Late in March, the 26th to be exact. I had a feeling... I didn't want to pay attention to it.
I have PCOS, or poly cystic ovarian syndrom, this means my cycle is not terribly predictable. So being a couple days late is not a big deal, its actually pretty normal. This time though I had that feeling.
The following day I took a pregnancy test.
Now lets get this straight. After Simon's pregnancy I had decided even though we wanted one more baby we would wait a while. I wanted the kids be more independent and able to help me. So we figured maybe when Simon was 3 we would try.
But that test took less than a few seconds to tell me #4 was coming sooner than expected.
Around 10 weeks I went in for a viability ultrasound, this basically makes sure baby is where it should be and how big. At first the Dr couldn't find the baby and in a less than professional manner told me "There is no baby in there."
I laid there for a few minutes inwardly panicking. I've miscarried once before but a missed miscarriage was a whole different bucket. I wanted to cry but I couldn't.
After a few minutes an ultrasound tech came in and found the baby. This is my 4th baby so even at 10weeks my uterus was all the way up to my belly button. I have an anterior placenta, meaning its situated to the front of the uterus, but it was also up top. Baby and placenta had traveled all the way up to my belly button.
My due date was 11/25/13. My first winter baby!
At 12 weeks we saw a healthy little bean
Around this time my blood pressure picked up. It wasn't shocking like near the end with Simon but I wanted it to be noted and monitored. My current OB, the same one who told me I wasn't pregnant, basically shrugged me off.
Well it was time to switch.
My first appointment with my new doctors and I was immediately labeled high risk and referred to Maternal Fetal Medicine, or the high risk specialists.
With my 20 week ultrasound we noticed baby was measuring smaller, about 1.5 weeks behind. Not a big deal, we didn't get in to date her until around 10 weeks which is less accurate than an ultrasound at 6.
We also noticed a healthy, stubborn, little girl.
This little girl made 2 and 2, an even household. I was so thrilled! We went back and forth on names, thought we had found one but decided it wasn't working. I do believe we have a name Savannah Lynn. Savannah has been on our lists since possibly Sam. Lynn is actually for my mother. You don't know it unless you know her... well, but some variant of Lynn is in her name.
We missed a few anatomy shots and her size warranted a return visit and ultrasound.
So on 8/8/13, approximately 24 weeks, I went in.
First my blood pressure was 160/70. I knew from the nurses face I probably wasn't going home after my appointment. But they let me go to ultrasound.
Savannah was still stubborn and we only managed to get the few shots we missed.
Then came the concerning news. Savannah was still small except this time she measured less than 10%. The ultrasound had to be longer to conduct a cord blood flow test to make sure her cord is doing its job well. She passed but it doesn't change the fact that <10% isn't good. It classifies as "poor fetal growth" in my medical records.
My blood pressure did get me a trip to OB triage for a few hours, the NST (non-stress test) they got from Savannah looked lovely.
We will be monitored more closely by maternal fetal medicine, and by closely I mean frequently. I have never had a small child, in fact my other kids got growth ultrasounds for the opposite reason! Sophie, my smallest at birth, was even considered large and in charge at 7lbs 15oz. This is new and frightening territory with me.
I've never worried about my kids like this. When I was pregnant with Simon I was the one who was sick. The only time he ever showed stress from my condition was less than 24 hours before he was born. This time is different and to be honest, as much as I try not to worry, I'm scared and worried.
