What I left you with in my update a couple of weeks ago wasn’t the most positive note! And things were not getting better which is why I didn’t get an update posted last week as I had planned. In fact, things were seemingly getting worse, and changing so rapidly, that I wanted to wait until the dust had settled and I, myself, had a better understanding of what was going on.
But at 14 weeks, 4 days along, I am so happy to report that it looks like I may have a more calm few days {or hopefully weeks and months} to look forward to. So, let me fill you in on what the past couple weeks has been like dealing with an SCH {subchorionic hemorrhage bleed}.
13 Weeks Pregnant
Last week was the worst week, by far, in dealing with this SCH issue. On Wednesday I started bleeding VERY heavily and started passing some significant sized clots. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was exactly like having a miscarriage. The same amount of pain, the same amount of bleeding, and unfortunately the same amount of heartache. I couldn’t imagine the baby surviving this. I had been forewarned of potential bleeding and pain such as this, but the warning didn’t calm me down at all once it actually started happening. My doctor did have me go in for an ultrasound, a pelvic exam, and a blood draw to do a complete blood count {they wanted to make sure I wasn’t losing too much blood, especially with being on blood thinners}.
Even though I was terrified going into the ultrasound, expecting the worst news, what we got to see was amazing. There was our little Cletus, just hanging out and wiggling around as if nothing was going on. The heartbeat was strong at 160 and Cletus even started sucking on his arm for us. I was sent home and told that given the baby is doing fine, and based on the size of my SCH and its location, that I was not to panic unless I started bleeding through more than one large pad an hour or passing a clot the size of my fist. I laughed a little when they told me that because if I passed a clot the size of a fist, I would probably pass out from sheer terror, hit my head on the bathroom vanity, and be way worse off.
Cletus just hanging out…
Cletus sucking on his arm…
What a talented baby Cletus already is!
The next day {after the ultrasound} was the worst of them all. And Tylenol was NOT helping with the pain. Even though it felt like I was having a miscarriage, I just had to keep reminding myself that Cletus was alive and strong and that this would pass.
By the weekend the bleeding had pretty much stopped. I couldn’t believe how quickly things changed. The pain still remained, however, and is still pretty bad. But aside from a couple momentary bleeding incidents the past couple of days, the pain is all I have been having to deal with.
14 Weeks Pregnant
Which brings me to this week! I knew I just had to make it to yesterday. Yesterday I had a check-up to see how the SCH had been behaving and to listen for the baby’s heartbeat. In my heart I knew this appointment was going to be a pivotal point for my psyche. Either the baby had survived the past week or there was an issue. But given that I was now officially into the second trimester {something I have never been able to get to}, I knew that if Cletus was still doing well that this baby would be my miracle and survive what terrible conditions I have been giving it thus far {or, at least what my uterus has been providing}.
So, I went over the entire week with my OB. Given that I am still having some substantial pain, even though it has gotten slightly better, I am still going in for another check-up next week. But, it is more just to see if we can solve the pain at that point {assuming it might be from something other than the SCH bleed}, and not necessarily because we are concerned there may be something wrong with Cletus.
Then, the moment of truth came. Time to check for the heartbeat. Prior to even trying, my OB did warn me that the doppler still had the end on for pregnancies that were just a bit further along than I was and that she may need to go switch it. She couldn’t find the heartbeat, and had to go switch ends, but even with her forewarning I was starting to worry.
However, the next go around, she picked up Cletus’s heartbeat right away and it was chugging along at a nice 160 bpm.
So there we have it! As of right now, we have a strong 14 week, 4 day old baby. I am less anxious and a little more excited today than I have been in quite a while. The anxiety will never fully go away, but I am starting to let myself dream about what it will really be like in just a few short months to have a baby! I am already looking forward to next Friday’s check-up, but for now I am very happy!
All about my 14th Week of Pregnancy :
How far along today: 14 weeks, 4 days
The baby is the size of a: A Lemon
The baby is working on: Right now, baby is probably sucking his thumb and wiggling his toes! And he’s growing lanugo, a thin, peach-fuzz-like hair, all over his body — it will help him keep warm. Also, his kidneys are making urine, and his liver and spleen are doing their jobs, too.
Gender: Unknown {although I really feel like it is a boy}
Maternity clothes: I am loving my one pair of maternity jeans and still continue to rock the yoga pants!
Stretch marks: Not yet. As of yesterday, I have only gained five pounds during the pregnancy, but I know from here on out things will begin to expand much more quickly!
Belly button in or out: In, but Graham thinks it is on the verge of starting to make the move of popping out.
Sleep: Still sleeping on the couch….still fear needing a quick break to the bathroom. But, otherwise, I am sleeping okay.
Best moments this week: Hearing the heartbeat yesterday
Worst moment this week: It was last week, on the day I had to relive all of my miscarriages
Funniest {embarrassing} moment of this week: When my OB thought I was going to ask about when we could have sex when I was really just asking when we could “safely” start to feel excited about the pregnancy
Miss anything: I would give up anything to have this baby, so right now I am not really feeling deprived of anything {other than not being able to see my family, especially my mom as it is her birthday today!}
Movement: I cannot feel it yet, but I know Cletus is in there wiggling around
Cravings: I have been having heartburn a lot lately, so I like to eat things that seem to help with that {for me it is milk and watermelon}
Queasy or sick: Besides dealing with the SCH, just a bit of heartburn
Looking forward to: The appointment next week to check on the heartbeat again!
If you want to get caught up on our four-year-long story that lead up to this pregnancy, make sure to check out my posts as a part of the “Surviving Infertility” category.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
My Entire Pregnancy Story
This post was all about being pregnant with my first son, Laughton. After a complicated, high-risk pregnancy, he was born on Mother’s Day 2014 at 28 weeks with a rare condition and passed away shortly after birth. If you would like to read about what my husband and I experienced during the pregnancy, and as we began the grieving process, here is a list of all the posts in order for you:
5 Weeks Pregnant :: pregnancy announcement
6 Weeks Pregnant :: morning sickness cure
7 Weeks Pregnant :: cramping, betas, and a heart-shaped uterus
8 Weeks Pregnant :: normal spotting and a 3D ultrasound
9 Weeks Pregnant :: a calm week
12 Weeks Pregnant :: subchorionic bleed
14 Weeks Pregnant :: the check after the subchorionic bleed
18 Weeks Pregnant :: the first kicks
19 Weeks Pregnant :: the gender guessing game
20 Weeks Pregnant :: when the abnormalities were discovered
22 Weeks Pregnant :: having to make a tough decision
25 Weeks Pregnant :: excessive amniotic fluid
28 Weeks Pregnant :: too beautiful for earth – surviving infant loss