| These Unexpected Miracles Of Life

Viability Day!!!

Happy Viability Day Baby!!!

We made it to 24 weeks!!!

We love you so much!!

2/4/2021

Also, enjoy the 24 week bump photo ;) Time is just moving along quite quickly.

23 Week Baby Update

23 week baby update for those who want to read.

Yesterday's Appointment went okay.

Met with the geneticist and she basically just confirmed that we knew what we already knew about Hemophilia B and 22Q. She said that there is a less than a 1% chance of baby inheriting a De novo random mutation that causes 22Q given the family history and different dads and the fact that I do not carry it and the specific mutation that G has which overlaps two other areas on the 22 chromosome. She is going to discuss our case with G and Ls Hematologist, Dr. Talati to make sure that there is a plan in place to test the baby and that Dr. Talati will follow baby once they're born. We know that cord blood testing isn't super accurate and baby will have some of my factor in their blood for up to 6-8 months post birth and so we likely won't be able to test baby until that point. We're not super thrilled about an Amnio being done and so we passed on that as it's added risk in pregnancy.

My MFM appointment went okay. She confirmed that my labs do show I have cholestasis but she wants to rerun them one more time before planning induction at 36-37 weeks vs the 39 that we were planning but that definitely answers the itching I've been having that's worse at night.

Baby weighs 1lb 3oz and is very flexible. Baby had their legs over their head. I wish I could do that

apparently babies are very flexible. Heart rate was in the 150s.

GI wise - - the new medicines seem to be working. I sleep wonderfully with the b6 and phenegran combo. It's better than benadryl... but really, I'm just glad it's taking the edge off of the nausea and vomiting. I wouldn't say I'm 100% because I'm not. I still throw up and still have chronic nausea but MFM said as long as I maintain my weight and not lose it, she will be happy.

Viability is in TWO days. Can you believe I'm almost 24 weeks? I plan to get a cupcake that says happy viability day on it to celebrate. One milestone closer to meeting our baby!

Baby is healthy. We know what we're having and will be having a gender reveal photo-shoot to announce on Sunday the 7th of February if all works out well.

Andrew and I agreed that we would sign up to bank our babies cord blood with Cord Blood Registry because this was something I also did with G and L. Cord Blood Banking with a private company like CBR allows the cord blood to be harvested for stem cells and stored with potential use in the future when/if conditions that can be treated with Stem Cells occur. There has been such research around these at CBR and I am honestly amazed at how far the technology has come and how advanced medicine has come as well. I've always supported stem cell research and feel there is a lot of potential in my/our children's lifetime. We saved 60% off this time too because they had a sale going until Feb 1. So we signed up and registered for that.

Andrew and I also booked a photographer for a maternity mini because she was bundling with the gender reveal announcement. And we booked our wonderful Bobbi Frohman for our full blown maternity and newborn session (because her work is phenomenal and she's our family photographer and is all around wonderful and I love working with her and her team)

Maternity photos should be sometime in April I think? And newborn photos should be within the babies first 7 days of life. I remember with L, I was so bummed that I didn't get newborn and went with fresh 48, so this time around I'm not missing this chance. Plus.... Covid19 kinda changed everything.

Andrew and I bought a double stroller for the baby and L so that they can both be easier to get around places and when we go walking and do outdoor stuff. We also bought the bigger stuff for baby today as well. Things like carseats for both vehicles (since I am going to actively be working in getting my license hopefully soon!) the convertible crib, a baby carrier (and I was super excited that Andrew wanted to baby carry! There's nothing sexier to me than a man who baby carries. Okay I'm sure there are plenty but I am excited and can't wait to see him with our baby!) and a few other small things.

After we announce what we're having, we will post our registry link though my friend/one of my besties Ellen is supposed to be planning our baby shower for us. We did agree that the nursery would be Owl theme (as in Owl Always Love You) and that were looking at ideally the second week of April for the shower to take place.

In the coming weeks, We will have a meeting with our lovely doula Vivi to discuss everything we need to discuss and plan with her.

Also in the coming weeks, we will have a repeat fetal echo (or two) at 27-28 weeks and we are scheduled for our Growth Ultrasound at 28 weeks.

I have an appointment on Thursday this week with my Rheumatologist, I see my Endocrinologist on the 8th and Diabetes Education on the 12th as well as my pain management follow up and on the 13th, Andrew and I take the baby basics course at Hillcrest.

