17w2d update

Well, I can't say that I'm necessarily surprised that my doctor's appointment wasn't what I expected. Because honestly, it seems that is the common theme for this journey - expect the unexpected OR don't expect anything at all. In either case, it just didn't leave me feeling all tingly and happy :(

For starters, the nurse that I had was either new, or just dumb. In either case, she was weird. I didn't like her. But I digress....when she took me back to the room, she asked the typical questions and then did my blood pressure. All was fine. She laid me back and did my "fundal" measurement - 34cm. Um, I don't think that was even close to correct...but I didn't say anything figuring that another nurse or the doctor would correct it later. (for those that don't know, 34cm would be 34w preggo - I am not that large!) Then she starts the search for the heartbeat. FIVE MINUTES LATER she finally found it, listened for a split second, and then said "Ok, we're done!". I was like "um, any chance you'd fill me in on the heart rate?" It was 114. I wasn't happy with 114, that seemed low, so I asked her to note that I wanted to discuss that with the doctor. And while she assured me that anything over 110 was perfectly normal, I didn't buy it.

When the doctor came in about 20 minutes later, he squinched up his nose, looked at me, and said "I'm not happy with that heart rate, so I'm sending you over for a quick scan. I want to see the baby and be sure all is OK, which it probably is, but I want to be sure." I was good with that, so off I trotted to the u/s room. The tech took a quick look and announced "heart rate is 146, not 114, and baby looks great!" *relief* But then she kept looking, and eventually took another measurement. I told her "you aren't allowed to look so serious and take measurements and be so quiet...what's up?". She told me that my placenta was laying directly across my cervix and that I had placenta previa. She said she was going to get the doctor so that he could chat with me further.

GREAT!

So the short version of our conversation is that right now, my cervix is covered by the placenta. Not good. I have not been mandated to bed rest (yet) but have been told "no exercise, nothing strenuous, no heavy lifting, etc. etc. etc." Basically, I'm not allowed to do much of anything. And honestly, I'm OK with following his orders in order to keep this baby safe and healthy. But "not doing much of anything" throws a major wrench in my duties of being mommy & wife. Its a tad inconvenient if truth be told. But the biggest bummer with all of this is that I can't travel for a while. Why is this a bummer? Because the kids & I were supposed to fly out to South Padre Island for 5 wonderful, beach-filled, fun days with my dad & his wife. The kids have been counting sleeps for weeks in anticipation. They harassed me all day about packing. But I finally had to break the news....we're having to cancel our trip because mommy's belly isn't doing what its supposed to do and I have to take extra special care of Baby B to be sure he/she stays healthy. And while they understand the "why we can't go" reason, none of them are happy. They are downright sad and keep trying to come up with ways to make the trip happen. Its sad that they are so disappointed. But it is what it is. And we will all cope and make due and do whatever we have to for the time being.

SO, I need prayers from all of you: prayers that this placenta isn't solidly attached right on top of the cervix. If its off centered somewhat, as the uterus grows, the placenta will move up. We want it to move!!! I do not want this to end up with me hospitalized for days/weeks on end trying to keep this baby baking for as long as possible, potentially ending up in a premie birth by c-section. We want a normal, healthy 39+ week baby, delivered the "regular" way! So again, I would appreciate your prayers.

Our next scheduled appointment is in 3 weeks - it will be our 20 week u/s where we will confirm the gender of Baby B, and check the status of my dang placenta and its where-a-bouts. And while the u/s tech told me what she believes the baby to be, I'm not sharing the news right now. Its a secret :)

Meanwhile, I'm off to sit....