16 week 3 day Dr. Apt

I went back to the doctor yesterday to be reevaluated with the placenta previa. The good news is that the baby was ok. They still think it's a girl and told me that we would confirm it at 20 weeks for sure. The placenta had moved, how much I am not sure, but they said that the ultrasound report called it low lying now so that's a good thing I think. Of course I'll be researching that in the next few days ... those of you who know me know that I research quite a bit.

They were a bit concerned about the membrane sack not attaching to the uterine wall. The doctor said that when I pass the blood clot it should attach back. So I really need to pass this clot... and I have been passing small pieces for 2 weeks. Since Tuesday, I have been passing larger pieces and actually this morning I passed the biggest piece so far. I've never passed large clots before and it is such a strange feeling. I also had passed the biggest piece that I had passed up until that appointment yesterday at 5:30am before I got ready to go. So I am Praying that whatever is left just keeps passing and that the membranes will reattatch. I also had the Quad Screening that they do automatically on all patients to check for placenta functioning, Downs Syndrome, and Spina Bifida. Also, my TSH (Thyroid) was checked again and as of this morning it came back well.

They did decide to keep me on modified bed rest for another 2 weeks so I will not be returning to work this week for the first day of school. That's really weird to me because I've never been in that situation. But I think my boss and I have it covered. She's been so good to me throughout the infertility and pregnancy and I praise God for her. I am not overly worried about work because I feel like it will all be ok and that it will be taken care of. Of course I worry some but this baby is my number one priority and I am just concerned about making sure that it gets here safe and healthy and hopefully later rather than sooner.

By the way... here are the latest ultrasound pictures. They are harder for me to figure out than those last two but the first shows the baby laying face up... it's profile and the second shows it laying on it's belly face down with its butt in the air. Precious!






So.. let me beg once again for my precious Prayer warrior friends to Pray for these things. Pray that the clot is passed, the membranes fuse back, and that the Quad screening comes back well. Pray that the baby will be safe and snug in my womb and will stay in there for as long as is possible so that it will be healthy. Just Pray, Pray, Pray for God's will.

By the way, I have had a lot of you guys on my mind. I am still Praying for each of my friends who are still awaiting a child. I haven't forgotten you nor will I forget you. And just as I told my best friend from college yesterday, I truly do feel that God will make a way. I haven't a clue how or when or what it will take but He will make a way for each of you. I love you and am Praying daily for you. Please know that if you don't hear from me, I am still thinking and Praying for your situation!

Much Love,

Baby Pictures @ 14 Weeks & 3 days Taken July 15, 2009

Here are the baby pictures I promised almost 2 weeks ago. They've been hanging on my momma's fridge. I borrowed them today to scan them and put them on here for you guys! I'm sending them back her way next time I see her...haha Continue to Pray that the baby is doing well this Wed. at my appointment. I always get a bit nervous before I go... just keep us in your Prayers. A few of you have asked how I am doing and the answer is just fine. I am still on bed rest and I'll find out more at that appointment. I'll do whatever it takes though to keep my lil one safe... even if it means bed rest for awhile : )


This chapter of Psalms came to mind when I was getting ready to post these pictures... please read and enjoy!

PSALM 139

1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

PRAISE GOD, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!

Thank God For The Creation Of The Placenta

I was searching the net tonight for placenta information and I came across this article on the Answers in Genesis website. It is absolutely wonderful and it brought up a lot of things that I had never thought about.

My favorite line is "It is still a mystery how the placenta prevents the mother from rejecting it and the baby as a foreign graft without shutting down her immune system." Just as God has grafted us into His royal family, so does the placenta with our babies. We are yet foreigners, but God has adopted us and blessed us as His own! Praise His high and holy name! The parallels between the life giving placenta and our life giving Savior are astonishing to me.

I am enclosing the article below. Take the time to read and ponder it. Also, I encourage you to head over to AIG and visit. It is an awesome website and ministry... and if you are ever in Northern Ky, stop by the Creation Museum. It is a part of this ministry and so amazing!

