Tests...and more tests...

(Make sure you read the first post before reading this one.)

The 2nd trimester blood work that they do is a screening (not a diagnostic test).  They screen for Down's Syndrome and spina bifida.

According to my test results, I have a 1 in 200 chance of having a Down's baby, which is a "positive" result. If I had 1 in 201 chance, it would have been negative. So I am right on the border.

I went online and read about the 16-week test that they did, and was mildly encouraged to find this:

The triple test does not give a definite result, but provides purely an estimation of risk. So although a 'good' result (say 1 in 400) can be encouraging, it does not guarantee your baby is normal.

Similarly a bad result (say 1 in 15) may cause the mother acute anxiety when there is no guarantee that the baby will be born with an abnormality. Where the risk is high, your doctor will usually recommend you consider an amniocentesis test.

I went back in today to get another test, this one called the MaterniT21 test. It will basically scan for the Chromosome 21 disorder (which causes Down's). My doctor said she is fairly certain that my first result was a false positive.  The MaterniT21 test will allow them to factor in my age, which will change the results. The closer you are to 35, the higher your risk. This test is nearly 100% accurate.

The test, if it comes back positive, will lead to an amniocentesis--which I will opt out of. At that point, I don't really need to know any more. It's not as if I am going to abort my little one, no matter what I find out about it. And the test itself is a risk, one I am not willing to take.

What sobers me is that there are many women who WILL choose to go that route, just because they find out their baby isn't 100% "normal".

I encourage you to read my friend Christy's sister Brittany's blog. She recently had a beautiful baby girl in her life for about 10 hours. Though the doctors recommended terminating the pregnancy, they trusted God with His plans--their story is amazing, and a blessing to pray over. It really made me stop and think about what I would do in a similar situation--and now that I am facing the possibility, I know, without a doubt, that I would choose the same path as Brittany and JB.  http://waitingforselah.blogspot.com/

First Baby Items

It's time to let out a little secret: I have been secretly buying baby things for 3 years.

Even before Nick and I started trying officially, I bought this onesie. I didn't know if we would have a girl or boy, and I didn't even have a definite start date for having a baby, but I just knew I had to have this cute thing.

Last weekend I had a Girls' Weekend with my BFFs from Cedarville, and we went thrifting, and I bought some onesies there, too.

(what is really funny about these is that I'm not really a fan of onesies with words on them--and that seems to be what I have been buying!)

I also have a bag full of the other things I have bought in the past:

Gus was very interested in saying "hi" to Pluto. I have to be careful with ALL stuffed animals in this house, because they are my dogs' favorites!

Then, people have started giving me gifts. When I was in Ohio, my grandma gave me my first baby gifts! (actually had to check another bag to get all of this stuff home!)

Sara got me a fun, musical monkey; Jennifer gave me my first baby book; Jessie got me some beautiful, unisex burp cloths; and Amy made me one of her Lovey Loops blankets (I was really hoping she would make one for me--and it's Ohio State!) and a homemade Yoda hat! Awesome!

Finally, this is a poster I bought in January, 2011. I think I want it to be the theme for the baby's room. I love the modern twist on the cartoon dogs, and it is a good unisex choice, too.

Of course, Gus also wanted in, to remind me that he's the REAL LIVE dog in this house!

17 Week Pic

Long Night Ahead

I had blood work done at my last appointment (16 weeks). They called and left me a voicemail while I was working today, asking for me to call them about my lab results. They left this voicemail at 2:30, and the office closes at 3.

Who does that?

The 16 week blood work is used to calculate the risk factor of a baby being born with Down's Syndrome or spina bifida.

I have a long, sleepless night ahead of me.

Things to write about...

...what I didn't think I'd do.
...to know or not to know?
...gift-age and clothes.
...the name debate.

16 Week Pic

I was SO tired when I took this picture.

15 Week Pic

14 Weeks 5 Days

People Celebrity Baby Blog

I love reading People.com's celebrity baby blog. A lot of the moms that write on there are really funny, and write things that I can completely identify with.

One of the recent entries was by Elisa Donovan (who was in the movie Clueless). Click here to read the original article.  I've included some of the things she said that I loved:

"After staring at the blue plus sign on the EPT test in our bathroom, I secretly had the shameful sensation of wanting just another month or so before becoming pregnant. Just a little extra corner of time in order to prepare, to get ready, to — I don’t know … drink wine more heavily? Go out salsa dancing til 2 a.m.? To squeeze the marrow out of my non-parent adulthood? It was a familiar feeling, like that of wanting just one more day of vacation, or wanting to stay up just an hour later when I was 10."

"Then there’s the morning sickness. I had the misconception that “morning sickness” happened in the morning (call me crazy), and that you just threw up once or twice and then went about your day. For me it felt like the worst hangover imaginable coupled with jet lag, and it lasted for three to four months straight.
Charlie would leave for work in the morning, and I would be in bed in sweatpants. He would come home from work in the afternoon, and I would be on the couch in sweatpants. I was horizontal virtually all day and night, sitting up from time to time to eat some Saltines or take a sip of ginger ale. It was the worst.
One day Charlie came home and sat next to me on the couch. He stroked my head, an oily, matted-down mess of hair, and gently whispered: “Listen E … you have to take a shower. At some point, you really need to take a shower.”
I thought my reply was not only logical but exemplified economy of time and energy: “But I’m just going to be back on the couch again tomorrow, so…?” “You’re smelly,” he said, kindly. “You really are.”
One would think this would have catapulted me into action. Not so much. Though I did promise to consider it for tomorrow’s task."

13 Week Photo