This week was by far the scariest and most joyful week of my pregnancy. It started Monday when my nurse practitioner called to tell me I screened positive for being at risk for Downs Syndrome. She wanted me to schedule a genetic ultrasound and genetic counseling with Wilmington Fetal Maternal. I got off the phone and immediately called Lewis and Poole. I was on the verge of panicking and needed them to be my reality. Both of them were encouraging and sure that it was a false positive. I felt much better, until I got home. When I saw Tim, I just burst into tears. I felt like all of my joy had been sucked out. He was so wonderful to me. He was very positive and sure that everything was ok. We both believe in God and His will. He gave us this child and no matter how it turned out, we would love it. I prayed alot over the next few days. Not prayers for a healthy baby but prayers of strength. I emailed my friends and asked them to pray for my family also. Everyone was so supportive and they told me stories of other women who tested positive. No one had ever told me this! I really felt like I was the only woman in the world this had happened to.
I was able to get the appointment for Friday. Originally, they weren't going to be able to get me in for 2 weeks. I don't think I would have made it that long. It just sent me into a tail spin of "what if's". At the ultra sound, they measured different parts of the baby. They looked at the bladder, kidney, spine, brain, femur, arm, heart, etc. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. After, we met with the genetic counselor and she told us more in detail about the testing. Basically, they draw your blood at week 11 and week 16. They measure the levels of 5 hormones. They should be below 1.0. Two of mine came back around 1.6. They took a statistical formula that combined this and my age. The result screened me positive for Downs but negative for spina bifida and trisomy 18. The genetic ultrasound measured parts of the baby to see if the size looked like a normal baby or more like a Downs baby. I am happy to say that they do not think I am at risk! The baby looks healthy and normal. There's only a .05% chance that my baby has Downs. I'll take those odds! I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Prayer is so powerful!
So, the sonographer told us we were having a girl! We were just so excited! Tim now feels like its real. We've named her Porter Celeste. Celeste is my middle name and I saw the name Porter on facebook. I fell in love with it. We are decorating her nursery with mermaids. For Valentine's Day, we decided to buy a piece of art work and a little rug for her nursery. Both are beautiful mermaids!
I haven't gained any weight this week. I'm eating more fruits and veggies..just like the doctor ordered.
I started feeling some movement this week. The only way I can describe it is like a "thumping" or "spasm". Its definitely not gas, like I originally thought. Her little fists or feet are lightly bumping me and I love it. I have to be really still to feel it. Tim won't be able to feel it for another 2-3 weeks. I can't wait until he feels her kicking!!
Oh, and it snowed this week. I'm attaching a picture of our pregnant-snow-beach-bunny. My father law requested in and I just had to make one!
I was able to get the appointment for Friday. Originally, they weren't going to be able to get me in for 2 weeks. I don't think I would have made it that long. It just sent me into a tail spin of "what if's". At the ultra sound, they measured different parts of the baby. They looked at the bladder, kidney, spine, brain, femur, arm, heart, etc. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. After, we met with the genetic counselor and she told us more in detail about the testing. Basically, they draw your blood at week 11 and week 16. They measure the levels of 5 hormones. They should be below 1.0. Two of mine came back around 1.6. They took a statistical formula that combined this and my age. The result screened me positive for Downs but negative for spina bifida and trisomy 18. The genetic ultrasound measured parts of the baby to see if the size looked like a normal baby or more like a Downs baby. I am happy to say that they do not think I am at risk! The baby looks healthy and normal. There's only a .05% chance that my baby has Downs. I'll take those odds! I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Prayer is so powerful!
So, the sonographer told us we were having a girl! We were just so excited! Tim now feels like its real. We've named her Porter Celeste. Celeste is my middle name and I saw the name Porter on facebook. I fell in love with it. We are decorating her nursery with mermaids. For Valentine's Day, we decided to buy a piece of art work and a little rug for her nursery. Both are beautiful mermaids!
I haven't gained any weight this week. I'm eating more fruits and veggies..just like the doctor ordered.
I started feeling some movement this week. The only way I can describe it is like a "thumping" or "spasm". Its definitely not gas, like I originally thought. Her little fists or feet are lightly bumping me and I love it. I have to be really still to feel it. Tim won't be able to feel it for another 2-3 weeks. I can't wait until he feels her kicking!!
Oh, and it snowed this week. I'm attaching a picture of our pregnant-snow-beach-bunny. My father law requested in and I just had to make one!
****I am laughing in my photo because my husband said, "Lift your chin so everyone doesn't see your rolls!"
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