Ps. Praise unto God that my mother's annual stress test came back well today! Thank You Heavenly Father!

The Placenta: A Selfless Servant

written by David Menton, Ph.D. January 1, 2007

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he compares the Church to the human body (Romans 12:4–8). The Church is one body made of many members, each having his own God-given gift. Likewise, we humans have one body made up of many organs, with each serving its own God-given function.

The Placenta—an Unappreciated Organ

Of all the body’s organs, perhaps the one that best exemplifies selfless service is the placenta. Most people give little thought to the placenta, and few appreciate the marvelous complexity and profound importance of this organ that is discarded and forgotten after birth. While parents and loved ones lift joyful prayers of thanks for the safe arrival of their newborn, few think of thanking God for the essential services rendered by His marvelously designed creation—the placenta.

After the egg is fertilized, the placenta is the very first organ to develop. Recent studies show that when the fertilized egg divides to form the first two cells, one is already destined to form the placenta, while the other becomes the baby.

An Important Hormone-Producing Gland

As soon as three days after fertilization—weeks before the mother normally suspects she is pregnant—cells of the developing placenta, called trophoblasts, begin to produce hormones. These hormones ensure that the lining of the uterus—the endometrium—will be ready to receive the embryo’s implantation. Over the next few weeks, the developing placenta begins to make hormones that control the mother’s physiology in a way that ensures the proper supply of nutrients and oxygen, which are essential to the baby’s growth.

By about five days after fertilization the trophoblast cells, surrounding the developing embryo, begin to fuse together to form one giant cell with many nuclei (see Figure 1). This cell is called the syncytial trophoblast. One of the first functions of this placental giant cell is to invade the uterine wall of the mother in an amazing process called implantation (see Figure 2).

The placenta, sometimes called the “super organ” is evidence of the care and design of our Creator even at the earliest stages of life.

Prevents the Rejection of the Baby as a Foreign Graft

Although the developing placenta and baby implant within the thick nutrient-filled wall of the mother’s uterus, they are not actually part of the mother’s body. One of the placenta’s important roles is to protect the developing baby from an attack by the mother’s immune system, since the baby and the placenta are genetically unique and distinctly different from the mother.

It is still a mystery how the placenta prevents the mother from rejecting it and the baby as a foreign graft without shutting down her immune system.

After implantation, the placental giant cell “invades” the walls of several uterine arteries and veins, causing the mother’s blood to flow through channels within the cell (see Figure 3). When the baby develops its own blood and blood vessels, the mother’s blood and the blood of the developing baby come into close association, but they never mix or come into direct contact. The syncytial trophoblast forms a thin, seamless, and selective barrier between maternal blood and fetal blood. All the critically important nutrients, gases, hormones, electrolytes, and antibodies that pass from mother’s blood to the baby’s blood must travel across this seamless and selective filter. Waste products in the baby’s blood must, in turn, pass across this filter to the mother’s blood.

The Placenta Does It All!

In order to appreciate the marvelous work of the placenta, consider this: while the unborn baby’s vital organs are developing and maturing, they (with the exception of the heart) are essentially useless. The placenta serves the functions of these organs by working in association with the mother. With the help of the mother’s blood, the placenta must function as the baby’s lungs, kidneys, digestive system, liver, and immune system. The placenta does this so well that a baby can actually survive until birth even when one or more of these vital organs sadly fail to develop in its own body.

During the later part of pregnancy, the flow of maternal blood through the placenta reaches a rate of about one pint (.5 liter) per minute. To allow an adequate surface area for exchange between mother’s blood and baby’s blood, the interface between the two is folded and amplified in a complex way that resembles the trunks, branches, and twigs of trees (see Figure 4). There are typically about 20 of these tree-like structures (called cotyledons) in the mature placenta. The baby’s blood flows in vessels inside these cotyledons, whereas the mother’s blood flows all around the outside, like air blowing through a small grove of trees. The entire surface of all the tree-like cotyledons is covered by syncytial trophoblast, forming a seamless covering, which comprises a single cell with millions of nuclei (see Figure 5). This means that the entire surface of the placenta is covered by one giant cell, which has a surface area of over 100 square feet (9.3 square meters).

