Monday, June 22, 2009

The Details - This Pregnancy

We found out I was pregnant for Jericho when I was 4 weeks along. I was put on progesterone and bed rest immediately. At 13 weeks I went off the progesterone and at 6 months they told me I no longer had to be on bed rest. I had no sign of any problems. Went full term. Had a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Praise the Lord! It seemed that what the doctors had me do worked. So, the plan was to repeat this process (progesterone for 13 weeks, bed rest for 6 months) for every pregnancy that followed.

Seth and I knew that if bed rest could be avoided for any future pregnancies we wanted to avoid it. So the day after Jericho was born (okay maybe not that soon but we didn't wait long) we started praying for our next pregnancy. The was we saw it we could not, not take the doctors advice and just tell them we weren't going on bed rest. Well, we could, but we weren't going to. After losing 2 babies we felt not following the doctors orders wasn't worth the risk of possibly losing another child. So just saying no to bed rest, simply because we didn't want me to be on it, was not an option for us. After deciding that we were going to follow the doctors order how was I going to off bed rest? That was the question we were asking ourselves. This is what we came up with.....we figured if we didn't know I was pregnant for the first trimester (12 weeks) maybe I would never have to go on bed rest to begin with. Not knowing when I was pregnant seemed like the only way around bed rest. So, we started praying that we would not find out that I was pregnant till I was 11 or 12 weeks along. We started praying for a miracle.

The other thing we stated praying for was that my progesterone levels would be above 30. My levels had always been below 25. My doctors said that above 25 they were happy with, above 30 was good, but between 5-25 was an unknown area and many women tended to lose the baby if their levels were in that area, but they weren't sure why. When I was put on progesterone for Jericho I was at 31 and the doc was happy so he didn't up my dosage. I wanted to be above 30 with my next pregnancy without the help of any progesterone suppositories.

Now this may seem a little crazy to you and it is, but it also made sense. There were many times that I laughed at the thought of not knowing I was pregnant till I was almost in my 2nd trimester because with all 3 of my previous pregnancies I knew within days of getting pregnant. I would literally have to wait 2 weeks to take a pregnancy test. By the time I was 4 weeks I knew I was pregnant.

18 weeks, baby #4 Oh and I chopped my hair.
(this was taken last week because most of it was written last week, I'm now 19+ weeks)

That brings us to this baby I now carry. Back in March my sister & bro-in-law welcomed their first baby. When Sam was 2 weeks old Jericho and I went to visit. At this time Seth and I had been hoping to enlarge our family and I had high suspicious about the possibility so, before I left I took a pregnancy test just to make sure. It was negative. I was excited because this meant I could travel to meet my nephew and I didn't have to go on bed rest...yet. I was also sad because we were hoping I was pregnant and it would have helped explain things since I was feeling a little off. With the negative test results Jericho and I headed to Chicago.

After another 6 weeks went by and I really wondering if I was pregnant but with my cycle yet to return, since I was still nursing Jericho, it was a big guessing game. I was praying, for my sake, that I was pregnant because if I wasn't my growing abdomen, irritability, increased appetite and amazing ability to burst into tears at any given moment had me worried although all those things could have meant my cycle was returning as well as pregnancy possibility. We decided I should take another pregnancy test, for my our sanity, within seconds it was positive. I was pregnant.

I thought I was around 5 and a half weeks but didn't know for sure. If I was right it would put my due date on Christmas day. If I was going by the size of my stomach it look as if I could be further along. I called the doctor right away and went in for blood work that day, it was a Monday. He wanted to know where my levels were and if I would need to be on progesterone again. I was supposed to get the same blood work done two days later so they could compare and make sure that my level were going up like they should. Tuesday the doctors office called and said my levels looked great, even my progesterone which was at 34 looked awesome. The nurse said their was no need to go in for follow up blood work the next day, but they doctor wanted me to come in for an ultrasound asap. We went in Friday for an ultrasound. The tech asked how far along I was and I told her I thought 6 weeks today. I believe Seth told her that we were praying I was further along and she kind of laughed a yeah don't they all type laugh. She proceeded to put the wand on my belly and as she did she said "OH!" as I peered at the screen I smiled and said, "Oh, I'm definitely further along than 6 weeks!" Her reply was, "Yeah I'd say so." By the measurements she thought I was around 11 weeks but she'd tell us for sure when she was done and could put everything into the computer and give us a due date. As the tech was finishing up Seth and I couldn't wipe the grin off our faces. Our prayers had been answered. I was almost in my 2nd trimester and hadn't been on bed rest for even a day!

As the tech was finishing I was also wondering what that would put my due date at, yet in my heart I already knew. It was going to be November 20, Gideon's birthday. She asked if we wanted to know the due date and as we nodded as she announced November 20. Seth and I smiled and as we thought of course it's November 20, we always knew God had a way with timing.

So, our prayers were answered, all of them. We didn't find out I was pregnant till I was 11 week. I didn't have to go on bed rest. I didn't have to be on progesterone. I serve an awesome God! He is so good to me!

We have an ultrasound July 17th please be praying that everything looks good. We are planing on find out if it's a boy or girl, if the little one cooroperates but first let me know what you think we are having. I'm putting a poll in the top right hand corner. Go vote! You have till the day of the ultrasound to decide.

5 comments:

Sarah said...

Wow!! Totally an awesome story...I love all of the answered prayers at the end. It is so amazing how God answers and in such specific ways! I know all too well about those progesterone levels...glad that you didn't have to deal with any of that this time! You look GREAT Tarah...I'm guessing that you are having a boy. :)

Anna said...

Tarah,
We are SO happy to hear how God answered your prayers & that everything is healthy! So excited for God to be adding to your family again:) What a blessing! I'm guess thing that you're having a boy too, but a girl would be just as splendid! And, I don't think I told you, but I love how you are pregnant for your children! I think I might adopt that phrase too if that's alright with you:)

Hilary said...

So glad that everything is going so great!! Can't wait to hear who is in there too :) So happy for you guys!! :)

Emily said...

So glad everything is going so well! I do hope that you deliver on your due date because I think it would be such a wonderful tribute to Gideon. Are you going to keep the name a secret again?

Christina said...

wow wow wow..... thiks is an awesome story.... i am in awe of Gods amazing love for us, in all thye little details he blesses us with... wow.... HE IS GOOD!