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23 May 2013

17 weeks { & Vasa Previa}

 
"halfway? b - I don't think you know how to count?"
{see all the way below}



How far along: 17 weeks, 2 days
Weight gain/loss: +2 lbs. at 138 (starting weight 136)
Maternity clothes: Loving all Gap maternity bottoms, and I got some great sweat shorts from Old Navy that I have been living in this week.
Sleep: Sleep is a little better.
 
Best moment this week: We got to see the littles on Monday and they were precious. Baby A (on the bottom) was breech so head up feet down, and Baby B was horizontal and they had their little heads together. Looked like they were telling secrets. Secrets that probably went something like this " let's give mom something else to worry about for her whole pregnancy" and then I'm sure they giggled. {see very bottom of post}
Food cravings: pasta, protein shakes, STRAWBERRIES. Strawberries like you wouldn't believe. I actually woke up for the first time in the middle of the night to go downstairs and eat them. It sucks that those suckers are so dang expensive.
Food aversions: still meat. Ugh, meat. But I have started supplementing my protein intake with vegetable/plant based protein shakes that are yummy!
Movement: none yet
Gender: BOYS!
Symptoms: This week I had a lot of lower abdomen pain and a lot of pain in my back.
Looking forward to: Registering this weekend and getting to see the babes again next week (yes I have an appointment every 10 days, again see below)

Baby/momma medical update: Oh, goodness. I was hoping not to have one of these this week, but as my Peri doctor said "you get more interesting every time you come in"

So lets start back a few weeks ago (6 weeks ago) when my OB discovered I had Placenta Previa, where part of the placenta was covering my cervix. It was so early that they thought it would move, and it did.

 Then 2 weeks ago in the Peri's office they discovered the Placenta Previa had moved but had left behind a blood vessel in its spot, also blocking my cervix. They thought this would more or dis ingrate. HA! No, no my friends. Don't they know God and the universe are out to test my anxiety and will to trust?

On Monday when we went in for my ultrasound, they discovered that blood vessel is actually an artery blocking my cervix, and that artery is attached to Baby A's umbilical chord. This is called Vasa Previa.

{a little back ground on Vasa Previa. Its pretty rare, as in 1 in about 3,000 pregnancies and is detrimental if it goes undetected. There are a lot of deaths at birth of singleton babies because the mother nor doctors knew the mother had vasa previa. What happens is when a woman's water breaks, there is nothing to support that artery anymore, so it breaks with it. This causes the baby to bleed out as it would if one of our arteries were cut}

So since they caught mine early and can monitor me I will be seen almost every 10 days to measure my cervical length and I have to monitor myself for Braxton Hicks. Here are the scenarios for me: (these plans are all to keep my water from breaking on its own)

Best case scenario: My cervix stays the same length (or a good length) and I don't get Braxton Hicks contractions. I get to be at home, living normal life until 34 weeks. At 33 weeks they are going to give the littles a round of steroids to help their lungs and then they are going to take them by C-section at week 34. They will take them this week regardless. 

Middle case scenario: My cervix shortens to below where the doctors want it or I start getting Braxton Hicks. If either of these two happen from next week forward, I will be hospitalized for monitoring until 34 weeks. ( I know hospitals are the best place to be, but I really don't want to be a summer camper at St. Joe's)

Worst case scenario: my water breaks on its own before 34 weeks. If this were to happen, Baby A would not make it and Baby B would be critical and would more than likely not make it, since they share a few blood vessels.

So for right now, I just go to my appointments, get monitored, listen to my doctors and pay really close attention to my body. And of course pray like heck and trust that best case scenario wins out.
With having a C-section at 34 weeks, the twins will be 6 weeks early and will more than likely spend a few days if not weeks in the NICU.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and this momma is terrified and stressed to the max. I am staying calm for my body but don't think I haven't gone over these scenario's over and over in my head every day.

until then, we just keep plugging along and get this house baby ready:) Our late October babies are now going to be mid-September babies. (I never thought at 17 weeks I would know that for 100% fact)

hope everyone has a great weekend! and I'll keep the updates coming!
xo
-b


       

3 comments:

  1. Oh Brittany, you and those sweet babies are in my prayers and thoughts every single day. As I think of my own baby, I am remembered of yours. May God watch over and protect all three of you.

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  2. Thinking about you momma! Hang in there :) xoxo

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  3. All 4 of you are in my prayers!

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