21w0d - Weekly update and bump pic!!

What a crazy past week we've had.  Baby B (our boy) was diagnosed with a velamentous cord insertion (VCI) defect - his cord inserts into the gestational sac and then fragile veins run down that to the placenta.  The exposed veins are super fragile.  I worry for him every second of every day now.  Today I had one tiny tiny tiny bit of spotting (red) too.  It has since past and both babies sounded great on my home doppler.

Anyways, I am livid with the lack of care provided by my OB's office post the VCI finding.  A sonographer found it on Wednesday and no one has since called me from my OB's office to talk to me about it.  A lady called me yesterday (Monday) from Magee's Women's Hospital of Pittsburgh to schedule a high resolution sonogram actually in Pittsburgh for 7/15.  Still haven't spoken with a single doctor, other than the one that confirmed the VCI in the labor and delivery last Wednesday (which wasn't my OB nor my MFM).  On the one hand, I'm mad to have so little communication about it.  On the other hand, maybe no one thinks it's a big deal to need to call me?  If that is the case, then I supposed I'm glad for not being called?

21 weeks.  Some hospitals/NICU's offer life saving services to babies born this early.  Some won't even attempt to offer help until 24 weeks.  I am not sure what my local hospital's (UPMC Hamot) cut off  it, but they ARE a level 3 NICU which they probably could handle micro-premies.  Not that I want to have my babies this early, but God forbid, especially now with the VCI, that something happens, I just pray they will attempt to save them.  I've heard of women lying and saying they are further along to actually get help.  I WILL be one of those women, though the hospital is connected to my OB's office and I bet they'd see I'm lying pretty quickly.

Babies this week:

• At 10.5 inches and about 12.7 ounces, baby's big enough now that you've probably been feeling his or her movements.
• As baby's digestive system preps for the outside world, he or she's manufacturing meconium-the tarry black substance you'll find in the first dirty diaper!
• If it's a girl, she's already got a lifetime's supply of eggs in her womb-about six million of them.
• Having a boy? His testes are still located in his abdomen but will drop in the coming weeks once the scrotum finishes developing.

Times two:

Good words of wisdom with the VCI 

issue making me worry:

20w1d - Ultrasound

Saw our babies today at 20 weeks + 1 day.   I'm sad to report that baby B (our boy) has what's called a velamentous cord insertion (VCI) where the cord inserts into the sac instead of the placenta.    I'll let you do your own googling if you choose but prayers are definitely appreciated.   I'll update the post later with more information when I'm at a desktop.   Please pray!!  

And again comparing Victor (left at 18 weeks) to his brother (right at 20 weeks). They look so much alike!

20w0d - Weekly update!!

So I stayed indoors all weekend and my hives seem to have at least regressed.  My arms still look like I stuck my arm in a beehive, but I think they are getting better!  :)

Babies are doing well!  I get to see them again TOMORROW!  :)   Can't wait!!

Babies this week:

• Baby's got working taste buds.
• Now, baby's gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day-that's significantly more than before.
• Baby weighs about 10.2 ounces and measures about 6.5 inches. Baby's still got a lot of growing to do though. Can you believe you're halfway done?

Love these twin diagrams I get every four weeks!!

19w2d - Hives & bump pic

Ugh, so the hives are back.  And with a vengeance.  I wish I knew what, definitively, was causing them!   I called my OB, who didn't sound concerned, and who also told me to call my PCP.  I called my PCP and went in for an appointment.  The PA looked at them, said, "yeah, they're hives." and basically sent me on my way to continue taking Claritin/Benadryl.   I asked to be allergy tested, and she said if they get worse, or don't go away in a week (hello, did you not hear me say I've had them for 3 weeks already?) then to call back.   I even emailed my endocrinologist to see if I randomly became allergic to my synthroid medicine (they said that's impossible.... but according to google it is).   So I'm at a complete loss.  As long as they don't hurt my babies, I can deal with the constant itch and the unsightly extremities.   I just don't want my wackadoodle immune system to hurt the babies in any way.  Wish at least one of the three docs would have been more helpful!!  :(

Here are the hives:

Here's my bump (which I feel hasn't grown much recently):

19w0d - Weekly update!!

HALF WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Half way for me anyways!  The will do a csection at 38 weeks so I'm officially half way!!!!!!!    The OB's office called and they want me to do a follow-up anatomy scan on 6/22 - they weren't able to get the right angles to view certain things they wanted to view.   So I get to see my peanuts in a little over a week again!

Babies this week:

• At about 6.0 inches long and weighing in at about 8.5 ounces, baby's getting there!
• Developing a protective coating over the skin, called vernix caseosa. It's greasy and white and you may see some of it at birth.
• Working on baby's five senses. Nerve cells for sense of taste, hearing, sight and smell are developing in baby's brain.

Two of these growing in there!

What they look like this week:

18w1d - Anatomy Scan Pics!!

Love these babies.

The tech said this may be the last time we can capture them
together since they are getting so big!

Baby A, our girl, would NOT let us see her face.

Baby A, our girl, profile with arm in front of face.

Baby A, our girl, leg and foot

Baby A, our girl, hand

Baby A, our girl, full length

Baby B, our boy, face with arms in front 

Baby B, our boy, hand

Baby B, our boy, foot

Baby B, our boy, full body

Baby B, our boy, face - I LOVE THIS ONE

Baby B, our boy, profile / mouth open

Baby B, our boy, profile

Baby B, our boy on the left, compared to Victor on the right 
at the same gestation.

18w0d - Weekly update!!

18 WEEKS!!   I feel so blessed everyday with these babies.   Their anatomy scan is TOMORROW!   60-90 minute ultrasound!   It will be such fun seeing them that whole time.  Hopefully they sono tech isn't brutal with her pushing!

Babies this week:  

• Baby's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and keeps on growing rapidly. (That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.)
• Can you believe baby's yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing?
• And baby's twisting, rolling, punching and kicking too-and is big enough that you might be able to feel him or her doing it!

17w1d - Weekly update!!

This past week has been crazy.  All of these hives are still there and driving me bonkers!  I wish I could pinpoint their cause.  I have been taking Claritin during the day and Benadryl in the evening.

Crazy busy at work too so my apologies on such a short update!

Oh, baby boy gave me a scare the other day.  His heart-rate was only 115ish.  I poked him with the doppler wand a few times and it shot up to 155ish.  But that low rhythm scared me.  I hope he was just sleeping or something.   This is the second time this has happened.  I have my anatomy scan next Wednesday where they analyze each organ on each baby.  Hopefully his heart is okay.  Always worrying about something.  God is in control though!

Babies this week:

• Baby continues to beef up. Now baby's about 5.1 inches long and weighs about 5.9 ounces.
• Baby's rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.
• And baby's growing some meat on those bones-putting on some fat.
• Baby's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord too.

Bump this past weekend: