"Just Barely" Pregnant PS''ers

[amc80]

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Thanks all. I just called my doc. I'm starting to get more localized pain in my right side. That, combined with bleeding, combined with the low, slow rising betas doesn't sound good.

I'm so glad that I had my betas drawn early. Otherwise, this would have come out of the blue and I would be completely devastated right now. As it is, I'm more bummed and frustrated than anything. More than anything, I'm annoyed that we have to start all over at square one. Don't get me wrong, I am sad, but more of a "darn, that didn't work out" than "OMG I am losing my BABY" feeling. Not sure if that makes sense.

 

[aviastar]

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AMC, I am so sad to read this. The silver lining is that you know your tubes aren't blocked and it's simply a matter of time for you. That doesn't change the feelings about this pregnancy, but hopefully it's a light at the end of the tunnel.

My thoughts are with you and your husband.

 

[amc80]

Re: Re:

AMC, I am so sad to read this. The silver lining is that you know your tubes aren't blocked and it's simply a matter of time for you. That doesn't change the feelings about this pregnancy, but hopefully it's a light at the end of the tunnel.

My thoughts are with you and your husband.

Thank you. Yeah at least I know this tube isn't blocked. I ovulated from my "good side" (as opposed to the left side where my ovary appears to be attached to the top of my uterus). So hopefully it's still good after all of this.

Just spoke with the nurse and I'm going in for an u/s at 2.

 

[BrightSpot]

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Hi ladies. Thanks so much for the warm welcome. I'm sorry for going AWOL. A pipe burst & flooded my apartment at the end of January (2 days after my 6 week scan), so between moldy apartment clean-up, trying to salvage our belongings, deciding to move, finding a new apartment, moving & now trying to get settled (all while fighting a very nasty cold exacerbated by my mold allergy & the crazy weather we've been having in the NE), I haven't had a moment to spare. (Oh, and we decided to pretty much stay in our current neighborhood in Manhattan. The idea of making a bigger change without time to research & decide where we wanted to go was too overwhelming.)

Anyway, I have some time today & am going to try to catch up as best I can.

amc, I'm so, so sorry to hear your news. Big hugs to you, my friend. My thoughts will be with you when you go for your u/s. Please keep us posted.

c-tek, I'm so sorry about the worrying news from your NT scan, but I'm glad you're feeling better about things. (And what your OB said is reassuring.) I hope the bloodwork comes back quickly & with good news.

anchor, I hope you're feeling better soon!

tbaus, yay for moving on to the big thread! (Though I'll miss chatting with you over here, friend.) How's your hair doing, btw? Has pregnancy stopped the hair loss?

pancake, I can't believe you're going to be heading off soon too! Yay for getting maternity pants! What kind did you get? I was hoping to borrow a bunch of mat clothes from my SIL, but she's pregnant too, so I guess I'll have to go shopping!
I'm so sorry about all of the family drama you've experienced (on top of the loss of your dad). How devastating. I'm glad to hear things are starting to turn around.

missrach, I hope you're feeling better about the BF issue. As a first timer, I don't have any advice to offer except to try not to beat yourself up about things! I'm worried about how BF will go myself, but am trying not to get too far ahead of myself in the worrying department. And yay for a great u/s & for being further along than you'd thought!

LC, I hope your stomach feels better soon & that E continues sleeping well! Adorable u/s pic too! I'm so glad it went well.
I'm sorry you're going to have to miss a vacation this summer. How close to your due date is it safe to travel?

PPM, congrats, lady! So happy to see you here! (And what a crazy early bfp too!)

mia, I'm sorry your u/s experience was so stressful, but thrilled to hear about the great result!
I'm so sorry to hear about your bff & brother's experiences. I hope they're doing better & am sure they'll be supportive when you announce your pregnancy because they love you.

ello, how are you feeling?


afm, my 8 week scan went well. I was worried about the bean being a day behind (based on my dates) at the 6w scan, but it was a day ahead this time with a good heartrate. (Thanks, as well, to all of you who provided reassurance on the dating issue. It made me feel much better in the interim.)

