My pregnancies are so much fun *sarcasm*. Getting pregnant and delivery seems to be my specialty when it comes to having a baby, but during pregnancy is extremely hard on my body. Besides feeling my baby move inside of me, pregnancy all around just sucks. So yes, if you are one of those women that LOVE being pregnant maybe for once keep it yourself or be real. On top of the typical acne, hormone changes, weight gain, stretch marks, back pain, swelling, and more, you are supposed to display this image that pregnancy is such a wonderful miraculous thing. Don't get me wrong it is worth every second of it but to get to that little bundle of joy in your arms, flat out sucks. Whether you are having fertility issues or not, pregnancy is no walk in the park for most of us.
I learned with my pregnancy with Olivia that I have a rare blood type of A negative RH negative. To sum up what that means to people who aren't familiar with it, my body thinks pregnancy is a virus and tries to kill my baby. Fun... Right?! I've had a couple miscarriages before Olivia that I'm very open about. I was 19 with the first one and didn't even know I was pregnant until I went in for my dose of the Depo birth control shot. They make you pee in a cup to make sure you aren't, well sure enough I was! Told you getting pregnant is not my problem. Anyways, at the time we had good old Tricare health insurance through the Marines and the Naval hospital said it was from stress. My husband was just about to deploy and it's typical to miscarry in a military household. This may sound so terrible but I was 19! I was no where ready to be a mom and so I always looked at it as if God knew what he was doing.
So when we actually wanted to try for a baby and we were both ready to be parents, I started to spot. Here we go again I thought. Geez, I really need to get my stress level under control. Well with a normal health care provider, Kaiser, they asked if I have ever gotten my blood type checked for the RH factor. Clueless as to what they were talking about, I said no and sure enough I found out the mystery as to why I was miscarrying. They gave me the Rhogam shot and I carried to full term.
Now with this pregnancy, it hasn't been so simple as getting the shot. Normally when you receive this shot isn't until around week 22-26 of your pregnancy. With Olivia I had to get the shot around 16 weeks. The reason is because if you have a miscarriage and you don't receive this Rhogam shot you are most likely to miscarry even earlier with the next pregnancy. Don't ask me the science of it, I just listen to the doctors and do what I am told. Week 13 hit and I had major cramps. They were only getting worse as the day was going on. Finally I caved that evening and told the husband I need to go to the ER. Thinking it was a kidney problem (I recently had a kidney stone), I was in for a very long night.
My vitals were checked, did my ultrasound and finally they gave me something for the nausea (I have Hypermesis Gravidarum). Instead of the doctor giving me my typical nausea medicine he wanted to try and a different brand. Sure enough I found out that I was very allergic to this new medicine and all of a sudden I have nurses running over to me giving me more drugs to counteract what was happening. After that episode calmed down the doctor showed up with my results. He closed off my room and his whole demeanor changed. I was told that my fluids were low and the babies heart beat was barely there. He told me there is nothing they can do and unfortunately let nature run its course. WHAT?! I thought I was just having kidney issues or maybe even a stomach bug, but THIS?! This cannot be happening...
They contacted my OBGYN and he said to administer the Rhogam shot even though it had like a 30% chance of working this early in the pregnancy. I had to switch doctors to a high risk doctor and wanted me to go to his hospital (about 15 miles away from where we live) the next morning to figure out a "game plan." I cannot even explain the emotions. I didn't sleep at all that night and instead researched natural ways to gain more fluids. I drank 8oz of water every 20 minutes and ate so many blueberries. I was desperate. I prayed and prayed.
The next morning my mom watched Olivia and off to the doctors my husband and I went. I drank so much water that I couldn't even make it in the hospital. When we pulled up and I literally peed in the hospital parking lot. Classy I know. They sent in a specialty ultrasound technician and the adrenaline was pumping. I couldn't even look at the ultrasound screen. All of a sudden the technician blasted the volume and all I remember was hearing that baby's heartbeat going strong! I sobbed. And I mean totally ugly sobbing. Whether it was a miracle or that dumb shot, something worked! I seriously wanted to puke from all the emotions I was going through in the past 24 hours.
Strict bed rest and I was bumped to a high risk pregnancy. Which means every two week appointments and boredom. So fast forward to present day, my pregnancy has gotten easier and I got off bed rest.. This past weekend I was washing my car (I know I should be taking it easy) and all of a sudden it felt like someone took a hammer to my lady parts. I have serious contractions! No, not braxton hicks, full blown contractions! I've been on medication for them on and off but my body is getting used to them. Called my OB and I was scheduled for this last Wednesday. Damn... I thought I was past this. Luckily, I'm not dilating but I needed a different shot (yay) that was going to stop the contractions. Put back on strict bed rest and every two week appointments...
It has been 24 hours and no contractions, just back to braxton hicks. Trying to take it easy with a toddler is nearly impossible, but luckily I have great friends and family to help me. Today I hit the third trimester mark! Some doctors like to call it the "safe zone". It wouldn't be ideal to take the baby out now but if things changed for the worse, the survival rate is high. The goal now is to keep this little girl inside of me for as long as possible! What a relief though to hit the third trimester. I feel like a small part of me can relax now and "enjoy" this pregnancy. I feel like this time around has gone by so fast but yet so long. I'm happy to know that she is very healthy and doing great in there. They don't know if because my body was trying to terminate this pregnancy so early on that it is still fighting to keep her in. Either way, I'm so happy!
My mom and MIL (mother-in-law) are planning my small baby shower/sprinkle, which I thought we would never get to do. Even though pregnancy sucks, sciatic nerve problems, and everything else I cannot wait to meet my little girl. I'm pretty sure this is our last child. Emotionally and physically I don't know if I can even process or think about adding a third child. I just want to get through this one and appreciate that little blessing. I know things aren't 100% until she is in my arms but I have hope that everything will be fine. She kicks me 24/7 and I know I have long nights ahead of me. So for those of you who aren't pregnant and can drink, please have a glass of wine for me! We did it, we made it to the THIRD TRIMESTER!
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