A Mixed Emotions Day

We had our second ultrasound today and both babies are doing really well. Baby B has a little bit smaller gestational sac than Baby A, but the RE didn't seem to be concerned about it. Baby A is now 10mm crown to rump length (CRL). Baby B is 11mm CRL. Both have heartbeats around 165...they were definitely much faster than last week!

Hubby asked the doctor if there is still a chance that we could lose one or both. Of course there is a small chance, but he felt that because of the growth and heartbeats that both should be OK. Thank you most wonderful Lord!!!

We have to wait 2 weeks this time for the next ultrasound, which is going to be hard for me, but I feel much better that everything is going to be OK this time. Actually, this is the furthest we've ever gotten. We lost our first two babies either right at or just before 7 weeks, so now that we are 7 wks. 4 days, we are doing really well. 

I thought for sure that I was going to get sick this morning during a meeting, but I didn't. I feel certain it was my nerves. My symptoms continue to be: very tender bbs, frequent urination (especially evening/night), tired all day, off and on mild abdominal cramping, a little feeling of nausea on occasion, and some sensitivity to food/odors. I couldn't eat red meat right now if it was the only thing edible on the planet! The thought of a cheeseburger makes me want to throw up! (And I usually like cheeseburgers.)

With great news sometimes comes sad news. Have you ever heard the theory that when one life in a family is taken another life is given to that family? For example, I was born 2 weeks before my great grandmother passed away. My grandma says she was holding on just to be sure I was born and healthy! My sister-in-law was pregnant with her daughter when her (and Hubby's) uncle passed away. And now my uncle has passed away. 

My dad called last night to let me know that his younger brother had died. He had been in and out of remission with cancer for years. I know that death is never a good thing for the family, and my aunt and cousins are heartbroken over this loss. My uncle had really declined, though. He was literally half the man he had once been. Although it is terribly sad and he will be greatly missed, I know he is in a better place and no longer suffering. God bless him and my family to get through this difficult time. He leaves behind his wife of 35 years, 4 children, 5 grandchildren, his brother and sister, and a handful of nieces and nephews. Perhaps this loss is the one my family needed for these twins to come into the world. A little strange, I know, but there is definitely a pattern to these sorts of things. I love you uncle and will always remember the fun times we had together.

Mrs. W

It's Twins!!! Praise God!

We just got back from our 6 week ultrasound. Today we are 6 wks. 4 days and I am tickled to report that we are pregnant with TWINS! Right before the RE came in, Hubby said he might pass out if it is twins. Good thing he was sitting down!

Baby A is 4mm with a 120 heartbeat. He/she is hiding a little behind Baby B. Baby B is 6mm with a 120 heartbeat. I asked my RE twice if 120 was good at this point and he assured me it was. He asked me if I had had any bleeding because he saw just a little bit of fluid in my uterus. I told him "no" and asked if it was something to be concerned about. He said it wasn't. (But of course I will be much more on the lookout, now.)

I've found a website that has been really helpful in the last few weeks. I may have mentioned it before, the American Pregnancy Association. Here is a little info about 6-7 week fetal heartbeats:

Generally from 6 ½ -7 weeks is the time when a heartbeat can be detected and
viability can be assessed. A normal heartbeat at 6-7 weeks would be 90-110 beats per minute.
The presence of an embryonic heartbeat is an assuring sign of the health of the pregnancy.
Once a heartbeat is detected, the chance of the pregnancy continuing
ranges from 70-90% dependent on what type of
ultrasound is used.

American Pregnancy Association

So, we've been here before. Pregnancy #1 we also saw/heard a 120 heartbeat. Pregnancy #2 had a 115 heartbeat. Because of my history, my RE is letting me come in a week early for the next ultrasound. So I go back next Monday the 19th. I'm going to do my very best to be super excited and happy about what we saw today. God is SO good!!! No stress, just happiness and prayers for a continued healthy pregnancy.

As for symptoms: I am tired. I pee a lot. My bbs are tender/sore. I have mild abdominal cramping on and off. No vomiting yet, but I have been queasy a few times and I'm definitely having aversions to some smells - like raw meat and air fresheners. I asked my RE about the lack of morning sickness and he said I'm not out of the woods yet. It could very well still come. My mom said she didn't have morning sickness with me or my brother until about 8 weeks, so there is still a chance. My grandmother never got sick while pregnant. I just have to keep trusting that God is seeing me (and the babies) through all of this and we will have a healthy pregnancy that results in live births at term!

