Saturday, May 25, 2013

Our Carrier is Pregnant- 20 Weeks/5 Months

I can't believe we are finally here!!!!

Jessica went in for the 20 week anatomy scan on Thursday. Our plan was to hopefully have me Skype into it. Jessica let me know that morning that she was heading into the u/s room and would call me right away. 20 and then 30 minutes had passed with still no call, so I did what you can imagine and starting freaking out that they were trying to find a "good" way to tell me that Max died or something else really bad happened. I hate that my crazy blm mind automatically goes there. But then she called, I was able to breathe again, and she explained that the u/s tech had decided to just do the full anatomy scan first. We then turned skype on and the tech showed me Max. He was moving all over the place. It was a little pixely, but it was so awesome to finally get to see my little guy. I swore he even waved at me.

Their is one not really a concern, concern. Apparently Max's u/s shows what they call a echogenic foci in his left ventricle of his heart. Apparently their is like a 99% chance that what they see is actually a tendon, and so that is why I say it's not really a concern, because the doctor isn't. Me on the other hand am the concerned one. Granted he doesn't show any of the other signs that could mean that he has a chromosomal problem, but we have been part of that 1% more than once. We have the option of getting another u/s in a month or two to check his heart again or get this new blood test that will pull his DNA from Jessica's blood I guess and will let us know if he has any of the trisomies. I think that's how Jessica said it works. At any rate my paranoid side says that we need to do the blood test or I'll worry about it the rest of the pregnancy.

Otherwise, Max looks great and is measuring a week ahead of schedule.

Their are no signs of Spina Bifida!

Jessica's bleeding issue seems to have finally ended. 

And the Ob Dr. said we will have a scheduled induction no later than 39 weeks, which means he will be here by Oct. 4th if she doesn't go into labor sooner! That means we actually have like less than 19 weeks to go versus 20. Woot Woot!

Still a long road ahead, but it sure feels good to have come this far. Hopefully I'll have some pictures from that u/s soon to show everyone.

In other baby news I downloaded an app. to my phone the other day so that I could start recording messages to Max. I have since recorded a couple different books to him so that he can start to learn my voice. One of the books I read is from my childhood called A Rainbow of My Own, because Max is after all, better be, my rainbow that I finally get to bring home.I then ordered the Belly Buds off of Amazon and had them shipped to Jessica so that she can use those on her belly with my recordings for Max.

I will say this though, I never would have thought that I would have had a hard time with calling Max Liam, but I am. I caught myself multiple times while doing the recordings where I almost said Liam, caught myself, awkward pause, and then said Max. I even caught myself referring to Max as my little buddy, which is what I referred to Liam as during my pregnancy with him.


Operation Bring Milk Back for Max:

Started back on the Micronor (birth control pills that won't impact milk production) a couple weeks ago.

I had been talking more with my Pediatricians wife, who is his nurse and lactation consultant, about the 2 different meds that can help with bringing on lactation. Their is Regulin and Domperidone.

The Regulin is approved by the FDA, for use for GI problems, but just so happens to help in milk production. The bad news is that it has major side effects if not properly monitored. I don't like that.

The Domperidone seemed harder to get as it is not approved by the FDA for some reason or another. I don't get it because it has very little side effects and apparently works really well, and its purpose is actually for milk production. Apparently it raises the progesterone in your brain, just like with pregnancy, so you can produce milk.

The nurse called me last week and informed me that one of the local specialty pharmacies will compound the Domperidone for them for me. Score! Bad side to this is that insurance will not cover this med which looks like it will be about $400 a week. Not sure how long I'll need to be on it yet.. So hopefully not long.

She is going to look into a few more things relating to the Domperidone, see if I need to get any lab work or anything else done before I start it and the pumping, and then get back to me. Hopefully we can start soon. It is time consuming, but I am excited!