I was released to my OB after the 8w scan & was supposed to have my first OB appointment today at 10w4d, but I had a work conflict come up & the soonest my doc could reschedule me for was next Friday, 3/7 (I'll be 11w5d).
I'm wondering if the NT scan should also be scheduled at this time. How long does it take to get results? (I guess the u/s results are instant but the bloodwork takes a while?)

The reason I'm a little anxious about timing is that my dad's 70th birthday is on the 7th. I made him a gift that will tell him the news & have been dreaming of giving it to him for his birthday, but I wonder if this is a bit too early to be telling people. With my history, I just want to be as certain as possible that this is happening. (And my mom is a big gossip so I don' t think that asking her to keep it quiet would work out for us. ) Do you usually wait until 12 weeks to tell people or 14?

Also, how early did you start to show with your first pregnancy? This week I've noticed a little belly pooch that doesn't go away when I try to suck it in. Is this bloating or am I beginning to show? Or is it that I haven't been able to get to the gym in over 3 weeks? (I used to go 5x/week before "the flood.")
I don't think it's noticeable to anyone other than me (when I stare at myself obsessively in the mirror) unless I'm wearing a very snug shirt. No problems with clothes not fitting yet (yay for low rise jeans!) but I was in target the other day & picked up one of their bands just to be prepared.

The morning sickness & fatigue continue &, while my cold is getting better, it is not totally gone yet. I can still eat & have only thrown up twice, but I'm definitely not feeling my best & it's often a struggle to get through the day or evening (my MS is usually worse in the evening). Strangely enough, when my cold was at its worst, I didn't notice the nausea as much. I've been using sea bands on & off, especially when it gets bad & am on a vitamin B complex & unisom (for insomnia) anyway, so hopefully that's helping. At least I find the MS reassuring. It's been so weird not to be able to devote much mental energy to pregnancy stuff (or post here!) with all of the chaos that's been going on in my life, but maybe a distraction isn't a bad thing.

Hopefully I'll be able to check in more frequently once we get settled in the new place.

 

[Clairitek]

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AMC- I am so so so sorry. Great news that you can get pregnant on your own and that your good tube is definitely free. I hope you're back over here very soon.

Bright- Still lurking over here and wanted to say that I noticed a definitely pregnancy-related soemthing in my belly at about 9w. I was very distinctly showing in form-fitting tanks by 14w (like no doubt it is baby and not just me gaining weight rapidly). I had my NT scan at 11w3d (though baby was measuring 12w1d, just growing faster than the norm I guess). I hope you get to tell your dad for his birthday. Sharing this news is so much fun and I bet he will be over the moon!

 

[BrightSpot]

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C-tek, thanks so much--that's really helpful. (And I did start noticing the pooch around 9 weeks too... )

Does the NT usually have to be scheduled in advance or can I just show up for my appointment & ask if it can be done while I'm there?

 

[mia1181]

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AMC- Have you discussed the possibility of an ectopic with your doctor? I don't mean to make you worry more than you already are, but that was what I thought of when I saw your slow rising betas and now that you are saying localized pain, I thought I should mention it. I know they can't see an embryo until betas are 1000-2000, but I wonder if they can rule out an ectopic this early? Maybe something to mention to your doc? Still hoping this turns around for you! Hugs!


ETA- I think my computer was stuck a page back! Let me go and catch up!
Edited again- Okay AMC I'm glad you are getting an US! Fingers and toes crossed that there is still hope!

 

[amc80]

Re: Re:

AMC- Have you discussed the possibility of an ectopic with your doctor? I don't mean to make you worry more than you already are, but that was what I thought of when I saw your slow rising betas and now that you are saying localized pain, I thought I should mention it. I know they can't see an embryo until betas are 1000-2000, but I wonder if they can rule out an ectopic this early? Maybe something to mention to your doc? Still hoping this turns around for you! Hugs!


