Baby G Version 2.0

On May 9th we found out that our family would be growing once again when the second line came up on the pregnancy test. I’ll be honest. I cried. Then I called Nate and told him over the phone. He said, “THIS is how you choose to tell me? Over the phone?!” I cried some more and said that I just had to tell him right then.

You see, it took two IUI’s (fertility treatments) and a high out of pocket cost to get pregnant with Cayden. To say we were shocked that this baby came the natural route, well, it’s an understatement.

My health hasn’t been good for a while. I have a history of papillary thyroid cancer and my tumor markers have been positive again for the past six months, which we have been watching closely. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been. My sugars aren’t good and my allergies are practically out of control at times. I have gastritis and esinophilic esophogitis, as well as, ulcers in my esophagus and GERD. I was told by both my OB and my Endocrinologist six months ago NOT to get pregnant with my health. And, no, we weren’t trying. What we have been doing for the past three years has been working, or so we thought.

Now you know why I cried. I was and am scared to death of the unknown. We just had no idea that Cayden was as sick as he was until it was almost too late. Even though we wouldn’t change our beautiful miracle son, we don’t want a repeat NICU situation.

I saw the Nurse Practitioner on the 30th and after a tearful visit with lots of information and plans, we got to see a beautiful little baby with a strong heartbeat of 150bpm. What a relief!

Here is the plan from the first visit: Stay on Metformin 1500mg XR, keep my Synthroid and monitor about every 4-6 weeks along with my tumor marker levels, prescription prenatals, start taking coated baby aspirin, start progesterone, continue Vitamin D and Zyrtec, talk to my GI and my endocrinologist. Come back in two weeks. Cut carbs and sugars. After Cayden was born, I had a ridiculous amount of blood work. My Factor VIII was elevated and so was my beta 2 glycoprotien 1gA. Those are clotting disorders and can cause the IUGR that Cayden had. Because we couldn’t retest them and the numbers are high/worrisome, that is why we are starting the aspirin.

It’s been two weeks since my appointment and things have drastically changed since then. I am now taking Carafate, Nexium, stopped the baby aspirin, and am now taking Lovenox injections instead, and after today’s appointment, probably start an additional blood sugar medicine. I’ll be taking a nutrition class next week.

Today’s appointment was great. Baby is growing beautifully and the heart rate was 167bpm. I’ll go back in four weeks and do my NT scan and blood work. We’ll probably start a consult with a high risk OB soon after that appointment, as they want me monitored closely in hopes that we don’t miss anything.

We know every pregnancy is different, but we want people to understand that this is an incredibly scary journey for us. We are thrilled to have another baby, but are terrified that we might be back in a traumatic situation. We are going to take it week by week and hope like crazy to make it past the time when we think my placenta stopped working with Cayden (24/25 weeks) and then aim for term. We are being hopeful, but realistic. My health sucks and it’s going to add to the stress of an already risky pregnancy.

When you think about it, we would greatly appreciate the prayers for this baby and for Cayden. He has always been the center of our world and this will rock him to the core when he realizes exactly what is happening. We talk to him about it all the time.

Meet Baby G, Version 2.0: estimated arrival January 17, 2013!