Week 12 update

We went on Monday for our 12 week first trimester screen which included a sonogram and blood work. The baby was soooo active during the sonogram! We still couldn't tell the gender but it was so amazing how active that little one is! Baby E kept using his/her little foot to kick the side of the uterus and use it as a back board to do a back flip. He/She kept doing it over and over again. The ultrasound tech said we are in for a lot of trouble with this one!!

We were so happy to see that the baby was doing so well. Unfortunately, at our sonogram on Monday, they also found a placental tumor called a chorioangioma. These are benign tumors occuring in 0.5-1% of all pregnancies. Our doctor has only seen this in 1 other patient. That patient had to be delivered early. Everything went well, but if this group of doctors has to deliver a patient early, they deliver at Shands Jacksonville, which is not where we want to deliver. They gave me the option of switching to a high-risk group now or waiting, and seeing if I need one later (if I need to deliver early). Currently the tumor is 2cm and they will deliver me early if it reaches 5cm. The larger the tumor is, the more blood supply it will require from the body to the placenta. With the extra blood supply to the placenta, the baby can go into congestive heart failure from fluid overload. I don't know much more about these tumors at this time, as I am trying to stay off the internet. I will know more as I meet with more experienced doctors. 

My doctor got me an appointment with ROC, the high-risk OB group on 3/29 at 2pm (we will have another sono and hopefully be able to tell the gender by then). This group does not deliver babies, they just monitor the "high-risk issue", meaning they will monitor the tumor only. I spoke with ROC on the phone and they wish for me to switch to a high risk OB practice to deliver me (instead of my practice at the beach). They said it is better to switch now and not later. They work closely with this group and are located in the same building. It will just provide better continuity of care overall. One of the doctors in this group is a patient of ours, so one of my doctors made a phone call this morning and got me an appointment on Monday. So I will meet Dr. Barnes and become established as a new patient at 9:45 on Monday morning. I wholeheartedly believe it is better to switch now and obviously it is in our BEST interest. Now I will deliver at Baptist Downtown which has a NICU, if needed. I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Barnes and ROC. Several people I know have used both groups and have had great experiences.

It has been an emotional week with several sleepless nights. I feel calmer about the situation knowing I am in more experienced hands and will deliver at Baptist Downtown. The baby is at no risk at this time and that is MOST important. It is not in our hands and all I can do is pray for a healthy baby, pregnancy, and delivery...and try not to worry too much (easier said than done!).

Pictures, Top left: the back of the brain leading into the spinal cord, Top right: side profile of baby, Middle Left: baby's face (eye sockets, nose bridge, mouth), Middle right: hand (difficult to see), Bottom left: arms.