ETA- I think my computer was stuck a page back! Let me go and catch up!
Edited again- Okay AMC I'm glad you are getting an US! Fingers and toes crossed that there is still hope!

Yep, I'm definitely concerned about it. I mentioned it to my doctor after my third beta draw, and she said it wasn't a concern yet. But yeah, the bleeding and the pain definitely makes me think of that.

Have any of you ladies dealt with an ectopic? I'm wondering what the timeline is between onset of pain/bleeding and emergency situation.

 

[mia1181]

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Bright- I can't remember when I noticed my pooch last pregnancy but I think the best way to tell is when you are laying down. If it still looks (or feels) round beneath your belly button, it's the pregnancy. If it goes flat, it's just bloating. I had bloating immediately in both pregnancies. In my first trimester of my first pregnancy, I had a belly that looked pregnant that would come every night after dinner and disappear by morning. Weird!

As for telling people, well I have a hard time keeping it a secret. My close friends find out right away because I want them to know what I am going through. This time because of family issues, we are waiting to tell my family until 12-13 weeks, but my MIL and FIL are visiting next week and we will tell them then, so I don't have to hide it while they are here. Anyway, it's such a personal decision, but on the bright side the risk of miscarriage drops to 5% after you see the heartbeat so you have already passed a really important hurdle.

Oh, and we had to have my bloodwork done before the NT scan and got the results together, immediately after the scan. I don't know if all places do this, but it was nice to not have to worry about the results for long. Maybe call your doctor and set up the bloodwork and NT scan now if you can? Your first appointment is really uneventful so I wouldn't worry about having that before anything else.



AMC- I have never experienced an ectopic but I have a feeling it is very hard to predict an emergency ectopic situation, that's probably why your doctor is not concerned yet. But definitely go to the ER if you experience severe pain.

 

[lliang_chi]

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AMC, I'm sure you told your OB about the pain on your side too. I'm sending dust that you'll get answers soon. I'm glad you're getting a US today. I think that's the only way they can definitely say if it's ectopic or not. I'm sure during the 3rd beta draw, it doens't mean one thing or another, but with your pain and bleeding it's definitely important to take precaution.

Bright, the NT scan takes longer in terms of taking measurements so the US tech needs to know to book longer time with you. I'd mention it to the office staff so they can book you time with the tech. I'm glad you're settling into your new place. As much as it sucked to have to deal with The Flood and residual fall out, I can imagine it really distracted you from freaking out too much during the 1st tri. I think we told our ppl at 12 wks last time. I'll be 11-ish weeks next weekend when we're visiting friends. I'll talk to James see if he wants to tell them next weekend or if we'll just wait until we reach 12-14 wks.
And re: flying while pregnant it all depends on your point of view. Some ppl don't travel after 28 wks, because techincally the baby is viable after 28 wks, so they want to be near home. The reality is, once you get really big, it gets rather uncomfortable to be sitting in an airplane for long stretches of time. Plus the hassle of getting to and from the airport. For me, I draw a mental line at 30 wks. Last time I traveled to my hometown for Thanksgiving/baby shower and I was 28 or 29 wks pregnant and it wasn't the most pleasant experience to travel with the big belly. It wasn't impossible, but I didn't like it.

Mia, sorry the MS drug maybe made you feel like crap. I hope it was a one off thing. Look at you for being so productive though! Man, I'd be just lying in bed and get nothing done. What are you doing for O's birthday?

Rachel, don't think that timing is a for sure way to guess boy or girl. My timing with Ethan was 5 days before O and I still ended up with a boy. So, you never know!!!

Pancake, I remember all that garbage you had to go through and it still makes me burn. YOu're right, your family is so much more important and that's totally better use of your energy. Woo hoo I can't believe you're almost at your NT scan! How's your MS doing? Still taking the meds for it? And re: the mat jeans, you're in a totally different season than when you were pregnant with S, so there's definitely justification to get new jeans. I feel fortunate that this time we'll be in summer, so I can get away with lounge pants, dresses and skirts.

