Why I'm on bed rest.

I've been on bed rest since the beginning of my 16^th week of pregnancy. Before getting pregnant I knew that since I am high risk, I would have to be on bed rest at some point during my pregnancy. I just didn't realize how soon it would start.

               I was put on bed rest just as a precaution at first, but during my 20 week cervical length check my cervix decided to shorten to 2.7 cm (4.0 cm is normal). My high risk specialist and my OB weren't too concerned about it, but instructed me to continue strict bed rest and have it measured again in a week. Strict bed rest is basically spending the majority of your day off your feet. I am allowed to eat at the dinner table, take a short shower, and walk bit around the house to prevent blood clots. I am not allowed to clean, cook, go to the store where I could be walking long, I’m also on pelvic rest.  

At my follow up checkup (21 weeks), my cervix shortened a bit more to 2.5 cm. As you can imagine my disappointment, I almost started to lose hope and think “great my cerclage isn't working, I’m just broken mommy” But thinking that way wasn't going to help or make things any better. My husband had to remind me that things happen for a reason and that I needed to stay positive for me and our baby. So, I did just that and kept my mind off of the “what ifs” and only thought of the positives in life. I also continued to talk to God and pray for our health.

My next cervical length check happened when I was 23 weeks. I had my husband; my nana and my Nina go with me for support. Much to my surprise, my cervix grew back up to 3.0 cm! I had the biggest smile on my face and my husband and family were so thrilled that our prayers were being answered. I know a couple of centimeters aren't much but to me every little bit counts, and I just want my baby to stay cooking as long as she can inside momma haha.  I couldn't stop smiling after getting this great news. I had to text and call every one of my friends and family members to give them the update. My next checkup will be at 25 weeks.

For any pregnant women going through this, just know that a positive mind and prayer can go a long way. It is an emotional roller coaster, but we have to remember that we are strong women and our babies need us to stay strong for them. My baby is my motivation and I will do anything and everything I can to keep her staying nice and healthy.  Also remember God is always with us. 

Gender Reveal!!!

              A lot of parents choose not to know the sex of their baby. They want it to be a surprise.  After my husband and I lost Junior, we told ourselves we weren’t going to find out either, But after getting sonograms I had to find out. I am very impatient when it comes to exciting things like this. My husband even has a hard time throwing me surprise parties because I get to impatient around my birthday that I start snooping around and figure it out haha. Plus, I can be a bit of a control freak. I want to know what to buy at the store and I want my shower to be fit or a boy or a girl.

               I decided to take my two best friends with me Bianca and Kasey to my appointment. I normally would have had my husband with me, but I wanted to tell him alone and surprise him. The girls and I were so anxious to know what the sex was. From the beginning I always felt I was having a girl. I would tell everyone “I know its girl!!” I would get some friends and family members that would bet it’s a boy, but I kept insisting it was a girl. I could just feel it in my gut haha.

              

              The time had come when the nurse asked if we wanted to know the sex of the baby, and all three of us said YES! with big smiles on our faces.

Well….

              The feeling knowing what I was having was overwhelming, but in a good way! I couldn't wait to go home and surprise my husband. Bianca had suggested that I but something girly and wrap it up and have him open it. So we went to a store close by my house and I bought cute girly binkies and a card to place the sonogram pictures in. When he got home from work, I handed him the gift and he was kind of scared to open it haha. Finally after staring at the gift for a good 3-5 mins he opened it and smiled and said “it’s a girl???” I said yes and he started to tear up. It was a very special moment for the both of us that I know we will never forget. We decided to wrap up the gift up again and surprise my family the same way so we could see their expressions. Everyone is so happy and excited we are having a girl. I can’t wait to meet our little princess and start shopping for cute stuff. My hubby is going to be one broke daddy! ;) 

What’s my current pregnancy status??

Well, I am currently 24 weeks pregnant now…YAY!! I turn a new week every Monday.  My first due date was February 2, 2013 (my birthday) but according to my ultrasounds my doctor changed my due date to February 11, 2013.  Not a huge difference so i'm okay with it. My husband on the other hand is really hoping I have the baby either before or after the Super Bowl haha typical guy. I actually recently heard Beyonce is going to perform at the half time so and she is one of my all-time favorite artist so I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of with my husband on not wanting to miss the Super Bowl haha. 

Cravings:

·        Anything vinegary. I been wanting lots of salt and vinegar chips haha

·        Quaker rice cakes in apple cinnamon flavor

·        Chocolate chip cookies

·        Tropicana Orange juice

Symptoms

·        Very weak bladder! I learned to not drink anything 2 -3 hours before bed to avoid waking up in the middle of the night. Since I’ve been doing that I only wake up once instead of 3 or 4 times haha.

·        Ligament pains. I started to grow a lot in the last week.