Also, this is maybe too much info for some of you out there, but I swear I must have great milkers because after that u/s appt. yesterday my right boob started leaking. I haven't been pumping. I haven't taken any meds. I have heard that looking at pics of your baby or being with your baby can aid in more milk production, but I am assuming that is usually after you have had a baby. Weird, but I'll take it.

21 comments:

  1. That's awesome news! I can't wait to see pictures of Max. That's so cool that you started leaking after seeing him.

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  2. I took Reglan to help with milk production when my supply was low. It did help increase it so I hope it helps brings yours back. The only side effect it had on me was that it made me CRAZY tired. Like literally I would try to nap on my lunchbreaks because I felt so exhausted. Other than that I had no side effects.

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  3. I'm curious to know if you could just start pumping and whether that would bring back your milk without the assistance of medications? I know it's still early, but yet it would be something worth trying if it meant you didn't need to go on the medication anyway, right?

    Yay for twenty weeks- I'm hoping that it is just a tendon that they mistook for a ventricle. That would be a great outcome and it sounds like the doctor is fairly comfortable with that being the case so that is reassuring. :)

    I still refer to Grace as a he on occasion, and have definitely called her Jack as well. It's hard, but it's also kind of nice to think of your babies when you're doing motherly things, even if it does catch your breath from time to time.

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  4. I have been following your blog for a few months now. I am so sorry that you have had to say goodbye to your precious son and beautiful daughter. I wish I had better words, but I know, from experience, that there really are no words that help ease the pain. (My son was stillborn on his due date April 14, 2012).
    I am excited for you about your desire to induce lactation! We just adopted a baby and I was able to successfully induce lactation (and produce enough that I don't need to supplement!). My OBGYN prescribed birth control and domperidone. I tried the birth control (for one day!) but decided to stop b/c the hormones make me feel terrible. I also tried the domperidone-- for about two weeks. It definitely helped but it gave me cardiac arrhythmias. :( So I had to stop. I was so discouraged after having to stop. But I decided to try taking fenugreek seed and pump every two hours for a couple of days. Then I started letting the baby nurse every two hours. Suddenly, the amount of milk started increasing! I'm not sure exactly what caused it-- but I know letting him nurse really helped. All that to say, don't be discouraged if you aren't pumping a lot at first (I litterly had about 1 drop for the first couple of days). Keep at it!! And keep us posted!!
    yikes-- i'll stop typing now--sorry this comment was so so long :(

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  5. I got a prescription for domperidone and ordered it from Canada via mail. If I remember correctly, the cost wasn't that high.

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    1. I had huge issues with my milk supply, and the only thing that helped me was Domperidon. To have a pharmacist make it in the States is very expensive, but it is approved in other countries, and I ordered enough for 6 months for less than $200. Try searching for it on the internet, you will for sure be able to find it for cheaper.

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  6. Hi Becky you don't know me but I wanted to give you some encouragement and support! Inducing lactation in a mom who has previously lactated is much easier than inducing it in a woman who has never done either. I would suggest you begin pumping and see what happens... you may find you never need the medication.

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  7. That's awesome about the milk production thing, although I cannot believe Domperidone is so hard to access. When Moms in our NICU are having a hard time pumping enough milk for their babies we usually refer them to an LC and then they tell them to see their doctors to get a script for Domperidone. No problem. Tons of Moms are on it, so I can't imagine their docs have a problem prescribing it. A bunch of our babies are on it too (although those are actually for GI problems which is what Domperidone actually treats).

    Good luck getting a hold of it!

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  8. We use domperidone (motilium) in Canada to increase production. Also look into fenugreek (sp?). Pump every 3-4 hours and look into mothers milk tea. Good luck!

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  9. I wouldn't worry too much about the echogenic foci. It happened to one of my kids too and they thought she had a heart defect and I ended up getting an echocardiogram on her in utero and it ended up she was ok; it was just a normal variation of a structure, and others of my kids their scans showed possible cysts on their brains indicating possible Down Syndrome "markers" but weeks later they had dissolved and were nothing but I know it's hard. I'm a worrier(and have bad luck as well) too and it made me frantic but it ended up to be nothing.I always imagine the worst(as it's what I usually get so I come to expect it)but in those cases it ended up ok.

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  10. That's AWESOME! Your body knows that's your little man! I would totally try pumping now., so exited for you!

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  11. My rainbow had an Echogenic Foci along with a few other minor things. They are very common and my MFM wasn't too concerned about it. I did go ahead and get an amnio (blood test wasn't offered at that time) just because I wanted to be prepared just in case (I was done with surprises). Ironically all of them were gone by 36 weeks. My MFM also said by itself it really isn't a concern and will not affect his heart even if it doesn't resolve itself since it is just a calcification. I can totally understand why you are concerned because i was as well.

    So happy you are past the half way mark.

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  12. Not TMI at all! I think that's amazing that your body was stimulated enough to produce some milk for Max by seeing him in utero. You're a natural mama and obviously have such love for your babies.

    I cannot wait to hear the progress on your milk production. Considering how well you were producing for Evelynn's milk, I don't think you'll have a problem!

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  13. My rainbow is beng closely monitored for heart issues as well due to my diabetic complications. I seem to get myself worked up over each sonogram while the perinatologist feels things are just fine. Our BLM minds are just drawn to the what ifs I suppose? Also, I have recently slipped and called this little guy Bo on a few occasions. Odd that it hasn't started for me until this last trimester but maybe since we both have had significant dates come up, it was just a maternal instinct? Really pulling for you on the milk production and that's awesome that your body is having some responses on it's own!
    Thinking of you!
    Lori www.27blueballoons.com

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  14. continuing to pray for Max's safe arrival. yay for leaky boobies! i don't have experience with inducing lactation, but it looks like you got some great advice. i'm hoping you can increase your supply without such a huge out of pocket expense (though i know you would gladly pay that and more for your precious baby boy).

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  15. Wow, I just read your blog, hoping everything goes well for your new arrival. Could you please put a link to my daughters blog? She has a link to your blog on her site. She lost her 2 yr old son a year ago, he drowned in her washing machine. As you well know, she is having a hard time & needs some extra support from other moms. I would appreciate it. She lives far from me & anything I can do to help her heal, I will. Her name is Tiffany & her son is Ollie. She now has a rainbow baby, Poppy. her blog address is
    hebbsters.blogspot.com
    I'm sorry for your loss. Beautiful, little, angel babies.

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  16. Hurray for 20 weeks! I'm rooting for you and Max every step of the way... Hoping the milk production comes smoothly. Hugs!!! <3

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  17. That's so cool that you started leaking after seeing Max in utero! I wonder if you just started pumping, if the milk would just come back naturally. I hope you have an easy time of bringing back your milk supply, it sounds to me like you will.

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  18. I'm sorry this comment is so late, but I'm just now getting a chance to sit down at a computer and type. That's awesome that you got to see Max on the ultrasound via Skype. I know it's hard not to worry about the echogenic foci. Did you guys end up deciding on doing the blood test?
    My midwife with my first pregnancy with Matthew prescribed Reglan to help alleviate my morning sickness. It made me feel really lightheaded and drowsy, so I stopped taking it. I'm sure it effects everyone differently, though. Good luck with the Domperidone!
    Anyways, I just wanted to say I'm thinking about you guys and I'm so excited for you that things have been going well with Max so far!

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  19. I saw your comment on Brooke's blog and I don't know you well, but I wanted you to know that you and Evelynn (and Liam) were remembered and missed in Chicago.
    My rainbow had an echogenic foci in his heart too (perinatologist not concerned either) and it eventually went away.
    Yay for milk.
    xoxo

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  20. I am playing catch up again, and all I can say is you are amazing. I only wish that I could meet you IRL someday and give you the biggest hug because it has been such a blessing to know you. Your children are all very, very lucky to have you.

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