For this pregnancy and any other pregnancies I should be blessed with, I will be required to take a medication known as lovenox. Lovenox is a blood thinning shot that I administer once or twice a day, depending on what my doctors are currently requiring, to keep me and my placenta from developing deadly blood clots. It burns like a monkey and leaves tiny little bruises all over my belly.
So far, this pregnancy has been very different from my pregnancy with Mason. Still the same exhaustion, but this time around I am so completely nauseous (which is crazy because I couldn't ever imagine that it would be worse). Last time around I was still able teach my kindergarten class and keep up with friends and do all sorts of things. This time around, I am either in bed or puking. I have been so sick, in fact, that the doctor has prescribed me anti nausea medication so that I can at least stay hydrated. I try not to take the pills every day because even though they are thought to be VERY safe, there has yet to be tests done on the side effects of these pills used in pregnancy. Really I only take them when I know I will have to be somewhere and I don't want to be yacking in the bushes every five seconds.
Another distinct difference between this pregnancy and the last is my medical care. I am being followed by both a maternal fetal specialist and an obstetrician. I spoke with both of these doctors and prior to conceiving to see if Jonathan and I felt comfortable with these doctors. I happy to say that we are very comfortable with our team of health providers and confident that no matter the outcome of this pregnancy, they will have done their best in trying to take care of us. Really that is all we can ask for.
Anyways, here is our first ultrasound photo. It's not much to look at because it was taken at 7 weeks 5 days and the baby was the size of a sesame seed, but the heartbeat was 153 and the baby was measuring two days ahead. I see the maternal fetal specialist every two weeks, which means you can expect a lot more of these little ultrasounds photos. Some people might think ultrasounds every two weeks is a bit overkill, but if you have lost a baby like Jonathan and I have... you live to hear the baby's heartbeat and see it wiggling across the screen. Plus, ultrasounds waves are perfectly safe unlike CT scans or x-rays which involve harmful radiation.
As always, we are so thankful for all of your thoughts and prayers and we ask that you continue to think and pray for us whenever you can!
Much love,
Christa and Jonathan
