2010

When Dusty was 10...

He picked out the names for his children.  A girl would be Samantha Anne and a boy would be Samuel Andrew.  Either way, their initials would be SAM.  ;)  He's a smart boy.

He didn't get his Samantha with our first little girl, but he will this time :)

It's A...

Girl!

Meet our littlest Princess:

[URL=http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d2/Kaitlyn_Reagan/VIDEO/?action=view&current=u-s.flv][IMG]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2/Kaitlyn_Reagan/VIDEO/th_u-s.jpg[/IMG][/URL]


She spent the entire ultrasound with her feet above her head and at 15w5d was measuring at 16w4d, so she is growing great!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The opinion of the perinatologist

Today was my appointment with the perinatologist to come up with the game plan for this pregnancy.  We also got to get all of my test results back from the vials and vials and vials of blood given :)

I started the appointment with one of my favorites from when i was on hospital bed rest.  She is great, so kind, compassionate and just really clear on her instructions.

First we went through medical and pregnancy history.  She had all of it but she wanted to clarify a lot of it.  We also went through the test results to come up with a plan for the remainder of this pregnancy.  It goes something like this:

1) Beginning at 18 weeks (which is only 3 weeks away!!  Can you believe it?) I will start cervical checks via ultrasound every 2 weeks.  We will continue this until 26 weeks.  Typically if the cervix does not change by then, it won't. 

2) Beginning at 18 weeks and continuing every 4 weeks we will be doing growth ultrasounds to check the growth of the baby.

3) The majority of the tests came back negative.  The test for Leiden factor 5 did not.  This is a genetic clotting disorder.  As you age, the risks become stronger.  I am to continue taking baby aspirin, pretty much for the rest of my life, and if I start having problems, or baby is slowing in growth I will start heparin shots daily.

4) I will more than likely start progesterone shots.  I will find out at my next doctor's appointment (Friday June 4) and more than likely start them at the same time.  These are to be administered at home, lucky Dusty :P

My goal is to get to 36 weeks.  If I can get there, baby can go home with us and not visit the NICU.  She doesn't think I will get much further than this and I should be prepared to deliver sooner.  At this point, her goal is to prolong my pregnancy as far as possible and if I do rupture, to do it later than I did with Matthew.

I am still cleared to fly, I just have to take medical records and be aware of near-by hospitals.   And of course, hope for the best :)

Monday, May 24, 2010

15 weeks

Baby's Growth and Development at 15 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby's internal and external growth continue at a remarkable pace throughout the 15th week of pregnancy.
  • When you're 15 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 4 1/2 inches from head to rump, and weighs about 2 to 3 ounces. She’s about the length of a large apple.
  • Your baby's hair might appear on her scalp and eyebrows. Hair follicles even begin to generate the pigments that give hair its color.
  • By your 15th week of pregnancy, your baby's ears probably have reached their permanent position on the side of her head, and her eyes are moving to where they belong on the front of her face.
  • Your baby's skin is developing, but remains extremely thin.
  • Your baby's skeletal system and muscles further develop and strengthen.
  • By the end of your 15th week of pregnancy, your baby might be able to wiggle fingers and toes, make a fist, or even suck her thumb!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Kaitlyn's ENT follow up

Kaitlyn's neurologist sent her to see an ENT after getting back her MRI results.  Her doctor had already given her 21 days of antibiotics in hopes to get some of the inflamation to decrease and hopefully prevent the necessity for surgery down the road.

Unfortunately, the antibiotics were ineffective and did absolutely nothing to help the situation.  The ENT noted that she had horrific allergies, some of the worst he had ever seen in a child that age.  The inflamation was still there and causing obvious problems.  It is bad enough to be what is causing her wheezing, headaches and general discomfort.

So, we have a new plan.  Kaitlyn is back on antibiotics for 21 days.  They have doubled the doseage.  She is also back on her nasal spray and is going to go on Prednisone for the next 10 days.  He has also referred her to an allergist.  They will be doing a series of allergy tests and more than likely starting allergy shots for her. 

She will be returning in 6 weeks to see how things look and then schedule a follow up MRI to check for any improvement.  If there is not any improvement, they will be removing her sinuses and adenoids.  He told us to be prepared to have this done, both of hers are so large that it's making it hard for her sinuses to drain, which could be the cause of the overall problem.  If after that there still isn't enough improvement we will be looking into sinus surgery.