AFM: nothing much going on aside from some pretty poor eating habits and not a lot of gym activity. Bad LC! Oh well, I had lots of busy meeting days, and today I had my 3rd interview so I burned my lunch hour on that instead of hitting the pilates class I wanted to go to. Oh well, there's always this weekend/next week.

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

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So sorry to hear your news, AMC I really hope there's no ectopic and am thinking of you- keep us updated.

 

[amc80]

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Well, I have no more answers than before. My doc couldn't see anything (as expected with a beta of 184). She said my ovaries and tube looked fine and didn't see any blood pooling. My lining is really thick, which I find odd seeing how I'm bleeding. I have to get another blood draw tomorrow and then another ultrasound on Monday. Oh, and a Rhogam shot to add to the fun. I really hope that my beta goes way up tomorrow (doubles like it should) or has gone down. But with my luck it will probably have gone up some small amount.

 

[mia1181]

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AMC- So sorry you still don't any definitive answers. How is the bleeding? Hoping for good beta results tomorrow!



LC-

AFM: nothing much going on aside from some pretty poor eating habits and not a lot of gym activity. Bad LC! Oh well, I had lots of busy meeting days, and today I had my 3rd interview so I burned my lunch hour on that instead of hitting the pilates class I wanted to go to. Oh well, there's always this weekend/next week.

The bolded sums of my life right now too! I did go to the gym today but I can admit that I only put in half effort.

O's party theme is "Pink Lemonade" which is really funny because I usually avoid the color pink on my daughter's clothes and toys! I just really thought there was a lot I could do with the lemonade theme and I thought about keeping it gender neutral, but I figured people would wonder why I didn't go with the obvious pink. I am not militant about it or anything but I don't feel like everything my daughter touches needs to be pink. And here I am into the planning and there is a lot of pink, and I am second guessing it, but it is too late!

 

[amc80]

Re: Re:

AMC- So sorry you still don't any definitive answers. How is the bleeding? Hoping for good beta results tomorrow!

The bleeding is weird. I haven't filled up a pad all day (or come close), but a lot comes out when I go to the bathroom. And (TMI warning) it's not just blood, it's like ewcm mixed with blood. Which is normally how AF starts out for me but by now it definitely would have kicked in by this point.So I guess I'm officially in a state of "I have no idea what is going on." Speaking of healthy eating, DH took me to get ice cream after the appointment.

 

[dani13]

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Oh Amc, I'm really sorry to hear this. Hoping all is ok and it's a simple process going forward. Hugs.

 

[aviastar]

Re: Re:

AMC- So sorry you still don't any definitive answers. How is the bleeding? Hoping for good beta results tomorrow!

The bleeding is weird. I haven't filled up a pad all day (or come close), but a lot comes out when I go to the bathroom. And (TMI warning) it's not just blood, it's like ewcm mixed with blood. Which is normally how AF starts out for me but by now it definitely would have kicked in by this point.So I guess I'm officially in a state of "I have no idea what is going on." Speaking of healthy eating, DH took me to get ice cream after the appointment.

Ice cream is healthy for the soul.

 

[missrachelk]

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AMC - stay strong. I hope you get answers soon. Being in limbo is so tough.

Bright - my biggest advice is to go for the maternity pants with the really thin, pantyhose type material over the belly (mine are from Motherhood) I MUCH preferred these kind to the ones where the material is thicker, like a tank top. The thin hose type stuff didn't dig in at the top of my belly, some of the more jersey material ones actually have an elastic at the top, those drove me nuts.

I'm actually still fine too in regular pants (with a rubberband for a little extra room) I also think I look definitely more round, but my coworkers and hubby disagree.

I also have a pair of maternity 'spanx' type shorts that I got from a pea in the pod - these are heavenly! They aren't very tight at all over the belly, but give some support, and kept me from chafing when wearing skirts and dresses through the sticky hot summer. The little bit of support is really nice under a loose dress.

