Third Trimester is Here

Yesterday marked DAY ONE of the third trimester and 28 weeks into the pregnancy. And if you notice the countdown ticker on the side of this blog says just "90" days to go! We are in the double digits! Yay! Here's the latest belly shot taken yesterday: 

My last appointment was 3 weeks ago and all is well with me and with baby. My regular doctor could not make it to the appointment, so I saw a different doctor. He made sure to thoroughly check my file which made me feel good. He noted that at the last ultrasound my placenta was still a little on the low side. He recommended having another follow up ultrasound around 32 weeks to check it out again. A low lying placenta can cause bleeding (though I have not experienced any, thank goodness) and it can also become dangerous for the labor/delivery if it detaches too early. Hopefully mine decides to mosey it's way up to a more suitable position, otherwise a c-section may be in my future (insert sad face here). But I will keep you posted as we go. My blood pressure looked good, and the baby's heartbeat sounded nice and strong. At this appointment I had gained 7lbs since my last appointment 4 weeks earlier (bringing me up to around 18lbs gained so far with this pregnancy). Doc said this should be OK, as long as I only gain about 2lbs/month for the remainder of the pregnancy. (Yea, we'll see about that one, doc!) I gained somewhere around 50lbs each with my last two pregnancies. What can I say? My oven grows big babies... and I like food, A LOT. :)  
 

Speaking of growing, here are some fun recent happenings as the belly grows larger: 

1. I officially have an "outtie" belly button now. 
2. Grocery bags get set on the counter and not on the floor anymore - bending over takes too much work! 
3. I try to not pick up my 2 year old as much as possible anymore, which is VERY hard to do, because I want to snuggle on him every chance I get. But at 30lbs, I think he is just too much for me and the belly. :(
4. Leggings have become my new best friend. 
and 5. I am a habitual side-sleeper-tosser. I toss from the left to the right at least half a dozen times during the night. A comfortable sleeping position is getting harder and harder to find.

It's hard to believe I am in the third trimester already! This journey has flown by and I know the next 3 months will feel no different, so I am trying to enjoy every moment. I am so blessed to be able to offer this gift to such a wonderful couple. I can't wait for this little guy's arrival in February! He is not even here yet and his parents have already demonstrated just how much love they have to give him by persevering through a 6+ year journey of heartache to get to where they are now... anxiously awaiting the arrival of their son! The parents will be heading out my way in December to take a tour of the hospital... another big "THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING" moment. I cannot wait!    

Up next: Another OB appointment - a week from today, November 26th. This one will sadly not be with my regular OB again, as she was busy that week. So I will see a completely new doctor. Sometimes I wish I could see the same doc at each appointment, but then I remember that I am part of a large medical group where the OB delivering the baby could be any of the 11 OBs on staff, so meeting a few new ones isn't such a bad idea after all. At the next appointment I will also have a glucose test and get to drink the oh-so-yummy orange colored liquid. Wait, maybe it's not orange anymore?! And they somehow managed to make it taste like root beer?! Hey, a girl can dream, right? :) 
 
~The Baby Fairy             

Half Way

We've crossed the half way mark (currently at 23 weeks!) and the little munchkin is just 4 months away from meeting his parents! So excited!

Here's a 23 week baby bump shot:

 

This past month was fairly uneventful - which I suppose is a good thing as far as pregnancy is concerned. We had an appointment with my OB on Oct 3rd, and the intended parents (IPs) made the trip out from LA for it. It was great to see them again and for them to meet my doctor. My doctor is very excited about the surrogacy as well, she is young, which I think helps with being open minded to the whole idea. She was thrilled to meet the couple. The baby boy looked great on the ultrasound and his heart beat sounded strong. The IPs and I went out to eat afterwards and it was fun to listen to the parents-to-be discuss how much their life is about to change and how much they still need to prepare for baby. IM seems a little nervous about the baby, so I tried to reassure her that it will all be fine, and that her "mother's intuition" will kick in and she won't even realize it. The IPs are always so kind and grateful for the gift I am giving them. It makes me feel so blessed to have been matched with such a loving and deserving couple. I will always be thankful for that, as I know from my support group meetings that sometimes the matches don't always go well.