Kaitlyn is less then thrilled.

In other news, we are really excited to be planning some fun this summer!  We just went and did our passports today to prepare for our trip to NY at the end of next month.  While there we will get to visit with Aunt Wende, Uncle Chris, Kimberley and Lauren.  Daddy and I will be working, but we'll also get to visit Niagra Falls and hopefully go into Canada.  On the way home, we're so excited to be going to Alabama and visiting everyone out there!  Kaitlyn has been telling EVERYONE all about her trip.  She's beyond excited!

Monday, May 17, 2010

14 weeks pregnant

And another week has passed us...

Baby's Growth and Development at 14 Weeks Pregnant

While many areas of your baby's body are becoming further refined during the 14th week of pregnancy, much of the development this week focuses on your baby's small reproductive system:
  • When you're 14 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the length of your clenched fist.
  • In boys, the prostate gland is forming. In girls, ovaries are moving into her pelvis from her abdominal area.
  • Your baby's thyroid gland now is working and making hormones.
  • By your 14th week of pregnancy, your baby's palate, or the roof of his mouth, has completely formed.
  • Your baby already might be or soon will begin growing body hair, called lanugo, which will temporarily keep your baby warm until his baby fat accumulates.
  • His head will grow to four times its current size and increase 60 times in volume by the time of his birth.

In less than 2 weeks we'll know exactly what we are having.  I'm still determined to have a Dr. Suess nursery, but we're stuck between 2.

If we are having a girl, we are going to go with this bedding and bright yellow walls:


If we are having a boy, we are going to go with this bedding and similar walls:


We hope everyone else is doing well :)

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Some pictures of Kaitlyn's play

She did AMAZING.  Parents yesterday were telling me how cute they thought her howl was.  I cannot wait to upload some of the video to share.

Her open house was great, of course she's excelling at everything and far more than ready for the first grade!  The countdown is on, last day of school is June 4 :)

Hello 2nd Tri :)

As of today we are officially 1/3 of the way through this pregnancy and have passed the most worrisome part of the pregnancy (for a normal person)!

This is the belly as of today:



And to celebrate the 2nd trimester, thanks to Grandma, our new crib arrived today!  Matthew's was stolen from storage, and while his was discontinued (it had a drop side and since 32 deaths have occurred thanks to drop side cribs, they have stopped producing them), it is a perfect match :)

Monday, May 10, 2010

13 weeks :)

Well, here are at 13 weeks, just days away from officially entering the second trimester.  You know, after a few first trimester losses, you begin to think that you'll never get passed that hurdle, it's amazing to think that we are just days away from it.

On May 29, we will be finding out the sex of our baby.  That is unless we have one of those stubborn kids who refuses to cooperate ;)  In the meantime, this is where we are at, 13 weeks into this pregnancy!

At 13 weeks, the average fetus is the size of a peach :)

Baby's Growth and Development at 13 Weeks Pregnant

By your 13th week of pregnancy, your baby's organs, nerves, and muscles have formed and are beginning to work together. It's time to focus on growth!

  • Eyes and ears are clearly defined. Your baby's eyelids are fused together to protect her still-developing eyes.
  • Tissue, which will harden into bone, is developing in your baby's head, arms, and legs. Tiny ribs might be visible.
  • She's already on the move! Your baby might be moving her body in jerky motions as she flexes her arms and kicks her legs, but you won't feel her move for at least several more weeks.
  • Vocal chords develop.
  • Your baby's circulatory system helps clear toxins from her body.
  • When you're 13 weeks pregnant, your baby's head probably is about half the size of her body.