I was able to get a bunch of non maternity dresses that worked great. I typically wear a medium and these are either M or L, and when I tried them on I just pushed out the belly to see if they seemed like they'd work. I think this is a really good way to save some $$$


I decided to go ahead and tell people early this time. For me it feels good. If things took a turn for the worse, I don't think I'd have trouble dealing with the aftermath. Besides I like feeling the support sooner rather than keeping a secret.

Hi everyone else! I'm still trucking along, nausea worst first thing in the morning and evenings (of course I feel badly during my only couple hours with dd during the week) Add to that DD is being *ahem* challenging lately. I am starting to look into positive parenting, to try to really formulate my parenting philosophy and get a handle on my reactions. I have a hard time keeping my cool when I'm getting headbutted when I'm trying to read bedtime stories.

 

[pancake]

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amc - I'm so sorry you are going through all this uncertainty! I can imagine in your situation I would just want things resolved one way or the other - I mean, obviously a positive outcome for the pregnancy is the far preferable one, but the limbo must be the hardest part.

LC I remember all the support I got from my preggo and new mama buddies in the 0-12m thread when all the crap was raining down a couple of years ago (can't believe it's almost been that long). It really helped me in my darker moments (of which there were MANY). I guess now, I just think that life is in a much better spot than 6 or 12 or 18 months ago, and I can't let this whole thing rule my psyche - need to just get on with things (which we do) and leave it to the legal brains. Back to pregnancy matters - the MS is better, thanks! I still needed to take meds yesterday morning and I still feel intermittently crap but not non-functional-ugh-get-me-out-of-my-body sick any more! Thank goodness. Your eating poorly and not exercising line made me giggle. Last pregnancy I remember eating a lot of white carbs and Kit Kats (Australian chocolate bar). This time around I ate a lot of McDonalds and drank soda (which I NEVER EVER EVER do - I don't even like it under normal non-preg circumstances!). We all do what we gotta do

brightspot, I am so glad that things are going well and that the move is over and done with! Hopefully now things will be a bit less eventful and you can focus on enjoying being pregnant and the joy that is to come. Re your scan date - I probably would see if I could move it - they would need to get it done within the following 10 days or fortnight anyway so if it could be scheduled on the day of your new appointment that would save time for everyone, and 11w5d is definitely within the acceptable window. Enjoy telling your father (I hope it happens for his birthday!) - I can imagine your family is going to be BEYOND thrilled to hear this news! Re belly... both this time and last time I have been incredibly bloated for most of the first trimester. This time, that's compounded by my abdominal wall having been stretched out once before and there were evenings when I honestly looked 5 months pregnant!!! It's definitely settled down a bit in the last week though, same thing happened last week, and my uterus has definitely popped up into my pelvis and I can feel it down there now. Can also feel early Braxton Hicks contractions, fun (not). Otherwise I don't have a real "bump" yet - just at the beginning of the "not-looking-pregnant-just-slightly-fat" stage - the glamour!

Re mat pants - I bought two pairs of Mavi jeans, they are under-the-bump with elastic inserts, which work better for me earlier on. I will switch to over-the-bump later, but at the moment I don't have enough of a bump for them to hang onto, so they slide down. These ones are great - super-stretchy and look just like regular skinny jeans.

mia the constipation is just awful, isn't it! Mine was worse still once I started taking ondansetron/Zofran for the nausea. I was taking Coloxyl (2 tabs twice a day), Metamucil, and drinking heaps of water - and it would JUST keep me comfortable, most of the time. Things have definitely improved in the last week, so just do your best to get on top of it now, it won't last forever! Also, lately I have had to re-wash several loads of laundry. I just cannot get it together!

anchor hope you are having more "good" MS days than bad ones!

ello, haven't seen you in here for a while - hope everything is ok, my friend xx

Rachel, great idea to step back a little and work out how you and DH would like to approach your little one's challenging behaviours! Don't put too much pressure on yourself, though - no such thing as the perfect parent. I am definitely NOT perfect and I am guilty of being a bit curt with S at times even though she is really on the easygoing end of the spectrum, but I think I do a good job overall and I think DH and I are a great team. I'm sure you guys are are the same. It is hard when you're feeling super-fatigued and nauseous, too.

