Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[fisherofmengirly]

Oh Jen!!

I''ve been waiting for those pictures and they sure didn''t disappoint. You have beautiful little girls, and the smiles on your boys'' faces... Priceless!!

Is Marina more a fan of the pacie than Sophie is?

They are too cute.

Their little heads pressed together... Aww!

"Squeak." I think Sophie will get a kick out of that one day!

 

[E B]

Blen,

On the bright side, the names he''s suggested have a similar feel to those you love! I actually like Wilhelmina, with Willa or Mina as a nickname. I also think Walter''s kinda cute. Were those the only three he suggested?

 

[Kaleigh]

Jen,
Your family pics are too precious. I think your girls are soo cute all snuggled next to each other. JUst bring a huge smile to my face!!!

 

[sk8rjen]

Typing one-handed

Thanks everyone!! I can't believe dhow much i was looking forward to sharing this with all of you -- it really feels like family here (in a good way

) ya know? I too am in awe at how the girls interact with each other

and fisher -- they both take a paci (as i'd hoped!), -- it was just coincidence that Sophie (yes, sophie!

) had one in both pics!

eta blen -- still shocking to think i made 5!

and thanks to all who commented on sophie's name!
jen

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Jen, congrats super mommy! 5 kids is impressive! Your girls are lovely. The photos of them nestled together are SO sweet. See ya over in the mommy thread.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Jen, just wanted to pop in and say congratulations on your beautiful little angels -- they are just SO precious!

 

[lili]

Kay
Alexis is beautiful.
Love the last shot of her -- sooo cute

Jen
Marina and Sophie are lovely.
Hehe, they are styling with their knitted hats --- love it!
Cute family pic

DD
Your nursery came out really nice.
I love the colors of the wall and furnitures.
Love the knitted dolls your grandma made -- she''s so talented.
And that print is so sweet

 

[Blenheim]

Ebree, thanks for weighing in! The couple friends I ran it past at work kind of were like "What the heck was he thinking?" and "Your poor kid is going to get teased so much", but at the same time I don''t think we have the same taste in names. One of them mentioned that her friend gave birth yesterday and it was thankfully a girl, because their boys name was Oliver. Um, what''s wrong with that?

Do you think that Wilhelmina is ok as far as the teasing factor goes? Hubby mentioned Mina as a nickname, and I really like Willa now that you mention it.

Our last name ends in an R sound, so I think Walter and Victor both sound too rhyme-y with it.

Those were the only three that he suggested.

NF/DD, that actually didn''t add fuel to the twin fire, because that''s the reason that we didn''t try to look further. Plus you can sometimes hear the heartbeat of one baby echoing in different places, so hearing "two" heartbeats doesn''t even mean there are twins. At this stage, you basically need an u/s, unless you happen to find 2 hbs at fairly different speeds.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Jen,

Dang, I got the names wrong already.

They''re so cute, though, I''m sure they''ll forgive me!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/27/2008 6:36:25 PM
Author: Blenheim
All the new babies are just so beautiful! And Jen, how does it feel to be the mom of five? Wow! And that belly's amazing.


Courtney, I really hope that the headaches get better for you soon.


NCYBK, good to have you back!


Indy, good to hear from you as well. It's amazing that you've made it this far, but I can see that this is a much harder place to be in emotionally. I hate being in limbo. I'm thinking of you.


Ladies, we have a problem. Hubby was finally ready to start suggesting names last night. And so far, we have Wilhelmina, Walter, and Victor. And no, he was not flipping through the V/W section of a name book. Walter and Victor just don't sound right with our last name. There's some dissonance with Wilhelmina and out last name because they're different nationalities, but I was really trying to give it a chance. And then he told me that it's the name of someone from Dracula, and that she thinks she's pretty. Um, not a reason to name our kid that.


Seriously, what does Wilhelmina have that Josephine and Beatrice don't?

Blen, all I have to say is that at least your husband is suggesting names! Mine vetoed and vetoed without any suggestions of his own. We finally agreed on two, but they weren't my first choices personally (I do really like them though). Unfortunately it's a hard process...

 

[E B]

Date: 10/27/2008 7:51:56 PM
Author: Blenheim
Ebree, thanks for weighing in! The couple friends I ran it past at work kind of were like 'What the heck was he thinking?' and 'Your poor kid is going to get teased so much', but at the same time I don't think we have the same taste in names. One of them mentioned that her friend gave birth yesterday and it was thankfully a girl, because their boys name was Oliver. Um, what's wrong with that?

Do you think that Wilhelmina is ok as far as the teasing factor goes? Hubby mentioned Mina as a nickname, and I really like Willa now that you mention it.

Since it's a relatively uncommon name (which adds to its charm, IMO), you (and she) may see some raised eyebrows here and there, but everyone has different tastes. Oliver is a perfect example- I don't think it's odd at all. In fact, Oliver is becoming pretty popular.

Re: Getting teased at school, probably no more than anyone else. If she went by Willa or Mina, I think she'd be fine.

Kids are teased no matter what their names are. They're cruel little prepubescents who'll find anything to poke at. I was teased because my first and middle initials were E.T.! Even as a child, I knew it was a lame insult.

 

[Burk]

LIA~Congrats! What a precious little guy!

Kay~What a beautiful little girl you have there!! I love her hair.

Jen~What a lovely family of 7!! I am in love with the pics of the girls cuddled up together!!

 

[jas]

Oh Jen, my twin twin...congratulations! What beauties and what a trooper you are!

Please know that I expect to have my boys take your girls to prom in about 17 years...if that''s ok.

 

[littlelysser]

Lurker stopping in to say CONGRATS LIA and Jen!!!!!!! Those are some adorable babies you''ve got there! Congrats again!!!

Also, Indy , still thinking about your family and praying for you!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/27/2008 11:31:16 PM
Author: jas
Oh Jen, my twin twin...congratulations! What beauties and what a trooper you are!


Please know that I expect to have my boys take your girls to prom in about 17 years...if that''s ok.

They might have to fight my boys for that honor.

 

[honey22]

Indy, I was reading your post, and had to come our of lurkdom in the thread to send my best wishes again.

Please don''t underestimate yourself, and the power of a mother. You may just pull off a miracle!!

Honestly, you have been on my mind the past week, which is funny as I don''t usually lurk around here, but my fingers are crossed for you and your little angels. I can only hope and pray that you and your cubs will get the miracle you are hoping for.

Sending lots of hugs Indy!

 

[Independent Gal]

Jen, gorgeous pics!

DD wise as always. Thank you. Sincerely.

Pave? Lindsay? how are you ladies doing these days? Thinking of you.

Another trip to L&D last night after contractions every 5 mins, then every 2 mins. I'm 100% effaced and inching along in the dilation department.

We talked to the sweet doctor we had last time for about half an hour about our worries and hopes and confusion and it was so horribly sad. Then the doctor got awkward and then he started to CRY. Then my husband started to cry. It was quite the scene.

Our little sons. What a nightmare. If only their brains were wired enough to know how much we love them! Heck, if only their brains were wired enough to give them a fighting chance.

The doctors still think maybe there's some low grade infection lurking in there. My white count is high, but they can't seem to find anything specific, and don't want to do an amnio, since if it's in the uterus, there's nothing they can do anyway.

+fFn test too.

We're going to see a grief counselor this afternoon. Probably good as I could use a little bolster at this point. I know we're going to pull through and be OK, but I definitely feel worn down at this point.

Still taking it one day at a time.

In good news: my mom had her second to last chemo treatment yesterday and is holding up great! This one was much easier for her, and she sounded almost cheery when we spoke yesterday. And then a friend from Budapest called to tell me she finally agreed to marry this lovely fellow who's been courting her for a while. My friend is like a chestnut. She profoundly beautiful, like poetry, inside, but a very prickly person outside, and I always knew she'd need a very special guy who could appreciate the whole unusual spectacular creature. This is a good man with a good heart, who really, really sees and loves her as she is. He'll take good care of her and appreciate her. So I'm so glad she finally said yes! It was a really joyful conversation, despite everything. Thank heavens for good news in the midst of trouble.

