Baby Update

First things first, we are having a.......

BOY!

This little boy is doing just fine, as is his mami, most days. So the amneo tests came back and everything looked good and normal. He had his first MRI, and that went well, too. Then we went to meet Dr. Carson, a pediatric neurosurgian at Hopkins and have a consultation with him. He said that there is some hydrasephalis (water brain), so we will have to closely monitor that with ultrasound. If there gets to be too much water, they will have to deliver him sooner.

When he's born, they will check to see if the defect is closed or not. If it's covered by skin completely, then he won't need surgery until he's 3-6 months old. If it's covered with a membrane, he will need surgury within 24-48 hours. They will scan his head via ultrasound and check to see if the water is building up in the brain. He will most likely need a shunt in his head which will drain the excess fluid into his stomach so his brain can grow normally. If he has surgury right after birth, he will be in the NICU for about 10 days. They will also scan his bladder and catheterize him to see if he's voiding as he should. People with spina bifida defects that are really low sometimes have a harder time voiding properly, and it can cause problems with the kidneys, so they want to try and avoid that if possible. This kiddo will need to have surgury every time he has a growth spurt to loosen up all of the tendens and such so he doesn't have back problems and loose feeling in his lower body if he has it. If he can move his legs when he's born, then he will most likely be able to move them after surgury. He might have braces to help him walk. On Tuesday (the 19th) he will get an echo cardiogram to make sure his ticker is okay. They will also check out the rest of him and my placenta (since it's been tearing away....so not cool) while they do the echo.

My life isn't going to be the same. I can't say that I'm looking forward to this challenge and change in my life, but I know that this sweet baby was sent to me for a reason. I accept that gladly. Most days I'm okay, but sometimes I just cry because I don't want my child to go through so much challenge with all of the surguries, and I don't really know what's going to happen until he gets here. That scares me a little bit. I am a person who needs details! I'm not getting all of the details here, and that's hard.

Today I went to the doctor's for my usual check up. I'm 22 weeks now! And guess what, I am 138 lbs! That's three pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight! Time for some serious celebration, folks! I told my mom the other day that this is the quickest I've gained weight during pregnancy. And that is no lie. I am SO happy to not be sick right now. On the down side, I'm still able to fit into my regular clothes. (Well, it's not really a down side, I guess. I just wish I looked a little more pregnant.) I have to eat every 1 1/2 hours or I feel really really sick. And I have to eat a full meal, not just a snack. Still, with all of that, I'm not gaining tons of weight. I told that to my doctor and she said, "We usually don't tell our patients this, but EAT a LOT! You need to gain more weight, girl!" Seriously, I AM eating a lot. You can ask anyone that lives with me. It is never ending.

So that's the news. Next post will be something unrelated to this pregnancy. Maybe I will get my cute punkin and choo-choo back on here.