Amazing Father, you have blessed us with TWO miracles! Thank you!

Your blessings are bountiful and my cup runneth over. 

Hubby and I are over the moon about seeing our sweet babies and hearing their heartbeats.

It is the greatest sound a mother can hear--until the cries of her newborn.

Lord, in your goodness, hear this prayer. Let me continue to have a healthy pregnancy
and give birth to healthy, perfect babies.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Mrs. W

Progesterone...Check!

I heard back from my RE's office about my progesterone level. It is 18. The nurse said as long as it is above 10, it is fine. I wanted to know a little more about progesterone levels in early pregnancy and found this information on the American Pregnancy Association's website:

Progesterone levels also can have quite a variance at this stage of pregnancy.
They can range from 9-47ng/ml in the first trimester,
with an average of 12-20ng/ml in the first 5-6 weeks of pregnancy. 

Considering I'm still in week 5, 18 sounds good to me! Thank you, Jesus!

Mrs. W

Going Strong

Thanks be to God! We got a wonderful 2nd beta result on Friday. It was 6,675! That was 21dp3dt. I snooped around on some websites with beta information and found that both of my numbers fall right in the middle of a singleton and twins. Unfortunately, there is just no way to tell until the ultrasound next week. We are very excited, but still feeling cautiously optimistic. If we can get through the next 2 weeks and still have heartbeat(s) and growth, Hubby and I will both feel a lot better. It's like the 2WW all over again!!!

Oh, and if I would just throw up! I know it is crazy, but it will make me feel so much better that things are OK. (I didn't get sick with either of my previous pregnancies.) Most people I know have said that it is around 6 weeks or so that morning sickness kicks in. (Although I do have two IVF friends that never got sick and have healthy children.)

Today we are 5 weeks and 4 days. 

I've got a call in to my RE to find out the progesterone level. Hopefully I'll hear back soon and it will be good. 

As for other "symptoms," still pretty much the same as before. Tender bbs, frequent urination, on and off mild abdominal cramping. I think my sense of smell has heightened a little, but that's a hard one for me because I have always been able to smell really well. (Or at least since I had surgery on my sinuses in 2008).

Continued praise to the Lord for this miracle and prayers that it is a healthy pregnancy that will end up in a healthy, live baby (or babies!).

That's it for today. I hope to have more good news the next time I post!

Mrs. W

Every Little Thing...

After you find out that you're pregnant, you might find yourself obsessing over every little tug, twinge, or feeling. For me, since I have miscarried before, I am analyze every little thing! Hubby and I want this pregnancy to be a healthy one so badly that I feel like I should always "feel something" to know everything is OK.

A "loss" or "lack" of symptoms could mean you have a pending miscarriage. This is what happened for me the first time. Of course, by the time the baby had died, I still had enough pregnancy hormone to make me feel like everything was fine. My bbs were not as sore, though, and I had stopped getting up during the night to use the bathroom. I should have known something was wrong. It was my first pregnancy, though, so I didn't know enough to know.

The second time around, I just started bleeding out of nowhere. I was at my youngest step-son's Little League game and when I got up to walk to the car after the game was over, I felt a gush of really warm fluid. I went straight to the bathroom and knew immediately that there was a problem. Of course, this was after hours, but one of the wonderful IVF nurses met me at the office to give me a progesterone shot to relax my uterus. By the next morning, ultrasound showed no heartbeat.

Each time our losses occurred between 6-8 weeks. I am exactly 5 weeks today, so we aren't at that point yet. I'm terrified for those weeks to come. We will have our first ultrasound on March 12. I'll be 6 weeks, 4 days. We've heard heartbeats before, so I pray that we will again. It will be the next 2 weeks until our 8 week ultrasound that will be the hardest. Please say a prayer that everything will be fine this time and we won't lose any more babies!

Right now I am still having some discomfort in my lower abdomen. (It kind of feels like my period will start, but not quite.) I definitely have to pee more often and my bbs are pretty sensitive.

Just for peace of mind, I'm going in tomorrow for another beta and to check my progesterone level. It will be tomorrow night before someone calls to let me know the level, so it might be a long afternoon.

I also interviewed for a different job yesterday and they said I should hear something tomorrow. Hopefully I will have two really good things to celebrate!

Dear Lord, please let our baby(ies) be healthy. You know how much Hubby and I want this pregnancy to work out. Please grant us this amazing blessing and let us hold our child(ren) in our arms later this year. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Mrs. W