This month went like a breeze! I can’t believe I’m in my second trimester already. I guess you feel safer when you reach 14 weeks. By now you know baby is in the right spot, and I’m sure you’ve had some tests done. Also, by this time for sure you have a little bump, or a big bump, or a funny pouch, but you have something there bulging telling others something is going on. If this is not your first pregnancy, it’s likely you started showing sooner than with your first one.
Robbie, my son, after he knew there’s a baby in my belly, he just comes to me and touches my belly looking at my eyes. I love it! It’s such a great feeling seeing him connect with baby. Also, he says the cutest thing; he’s been saying baby drinks milk from a little cup in mommy’s belly. Haha! I love that childhood imagination.
I had let you know I had a subchorionic hematoma (subchorionic hematoma maker, they call me; and by they I mean myself), which by now it’s dissolved. I know and I’m sure about it because I stopped having brown discharge, which was the main symptom this time. And well, my OBGYN also confirmed it during my last visit, based on no colored discharge.
I’m not sure what the protocol is in other countries for the first trimester, but in the US they usually offer you to get some genetic tests done from around 11 to 14 weeks. I had a couple blood work tests done this time around, and thank heavens everything came back normal!
My Doctors’ Visits
When I went to see the midwife, she said that because of my history with my first pregnancy, this time they recommended I go see a Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor at the hospital. So, off we go the same day we visited my OBGYN for the first time (man, she’s busy!). Let me tell you a little bit about my visit with my OBGYN. As she said, we had a fun visit. We heard baby’s heartbeat, 160bpm! I felt like my heart was at that pace when we were waiting to hear it! After that visit, and after having stopped for some bagels, we went to the hospital to see the specialist. If you haven’t heard, I developed ICP (Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy) during my first pregnancy, so this time around I have 60-90% chance of getting it again. Lucky, huh? Also, because of my premature birth, it’s likely I will have another premature birth, even earlier this time (knocking on wood!). The doctor suggested I take progesterone shots starting at 16 weeks, as they had mentioned, but this time she basically said it might work, it might not, that recent studies refute its power in making babies stay longer in the womb. We also talked about ICP and the procedure she recommends my team and I follow.
As of now, all my blood work has been normal, and I hope it stays the same for some weeks more. I feel that once I start the progesterone shots treatment, for sure I will develop ICP. It’s common for women who go under fertility treatment to develop ICP during their pregnancies. No chance for me to get out of this one, I guess. Also, I haven’t been able to figure out if my insurance will cover the treatment or not. I will keep you posted on this.
Let’s Talk About More Happy Things!
Let’s talk about more happy things! How many weeks were you when you announced your pregnancy? I was two days short from being 16 weeks in my first pregnancy when we were ready. This time we had been more than ready to share the news, but for this or that we hadn’t been able to do it. Finally, this weekend we came up with some ideas, and got hands on it. We first told our parents with a personalised video, and then on the 14th week mark, we shared the news with the rest of family and friends, and on social media. Let me know what you think about it!
My recommendations for this second trimester as a second time mom? I would say according to my experience, let your OBGYN or midwife know of every little doubt you get or any funny thing you feel, even if it seems insignificant or normal. Enjoy reading about your little one. Get that app on your phone to know what fruit your baby resembles each week. Embrace your body. You’re growing life inside you!
Michelle
