Tuesday, July 28, 2009
13 weeks- Say hello to the second trimester!!!
Holy Moly, the first trimester is through!! I am pretty sure that means that the trio have graduated from embryos to fetuses. Of course, they have been fetuses to us ever since they starting looking human. So far so good on this first day of my second trimester. Our spirits have definitely improved from last week and we are able to start thinking more into the future. Thoughts of nursery, mini-vans, car seats, etc are a bit overwhelming but so fun to think about. I can't wait until we get to find out the genders!! I normally would never have found out with just a singleton pregnancy, but in our present situation we need to avoid all surprises. Our next ultrasound is next Friday, August 6th. I will be about 14 1/2 weeks, so there is a chance they will be able to tell, but I bet we will have to wait another two weeks after that. Anyway, hope you are all doing well. Below is the 13th week update from babycenter.com. Three little shrimp!!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Great News!
Hey everyone! Well, we just got back from our recheck ultrasound. Things are looking much better. Believe it or not, the hygroma has completely gone away! There was absolutely NO evidence of any abnormalities on any of the babies. You just have no idea what a relief that was for us.
Now, we would love to say that that is that. Unfortunately, there is still a risk that there is an issue. The fact that the hygroma was ever there means that we are automatically at higher risk, however, the risks are much lower than they were last week. The chance that things will be totally fine are much higher than last week too. So, clearly this is good news, but we are not in the clear yet. We had a really nice chat with our doctor and this is the plan...
We are going to recheck the ultrasound in 2 weeks to check to be sure that the hygroma is still absent. If things still look good, then we will probably wait until I am about 18 weeks along before we do the amniocentesis (sampling the fluid surrounding the babies). That will check for any chromosomal issues. At the same time, we will do a very high tech/detailed ultrasound of all the babies anatomy, especially the heart and circulatory system. Once we get that information, we will truly know if we are in the clear or if we have some things to think about.
On a side note, can I just say that I can't believe how big these little guys/gals are getting? It is amazing! Every week that passes they grow exponentially! We could see arms, legs, faces, etc. They actually look human now... and not space aliens. :) They are all about 6.4 cm (about 2.5 inches!) and all their heart rates look great!
So, that's about it. Thanks to everyone for all their support over the last week. It was a really hard week, but things are looking up now. Keep the thoughts and prayers coming. We could use every bit of it we can get. I just wanted to say as well, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments section. I will do my best to answer any questions you may have. Love to you all. Next big update in 2 weeks!
Love, Nellie
Now, we would love to say that that is that. Unfortunately, there is still a risk that there is an issue. The fact that the hygroma was ever there means that we are automatically at higher risk, however, the risks are much lower than they were last week. The chance that things will be totally fine are much higher than last week too. So, clearly this is good news, but we are not in the clear yet. We had a really nice chat with our doctor and this is the plan...
We are going to recheck the ultrasound in 2 weeks to check to be sure that the hygroma is still absent. If things still look good, then we will probably wait until I am about 18 weeks along before we do the amniocentesis (sampling the fluid surrounding the babies). That will check for any chromosomal issues. At the same time, we will do a very high tech/detailed ultrasound of all the babies anatomy, especially the heart and circulatory system. Once we get that information, we will truly know if we are in the clear or if we have some things to think about.
On a side note, can I just say that I can't believe how big these little guys/gals are getting? It is amazing! Every week that passes they grow exponentially! We could see arms, legs, faces, etc. They actually look human now... and not space aliens. :) They are all about 6.4 cm (about 2.5 inches!) and all their heart rates look great!
So, that's about it. Thanks to everyone for all their support over the last week. It was a really hard week, but things are looking up now. Keep the thoughts and prayers coming. We could use every bit of it we can get. I just wanted to say as well, if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments section. I will do my best to answer any questions you may have. Love to you all. Next big update in 2 weeks!
Love, Nellie
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
12 weeks
Time for a weekly update. Not too much to report since last time. Trying to keep our heads up, although it's really hard with the information that we have. Hope to get a lot more information in 2 days at our next ultrasound. Please say a prayer or wish to your lucky star that the babies will be safe. Thanks for all the support...
