Hearing the Heartbeat

If you missed the first part of this story, you can find it here.

After I took a home pregnancy test and immediately got a positive result, my brain was all over the place. I wasn't even sure what to do! I told Chris first, and he reminded me that I would need to call the doctor. As soon as he said that, I felt a wave of anxiety. After we lost B3 in 2013, I had some testing done that revealed I have the MTHFR gene mutation as well as a blood clotting disorder. These - combined with PCOS - put me at a high risk for miscarriage. One of the ways we treated these issues with my pregnancy with the twins was with blood-thinning injections (Lovenox) and a prescription folic acid. I knew that I needed to get on both of those medications as soon as possible. 

I wasn't sure if I should call my RE's office or my OB's office first. Typically, my RE is easier and faster to get an appointment with, and I knew that he would immediately put me on the Lovenox as soon as a blood test showed I was pregnant. Also, I had been seeing him 3 to 4 times a year to manage my PCOS, so I was a current patient at his office. For these reasons, I called Dr. P (my RE) to confirm the pregnancy.

Dr. P's nurse, Belinda, told me I would need to come in the next day (Friday, March 31st) for a blood test. I went in first thing in the morning, had my blood drawn, then waited not-so-patiently for Belinda to call me with the results. 

When Belinda called a few hours later, she said, "Well, you're definitely pregnant! Your HCG is almost 12,000!" I was blown away! However, we determined that based on the date of my last period, I was already 6 weeks and 5 days along. An HCG that high makes sense for someone that far along. She called in a script for Lovenox and scheduled an ultrasound for the following Thursday (April 6). 

The days between the blood test and the ultrasound were pretty nerve-wracking. I did have lots of thoughts wondering if the baby was okay or if we'd hear a heartbeat or if I had started the injections too late, but I tried really hard to just pray about it every time I started to think those things. I was still feeling crazy fatigue, and Chris and I talked a few times about the possibility of a second set of twins (eeeek!). 

Ultrasound day finally came, and thankfully Chris was able to go with me (our friend Tia sat in the parking lot with the three younger kids). I was nervous. This baby was unexpected and definitely a surprise, but was already loved so much! My blood pressure was 130 over 88, so that shows how anxious I was! When Dr. P came in the room, he was just grinning. I said, "You look amused," to which he replied, "Oh, I am!" Hahaha. He started the ultrasound immediately, and the first thing he said was, "There's just one!" Chris and I breathed a sigh of relief, for sure. We love our twinbies, but one set is enough! Dr. P said, "I'll tell you, when I saw you on the schedule and then saw your HCG, I though, 'Oh no . . . that's high.' I was nervous {about multiples} for you!" I was 7 weeks and 4 days along according to my cycle date, but the baby only measured 6 weeks and 5 days. I was concerned about that, but Dr. P wasn't at all. 

I could see the heartbeat fluttering on the screen, but it was still a relief to hear it, too! The baby's heart rate was 122 bpm. Our kids have all followed the "high heart rate means girl" and "low heart rate means boy" rule, so we immediately thought that this one is another boy!

Dr. P congratulated us, said everything looked great, and asked to see us back in 10 days.

We left his office just elated and so incredibly thankful. We felt overwhelmed (in a good) way with God's love and blessings, and said over and over how grateful we were to hear the baby's heart beating. We were truly on cloud 9! That evening, we told the kiddos about their new sibling, and they (Brianna and Brenson, especially) were just thrilled. Their initial reactions were so cute (we have it all on video), and then we let them call and tell just a few close family members. Brianna had actually said a few days before this that I was acting strange because I had been laying on the couch during the day. We knew we wouldn't be able to keep it from her long, but we also didn't want to. We were excited to share the news and celebrate as a family!