The Risky Expulsion of the Placenta after Birth

During the baby’s development, the placenta is securely attached to the endometrium of the uterus by some of the larger branches of each cotyledon. When the uterus contracts to expel the placenta after the birth of the baby, some of the endometrial surface is torn off with it. This results in severing about 20 large uterine arteries which, if unchecked, would involve the loss of blood at a rate of about one pint per minute. Since fewer than five quarts (4 liters) of blood are in the adult female body, all the blood would be lost in less than 10 minutes. It is also important to note that the blood-clotting mechanism is suppressed in the placenta and uterine blood vessels during pregnancy, creating a situation comparable to a hemophiliac with 20 severed arteries. These factors result in a wound that no one would expect to survive!

Saved by a Miracle!

How does a woman survive childbirth with such a wound? Here is another example of the awe-inspiring work of God, the Creator and Sustainer of life. You see, each of the severed uterine arteries has a precisely placed muscular sphincter that acts like a purse string, or a surgeon’s hemostat, to immediately close off the loss of blood. As a result, a normal birth involves the loss of only about a pint of blood. Simply amazing!

The next time you experience the joy of a baby’s birth, thank the Lord for providing this selfless placenta. And above all, reflect on the fact that our Creator, who at the time of childbirth so mercifully spares the mother from a fatal loss of blood, did not hesitate to shed His own blood in death to save us from sin, death, and the power of the devil.

A Letter To My Child

My Child,

Mommy just finished looking at your pictures. I Pray you are still feeling good inside my womb. I am doing all that I can do to keep you safe. I know God's hand is wrapped around you right now, too. The devil continues to bother me with thoughts of losing you, but God is good. He knows my heart's desire and I truly believe that you have been His plan since I was born 27 years ago. I believe that He will help you now and throughout your life and I believe that you will do your best to serve Him for that is my utmost Prayer for you.

Please know that I love you beyond measure and that I would give anything that I physically could in order to ensure you were safe and well taken care of. God is faithful! I know in my heart that I will continue to experience your presence in my womb. I know that our bond will continue to grow stronger. I know that even as scary as this situation is, I will hold you in my arms near the end of this year and that you will be perfectly healthy and perfect for me. I plead the blood of my Savior and your Savior over your perfect, little, growing body and I know that He listens and He answers even now at this moment.

I love you,

Mom

Ps. I enjoyed worshipping with you this morning from my bed as we watched our church on DVD. What a wonderful experience and a glimpse of worship experiences to come!

Urgent Prayers Needed For My Baby ... Placenta Previa and a Bleed

I have been having a reoccurring nightmare off and on for several days. I kept dreaming I was waking up to blood. I figured it was from all that runs around in the back of my mind daily, but last night I saw blood.

I was sitting Indian style on the couch with my husband eating dinner and talking. I hadn't been off the phone even an hour with my friend Tina who I was just discussing the dream with. I felt something gush and I immediately knew something wasn't right. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom with my husband behind me. I immediately saw lots of bright, red blood coming out of me and I started shaking all over.

I yanked my clothes from the waist down off and changed into a new pair of underwear and shorts. I was not thinking clearly or I would have put a pad on as well. I grabbed my wallet from my purse and my cell and keys and was in the car in seconds. My husband came running out behind me carrying a towel and asking me to let him drive. I was already ready to back out and we were only a few minutes from the local hospital so I told him I could and though he didn't agree, he didn't waste time arguing.

I pulled in and went straight inside. There was another man back in the admissions section being admitted so I stood there. I had a look of distress on my face and one of the other ladies came to the window and asked what was going on. I explained to her and she led me back through the doors.