Somewhere after 30 weeks we will also get another 4D ultrasound to look at baby.

So, lots to do and get ready for. At some point between work and college, and planning our wedding in July, We're also putting the nursery together.

PS. I feel like I'm already nesting. But baby can stay in there and bake a lot longer. It's way too early to meet baby!

21 Week Bump

Here is a photo of my ever growing bump. I don't feel pregnant, I honestly feel like I just am showing extra fat. *shrug* Either way, pregnancy is a beautiful thing.

21 Week 3D 4D Ultrasound

Andrew has not been able to go to any appointments except one so far, due to COVID19 policies, and so we decided to do a 4D Ultrasound today, so he could see baby.

These are photos of Andrew and I's sweet baby.

This is what a 21 week baby looks like, if you were ever interested. Baby was camera shy, and we basically had to beg for baby to show us their face haha. I cannot wait to go back between 30-32 weeks.

Technology has come A LONG way since I had G's 3D 4D Ultrasound 12 years ago, and even L's 4 years ago.

We have our Anatomy Repeat Scan on Feb 1st, and sometime therafter, we will announce what we're having

Dexcom

I got my Dexcom G6 today. UHC approved this device over the Libre because it's more accurate and reliable in both T1D and T2D. The only thing I don't like thus far about it, is that it takes two hours to 'warm up' the sensor to track blood glucose. Other than that, I love that it's continuous and I don't have to scan it like I did the Libre. It sends BGs automatically to the device and app every five minutes and it has an alarm for lows and highs.

19 Week Appointment

Today I had a MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine) appointment. MFM are high risk OB/GYNs.

The 19 week Baby Appt went well.

Heartbeat was 151.

Baby weighs 10oz.

Tenative Induction Date has been scheduled for Thursday May 20th 2021.

I DO still have a bladder infection. (Seeee I know my body best! I knew I was fighting something with how I had been feeling!) She said taking the Azo is fine. Changed me to a different antibiotic and said to drink tons of water and cranberry juice.

No protein or glucose in my urine which is a good thing because if I was spilling glucose it shows my diabetes is poorly managed. If I was spilling protein it shows a sign of Pre eclampsia or toxemia which we obviously don't want either.

I gotta get labs done for my iron and to check anti SSA and anti SSB which can cause heart block in baby due to my lupus.

As far as the scan goes:

Baby wasn't super cooperative so we didn't get super good images. We got a good profile though. But they were trying to measure babies organs and check on babies heart. We did see it was a 4 chamber heart. So that's good. But we didn't really see the specifics of the heart. So we gotta come back for an Anatomy rescan.

Which means YES. Sorry. You all have to wait still to find out what we're having.

Here is a cute photo though ;)

Fetal echo is scheduled for: TBD (because Cleveland Clinic Cardiology Appts are ridiculously busy and don't know how to answer their phones lol. I was on hold for almost 45mins before hanging up)

This is done as a precaution due to family history of heart issues and CHDs. (Stillborn with HLHS, G's 22Q/ASD, VSD, PFO and Murmur and her underdeveloped left vent repaired in utero, My WPW Syndrome which causes my SVT, and L's Prolonged QT among other family history)

They'll plan to do a pulse Ox and EKG/Echo on baby after birth.

Because they didn't get super good images today, they want to do a follow up Anatomy scan which is scheduled for February 1st and will also meet with genetics that day.

We will meet with Genetics (Dr. Karlotti) to talk about the 22Q and Hemophilia (which we know about already but just as a precaution) and make a plan for delivery on what to do and what not to do. Dr. Perni said it will help her as well to be able to figure out how to manage care. I still don't think we will do a CVS or Amnio as they're very risky and not change anything but it will at least give Andrew some education as well and we can make the best decision for our little.

After that, I have my follow up Anatomy scan. Hopefully they'll be able to get better photos.

Oh, and after 28 weeks (Feb 1) we will have a growth ultrasound and then after 30 weeks we will have ultrasounds every two weeks. I'm excited to be able to see baby grow

best benefit of being high risk.

At some point, I'll also get a 4D ultrasound (elective) to see baby. But I'm waiting since baby appears to have our stubbornness.

Also, enjoy this super cute photo I had of Me and Bump by our Christmas Tree. ;)