23 weeks today.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Date: 10/28/2008 7:23:52 AM
Author: Independent Gal
Jen, gorgeous pics!

DD wise as always. Thank you. Sincerely.

Pave? Lindsay? how are you ladies doing these days? Thinking of you.

Another trip to L&D last night after contractions every 5 mins, then every 2 mins. I''m 100% effaced and inching along in the dilation department.

We talked to the sweet doctor we had last time for about half an hour about our worries and hopes and confusion and it was so horribly sad. Then the doctor got awkward and then he started to CRY. Then my husband started to cry. It was quite the scene.

Our little sons. What a nightmare. If only their brains were wired enough to know how much we love them! Heck, if only their brains were wired enough to give them a fighting chance.

The doctors still think maybe there''s some low grade infection lurking in there. My white count is high, but they can''t seem to find anything specific, and don''t want to do an amnio, since if it''s in the uterus, there''s nothing they can do anyway.

+fFn test too.

We''re going to see a grief counselor this afternoon. Probably good as I could use a little bolster at this point. I know we''re going to pull through and be OK, but I definitely feel worn down at this point.

Still taking it one day at a time.

In good news: my mom had her second to last chemo treatment yesterday and is holding up great! This one was much easier for her, and she sounded almost cheery when we spoke yesterday. And then a friend from Budapest called to tell me she finally agreed to marry this lovely fellow who''s been courting her for a while. My friend is like a chestnut. She profoundly beautiful, like poetry, inside, but a very prickly person outside, and I always knew she''d need a very special guy who could appreciate the whole unusual spectacular creature. This is a good man with a good heart, who really, really sees and loves her as she is. He''ll take good care of her and appreciate her. So I''m so glad she finally said yes! It was a really joyful conversation, despite everything. Thank heavens for good news in the midst of trouble.

23 weeks today.

Amen.

Indy, I continue to think of you and the cubbies daily. And that''s not stopping anytime soon. You have a great strength and your babies know you love them. I know kids have a connection to their mother before they''re born. They know you.
And what a sweet way to describe someone who''s got a heart of gold, but not the exterior to match. Very pretty analogy.

Prayers flowing up....

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 10/28/2008 7:23:52 AM
Author: Independent Gal

We talked to the sweet doctor we had last time for about half an hour about our worries and hopes and confusion and it was so horribly sad. Then the doctor got awkward and then he started to CRY. Then my husband started to cry. It was quite the scene.

Oh Indy, that must have been a heartwrenching scene! Doctors always seem to try to maintain a distance, and this is probably the exact reason... but how can one not be moved by your situation? It is just so sad.

The doctors still think maybe there's some low grade infection lurking in there. My white count is high, but they can't seem to find anything specific, and don't want to do an amnio, since if it's in the uterus, there's nothing they can do anyway.

Although it is aweful that this news has been discovered perhaps too late to make a difference at this point, I think it is hopeful for the future that there may actually be a "cause" of the ptl. Will they test the amniotic fluid etc after the babies are born (in another month! Fingers crossed)? Although no less terrible, it would be good to know why this happened so that you know it won't necessarily happen in the future! Randomness would be somehow harder to swallow. I've heard before that low-grade infections can be the cause of both m/c and ptl... such a simple thing, it really does point out the limits of medical science in many ways.

We're going to see a grief counselor this afternoon. Probably good as I could use a little bolster at this point. I know we're going to pull through and be OK, but I definitely feel worn down at this point.

That is wonderful news. We have some friends who recently very suddenly lost their 3-year old to lukemea. They have found the grief counselling very helpful because it is a safe place to express any and all feelings. It's also good for your marriage, esp. since it is possible that partners will cope in different ways with tragedy, and being in synch is just so important. I hope it brings you some comfort.