I got to meet up with my wonderful IPs again the following week for a follow-up appointment at the fetal monitoring clinic in LA where I had the amniocentesis done. Again, everything looked great, baby is growing on track and his heart looks good as well. Apparently babies conceived via IVF have a higher increase risk of a heart defect, but the doctor spent a lot of time focusing on the heart during the ultrasound and did not see anything abnormal. Sometimes a fetal echo cardiogram is ordered if there is something that doesn't look quite right on the scan. 

Here's a 3D look at baby from 21 weeks, 5 days:

   
Another happy occurrence from the past month - my energy has come back! Or at least as much of it that can while still having two little ones to take after and a full time job to go to. My iron level was a tad low on one of my blood work checks, so I've been trying to eat more iron and I think that helps with my fatigue as well. Green (spinach) smoothies for breakfast! They really aren't as bad as they sound, I promise. ;) 

Up next: Another OB appt on November 2nd!

~The Baby Fairy  

Sharing The News Part Two

I started sharing my news of the surrogacy with more people at work this past week. It felt good to tell people about my journey and hear them express their surprise and encouragement for me. I am also going to share the news to "the world" facebook later today. I'm not really sure what to expect when I tell people, but I would just hope for them to be supportive and encouraging. Some people have asked to hear why and how I decided to become a surrogate and I have had to tell my story many times already and I am sure I will tell it many more times as the pregnancy continues. But that is OK, I enjoy telling it. I am excited and happy to be a surrogate and thrilled to be giving such an amazing gift to a special and deserving couple. 

Speaking of this amazing gift... the baby is doing great! We received the amniocentesis results last week and everything is perfectly normal. Baby is healthy and the intended parents have finally exhaled after holding their breaths for a few months now. I am currently 19 weeks pregnant, and still feeling great! I filled three big bottles of water to bring with me to work this morning and got a woah-that's-a-lot-of-water look from my husband this morning. I am trying to drink up as much water as I can, because I have been getting headaches here and there a few times a week lately and I am hoping it's just a lack of drinking enough water. I've also been bringing lots of food to snack on throughout the day at work as well. I am asleep by 9pm most nights, because I notice that I get really grumpy sleepy the next day if I haven't gotten my full eight hours the night before. Other than that, I feel like my usual self - though slightly larger in the tummy section. :) Excited for my next OB appointment, because the couple will be coming out from LA to meet the doctor as well. Can't wait to see them again! 

Up next: OB appointment on October 3rd 

~The Baby Fairy      

First OB Appt and Amnio

My first appointment with my new OB went really well. Both the doctor and nurse were very surprised that this was a surrogate pregnancy (guess they don't see many of those). They were intrigued and wanted to know more about how I came to this decision. Baby's heart beat sounded great 140-150 beats/minutes, and my blood pressure was good as well. That's about all they check at the OB appointments. :) I also had the 2nd trimester blood taken for the screening test after my OB appt.  And my doctor's office called today to ask me to come in for additional lab work - yay! More needle pokes! Just routine complete blood count and urinalysis. So I will need to get that done in the next week or so as well. 

Last time I wrote, I said that we were waiting on word about the Mother 21 test, but it turns out the couple decided to go ahead with the invasive procedure, to make 100% sure that the baby does not have any genetic disorders that can be detected this early on. So last Thursday, at the fetal monitoring clinic in LA I had an amniocentesis done. The intended father (IF) was there, but intended mother (IM) was home sick and couldn't make it. It was nice to see IF and we both got to check out the baby via ultrasound again on the fancy machine, which was even better! Baby looks great - triple the weight from the ultrasound just a few weeks back, now around 6 ounces. The actual procedure wasn't too bad, despite having a giant needle shoved in your belly. I was given a shot to numb the area first, and then the larger needle was inserted and the doctor drew three vials of amniotic fluid from my uterus. The whole time the baby was being watched via ultrasound, to make sure that the needle was no where near him. It was crazy to be able to see all of that! Afterwards, it was sore near the injection sight for a few hours, and I felt some slight cramping - all of which was completely normal though. I was told to take it easy for the rest of the day, and no heavy lifting for up to one week. (This hopefully lesson's any risk of a miscarriage from the procedure.) The results will take another week or so to get back. But I am still crossing my fingers that everything looks great, and we are OK to move forward. 

I am 17 weeks now and my baby bump has definitely made it's appearance. I even had my first "are you pregnant?" question yesterday, though I've received a lot of weird glances of people that I'm sure want to ask, but are too afraid of being wrong to do so. Haha! I am both excited and nervous to tell people that I am a surrogate. I will be excited to finally share the news with all of my friends, and nervous to tell coworkers and various people that I do not know very well. But I am strong, and I know why I am doing this, so I think for the most part I will have good experiences when I share the news.

