Has it been twenty weeks already?
Seriously, I feel like this pregnancy is just flying by. And it is so bittersweet. On one hand, I can’t wait to meet my new baby, but on the other, I really enjoy being pregnant.
Especially when sweet baby flutters come into play.
We held off on going to the obstetrician until after the first trimester had passed. My plan was to make an appointment at around the 12 week mark. Our three-year-old ended up having eye surgery during this time frame though, so I held off until 14 weeks. And then they were super busy and were making appointments two weeks out. Oops. Anyhow, at 16 weeks I made my way into the obstetricians office, and I learned firsthand how “advanced maternal age” appointments can be frustrating.
It’s like when I turned thirty-five something magical happened, and all of a sudden I’m no longer able to birth healthy babies. (Just kidding.)
After refusing genetic testing an ultrasound was set for the 18-week mark. While I couldn’t wait to see our new little one, I winced, because every time I have an ultrasound at 18 weeks a choroid plexus cyst is found on the baby’s brain. This is investigated further, at which point it has dissolved and all is forgotten. So far, whenever the anatomy scan is completed at 20+ weeks no cysts are found and all is well in the first place.
This 18 week scan was no exception, and a choroid plexus cyst was found, along with an amniotic band. We also received the exciting news that we are having a girl!
At this point I was referred to a specialist, and I searched the internet regarding amniotic bands while I waited. Big mistake! Amniotic bands in theory were not what the doctor described seeing, and so I took some solace in this.
Well, I’m happy to say they found…NOTHING! Absolutely nothing. No trace of a CPC. And absolutely no trace of an amniotic band. The sonographer said everything looked perfect.
After the sonogram my husband and I met with the specialist. He changed my due date to August 30th, which matched up with my suspicions much better than my original due date of August 21st. He was an older man with a hefty dose of common sense, and really, a breath of fresh air compared to my previous two appointments.
We discussed the procedure of amniocentesis for a few minutes, and his words were like music to my ears. He said he didn’t like the procedure and didn’t recommend it. Since there is nothing that can be done in utero if a child did have a genetic defect (besides termination), why risk your child’s life to have the procedure done? Is knowing your child has a defect before birth worth this risk? He said it would be one thing if the test could lead to treatment, but it doesn’t.
He likened it to his dog. He said while it was the type to have it’s ears clipped, he figured it foolish to do so. Should he clip the dog’s ears and put his pet in jeopardy just so he’ll feel better about the situation? No. He called it selfish.
I know that for me, I would never forgive myself if something happened during the procedure. While there are no indicators of a genetic problem, just because I’m thirty-five, my OB has suggested it.
Sure, there is a 1/200 chance my child might have a genetic disease due to my age, but how is the 1/200 chance of miscarriage supposed to make the procedure worth it? Would I rather risk not knowing about a genetic disorder, or risk causing my daughter’s death?
It’s a no-brainer, really. No matter what, I plan on accepting my children with a grateful heart.
Today, I am just so thankful.
Now we are onto names…and this might be a tricky situation. All of our children’s names begin with “M,” and since this is our sixth girl I’m running out of favorites! I want something feminine and southern.
So far, I’m favoring Mabrey or Molly-Rose.
My husband’s not so sure, ha! {His faves are Milah and Mercy}. So we shall see. I do think I should hold him to the specialist’s suggestion of nightly back rubs since I’m expecting my eighth child. It only seems fair. 😉
Thanks for stopping by. We are so happy for this fabulous news!
Nicole Crone 
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