In good news: my mom had her second to last chemo treatment yesterday and is holding up great! This one was much easier for her, and she sounded almost cheery when we spoke yesterday. And then a friend from Budapest called to tell me she finally agreed to marry this lovely fellow who's been courting her for a while.

How wonderful for you mama! I am so happy that she is responding to treatment. Cancer is such a tricky beast, all too often they just can't do anything about it. I don't think I have mentioned this before, but my grandfather has been fighing metastatic melanoma (skin cancer than has spread to the organs) for 5 years and it looks like his battle is coming to and end: The little dormant tumor in his lung finally spread to his brain, lymph nodes etc etc. They give him 3 months. There has only ever been palliative treatment available for this type of cancer, which is presently not treatable. Anyways, it makes me really happy to know that your mom is doing well! You need that kind of news right now!

My friend is like a chestnut. She profoundly beautiful, like poetry, inside, but a very prickly person outside, and I always knew she'd need a very special guy who could appreciate the whole unusual spectacular creature. This is a good man with a good heart, who really, really sees and loves her as she is. He'll take good care of her and appreciate her.

You are a poet at heart Indy! Sometimes I can really tell that english is not your first language because you come up with imagery that is so lovely, and yet at the same time so foreign to the native-english speaker. My ex-boyfriend is from Iran, and when we met he was just learning english, and he used to come up with the most beautiful analogies too.

Hang in there girl!

22w2d

 

[Clio]

Indy, I am continuing to keep you, your husband, and your sons in my prayers.

 

[pavelover]

Congrats to the newest mommies- Kay, Jen and LIA! I am so happy for all of you and love the pics- Beautiful babies, as we would expect here at PS. I have to read over Jen''s birth story- I don''t believe I saw Kay''s and LIA''s but I need to double check. Hope you are all settling in safe and sound and somehow, getting some rest(haha). No I really do hope you are getting rest but I''ve heard it''s a little busy after you bring the little one(s) home!

Independent Gal You are always so thoughtful to ask about me and others even in your situation. I am so hopeful for you on the one hand and then I hear what you are saying about such young babies being born to us. Whatever the outcome just know I and everyone else are praying, rooting, supporting whatever you need here. I am so happy to hear that you are going to a grief counselor. I saw one last year and found it very helpful for working through my feelings. I am glad to hear you had/have such a compassionate dr. I don''t know if it was helpful to you or not but it''s nice to hear he is invested in you guys, you know?

Everyone else! Hope you are all doing great! I have been keeping up on the reading but not posting much as usual. I am hoping things continue to go well for y''all.

Neatfreak! I can''t believe we are almost up next! It is just crazy how fast time has gone- speaking of...how are you doing on bedrest? How was your trip out the other day? Hope you are feeling well and keeping your mind busy with good stuff!


I am going for another u/s today- Feeling ok about it...I think it was to follow up on the questionable too much amniotic fluid from last month and to check the babies growth- If my stomach is any indication then he is definitely getting bigger. I passed the three hour gtt which was a possible explanation for the too much fluid- I am hoping I just had extra fluid because I had received iv fluids the night before? That makes sense to me. The little guy has been moving a ton and making all of those alien like movements across my stomach. I will let you all know how it goes!

 

[ljmorgan]

pavelover it''s great to hear that the baby is moving around like crazy, that must be fun. Glad to hear that you are doing well, I''m sending lots of good wishes for your U/S today!

Indy thank you for asking about me. I met with a maternal fetal medicine specialist last week, he didn''t tell me anything I didn''t already know. I have very good doctors now, and have to try and put my faith in that. I had no idea that even carrying a child could be so powerful, in that it has completely changed my perspective on certain things. I think about when I was diagnosed with cancer, and going through treatment and a year long recovery. I remember how unfair it felt, I remember days when I felt sorry for myself, when I felt angry. Now it all feels so ridiculous -- because I would do all of that, 100 times in a row, if I knew that it would make sure that I give birth to a healthy child in May. I was 20 when I was diagnosed, and I remember my father, a gruff police officer, who cried and told me he wish he could have taken the cancer and gone through the treatment (we were told I would have to have my leg amputated, but I ended up not having to.) And I couldn''t understand it. But now I understand the desperation and the feeling that you would absolutely do anything, and endure any amount of pain, and how nothing in your life has ever seemed so important.