PPM, hope you are trucking along well

AFM, no news. MS is still slowly on its way out (could it please just EXIT already!) and I'm edging towards the end of the first tri. Actually, I'll be 13 weeks on Sunday so it's really soon! Scan is on Tuesday and am feeling a little anxious, don't know why. I think it's just that until you KNOW there's no bad news, the latter is always a possibility, y'know? Provided all is well, we will tell our extended families and friends next week.

 

[amc80]

Hi ladies! "Good" news- HCG dropped to 27. I've never been so happy to see a falling beta. I'm hoping it's completely out if my system in the next few days so I can move on to the next cycle.

 

[BrightSpot]

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Drive by post for Amc...I'm so sorry to hear that this pregnancy isn't viable, but that's a relief that the situation seems to be resolving on its own as the other alternatives really aren't fun. I so hope you get a sticky bean in there very soon. (And I think you will...)

Sending you a big hug. I hope you can get some rest & do something nice for yourself this weekend.

 

[lliang_chi]

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AMC, I'm glad you have a definitive answer. You got pregnant right away w/B the cycle after your first CP. Maybe you'll have the same results this time around.

And, I'll be joining you back in the TTC thread. At my dating U/S today they didn't see a heartbeat. Sprout was dated at 8w2d, so must've been just after my appointment last week. I'll have a D&C scheduled for next week sometime. Hopefully I'll be back on this thread soon. I'll still be following you ladies along; tons of sticky dust to the rest of you.

~LC

 

[amc80]

Re: Re:

AMC, I'm glad you have a definitive answer. You got pregnant right away w/B the cycle after your first CP. Maybe you'll have the same results this time around.

And, I'll be joining you back in the TTC thread. At my dating U/S today they didn't see a heartbeat. Sprout was dated at 8w2d, so must've been just after my appointment last week. I'll have a D&C scheduled for next week sometime. Hopefully I'll be back on this thread soon. I'll still be following you ladies along; tons of sticky dust to the rest of you.

~LC

Oh, LC, I'm so sorry

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. I am optimistic I'll be back here soon. I just spoke with my OB- she wants me to get my levels checked in about a week to make sure they've gone under 5. Best of luck to all of you, and thank you so much for the support.

 

[anchor31]

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I'm very sorry, LC and AMC. Lots of love and hugs.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

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LC and amc, I'm so, so sorry. I'm thinking of you both and hope you're back to posting on this thread soon. LC, I'm so sorry you have to have a d&c, but hope it goes as smoothly as possible for you.

 

[megumic]

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Sending loads of love and hugs to LC and Amc. Hoping you are able to heal and trust. Will be thinking of you both often.

 

[pancake]

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LC - I'm so sorry to hear that. Hope you and J are holding up ok, big love to you.

amc I am sorry to know definitely that this wasn't meant to be this time, but totally understand what you mean when you call it "good" news.

I hope you'll both be back here very soon, when you're ready.

 

[mia1181]

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LC- I can't believe it, I am so sorry. Hoping for a smooth recovery and that you will be back on this thread soon! Hugs!


AMC- I was hoping for better news but I'm glad that you finally have an answer. Hopefully the betas will continue to drop at that rate and you will be on to the next cycle in no time. Hugs!

 

[BrightSpot]

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LC, I'm shocked & heartbroken to hear your news. I'm so sorry. I hope that the D&C goes as smoothly as possible & that you can take some time to grieve & heal. I also hope to see you back here very soon. Big hugs to you, friend.

 

[Clairitek]

Ohhh nooo LC. I'm so sorry to hear that. Take care of yourself.

 

[Clairitek]

AMC- sorry that things didn't work out but I'm glad you have a definitive answer on what's going on.