Baby Due in March 2013

[holly3372@msn.com]

Well I am 16 weeks along and so far so good. Trying to stay calm, relaxed and positive . We had our first visit with perinatologist friday and I loved him! All of our measurements looked great , bp good and we found out we are having a GIRL!! We are thrilled. I know the scariest times are ahead for me, I believe I had signs of preeclampsia at about 22 weeks deleverd at 26 weeks so, here I come hoping for ,well hoping for nothing to happen at all but a healthy pregnancy!! Gulp!

[courageismyname]

Hi Ladies,

Wow it's so good to read everyone's posts-I am due 3/9/13 with baby #2. I had an eclamptic seizure with baby #1 in December 2009 at 42 weeks. We both came through fine except for my significant PTSD-he was 9 lbs 4 oz. I had a planned homebirth and symptoms of PE at 41 weeks (at which point I visited this website and learned more!)-specifically headaches. My BP was high for me but not super-high...like in the 130s (top #) or so. The midwife dismissed it, told me I didn't have PE, didn't do a urine dip, and 5 days later after 24 hrs of labor at home I seized in my bed and went unconscious. Came to, EMS transferred me to hospital, had C section after 8 more hours.

Three years and loads of therapy later, here I am...pregnant again. This time with loads of much better support. Consulted 3 different MFMs before I got pregnant, and currently seeing the one who my midwife (wonderful woman in part of OB/Gyn practice I've been going to for over 10 years, though I transferred out last time when I wanted to have the home birth) recommended. The MFM is awesome, and more knowledgeable about PE than any I spoke with over this past year. His mentor used to be on the board of this forum, apparently.

I am taking at his rec a low-dose aspirin. I also want to take 1500-2000 mg of calcium (also his rec), but am having some difficulty with this because I don't want to take too much magnesium or vitamin d (one of which is in every calcium supplement I've found so far). Last week I accidentally took way too much magnesium because of taking calcium supplements in addition to my prenatal-I was scared when I realized and called poison control. I spoke with both my docs the next morning and they said don't worry, just take calcium that doesn't have magnesium added-but I can't find any! Does anyone have experience/suggestions with this? Also, I want to take enough magnesium to absorb the calcium, but not too much. My MFM didn't have magnesium recs, but online I found things saying don't go about 350 mg if you're pregnant.

Anyhoo, just got back to work yesterday (I'm a teacher) and told the powers that be I'm pregnant...they were super supportive, and it turns out my new boss had PE with her daughter and had to deliver at 28 weeks. I couldn't believe it-she totally understood and has been there. I am so better supported this time-my boss the last time was horrible.

My chat with them brought it all up again, though-I woke up at 3:30 AM and have been up for the last 2 hours. Old grief combined with gratitude for where I am now, plus anxiety about this calcium thing. Some trepidation about what's to come. And I have my Nuchal fold Translucency sono today...some anxiety about this because I'm almost 42.

So glad to find you ladies-it feels so amazing to know that other women out there understand and that we can support each other in this mysterious landscape.

[holly3372@msn.com]

courageismyname,

Wow! What a strory! thank you for sharing. Yay a march baby! My bday is march 3rd! I am due in february but due to my classical csection cut they will not let me go that far, so hoping for sometime in January! I wrote back to you in your other post about clacium so check it out.

I have also been waking in the night with so many different emotions! I am happy to hear you have such great support at work that makes such a difference! Best of luck to you with your ultrasound! Keep us posted!

[knhowell]

I just had my 12 week scan and was so excited. They did a test tho where they check the blood vessels in your cervix... apparently this can be used as an indicator if you will develop PE later in the pregnancy and it can back as the 95 percentile (apparently the higher the greater your chance). I am now shattered by the thought... I was thinking so positively before that it doesn't always occur in the second.
Has anyone else had this test? they are wanting to repeat it again at 20 weeks - hopefully I will have some better news then

[gratiana]

Dear knhowell,
I've never heard of such a test! It seems pretty weird to give you odds like that (which are bound to upset you!) from a nonstandard test; my quick Google just now didn't bring up any information about it... I hope for your sake it's a lot of fuss over nothing. I go in next week for my 12 week scan—I'll ask the MFM about this kind of test and see what she says.

All else well here. Blood pressure slightly elevated at my last appt. but the lower number remains low so they said they didn't care. 11 weeks this week! Hang in there, everyone!

[holly3372@msn.com]

Hi girls. I also have not heard of this test either. What was it called? I too am surprised they are giving you that high a percentage at just 12 weeks! Please let us know what they call this test. I had a big ultrasound done at 16 weeks where they did all the measurements and looked at some blood flow but they said nothing about flow to the uterus. Thinking of you, keep us posted please.( I am now 17 weeks 3 days)

[Raposa]

Was it the uterine artery doppler? There are two big arteries, left and right. They checked mine at around 8 weeks, said I was "normal but borderline" and put me on low dose aspirin as a result. Fortunately, I didn't have the "notching" that's characteristic of preeclampsia, but at 8 weeks, the placenta isn't fully set up, yet.

[knhowell]

That may be it, they tested both sides and both were measuring 8.7 (I think)... Thank you so much for giving it a name lol most people I have spoken to have had theirs returned in the normal range.
My sister was also at the same ultrasound clinic having her 20 week scan and she over heard the stenographers saying that you get a more accurate reading after 14 weeks - I hope this is the case and at the 20 week scan I get a normal reading.

[knhowell]

Hi Raposa, You were right that is the test I had. For everyone else that wanted information the test is called "uterine artery Doppler" and some information on it can be found here:
http://www.cmaj.ca/content/178/6/727.full

[holly3372@msn.com]

Oh wow, ok yes I had this done but not until 16 weeks they said before that was too early. Please keep us posted as I am sure they will be doing another one soon.