How your baby's growing:The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce
How your baby's growing:The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Ultrasound results... a potential bump in the road
Hey everyone,
So, we had our ultrasound and consult with the specialists today. Unfortunately, things didn't go as smoothly as we had hoped. We got through the first part of the ultrasound with no troubles. In fact, they are big enough now that they did an abdominal ultrasoud first (on the outside). All three babies are nearly 2 inches long and all three have good solid heart rates around 160. We were actually pretty excited that Baby C's (the singleton) heart rate had come up to join the others. That was a nice relief. The rest of the abdominal ultrasound went well and we were tickled that everything was going as planned.
The next step was to get the vaginal ultrasound to take a peek at my cervix, as well as getting a closer look at the babies. It was here that we found the problem. While looking up close at each baby, the ultrasound tech noticed that there was a significant change in Baby B (one of the identical twins). She noted that there was some fluid accumulation along the back of his/her neck. This is officially termed a "cystic hygroma" and it is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid. After the ultrasound, we were taken to see the genetic counselor, which sort of made us realize that this was potentially a pretty serious issue. She was a very nice woman (as seems to be the trend with everyone who works at MFM) and she went over some of the causes of this abnormality. This topic can get kind of technical and confusing, but I will try to keep it as simple as possible.
To try and start on a positive note, there is a chance that this will go away and not cause any issues. This is obviously what we will all hope for. If it does not go away, there are a number of possible causes that we will have to look into. One of the main causes is a chromasomal defect, like Down's Syndrome. Some of these defects are mild and manageable and some are more significant and could cause serious health troubles or even death of the fetus. Heart defects are another common cause of the fluid accumulation and also have a range of outcomes, from mild defects to life-ending defects. There is just no way for us to know right now exactly what is causing this and what the next step is.
With guidance from our new doctor, Dr. Pinette, we have decided to take another look in one week. Based on what we see at that point, we will decide how to proceed. More than likely, we will need to do some further testing, like placental sampling or amniotic fluid sampling. This will help to determine what is going on, especially if there is a chromosomal defect. Information will be our biggest ally going forward. One of the complicating issues is that we have to consider not only the possible outcomes of Baby B, but also how this outcome could potentially affect Baby A. The fact that they share a placenta means that we have to consider both of them with every step we take. Luckily, Baby C really should have no ill affects from any of this and our hopes are that his/her siblings will do the same.
I could go on for quite some time about all the information that we acquired today, but I think that's enough for now. I don't want to complicate things any more than they already are... plus I need a nap. We hope that you will all think good thoughts for our little Baby B. We will let you know any more info as soon as we get it, which probably won't be until next week.
Lots of love, Nellie
So, we had our ultrasound and consult with the specialists today. Unfortunately, things didn't go as smoothly as we had hoped. We got through the first part of the ultrasound with no troubles. In fact, they are big enough now that they did an abdominal ultrasoud first (on the outside). All three babies are nearly 2 inches long and all three have good solid heart rates around 160. We were actually pretty excited that Baby C's (the singleton) heart rate had come up to join the others. That was a nice relief. The rest of the abdominal ultrasound went well and we were tickled that everything was going as planned.
The next step was to get the vaginal ultrasound to take a peek at my cervix, as well as getting a closer look at the babies. It was here that we found the problem. While looking up close at each baby, the ultrasound tech noticed that there was a significant change in Baby B (one of the identical twins). She noted that there was some fluid accumulation along the back of his/her neck. This is officially termed a "cystic hygroma" and it is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid. After the ultrasound, we were taken to see the genetic counselor, which sort of made us realize that this was potentially a pretty serious issue. She was a very nice woman (as seems to be the trend with everyone who works at MFM) and she went over some of the causes of this abnormality. This topic can get kind of technical and confusing, but I will try to keep it as simple as possible.
To try and start on a positive note, there is a chance that this will go away and not cause any issues. This is obviously what we will all hope for. If it does not go away, there are a number of possible causes that we will have to look into. One of the main causes is a chromasomal defect, like Down's Syndrome. Some of these defects are mild and manageable and some are more significant and could cause serious health troubles or even death of the fetus. Heart defects are another common cause of the fluid accumulation and also have a range of outcomes, from mild defects to life-ending defects. There is just no way for us to know right now exactly what is causing this and what the next step is.
