Blood Clot
I am taking Lovenox because the first year I was married I had a blood clot in my leg. They did a ton of tests and found out that I have factor five leiden, which basically means my body doesn't stop making clots, its gets carried away. Normally as long as I move around enough, or take a baby aspirin when I travel its not a big deal. But when I am pregnant or on the pill (I was when I got my clot), my chances of getting a blood clot go up quite a bit, especially since I had a clot before which is another added risk factor. To keep me from getting a clot which could be fatal to me (if it goes to the lungs, heart, or brain), or to the baby (blood clots can form in the umbilical cord and I found out with Joshua in the placenta), I take the blood thinner to avoid problems.
Another premature baby?
Deciding to get pregnant again was a hard thing for me. Joshua has done really well, but it has been a lot of work to keep him caught up, and I have seen the work and struggles my friends with preemies have had to do to keep them caught up. That's not to mention all the scariness of the NICU. 
I had several dreams after Joshua was born of having another premature baby. Fortunately those dreams have stopped since I got pregnant, and in all the dreams the baby came later than Joshua and was healthy, just little.
I had several dreams after Joshua was born of having another premature baby. Fortunately those dreams have stopped since I got pregnant, and in all the dreams the baby came later than Joshua and was healthy, just little.I had also talked to someone in the NICU that had three premature babies. Each one came progressively earlier. I don't know what made her babies come early, but 28 weeks where Joshua was born is the earliest where they have a really good chance coming out problem free. 
I don't want one coming earlier than that. I also felt bad experimenting on the second child to see if I can carry a baby long enough. I felt like Joshua wasn't my fault because I had no idea, but for this next one I had warning that there could be problems. But we prayed about it and decided that we should go ahead and try and get pregnant again.
I don't want one coming earlier than that. I also felt bad experimenting on the second child to see if I can carry a baby long enough. I felt like Joshua wasn't my fault because I had no idea, but for this next one I had warning that there could be problems. But we prayed about it and decided that we should go ahead and try and get pregnant again.I then talked to my OB office who referred me to a high risk planning doctor for a consultation. The high risk doctor said I have no other risk factors besides the factor five and the previous premature birth from a placental abruption. He said there was nothing they could really do to prevent another placental abruption, but I had an 85% chance of going to full term, and if I did go early there is a good chance I would go longer than I did with Joshua. 
He said I could go about my normal life while I was pregnant, and that the only thing they might do is do extra ultrasounds to make sure the placenta is still where it should be, and to make sure the baby is still growing adequately (placental problems can cause the baby to stop getting nutrients).
He said I could go about my normal life while I was pregnant, and that the only thing they might do is do extra ultrasounds to make sure the placenta is still where it should be, and to make sure the baby is still growing adequately (placental problems can cause the baby to stop getting nutrients).Since I have been pregnant I have felt alot better about it. I feel like no matter what happens it will be okay. I do look in partial envy at the normal babies in the ward (we have had a ton of new babies lately), that come home, eat well and without monitors and oxygen, 
and don't have to be quarantined, and just grow and progress normally without tons of worry. I hope my experience is closer to that this time around. In some ways I feel like a first time mom because I had two months to prepare to bring Joshua home, but if this baby comes term, within a couple of days we will just be sent home without all the training.
and don't have to be quarantined, and just grow and progress normally without tons of worry. I hope my experience is closer to that this time around. In some ways I feel like a first time mom because I had two months to prepare to bring Joshua home, but if this baby comes term, within a couple of days we will just be sent home without all the training.So for now we are just hoping and praying for at least 37 weeks. I have a question though. Am I allowed to complain about being giant and sick of being pregnant during the third trimester, even though I will be grateful to still be pregnant?
Of course you're allowed! I'm pretty sure most Moms are grateful to be pregnant, even when they're complaining about being uncomfortable. You'll just be extra grateful, but still uncomfortable. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post!! I've actually been wrestling a lot lately with the thought of getting pregnant again. I also feel like I would be experimenting with my child's life just to see if it would work. But I want more babies of my own. Clint and I are both ok with adopting but the more I think about it (which is A LOT) the more I want to try again. I know that it will be a deeply personal and prayerful decision that Clint and I will have to make but I feel better knowing your take on it. :) I'm also at a higher risk for blood clots and my Dr. just told me that I should take a baby aspirin everyday from now on... just as a precaution. I feel better about that. He also wants to put me on blood pressure medication and he said that would help with another pregnancy.. being on bp meds for a while before I get pregnant. We're not thinking about it anytime soon obviously. I think about it a lot but we won't do anything proactive for at least 2-3 years. We'll see how the next few years go for Darbi and we'll go from there. Thanks for answering my questions.. You really are a HUGE help! :)
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