·        I’m hot all the time!! Fall already started but living in Arizona it won’t start to get cold here till maybe mid-November.

Belly shot!

6 Months

24 Weeks

Getting my Cervical Cerclage

What is a Cervical Cerclage?

A treatment for cervical incompetence in which the cervix is sewn closed during pregnancy.

I got my cerclage put in at 13 weeks gestation. Doctors recommend waiting till after the first trimester to make sure the pregnancy is nice and healthy and prevents further risks later on. I was given a spinal so that only the bottom half of my body was numb. Yes, I was awake during the whole procedureL. Not exactly what I wanted but my doctor said this was best for me and the baby. The whole procedure only took approximately 30 minutes, but I had to wait 5 hours in recovery waiting for my spinal to wear off. Once I was ready to go, my doctor proscribed me 600mg of Motrin and Vicodin for pain. I refused to take the Vicodin, I thought that was too aggressive to take while pregnant. I only needed to take one Motrin when I got home from the hospital. I did have some spotting post-surgery, but doctor said that was normal and that it would possibly last up to a week.

When to call your doctor:

·        Lower abdominal pain and back pain that can feel like labor pains.
·        Contractions
·        Fever over 100 F
·        Vaginal bleeding ( having to change your pad every hour or so)
·        Water breaking or leakage
·        Odd vaginal smell
·        Nausea or vomiting

     Since I have an IC I see my high risk doctor twice a month for routine cervical length checks. This is exciting for me because I get to see my little peanut every two weeks!  A normal cervical length is 4.0 cm.

My Pregnancy History

I decided to create this blog not only for myself, but I also wanted to share my story and connect with other moms-to-be and women that have gone through similar situations.

Background of my pregnancy history

In February 2010 my husband and I found out we were expecting our first baby. I went to the doctor to have this confirmed and about 1 or 2 weeks later I started to have some cramping and spotting so I made an appointment to have an ultrasound and my doctor had told me that the sac around the baby was oddly shaped and that I would  eventually miscarry. I was so hurt and scared with receiving that news I didn't know where to go from that point on. They told me to just wait it out see what happens. I miscarried end of February and had a D&C early March.

               In August 2010 I got pregnant again. Everything was going well. I had a normal pregnancy couldn't be any happier. I went to have my routine checkup on December 15, 2010 with my OB. She was going to tell us what the sex of the baby was…IT’S A BOY!! My husband and my mother in law went with me so it was a very memorable moment. That night my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate and discuss baby names .  The very next morning I started to have a lot of lower back pain. I remember calling my friends and they would tell me “oh its ligament pain cause you’re growing, it’s normal”. I brushed the pain off for a while but it started to get worse. Then I started to spot. I then called my doctor immediately. She told me go into L&D. when I got there the nurse had said I was already dilated 3 centimeters and that I was going to have to deliver my baby that day. My whole world fell into pieces. I couldn't understand how everything could be fine one day and go wrong the next. On December 16, 2010 I gave birth to my son Nestor Daniel Jr. (after his daddy) prematurely at 20 weeks. Doctors diagnosed me with an Incompetent Cervix (IC). I was told that if I wanted to get pregnant again I would be considered high risk and would have to have a cerclage put in. A cerclage is a stitch placed around the cervix to help keep it from opening.  This whole situation was very difficult for me and my husband to deal with. I’ll never forget the feeling of holding my son in my arms. He looked so peaceful.  We couldn’t have managed life without the support of our wonderful family and friends.

            We waited about a year and half before deciding to get pregnant again. I had to make sure I was mentally ready to get pregnant and deal with all the struggles I might go through. Not knowing what to expect and the fear of losing another baby was very scary for me, but I wanted to be a mom more than anything so I put on my big girl pants and decided that this was the right time for me. It had been about 3 months or so and still couldn’t get pregnant. I started to worry then that I couldn’t get pregnant. I figured that maybe I was stressed and that maybe that was the reason I couldn’t get pregnant. My husband and I decided to take a trip to Las Vegas with a group of friends as a last trip before we became parents . During the trip I noticed I wasn't quite myself I was sort of moody and I started to break out bad. Not a good thing for my self-esteem when all my friends are gorgeous with flawless faces haha. I thought great of all times my monthly present would come early. A couple days had past and no sign of my period. The thought I could be pregnant crossed my mind but I wasn't too hopeful. My husband was excited that this could be it; this could be the month we got pregnant. He insisted I take a pregnancy test the second we got home. I did just that, and sure enough after waiting the longest 3 minutes of my life the test was positive! I stayed in the bathroom for a good 5 to 10 minutes after reading the results in awe that wow I was pregnant! I started to cry with happiness and I just couldn’t wait to tell my husband and sister and my two closest friends the great news.