With guidance from our new doctor, Dr. Pinette, we have decided to take another look in one week. Based on what we see at that point, we will decide how to proceed. More than likely, we will need to do some further testing, like placental sampling or amniotic fluid sampling. This will help to determine what is going on, especially if there is a chromosomal defect. Information will be our biggest ally going forward. One of the complicating issues is that we have to consider not only the possible outcomes of Baby B, but also how this outcome could potentially affect Baby A. The fact that they share a placenta means that we have to consider both of them with every step we take. Luckily, Baby C really should have no ill affects from any of this and our hopes are that his/her siblings will do the same.
I could go on for quite some time about all the information that we acquired today, but I think that's enough for now. I don't want to complicate things any more than they already are... plus I need a nap. We hope that you will all think good thoughts for our little Baby B. We will let you know any more info as soon as we get it, which probably won't be until next week.
Lots of love, Nellie
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
11 weeks!
Can you believe we're almost through the first trimester?!?! I can't. This is a big week, as we have an ultrasound and consult with the specialists in 2 days. I am really excited about it and think we will really learn a lot about what to expect going forward. Hopefully I'll have a lot of info to fill you in after that appointment. And of course, we will have more images from the ultrasound. Figs!! I am already starting to show. Not to the general public, but Nathan and I can both tell. None of my pants fit at the waist. I have been trying to eat what they tell me I should for triplets, but it's really hard! I mean, 3000+ calories, 150-200g protein, 1-2 lbs/week?!?! I have been so tired, my appetite just isn't there. I try to eat lots of small meals which helps. They say I should get a little bit of a second wind in the second trimester, but that the exhaustion is very common with triplets and may not get much better. I just have to take it easy... easier said than done. Nathan has been absolutely wonderful, pampering me, cooking dinners, making sure I get what I am supposed to. I couldn't be doing it without him. Anyway, that's a little update. Below is the 11 week update from babycenter.com. Talk to you Thursday!!
She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.
How your baby's growing:
Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.
Monday, July 6, 2009
10 weeks (tomorrow!)
I know it's a day early, but it's my day off, so it's easier to concentrate on Mondays. :) Tomorrow is 10 weeks. I can't believe how fast this is all going. Here is what babycenter.com has to say about the 10 week mark. What the heck is a kumquat?!?!
How your baby's growing:Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.See the big picture
One last thing... I spoke with the wonderful people over at the MFM specialists office today. They were also a little appalled at the lack of guidance and doctor intervention that I have had so far with my OBs office. I am happy to report that I will be transferring my care over to them. They have pushed my ultrasound and consult with the specialists to next Thursday. So, now I only have to wait another week and half instead of three weeks. I am feeling really good about the care I will get there. So, the next you will hear from me is hopefully my 11 week update, and then it will be time for the next ultrasound!
Nellie
How your baby's growing:Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.See the big picture
One last thing... I spoke with the wonderful people over at the MFM specialists office today. They were also a little appalled at the lack of guidance and doctor intervention that I have had so far with my OBs office. I am happy to report that I will be transferring my care over to them. They have pushed my ultrasound and consult with the specialists to next Thursday. So, now I only have to wait another week and half instead of three weeks. I am feeling really good about the care I will get there. So, the next you will hear from me is hopefully my 11 week update, and then it will be time for the next ultrasound!
Nellie
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Second Ultrasound Results...finally.
Ok- I worked it out. A little change in the labels on the babes. They aren't 1, 2, and 3 anymore, but A, B, and C. A and B are the twins. "A" is located closest to my cervix, so on these transvaginal (it is what it sounds like) ultrasounds, it is the baby closest to the top of the screen. "B" is just below that. They are in the same placenta, which is the large black area (fluid). In the pictures to the left, they look like they are in different sacs, but that is just the angle that the ultrasound was taken. From now on, because they are getting bigger, they said it will be hard to get them all on one screen. On the ultrasound and on some of the still photos you may be able to 
see a very thin circular line surround each A and B. Those are the amniotic sacs. Baby C is the singleton is it's own placenta. It is located at the bottom of the screen. It is actually pretty hard to see C because it is pretty high up in my uterus and it's hard to visualize with the transvaginal ultrasound. I scanned all three of the wee ones onto one .jpeg so they are in order, A, B, and C. Once we get to the abdominal ultrasound (probe is on the outside on my belly looking in) it will be easier to see C. I'm not sure when that is. So, without further ado, here are the numbers! Some explanation to follow.