I explained what had happened and she told me that they didn't have an OB unit anymore. I asked if I would be able to have an ultrasound anyway and she said yes because the tech only lived a few minutes away. The doctor came in next and told me he would be doing an exam and blood work on me. He looked at me like it was no big deal and said, "You might be having a miscarriage." I just looked at him with a dumbfounded look. Like I didn't already think that. He said it so easily yet it had taken me so long to get to this point. I asked about the ultrasound and he said no he wouldn't be able to let me do an ultrasound. My mom rushed minutes later and I told her what he said. She told me she'd rather him not go poking around if he didn't know what he was doing and that it was pointless if they couldn't check the baby via ultrasound. So I signed out and we left.

I was still bleeding heavily so we decided to try one of the supposed best hospitals for maternity care in our area. For you faithful readers, this is the same place that I had the drama a year ago about the follicle scan for infertility. We signed in and I asked about an ultrasound. The lady told me that yes they could do one there. I had already called my doctor in Knoxville (1.5 hours away) and was waiting for them to page him. We waited with my parents and brother for about 15 minutes and then they finally called me back. The nurse was asking questions and then told me that I was not far enough along to go to OB and that the ER couldn't do an ultrasound on me. I was shocked. She said you had to be 20 weeks to go to OB. So apparently my baby didn't count because it was 5 and a half weeks to young. I stood up, asked if I had been admitted and she said no. I then preceded to tell her that it was a shame that the nurse up front had told me that I could have an ultrasound and she said that the nurse didn't know. I replied that she should have known and I walked out.

There was no choices left to make... we were heading to the University of Tn's ER. I told my dad and brother to go on home and to rest (dad had been at work all day and had to work early the next day and I wanted my brother to be with him) and to Pray. They didn't really want to but I knew that I wouldn't be able to take them all back with me and that they'd be worn out waiting in a waiting room not knowing anything all night.

So we hit the interstate and took off. I decided to call again to have my doctor paged so the ER could be ready for me. I called the after hours number again and spoke with a woman this time (women always seem to be more compassionate in these situations). She asked if the doctor had called me and I told her no. She acted frustrated and told me to not hang up and that she would take care of this. Seconds later she came back on the line with my doctor.

I explained to him what had happened and he told me that he wished that I had came straight on over instead of stopping at the other two. Of the "best maternity care hospital" he stated that he wouldn't take his dog to that ER. I told him that I was sorry but that I was alarmed and wasn't sure of what to do. He told me that it was OK and that he wasn't upset at me and that he just worried. He then told me that if it was something bad that there would be nothing they could do to stop it but that there are other reasons you could bleed. He went into it a bit and then asked how far away I was. I replied 50 minutes and he told me that he'd call ahead to let them know I was coming. He also told me to tell them that I was his patient when I got there and to take me back.

I laid in the front seat with my legs propped up on 2 small boxes I had left in my car from the work that was done on my wheel bearings earlier in the day. I laid back and just Prayed and tried to stay calm. My mom sat in the backseat and kept holding my hand and rubbing my head. She told me that it would be fine. Then I watched her Pray and cry in the dark. My husband, who had just driven over an hour home from work, was now racing another hour or so to get us there. I was upset but I had peace that could only come from God. I could feel the Prayers that my dear friends were bathing me in.

We arrived at around 11pm and I signed in. The man told me to have a seat and I just looked at him. Here I was standing with blood dripping off my shorts and he wanted me to sit in a seat. I explained that I was still bleeding and he told me to just stand by the door and they'd be calling me back in just a few minutes. I waited 15 minutes and then went back to him. By this time my eyes were tearing up again and he told me that it would be any second. About 2 minutes later the door opened and I went in to be admitted.