Your Changing Body When You're 13 Weeks Pregnant

By your 13th week of pregnancy, you are nearing the point when early symptoms of pregnancy should begin to subside. Possible discomforts of late pregnancy are well in the future. This is a great time to enjoy your pregnancy!
  • At 13 weeks pregnant, you might feel, like many women, that you can relax more because the risk of miscarriage goes down greatly by this point.
  • The changes in your body might become more obvious to others.
  • The top of your uterus, called the fundus, now is expanding beyond your pelvis.
  • Hormones released by your placenta, ovaries, adrenal glands, and pituitary gland guide the growth of your baby as well as changes within the organs in your own body.
  • By your 13th week of pregnancy, your blood pressure drops as your circulatory system quickly expands. This may continue through the 24th week of pregnancy before returning to pre-pregnancy levels.
  • Your blood supply increases, but most of it is plasma, or the fluid of your blood. Red blood cells, which take longer to develop, catch up around the 20th week of pregnancy.
  • Short of breath? You might notice that you're breathing a little faster or have shortness of breath. This is normal. Why? Your body reduces the carbon dioxide level in your blood in order to carry more carbon dioxide from your baby. Your breathing volume and rate adjust to this change, leaving you slightly short of breath.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

12 weeks pregnant



I know, I'm a day late.  But, we weren't home, so I'm not going to worry about it :P

Today we had 2 doctor's appointments.  The first was just my basic run of the mill, 12 week OB appointment.  Our goal was to hear the heartbeat, but that didn't happen for more than a second.  The baby was jumping and bouncing all around so my awesome OB went and got the u/s machine and we watched baby dance around with a nice and healthy heartbeat.

From there, we headed to the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor.  Originally the point of the appointment was to 1.) Have an NT scan to access our risk of a chromosomal problem (this is done by measuring the fluid behind baby's neck as well using blood tests to determine if there is a likelihood of downs or other chromosomal diseases) and 2.) to have a consult to see what our risks of preterm delivery is with this appointment.

My first appointment had already told me that most of my vials and vials and vials of blood tests and swabs came back negative and normal.  1 result was missing and that was for something called MTHFR and Factor V Leiden both which are essentially blood clotting disorders.  And another result was not available because the lab lost the specimen.  So, that blood will be drawn this week and once all the results are in, I will have a consult and go from there.

We did get the NT u/s done today.  Results came back within normal range, which is great, and shows that our risk is minimal.  Baby is also measuring about 4 days ahead, which is great.  We got to watch him/her suck it's thumb, wave, bounce and just move all around.  There were no gender guesses since legs stayed cross the entire time.  I just left a message for Sonotech of Roseville so hopefully we will hear back from them soon and have an appointment scheduled for the last weekend of this month to know the sex :)

Until then, here are some pictures of our little one:



And here is some information on being 12 weeks pregnant:

Baby's Growth and Development at 12 Weeks Pregnant

From the tiny details to major developments, your baby's growth continues with significant progress during your 12th week of pregnancy:
  • When you're 12 weeks pregnant, your baby is almost 3 inches long. That's about the length of a plum.
  • When you’re 12 weeks pregnant, your baby's facial features continue to become more defined, particularly his nose and chin..
  • Tiny fingernails and toenails arrive for your baby when you're 12 weeks pregnant.
  • Your baby's heart might even speed up by a few beats per minute..
  • By the 12th week of your pregnancy, your doctor might be able to hear your baby's heartbeat for the first time, using a special Doppler device. You can ask about this at your next prenatal visit..

Your Changing Body at 12 Weeks Pregnant

Congratulations! You’re almost at the end of your 1st trimester. For most women, the next 12 weeks of pregnancy represent some of the most comfortable weeks. Many of your pregnancy's early discomforts, such as morning sickness and frequent urination, are declining or already are gone at 12 weeks pregnant. The pressure on your bladder might be gone as your uterus continues to expand upward.
  • Hormones are still at work, but now your baby and your placenta are producing more estrogen and progesterone than your ovaries.
  • While your increased blood volume will continue throughout your pregnancy, after the 12th week of pregnancy it might not increase as dramatically as it has in the early weeks. Your heart probably has adjusted already to the extra volume and is pumping faster now.
  • Breasts might not feel quite as sore as they did a few weeks ago, although they still might feel heavy.
  • Now showing: your baby!
    • Through the 12th week of pregnancy, your uterus probably has continued to fit within your pelvis, making it difficult for those outside of your body to know you're pregnant, unless you've told them already.
    • If you haven't started already, you might begin to show your pregnancy soon, as your uterus continues to expand.
  • Your weight: By the 12th week of pregnancy, you might have gained about 2 to 3 pounds. Many doctors recommend that women already at a healthy weight gain 25 to 30 pounds during pregnancy, although it can be different for each individual. Speak with your doctor about what's best for you.