I am 29 weeks 3 days pregnant with Lucinda Jane. I count everyday because everyone one of those days count. Lucy has been a fighter since day 1. She was a threatened miscarriage at 9 weeks. I bled for a week but doctor said she had a strong heartbeat and said that he thought she would be ok in the end. I honestly can say that I have the Best OB, he really knows what he is doing and lets me know exactly what he is thinking. I knew the moment I found out I was pregnant that this baby was a girl. I had a dream about her before I was even pregnant with Dawson. In my dream when she was handed to me after delivery I remember feeling a sense of relief. I never could understand why in this dream I felt that until now. At my 20 week appt. everything was looking good so far. Lucy looked great and was a week behind in measurements but that wasn't a cause for alarm. My doctor saw me the next week and everything was looking good as well. He said that next appt. he would check and see if everything was ok with the heart since I guess the ultra sound tech didn't get a good look. Next appt. I had no idea that I was going to have to deal with some heart breaking news...
At my 25 week appt. Dr. Farley takes me to get an ultra sound. He is looking around at the heart but still can't get a good look. I notice he was measuring the head and the limbs and the rest of the body. I notice looking over at the monitor I see that it says 21 weeks.. I didn't say anything and figured everything was ok. Once he was done he tells us that he had a cause for concern because baby was almost a month behind in measurements except her head was on schedule. He also mentioned that he still couldn't get a good look at the heart and needed that checked as well. He took me to his office along with his head nurse and they called the Hospital and scheduled me an appt. to see a Peranatologist. He then takes me back to get a non stress test for 15 minutes to see if Lucy's heart beat was ok. As he is doing this he tells me he might take me over to the hospital because he was worried that she may have to come out. He then tells me the worst case scenario which is that her heart may not even be ok and that it would make things easier for us if we needed to decided to fight for the baby or not. All of this was very overwhelming.. Luckily baby's heartbeat was ok and he decided to wait for the appt and see what happens. That was the longest weekend of my life!
My appt. was that following Tuesday, I was sweating bullets when the heart was being looked at along with everything else. The Perinatologist came back after the tech was finished and tells me that the reasoning for the IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction) was because she had a 2 vessel cord. Which is SUA (Single Umbilical Artery). An umbilical cord is supposed to have 2 arteries and a vein, mine only has one artery. Sometimes the growth problems can happen because of this. Some people don't have any problem at all when this happens. He tells me that as long as her brain is growing that is good. I am monitored by him every Tuesday morning and I have a doctor appt with the OB every other week. Once I hit 32 weeks I will be seen twice a week. I have looked up lots of outcomes on the matter and it is good and bad. A baby that has SUA has a higher chance of being a miscarriage. Our little Lucy is a fighter and didn't give up when that happened. A girl has a higher chance to have SUA along with the growth restriction, I don't know why but it happens I guess. Little Lucy had her name before I was pregnant with Dawson, we have always known we would have a Lucy.
I had known years ago I had an ancestor that was born that wasn't supposed to survive. She was born at 32 weeks and fit in a shoe box. I believe she is my great great grandmother. She was fed with an eye dropper and somehow she survived against all odds. Medicine wasn't good back then and she was in medical records in Utah even because of her amazing survival. Guess what her name is? We just found this out a few weeks ago. Her name is Lucy, Lucinda Jane to be exact. And that was what we were going to name our little girl.
As for now each week is wonderful, we don't know which we she will come. It's been a few weeks since a growth scan has been performed and this upcoming Tuesday is our next one. Steroids will be admitted soon to help her grow. My doctor was more optimistic when I saw him last Thursday. He would like me to get to 35 weeks if possible. She will not be a full term baby and will be smaller for what week she is born. If she is born at 35 weeks she probably will be 4 lbs. I have my moments of anxiety, I have to monitor her movement every day because risk of still birth is higher in these babies. Yesterday I panicked and went to the clinic to see if she was ok. I am trying to remain strong as much as possible but I have my off days. Sometimes I don't think people understand how scary this is. Some people do and I appreciate those that have been there to help me.
My parents have been a great support team and have been so helpful in my time of need along with helping with our house that we have been trying to move in. I know Lucy is a fighter and I am grateful for that. She will be small when she is born and maybe have a NICU stay it all depends. Everything happens for a reason and I am grateful that so far she is hanging in there.
If I seem like a hermit right now staying at home I need to be for the most part. I want people to know that if I can't be there for family functions I apologize but this is why and I need to be resting as much as possible. Next Tuesday couldn't come fast enough to see if Lucy has grown. I prayed to Heavenly Father to at least get me to 30 to 32 weeks. So far he has helped and I know that everyone who has prayed, fasted, and by getting a blessing has been a big factor to help her grow further.
Thanks for reading :) and Thanks for your kindness during this time.