After being admitted, I was taken to a bed in the hallway. People were still coming out of my room and it then had to be cleaned. Finally they took me into my room and my nurse's aide (who I thought was my nurse) came to talk to me. I told her what was going on and she told me that a doctor would be in shortly and if I needed anything to just page her. She also told me to hang in there because she had been through the same thing after infertility and been on bed rest for 6 months. She told me that her daughter was working that very night in the ER with her. How encouraging!

Next, I had blood work drawn and was finished being admitted while I laid on a bedpan. Quite strange answering questions about your address and phone number while you are waiting for someone to take the bedpan away. : ) Another nurse came in with a Doppler to see if she could get the baby's heartbeat but said that she had never tried to find it on a UU. She did find a heartbeat but wasn't sure if it was mine or the baby's. Next, the doctor came in. She was young and very knowledgeable. She told me that they were going to put me in a room where I could be examined and have an ultrasound. Finally! An ultrasound! She also said she'd get my blood work back and let me know about it.

I waited for quite some time and they finally wheeled me to the other room. I laid on the exam table for 2 hours and no one came. My mom went to the desk and they told her they were trying to see if they could grab a doctor from OB and that it had been really busy. My back was killing me on the exam table. My nurse's aide came to check on me and when she found out I hadn't been seen yet she told me that she would see what she could do. She went and talked to the head nurse and they had forgotten to call back to OB again.

A few minutes later, the doctor walked in. She had another young, female doctor with her. They told me that my blood work was good and my levels were good. Then they checked me. The good news was that the bleeding had slowed down. She said they had had an issue with their ultrasound machine and it was broken and that non of the ultrasound techs were available to use theirs. She said she was going to try to borrow the trauma center's machine and that possibly a tech could come in. Worst case scenario was that she would use an old, ancient machine that they had.

Nothing panned out so, you guessed it, she used the old machine. It was the first hand held ultrasound machine I had ever seen. She told me not to freak out if they couldn't see anything because it didn't mean that something was wrong just that the machine was old and wasn't picking up. But she did see the baby and it was moving all over the place and the heart was beating normally. My mom and husband got to see it and then I did (though it had stopped moving around when I saw it).

They told me that they were going to release me and that I needed to be on bed rest until my appointment on Thursday with my doctor. I explained that I thought I would just spend the night in town and try to get an appointment that day since I was there. They then told me they would try to find me something to wear out.

The nurse came in and I was discharged but I still had no clothes. The nurse's aide came to check on me and said that she'd find me something and she did. I left in mesh underwear, a thick pad, and papery scrub pants. She wheeled me to the car and I told her I appreciated her so much. She was so, so nice. Turns out that she is from my area and drives there to work daily. I will have to look her up and send her a card.

We left and began to try to find a Wal-Mart. We were not near the west side of town so I wasn't too familiar with where Wal-Mart would be. After awhile we gave up and stopped at a ATM to get cash. Then we went through a McDonalds and checked into a hotel. We didn't check in until almost 5 am. After we ate, we fell asleep.

I was up at 7 with everything running through my head. I kept going to the bathroom and I was bleeding again. I waited until 8am and called the doctor. They told me I could come in at 11 or anytime before. I took a shower and did the best I could with my shirt and scrub pants. We got to the office at 10:30 and waited longer than I've ever waited. There were a lot of ultrasounds that day. Finally, I was called back.

The ultrasound tech was the nicest that I've ever had. She showed up everything and spent about 40 minutes going over it all. She explained that I had placenta previa that was partially covering my cervix. She told me that this early in pregnancy could mean that it will probably move away from the cervix as my uterus expands. She said the bleeding was from where it was trying to attach and there was nothing there to attach to at that opening. I also had another spot that she thought could be a fibroid but ended up being a blood clot from the bleeding. It wasn't the kind that would go through the cord to the baby though.