Of course the irony is that you don''t get to choose suffering and you can''t make bargains -- life deals what it deals, and sometimes it seems unbearably cruel. My parents must have felt that feeling when their 20 year old daughter faced losing her leg and her life, and I have that feeling knowing that my baby could die before it''s old enough to receive its first transfusion at 18 weeks.

I imagine that you''ve begged and pleaded and offered to make deals of your own, and I cry thinking about your sweet babies. I have been doing some pleading of my own for your babies, and I''m praying for your strength. I know that you must be so exhausted -- worrying, hoping. I''m so glad that you''re going to see a counselor, a situation with such uncertainty is much more difficult to deal with. I am rooting for the twins!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Lindey your post was so heartfelt and touching, and it rings just so true. I wonder, what is the risk for your baby of ill-effects due to the incompatibility? Please remind me, do they know that your baby is RH + for sure? Is your situation considered very high risk or is this something that is a potential, but unlikely problem? Your post just made me think of these questions I don''t know the answer to.

 

[ljmorgan]

Dachsie, I obviously had a ton of questions about it too originally. We can''t test the baby until the amnio, but my husband is Rh positive and is likely homozygous (he is being tested next week, but both of his parents are Rh positive,) which means both copies of his genes are for positive Rh, the doctor told me the baby will very, very likely be positive. If my husband was heterozygous and had a copy of Rh positive and a copy of Rh negative, the baby would have a 50/50 shot. Which you would think well if he is positive and I''m negative, the baby would have a 50/50 shot either way, but that''s no so.

The problem is simply the levels of my antibodies. A lot of Rh negative pregnant women do become sensitized at some point (means they create the antibodies) due to Rhogam failure, etc. but their titers (antibody levels) are relatively low. I found an Rh incompatibility support group and women with titers of 1:16, 1:32, and 1:64 were having to undergo a series of intrauterine transfusions for the baby. I have TWO antibodies -- anti-D with a titer of 1:128, and anti-C with a titer of 1:32.

Each antigen has what is called a critical titer -- when the titer level can start affecting the baby. I''m not sure what it is for anti-C, but for anti-D the level is 1:16. Obviously, my titer is much higher than that. My titer level is much higher than most sensitized women ever get, because they''re usually exposed to small amounts of blood. We have no way of knowing how much of the blood I was transfused with was Rh positive, but my titer is very high. I was given 10 units of blood total during the surgery, and I believe another 3 or 4 units 2 days after my surgery. No clue what percentage of that was Rh positive.

I don''t know whether I''m "high risk" or "very high risk" or whatever. The specialist is seeing me every week, and starting next week can do special ultrasounds that monitor the blood flow in one of the baby''s arteries, which shows if the baby is becoming anemic. If so, they''ll do transfusions of Rh negative blood for the baby (Rh positive folks can receive Rh negative blood with no problem, plus then my body won''t attack the new blood.) The worst case scenario is hydrops fetalis -- severe anemia causes fluid build up around major organs, then death. So the first major milestone is that the baby stays healthy until 18 weeks, when transfusions can start. Then the next big moment is whether the first transfusion works -- if so, they can usually continue successfully, and they''ll deliver the baby early. If the transfusion fails, nothing can be done.

I hope I''m not scaring anyone who might have Rh incompatibility! My situation is only because my levels are so high. Courtneylub this is why you should get the Rhogam shot! It will prevent you from creating these antibodies.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Lindey Wow, honey, that is serious! So at this point is it basically assumed that your baby will need transfusions (assuming that baby is Rh+ like your hubby)?