At 17 weeks pregnant I am feeling great, though I do wake up in the middle of each night to use the restroom, which isn't always fun come morning time. All part of being pregnant though. And I really do love being pregnant, so I don't have any complaints. Another new update, I felt the first little teeny tiny movements from the baby this past weekend! It was very exciting, I love being able to feel the baby move - though not so much in the later months of the pregnancy when the baby has no room and the kicks can get pretty rough! I've also been having very vivid dreams that I remember easily, probably from all the waking up I do at night to pee! In one dream, the baby was moving and kicking so hard that we could see his feet and hands protruding through my belly... like this viral image from the internet: 

 {image source}

I have no idea if this image is real or not, but it sure seems crazy to me! And my dream was definitely an odd one for sure. Lots more of those to come as the weeks tick by, I am sure. :) 

Can't believe we are nearing the half way mark, time has flown by so fast. The couple is making plans to come out this way to my next OB appointment to meet the doctor, I'm excited for them to come to "my neck of the woods" and maybe even get to meet my kids. Exciting stuff happening!!!  

Up next: awaiting the results from the amnio, all my fingers and toes are crossed!! And then another OB appt on October 3rd.

~The Baby Fairy  

First Trimester Screening & Ultrasound

Well, I was supposed to see my OB on August 9th, but that OB was put on leave and my appointment had to be rescheduled. I was able to go to my other appointment on August 10th though for what I thought would be a CVS test. The appointment was at a fetal monitoring clinic that sees patients who may be a higher risk during their pregnancy and because of the intended mother's age and the fact that this is her egg, the fetus could be a higher risk of some genetic disorders. The doctor's office I visited provided us with an in-depth ultrasound and a meeting with the intended parents (IPs) and a genetic counselor to determine what screening tests and/or diagnostic tests the couple would be deciding to proceed with. Prior to this, we had agreed on the CVS test, however, after speaking with the genetic counselor the couple decided that the risk of miscarriage from the CVS test was too high and that they would feel more comfortable starting with the regular blood draw screening test first. 

I had blood taken for the state screening test, which will compare the blood results with the ultrasound and a second set of blood test results from the 2nd trimester. If any of the results appear abnormal, then the IPs will decide if they want to proceed with an invasive diagnostic test, like the CVS. But at that point it would have to be an amniocentesis. The CVS test can only be done up to 13 weeks, 6 days and I am already 13 weeks, 3 days at this point. An amniocentesis can be done between 16-22 weeks. 

The genetic counselor also suggested a new test that just came out this year, called the Mother 21. This test, unlike the state screening test that only detects 70-80% of babies with down syndrome (and a couple other rare genetic disorders), the Mother 21 is 99% accurate in detecting those disorders. And it's just one blood test. So my IPs also wanted this test, but the nurse said the lab wouldn't accept the lab slip without my insurance card attached, despite the fact that my IPs wanted to pay cash for the test. We opted to not have the test run that day, and not give up my insurance card, so not to raise any red flags to my insurance company - especially since I have not seen my OB yet. I have checked with CSP (Center for Surrogate Parenting, the agency I used for this surrogacy) and am waiting to hear back, but they said I was right to not offer the insurance card. Hopefully the agency can work something out with the lab that runs the Mother 21 test, and it can be processed as a cash payment and not through my insurance. This new test can be done up to 20 weeks, so there is not as big of a rush to get this figured out yet. 

Also at the appointment last week, the intended mother (IM) had blood drawn to see if she was a carrier of the following disorders: Cystic Fibrosis, Fragile X, and tay-sachs. If she is a carrier of any of those, then they will take blood from IF to see if he is also a carrier, if so, then they will test baby (via amniocentesis) - if IM is not a carrier, or she is, but IF isn't, then it is fine and no further testing is necessary. Those results will be ready in about a week or so.  

We also had a 3D/4D ultrasound as well. It went GREAT! Baby looks terrific, measuring a day ahead for size! Weighing a whopping 2 ounces and is 2 and 1/2 inches in length. :)  The fluid behind the baby's neck was also checked, because if there is too much fluid that can be a red flag of down syndrome. But the fluid looked great, just as it was supposed to. Yay! Also, the doctor surprised us all by asking the IPs if they wanted to know the gender....