I asked if I would be able to find out what the baby is at 18 weeks. She said really you could at 16 weeks and that she'd see if she could see what it was for me. She determined that she thinks it is a girl. She told me she wasn't positive but that she believed it was because of the 3 lines that made up the baby's sex organ. So I guess we'll see in a few weeks for sure. We also got to see the arms and shoulders, elbows, butt cheeks, legs and face. I have two really cute pictures to post but they are with my mom right now. They show the baby laying on it's side with it's arm over it's head. Sorta like how I lay at times. It also kept moving it's mouth the entire time. My husband said that it was like me always talking. : )

The doctor came in next and I had never met him. He is the partner to the doctor I always see. He was really nice and explained the same things. He told me that their was still a chance of miscarriage but that he felt really optimistic about the whole thing. He stated that I could bleed for weeks and that I may even pass the blood clot. He said that if the bleeding became bright red, heavy, and was accompanied by cramps to come straight back. He put me on modified bed rest for 2 weeks until I go back. He said then we'd see if I needed to stay on bed rest from there. I asked a few questions about bathroom issues, sleeping positions, and my meds and then he left.

We stopped at my favorite Japanese buffet and ate. I love their mushroom soup so I had a bunch of it. Then we headed home. I slept for 4 hours and went back to sleep at 2am. I have laid around all day today. The bleeding has slowed down today but is still there. I talked to the ARNP this morning and she told me it was OK. I just worry and of course I want to check.

Sooo... I went through this whole story for 3 reasons.

1. To be able to refer folks to it so that I don't have to keep retelling the whole thing
2. To be able to document the whole thing for myself later on and
3. To ask my beloved Blog friends for your Prayers for my baby, family and I!

Please, Pray for everything to be OK with my lil baby. Pray for God to guide the doctors and to guide me with decisions. Pray for things to heal and get better on their own. Pray for me to not go stir crazy in the bed. Pray for God's will!

God has been so good to me in these last few days, just as He always is. I could never thank Him enough or be worthy enough to accept His goodness. I am so glad He sees me through His Son's blood instead of seeing me as my own dirty self. Thank You Father for your love, mercy, and your guidance. Thank You for Your hand that I truly believe is holding my womb and sheltering the baby inside. I once again declare that this is God's child and I am just a vessel that He has chosen to share such a miracle with. I am His child and my child is His child. I Pray for early salvation for this child and for he/she to be used to lead others to You Father. I Pray for a healthy baby and for a safe pregnancy. I Pray that You will also be with my family as they work so hard to help me through all this. Shower them with Your love and blessings!

Also, if any of you have a story about placenta previa or pregnancy bleeding to share, leave me a comment. I'd love to know more.



Much love to each of you!

11 weeks and 5 day checkup: Thursday June 25 ... URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS FOR YOU

I went to the doctor for my 3rd checkup. I was so very nervous (again) because the 2 days prior to the appointment, I had seen pink when I went to pee. I was so scared that it was baby related but it was coming from my urine. I called the doctor's office and they told me that we would check to see if I had another UTI at the appointment. So I waited... and worried... I know I shouldn't and I really try not to but at times I admit that I did.

By the morning of my appointment, I was no longer seeing any pink in my urine and when it was checked there was nothing there. My ARNP at the OB said that sometimes when the uterus lays on the bladder it can irritate it. Hmm... good to know : )

I had to then decide whether or not I wanted the first trimester screening. At the last appointment, I assumed everyone did it. So I assumed I'd do it, too. But after really thinking about it, I decided that I didn't want to do it. This screening can show up factors pointing to possible Down Syndrome in the baby. I knew that if it came out positive (and there are false positives), I would worry myself sick. My friends Deanna, Kim and my mom thought the same thing. When I told them I didn't want to do it they were fine with it.

Then a few minutes later my ARNP came and talked with me about it. I explained my concerns and she said that I could still have the fancier ultrasound to see how the baby was doing and to measure its nuchal translucency. I decided to go ahead and do the ultrasound... mainly because I wanted to get to see my baby longer and to see the measurements and all. And it was a longer ultrasound. I was nervous but the nuchal translucency measured to be normal.