Baby A: measures 2.31 cm with a heart rate of 167
Baby B: measures 2.26 cm with a heart rate of 174
Baby C: measures 2.36 cm with a heart rate of 124*
* One of the big reasons that I want to get in to see the specialists sooner rather than later is that I was a little concerned that Baby C's heart rate was a little slower than the others. I am comforted by a few things, however. First, like I said above, C is a little hard to visualize because it's so far away from the ultrasound transducer. When I watch the ultrasound on DVD, it looks like the ultrasound tech had a hard time getting a good view of the heart. The other thing is that she showed the results to the doctor right after we were done (although I didn't get to speak with him) and he said looks good, let's see her in 4 weeks. From what I have read, if there was a problem, they would have had me come back in 7-10 days. So, I am comforted by the lack of alarm by the professionals. It would be nice to actually chat with one of them about it, and I hope to get that accomplished this week. Lastly, Baby C is the biggest of the three, so in my mind that shows that it is thriving.
So, there you go! I'll let you know what I hear from the MFM specialists. Still feeling great and loving every week that we get through that brings us closer to the day we get to meet them all!!
Nellie
see a very thin circular line surround each A and B. Those are the amniotic sacs. Baby C is the singleton is it's own placenta. It is located at the bottom of the screen. It is actually pretty hard to see C because it is pretty high up in my uterus and it's hard to visualize with the transvaginal ultrasound. I scanned all three of the wee ones onto one .jpeg so they are in order, A, B, and C. Once we get to the abdominal ultrasound (probe is on the outside on my belly looking in) it will be easier to see C. I'm not sure when that is. So, without further ado, here are the numbers! Some explanation to follow.Baby A: measures 2.31 cm with a heart rate of 167
Baby B: measures 2.26 cm with a heart rate of 174
Baby C: measures 2.36 cm with a heart rate of 124*
* One of the big reasons that I want to get in to see the specialists sooner rather than later is that I was a little concerned that Baby C's heart rate was a little slower than the others. I am comforted by a few things, however. First, like I said above, C is a little hard to visualize because it's so far away from the ultrasound transducer. When I watch the ultrasound on DVD, it looks like the ultrasound tech had a hard time getting a good view of the heart. The other thing is that she showed the results to the doctor right after we were done (although I didn't get to speak with him) and he said looks good, let's see her in 4 weeks. From what I have read, if there was a problem, they would have had me come back in 7-10 days. So, I am comforted by the lack of alarm by the professionals. It would be nice to actually chat with one of them about it, and I hope to get that accomplished this week. Lastly, Baby C is the biggest of the three, so in my mind that shows that it is thriving.
So, there you go! I'll let you know what I hear from the MFM specialists. Still feeling great and loving every week that we get through that brings us closer to the day we get to meet them all!!
Nellie
Friday, July 3, 2009
9 weeks! (a little late)
Oops, I forgot to post the 9 week update. I will post it below. Otherwise, things are still going well. We are in the middle of a little confusion with which doctors we are seeing and when we are seeing them. I am a little bit of a worrier and would like to see the Maternal-Fetal medicine (MFM) specialists as soon as possible, but as of right now, I'm not scheduled to see them until July 27th. I saw my OB on Monday after the second ultrasound. I wasn't exactly pleased with the information she gave me, which was pretty much nothing. She really had no advice on nutrition, good references, etc. It's was like, ok- you're having triplets, congratultions, we'll see you next time. That's not really what I was looking for. I think it's pretty important for a first time mother to have some guidance, ESPECIALLY with three babies inside me!! Hopefully I will be in touch with the MFM people early next week so I can get in to see them.
Still working on scanning the ultrasound images so I can post them here. Below is the 9 week update.
How your baby's growing:Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.
Until next time...
Still working on scanning the ultrasound images so I can post them here. Below is the 9 week update.
How your baby's growing:Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.
Until next time...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)