IT'S A BOY!

Here are some of the ultrasound photos. I didn't get any of THE "boy" shot, but I definitely saw it! Haha! These first two are the 3D images...

And then the regular 2D views...

The intended father (IF) was ecstatic! I had no idea he was secretly hoping for a boy. The doctor said at this point, it was fairly likely that the baby was indeed a boy. I guess if they are wrong in identifying the gender at 12 weeks, it's usually the other way around - told a girl, but really a boy. So it was really nice to see the parents so happy with the news. 

After the appointment, all three of us went out to dinner to celebrate the great news. I am so thrilled for them. I know we still have the blood tests results to wait for, but I am hopeful that everything will be OK and that in about 6 months I will be able to give my couple a very healthy, happy, baby boy!!! 

Up next: finally get to see a new OB from my regular medical office near me on September 4th and will have the second blood draw for the state screening test then. And just waiting on word for that Mother 21 blood test, I would need to go back to the fetal monitoring clinic to have that one done.

~The Baby Fairy

Progesterone Blood Test

Well, I had my blood work done on July 25th, and the results weren't great. My progesterone level was on the low side of "normal", so the doctor wanted me to stay on the progesterone injections for another week and get my blood checked again after that. 

I was bummed, but pushed through and did another week of injections. I had my blood rechecked on August 1st. And HOORAY! The results were better this time around. And the best news is I was able to stop all medications! No more needles for me.

I have officially graduated from the fertility clinic's office and am all cleared to be seen by my OB. The only supplements I still need to take are these prenatal vitamins. 

 

Two pills/day, a prescription prenatal vitamin and an omega 3 supplement, both of which I can definitely handle a lot better than daily injections. :)

Another step closer in this amazing journey. I am beyond happy for the couple, and I hope the good news continues with our next appointments. 

Up next... I see my OB on August 9th and the very next day I have the CVS test on August 10th at the high-risk pregnancy clinic! Fingers crossed for good results!!!!

~The Baby Fairy 

Ultrasound #2

We got another sneak peek at baby on July 11th! At this ultrasound appointment I was 8 weeks & 3 days pregnant. Baby is measuring right on track (1.67cm), and has a good strong heart beat (170 beats/min).  Both intended mother and intended father got to be there, and it was so emotional for them. Their journey with conceiving has been a very long roller coaster for them, I feel so blessed to be able to help them achieve their dreams of becoming parents!

 

I have been feeling really good for the most part, despite lots of trips to the bathroom! I did have one little episode of morning sickness though, but it was for lack of not eating soon enough. Babies can be picky, and you need to eat when they tell you or else you pay! So I have been trying to eat small meals, VERY often, throughout the day to keep my tummy happy. So far it has been working. I am still taking the daily progesterone injections, the doctor said I would need to take them until 10.5 weeks or so. They are definitely not my favorite part of the day, but it's a necessary evil. We don't want this baby going anywhere! 

At this last appointment the doctor also informed the parents of the prenatal screening tests and what options are out there for them. Because of the intended mother's age, the couple opted to go for a prenantal Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) test as her age does put the baby at an increased risk for a genetic disorder. The CVS test is a prenatal test that detects chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, as well as a host of other genetic disorders. The doctor takes cells from tiny fingerlike projections on the placenta called the chorionic villi and sends them to a lab for genetic analysis. The main advantage of CVS over aminocentesis is that you can have it done earlier — generally between 11 and 12 weeks of pregnancy, although some testing centers will do it as late as 13 weeks, 6 days. (For an amnio, you'll have to wait until you're at least 16 weeks pregnant.)

I am not nervous that the CVS test will hurt (from what I've read it seems to be a simple procedure, similar to a pap smear). I am just nervous that something may be wrong with the baby. I feel like none of us can breathe right now until we know that the baby is OK. But for now, things all look great! So we need to celebrate that and embrace this part of the journey. 

At this last doctor's appointment with the couple's fertility doctor, I was also told to schedule an appointment with my regular OB. So we have two appointments to look forward to: my OB appointment on August 9th and the CVS test with a high-risk pregnancy doctor on August 10th! 

Up next... I will have my blood checked on July 25th to check my progesterone level, if it is high enough I can stop the injections at that time. Fingers crossed!

~The Baby Fairy