It was very cool to see Baby BG though... he/she was asleep and laying on it's side (as I do). It was curled up in a ball and the ultrasound tech had to jiggle my belly to wake it up. It sprang to life, kicking and throwing it's little arms. Precious. Then it calmed down and she measured it. It measured perfect for that day... exactly what I was 11 weeks and 5 days. Before she finished it threw its arm up again as though it were waving at us. Mom kept saying "Wave at mamaw honey!" and it started waving again. So cute! I got a lot of neat pictures (they are more enlarged so it's hard to make out what you are seeing) and I am posting them at the bottom of this post.

I also had to do a bunch of blood work including a blood clotting test, glucola test, TSH test, urine culture, and cystic fibrosis screening as well as a pap smear and a breast exam. I think that was all of them. The glucose test started when I was being checked in. I had to drink a cup of orange liquid that was really, really sweet. Then they had to measure my blood sugar 1 hour later. The results came back well. My thyroid (TSH) test came back still a bit high so I am now up to 100 mcg of Synthroid. The urine culture, pap smear and breast exam, again, was fine. The cystic fibrosis screening hasn't came back yet and that only leaves one.... the blood clotting test.

I received a call on Wednesday of this week that my blooding clotting tests all came back good except for one. I was diagnosed with MTHFR on July 2nd. This disorder is a clotting factor issue that makes my body not absorb folic acid, B6 and B12 as it should. Imagine that... all the years taking folic acid and most of it probably wasn't reaching my system. Though I am still glad I did take it just in case it has helped in some way. It can cause neural tubal defects, Down Syndrome, and blood clots that can clot off in the placenta and block the flow of nutrients to the baby. The ARNP that I am gaining trust in was out of town this week so I talked with a nurse in the office who consulted with one of the high risk doctors and I was put on Metanx and a baby aspirin daily.

Now, as you guys know.. I research and it is a blessing and a curse to be like that because now I'm wondering if I need to be on shots. The high risk doctor didn't think so but I want to run it by my ARNP just to see what she thinks. Do I want to take more shots? No. I just finished my progesterone (2 shots every day alternating hips since February). But I want to do what's best for my little peach (that's how big it is this week so that's why I called it a peach). I just want to do the best thing. God has given me peace about the situation and I feel like it is going to be just fine but I just want to know that I have explored every avenue.

So, as always, PLEASE keep my baby in your Prayers. I just want it to be healthy and to be able to carry he/she as long as possible. God has been so good to me throughout my whole life and I praise Him each day for this blessed miracle that He has performed in my womb. I truly believe this baby is my miracle and I feel so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to be a mother. I can't wait to hold my precious child and just sit in awe of all that God has created out of nothing. So amazing! Thank you Heavenly Father!

I also want to thank God for my loving family who are so wonderful and always there for me. My precious momma and daddy always have my best interest at heart and are always so selfless with me and my brother. I thank Him for my sweet little (not so little) brother who is growing up to be a fine young man. I also thank Him for my precious husband who truly loves me more than I could ever know. Thanks to God for my beloved grandmother, aunts and uncles, cousins, and in-laws. I just feel so truly blessed!

Ps. Pray for my husband's papaw... he's not doing too well and we are not sure if he's been Saved. We have talked to him about it but nothing has been confirmed and his sister has Prayed with him but we aren't sure. Also, Pray for my good friend Deanna's twins who were born on July 1st at 32 weeks and 5 days (I think). Abagail Grace 3lbs and 14.5 oz and Emma Alene 3lbs and 9 oz. They are doing good but still need our Prayers!

Without Further Ado..... Here's Baby Brittain-Goodlett AKA Baby BG (that's why I call him/her)

Baby BG on it's side, sleeping, curled into a ball and measuring smaller because of it!

Hard to make out but the head is on the right in all of these!

Baby BG's nasal cavity... cute little nose!