Newest Belly Pic

This won't be a long belly update post, since I don't think it's really changed much in the last two weeks.

We have 20 weeks on the left and 22 weeks on the right.



If anything, I think I shrunk a teensy bit! lol What can you do...at least maybe now I'll take some time to catch up with my twin pregnant self.

In other news, Dovid is sick again...fever, vomiting, the works. Poor little dude! And I had a great appointment with the midwife. She agrees with the MFM doctor that my cervix length is normal and that every baby grows differently, but she agrees with me that we need to keep watching it just to make sure everything really is 100% ok. Honestly, I hope this midwife (Lila) delivers me, because I love her!!!! She's even supportive of me doing placenta encapsulation. In fact, she was excited that I'm doing it. Honestly, my old OB would have probably vomited on the floor and here's my midwife doing jumping jacks because I'm doing this. Awesomeness!!!! My next appt will be with the OB again because the last appt with the OB got cut short, and I'll also have my GD test as well. Fun times!

Update from The Doc

I talked to the C-Section OB today. He was SO nice when he called, and talked to me for several minutes about my questions. Here's the scoop:

My C-Section incision is 100% normal. It's just like any other low transverse scar, and it doesn't extend outside of the normal range for that type of incision. So in terms of uterine rupture, my risk is no higher than any other woman doing a VBAC.

The vein that "sprung a leak" was not the uterine artery (hence it being a vein), and it was on the entire opposite side of the uterus from the incision. So that had nothing to do with my incision, and could've come from any number of places...he couldn't give me a straight answer because he had no idea where the "leak" came from, he just fixed it. :-)

Having had a placental abruption puts me at a higher risk for having another one, but I don't have any risk factors for abruptions with this pregnancy. In my last pregnancy the only risk factor I had was being pregnant with twins. I don't have that risk factor now, so I think my risk would be lower than any other woman who had a placental abruption with a singleton. The studies say the rate of recurrence is 10%, but mine is probably lower than that because I don't have any risk factors now (except of course the prior abruption). There is a higher risk of it happening during labor, since the uterus is contracting and all, but I would already be in the hospital and on monitors. I know what it felt like the last time, and with everyone watching me like a hawk they would probably catch it VERY quick. So, that's really the least of my worries.

Now that I have all of this info, I think VBAC is the best choice. Having a C-Section comes with its own bag of possible complications, especially when you have multiple C-Sections. Since I want to have a lot of kids, having several C-Sections would be *much* riskier than attempting (and hopefully being successful at) a VBAC. My risk for uterine rupture is as low as anyone else's, and that was my biggest worry. So with that gone, there's really nothing saying I shouldn't try it. I think you guys probably agree, right? :-)

MRI Results

So, my OB/Gyn called me today to give me the results from yesterday's MRI. First, I need to explain something. She is referring me to an oncologist because he deals with fistulas a lot more than she does and NOT because there's anything cancerous going on. If you look up cervical fistula, it can be caused by radiation therapy, certain cancers, PELVIC SURGERY and traumatic vaginal births. So the OB is NOT WORRIED about cancer, but she wants me to be seen by the best, and that's the Gyn Oncologist. Anyhoo, the OB/Gyn said that she and the oncologist looked over the MRI together and saw that the fistula only goes from my cervix to the vagina, similar to my regular cervical opening. Since it doesn't affect my bladder (or any of its requisite parts) or my colon, they decided not to even touch it. Doing surgery to "fix" the tunnel would probably do more harm than good in my case. The oncologist even said EXACTLY what I said to the OB--that it should make getting pregnant easier now that I have TWO ways to get to the uterus! Heh I'm awesome and holey. :-) Get it...holey? Anyone who knows what book that comes from gets a bonus point. Now we'll see if this theory holds true... Two holes are better than one, right?

What Next?

I'm not even going to mention what went down this morning...let's just say it was more of the same. Shifra is leaving tomorrow evening.

As for me, my OB/Gyn called yesterday to tell me that my test results were normal, but she wanted to see me today in her office. Why on earth would she want to see me if my tests were normal? Well, I'll tell you. The tissue they found wasn't cancer, thank G-d, but it was endocervical tissue. That means tissue that is found on the INSIDE of the cervix...and this stuff was found on my vagina. Her theory was that there's a fistula (meaning a tunnel) going from my vagina to my cervix (and who knows where else), and she needed to test that theory AND send me for an MRI. Greeeeeat. How was she going to test this? With infant formula... Yes, she squirted formula into my you know wheres to see if there's a tunnel. If there was a tunnel, it would go in the hole and out my cervix (and vice versa). And what do you know, she was right. Whoooops. She thinks that this was a result of my horrific C-Section, and she needs me to have the MRI to see where this fistula is going and how bad it is. Then she needs to have it fixed...that means surgery. ICKAROONIES!!! I was like "can I do it with a spinal, I'd rather not have general again." Hey, if it's going to suck I'd rather have it suck for a 1/2 hour than for several days, you know? So that's what it is...and now I need to find child care BADLY because I obviously won't be able to take care of them when I have surgery. Geez, why does everything bad have to happen at once? But you know, I would take this a hundred times over what she could have said (you know, the "c" word...) So seriously, I am grateful as all hell that this is all it is.

6 Week Checkup

According to my OB, I'm in perfect health. My incision is gorgeous and my cervix is perfect. :-) But, she doesn't want me getting pregnant for the next year, for obvious reasons--emergency C-Section, twin pregnancy, etc. The only issue is birth control. My husband thinks I've gone totally insane. He's basically thinking "we couldn't get pregnant on our own for two years...what makes you think it'll just happen this year?" I agree with him in theory, but my doctor (and I) think it's prudent not to tempt fate. We do need to get clearance from our rabbi, however, before doing anything. Basically, my doctor wants to put in a copper IUD, because it shouldn't affect my hormones at all. Any thoughts?

HSG

So, I had my HSG today and everything looks great. There were no blockages or scar tissue that the Radiologist or my OB/Gyn could see. I scheduled a follow up with my OB/Gyn for September. Hopefully I'll be pregnant by then! :-)

OB/Gyn Follow Up

I went to my OB/Gyn today for my 3 month followup, and since I'm still not pregnant she scheduled me for an HSG two days from now and I'm supposed to get my progesterone levels tested around 5 or 6 DPO. I'll keep you updated!

Ultrasound Check

My ultrasound showed normal ovaries, but my OB/Gyn still put me on metformin because my hormone levels (testosterone) are out of whack. Hopefully it will make me start ovulating on a normal schedule!! I'm also getting acupuncture done and that should also get my body doing what it needs to do in order to have a baby!! :-)