Pregnancy Q & A

Since our announcement, I've had a lot of the same conversations with different people.  I've heard the same questions phrased about 10 different ways.  So, I thought I'd do a Pregnancy Q&A post.

1.  When are you due?

Mid-October.

Although I'd have no problem going a little early.  A. was 4 days early, C. was 9 days early.  (I'm understanding that by saying this, I'm probably jinxing myself into having a Halloween baby, but willing to take my chances....).  I will turn 36 on Oct 6 this year, so perhaps I can get them all out before I leave my 35th year....here's hoping!

2.  Was this a surprise?

Uhhhhh, yeah.  We were actually doing our best to prevent pregnancy.  We've done a pretty good job for all our years between A and C, and again until now. 

Even though I choose not to be on artificial birth control (I really believe it's bad for your body!), we count, and test, and use....ahem, protection.  When I brought my calendar, temperatures and LH surge information to my Dr (to see where I messed up so it doesn't happen again!), she could NOT figure it out.  Unless I had two eggs this month.  For someone who didn't ovulate AT ALL three years ago due to health, I'd say dropping two eggs in one month is a great testimony to being gluten free!  (And MSG free, and aspartame free, and HFCS free....)


3.  How are you handling the surprise?

Pretty well.  We were both SHOCKED at first.  It took about 2 weeks for us to stop shaking our heads.  But, since we were pretty diligent about prevention, we just decided that this is God's child, and He's really the one in charge here....so we're letting Him be in charge.


4.  Were you trying for a girl?  (Are you hoping for a girl? or any question related to wanting a girl)

I have issues with this question.  ISHHHHH-YEWZ. 

First of all, we weren't trying.  For anything....boy or girl.

Second, in my opinion, this question implies that D and I just can't be content (and thankful) for the gifts He's bestowed upon us.  That somehow our lives are incomplete because we only have two boys.

That could not be further from the truth.

I'm very content.  I'm very thankful.  Really, I'm good either way.

Nine years ago, I was so jacked up on clomid and desperation, I annoyed myself...and I hated everyone else.  I didn't know if I could get pregnant again (after a previous miscarriage), nor did I know if I could carry a child safely to term.  So, yeah....I'm going to be thankful for my two boys, I'm going to carry my MOB*  card proudly, and I'm going to love every minute of it.

I'm going to be thankful and content with whatever God chooses this baby to be. 

Again, He's in charge.  It's His child.

*Mother of Boys

I'm also part of this awesome MOB club...which isn't a formal "club" per-say, but it's amazing that I connect instantly with other mothers of all boys.  We get each other, and its so easy to be instant friends!  If I'm in a new crowd where I don't know many people, I can usually pick out other MOB members within minutes just by the way they talk/ their demeanor.  I love being a part of this club.


5.  Will you find out the sex?

I don't know.  We didn't find out with the boys.  I loved that.  Loved it!  There's that moment- at the very end of my pain where the baby is out, the pain is over(ish), my husband is a tad (wee-little bit) choked up, and he announces to me "It's a boy!"  I loved those moments with him.  Love it.  I'm not sure I'd like to take that moment away.

No one knew with A. what he was.  With C, I had the tech write it on a card, and my friend Gina read it and wrote it on a few other cards.  We mailed those cards to a select group of people, and everyone else stayed in the dark with D and I.  It was pretty cool.

I figure, I'll see which way the wind is blowing when I walk into the 20 week ultrasound.  :)

6.  How have you been feeling?

Good and bad.  There's good days when I just feel a tad tired, and other days when I can't stop dry-heaving.  The nice thing about keeping it a secret for so long is that I've just had to put on my big-girl smiley face and power through.  Mind over matter, right?  Well, sometimes.  :)  Other times, Mother Nature's Mind took over my matter.

7.  Did you tell anyone earlier?

Oh yeah.  I have a core group of prayer warriors that I told pretty early on.  A few knew right away, and a few others knew after my first ultrasound at 7 1/2 weeks.  I figured, if I did loose the baby, they'd be the ones I called on for help and prayer.  D calls them my "support staff."  I thought that was a cute way to word it.

There were other friends I would have LOVED to have told earlier, but I really wanted a "shock-value" announcement.  And so far, no one's disappointed us with the shocked looks on their faces!  I've loved the reactions!  My friend, Stephanie, actually had a microphone in front of her face when I announced at MOPS.  I LOVED her, "WHAT?!?!"  It.was.awesome.  :)

8.  Has everything with the pregnancy been going ok? (note: this answer may contain tmi for some of you...feel free to skip to #9)

Not really.  After my first ultrasound (7 weeks-ish) revealed everything was a-ok, a week later I started spotting and was diagnosed with a sub-chorionic hemmorage and that ultrasound also revealed that the baby's heartrate was measuring in the high 190's.

The hemmorage was the first obstacle to worry about, and if that worked its way out, we'd watch the heart rate.  After spotting for the next 10 days, the Dr's were somewhat assured that the hemmorage had worked its way out.  That day the baby's heart rate measured in the mid 170's- which is still high, but not scary.  One other time it's measured in the low 190's...but according to the Dr, the baby is really active.  When we're active, our heart rates rise....well, so does a baby's.  To quote my Dr. directly:

"Babies are people too."

(eat your heart out, Nancy Pelosi!)

Thanks to my awesome neighbor who is a Dr. and has had a few VERY high risk pregnancies of her own, she purchased a doppler for herself to use.  Now that her babies are born, she's letting me use the doppler here at home.  I love it!  D loves hearing it too!  All our measurements have shown the heartrate in the low 170's/ high 160's.

And on Monday, we had more drama.  Some cramping at the boy's bedtime turned into a lot of bleeding at 10pm...and lots of cramping (about 12-17 minutes apart).  So, the Dr. on-call asked me to head to the ER for a check up.  I was seen by 1am.  An ultrasound revealed that the baby was still alive and crazy active, but (since my regular Dr. on call was in an emergency c-section) the attending ER Dr. said to follow up with my OB on Tuesday.  I got home around 3am.  So, yesterday I went to the office and the Dr. discovered I have 3 polyps on my cervix that looked "angry."  The Dr. said they're not big enough to cut off yet, so home I went.  The good news is that the baby looks great and active, and I'm not dialated at all.  So...we press on.

I'm sure hoping that this "dramatic" pregnancy doesn't translate into a dramatic baby!

9.  Are you craving anything?

Yeah.  As in all my pregnancies, I'm craving peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.  I have no idea why.

With the boys, I craved meat.  Lots of meat.  This time, I'm not into meat at all!  I'm looking at any citrus fruit, dairy items or fruits in general with hungry eyes.    I'm wondering if my body is letting me know that I need extra Vitamin C and Calcium?!?!?

10.  Anything else?

Yeah....don't touch my belly.