Friday 29 April 2011

16 weeks pregnant today! Quickening

Well, Im 16 weeks pregant today. 

I have been feeling flutterings in that part of my tummy for the last 2 weeks (regularly) although it was slightly earlier than that that I first, lying on my tummy in bed, felt the movement.  I knew it was the baby as it felt like something light had passed over the inside of my tummy.  It was light but definate.  After that first touch I tried lying on my tummy every night but nothing.  Now the flutterings are a regular happening and a prompt for me to say 'morning' to the baby.

I have a midwife appointment on Thursday and a scan the week after that when I hope to find out if we are having a boy or a girl.  I naturally want, with the scares of the tests, a heathy baby first and formost.  After that, I would love a girl.  If a boy comes then I shall be overjoyed.  I suppose, rightly or wrongly I want to make up the mothering I never recieved (my mother gave me away at 5).  Plus DH already has a son and it might help bring his son into the family (who thus far, after 7 years,I have not met).  God willing it will be a healthy child. 

No-one has guessed at school.  Although, I did share with another girl who is having iui. I would hate for people to guess and not be the person to tell her.  I know how it feels.  I think my bump is quite apparent but perhaps to everyone I just look fat!

Symptoms = sore boobs (then nipples look sticky(?)), flutterings in tummy, pains from side of stomach, vomitting and or dry retching (the dog food triggers me, thinking about food, after eating, etc)

Friday 8 April 2011

13 weeks pregnant today

I dont know how I feel about anything.  I still havent been able to speak to the unit that gave me my scan but now school has broken up I will have more time.

Im 13 weeks today! 

On Sunday, I go to to one steriod every other day.  I have stopped all other medication.

Symptoms = breast tenderness, headache (thought they were getting better but they are still here), nausea, tiredness (extreme once 4pm comes), foul taste in mouth

Sunday 3 April 2011

12 weeks 3 day pregnant - low papp-a and hcg nuchal fold 1.6

Well I had my 12 weeks scan and tests on Friday 1st April.  It wasnt great.  The scan of the baby looked really good.  The nuchal fold was 1.6mm which is okay.  Apparently they like to see 1mm according to the sonographer.  (Have you ever felt that one of these health professionals doesnt like you?)  I have read lots of people that have a similar measurement who are considered to have a low risk.  The baby also had a nasal bone - all good.  The sonographer said that everything she saw looked normal. 

Then the bloods came back.  My papp-a (which I believe is the protein from the baby) was .34 which is LOW and my hcg came back as .67 which is also low.  Apparently they are looking for at least 1 again.   Low papp-a can cause other problems as, from my understanding, it measures the protein from the baby that enters into the mothers blood system.  It can mean problems with the placenta if only low levels can get through, which leads to low birth weight, still birth, preclampsia, hypertension, etc. 

Altogether it means I have a 1 in 67 chance of having a baby with down syndrome.  When I remembered that the embryo was from an earlier cycle my chance went to 1 in 83.  Its all so hard.  Under 1 in 250 is considered bad odds.

DH and I had an earnest conversation at the hospital and eventually it got down to this, could he take me for an abortion, could I go for an abortion.  The answer was no.  The baby is living, growing and kicking.  I dont know if we would cope with a disabled child - we are older and long term we wouldnt be able to provide the care.  Oh and to deal with the lose of a child.  I dont know.

For now we have opted for no more testing.  Ive been the 1 percent before (when they cut my bladder when I had my fibroids removed).  We might change out minds.

The ivf drugs can affect the readings but we shall see.  Im going to ring them today. 

On a positive note Ive stopped taking the pessaries and am weaning myself off the steriods, aspirin and ostradiol.  One more day for ostradiol and two more weeks of the steriods.

Symptoms = headaches