What a difference a day makes or Can you guess the mystery fluid.

I guess I shouldn't be joking as this isn't really that funny of a situation. But if any of you remember the scan I had w Mimi when she was about 20 wks, then maybe you can understand... When I had my ultrasound w Mimi we were told she had a fibroid cyst on her brain, then we had to wait another month to do a follow up scan. That was one of the longest, stressful months of the pregnancy. There was nothing we could do & luckily when we went back, the cyst had disappeared. That said, I think I learned that when there is nothing you can do, maybe that is best. Worrying isn't going to change the outcome so I might as well stay as positive as I can. The reason this picture is on a gigantic white background is bc it was scanned in. If I had the patience to figure out how to cut out the extra ridiculous stuff, believe me, I would.


Today at about 23 wks, I went for my first real scan. They don't allow family in while they are taking the measurements (don't ask why, it's such a long story that doesn't really make any sense anyway) but that was actually ok as this time, Ryan was letting me find out the sex of the baby! He hasn't wanted to find out w either pregnancy, so this time I decided I didn't care! I was finding out & if he didn't want to, then I just wouldn't tell him! So yes, this time, I do know the sex of baby #3, but no, I'm not telling. You don't need to ask me again, I'm not telling! I think mainly bc I am scared if I start telling too many people I'm going to just forget & mention it to Ryan too! In which case, he may never forgive me! Haha. Right now I'm focusing on throwing 'he' & 'she' into randoms points of our conversation as a tactic to throw him off.
After they take all the measurements they allow the family to come in & then they showed Ryan a few shots of the baby they had taken & then let him watch the baby wiggle around a little.
As the tech was walking me thru all the standard shots they have to get, heart, stomach, spine, etc. There was a small mystery fluid in the baby's abdomen. It was very small & shaped like a tiny boomerang but I knew she wasn't sure what it was bc every time she saw it, she would mark it with a question mark. When I asked what it was she said it could be the bowel but told me she wanted the doctor to look at it before I left. She left the room & came back a few minutes later saying it was fine, she wasn't supposed to tell me, but they would probably be scheduling me for a follow up scan, but the doc would talk to me about it at my apt next week.
That was it.

We walked to the car & right as I was getting ready to pull out, the tech called my cell. She said I had to come back right then. Luckily Ryan hadn't made it very far either so I called him & said we had to go back. When we got back inside I saw the tech & she apologized for the whole thing & simply said, they just want to look at your placenta, but have a seat in the waiting room, as the scan room is occupied now. At that point I wasn't sure if they needed another scan of my placenta or maybe they had forgotten to take a picture for the doctor. The next thing I knew she came in saying, the doctor wants you to go up to Labor & Delivery & I have to take you in a wheelchair bc you can't walk! I think when she turned to get the chair is when I started crying! But I just worked out this morning, I said! I couldn't understand why I couldn't even walk to the elevator!

Ryan took Mimi & had to leave to pick Oliver up from Montessori, as it was 3 by then & it turned out I just went to the doctor's office. Apparently he had been in the L&D & that's why she thought she needed to take me there. haha... She threw in she was just giving me a tour of the hospital, I think mainly bc I felt like such an idiot sitting in the wheelchair & having people tip toeing around me like they might send me into labor.

So here's the deal. It looks like my placenta is lower than it should be & close to my cervix. If it gets any lower, it will cover my cervix & prevent me from having a normal vaginal delivery. I don't have placenta previa, but it could develop into that. Here's where you can read more about placenta previa. http://www.babycenter.com/0_placenta-previa_830.bc
They will schedule me for another scan in my 3rd trimester to see where my placenta is. Normally, the doc said, it will continue to move away from the cervix & the fact that I have never had any vaginal procedures & have had 2 normal deliveries is in my favor. The flip side of that is that if my placenta prevents me from having a vaginal birth, they will take the baby by c-section at 36 wks. Gulp. As you all know, c-section is one of my worst fears, but beyond that, having the baby born at 36 wks, when my babies make their appearance around wk 41 makes me very nervous. So right now I am focusing on an upward moving placenta!!!

As for the fluid in the baby's abdomen, it's a mystery. The doc said it could be the bowel, it could be something else. They just aren't able to tell right now. He checked all my screening tests & they all came back normal for my age & to his knowledge, this fluid was not a marker to indicate some problem. Basically it is just too early to tell. When I have the next scan hopefully the baby will be big enough to make some kind of determination about what it is. For now, it is just a question mark on the screen.

But that's not all - apparently, I also have some mystery fluid lurking in my placenta. They aren't sure whether is it amniotic or even blood but it's just hanging around in there being suspicious. For now, I am on pelvic rest. Meaning, I can't lift or carry anything, I can't jog, I can't do any strength training, basically I can't do anything I have been doing for the past 23 wks or anything where I would strain my abdomen. I'm not sure if that is due to the fluid or my placenta. I did ask if I could still walk & push the stroller & the doc said that was fine but it really only leaves me with more questions - can I strength train w lower resistance? can I lift the stroller out of the car? how about groceries???



So for now, I guess I'm taking it easy. I still plan to exercise but just not w the same gusto as before... My doc apt next week will probably elaborate on what I was told today & answer more questions as they come to us. And I guess only time will tell as to the mystery fluid in both baby & me.

I already know all of you will be thinking of us as we go thru the next few months & I'm really appreciative of all of your support. We were really pleased w how quickly the hospital acted & how efficient they were w getting me in to speak to the doctor. As for now, I will be complaining about all the stuff I can't do & enjoying keeping the secret of the baby's sex! hehe...