 

[neatfreak]

Lindsey First of all, great post. You are going to be a great momma! Second of all, could you explain the titer thing a bit more? Basically, I was just curious about something, that usually 1:16 would mean a higher concentration/likelihood of something than 1:128 (because usually these things represent 1 part out of 16 or 1 part out of 12, so in this situation what do these numbers stand for? Why is it worse when the second number is higher?

 

[neatfreak]

Indy I don''t know if I have mentioned this here or not yet, but my mom lost a baby at 20 weeks and an infant at 2 months. My mom said that in both situations the grief counselor was the best thing about both bad situations.

And you are allowed to feel worn out at this point, you guys have been through a lot. I think your little babes know exactly how much you love and adore them already.

And what great news about your mom and friend. It is nice to receive some good news at times like this. BIG HUGS!

 

[ljmorgan]

neatfreak I wondered the same thing and looked into it. Basically a titer is how many parts of water or whatever they have to add to one part of your blood serum to dilute it enough to not detect antibodies.

So with a titer of 1:128, they have to add 128 parts of water or whatever to one part of my blood to dilute it enough to not detect the antibodies -- so it''s measuring concentration. So with a titer of 1:8, you only need to add 8 parts of water to one part serum to not detect antibodies. That is why the higher the second number, the "worse" it is. I know, seems not very intuitive. It''s also sometimes expressed as a fraction.

 

[ljmorgan]

Date: 10/28/2008 5:22:10 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
Lindey Wow, honey, that is serious! So at this point is it basically assumed that your baby will need transfusions (assuming that baby is Rh+ like your hubby)?

Yep, unless my baby is super amazing and somehow not affected by my crappy blood

. But I will obviously happily have the transfusions. I''ve read a lot of positive stories about women who underwent them, and their babies are perfectly healthy!

 

[Independent Gal]

Now if I'm not mistaken (and I often am), RH negative is a recessive gene, meaning that it's very likely that Lindsay's bebe is positive? I see NF's point and wonder about the same thing, re the ratios, can you explain those to your nerd-buddies over here?

ETA: I see you posted about this. Aha. I get it.

And can I just say HOLY CR@P, girl! That is some scary stuff. As someone who's been on this dangerous-pregnancy-coaster for a while, I know how scary and isolating this must be and how much the uncertainty must be wearing on you already. I hear ya, and am thinking of you often.

Pave, keep us posted about your bebe and how the u/s goes.

NF, you didn't tell me that about your momma. Poor thing.

She's so lucky to have you though. I hope DH and I hit the jackpot with a rockin' nerd-kiddo like you on our next try like your mom did. The grief counselor does help for us too. We've been to see her twice now, and the key thing for us at the moment is that she helps us make sure that we're being clear with each other about where we're at. Mostly, we are, but she's helped us get straight a few things we hadn't thought of. We feel like our marriage is VERY strong through this, but this is part of our commitment to make sure that it stays strong. These things can take a toll on a couple if they aren't communicating well, and can make them stronger if they are.

I think overall that we're managing our grief pretty well so far, and she thinks we are too! We both get a gold star!

NYCB so glad to see you back. Stick around and play with us.

Another piece of good news: I had to choose a picture for the cover of my book, which is currently in production at "Snootystiffupperlip University Press" (names have been changed to protect the innocent). I wanted to use an image from an installation by one of the most famous American artists of the 20th century whose work I absolutely love. The museum that owns the installation said I also had to get his consent, via his archivist at a New York gallery. And, he said I can use his artwork for FREE (the book is with an academic, and therefore not-for-profit press) as long as I send three copies to be kept in his archive.

Why is this so exciting? Well, I guess I can't quite believe anyone's actually going to read my dusty old boring book in a library, after 10 years or so. But I love the idea that for a few hundred years, people doing research on this artist will happen upon my book while rummaging in his archive. My immortality is assured! (hahahaha!). I know, it's hilarious that I'm about 100 times more excited about being in his archive than about my book itself.

I guess I just really love this artist! And I'm a really, really big nerd! Both those things.

Focusing on the bright and sunny stuff. Feeling more upbeat today than I have in a while.