Well I have been waiting a while to share this information with the world, but decided now that we have reached 15 weeks, and everything is going well that it was time to do so.
On October 26, 2000 Doug and I found out that Derek & Little Sprout have a sibling on the way!!
We swore that we weren't going to tell ANYONE until 12 weeks HAHAHAHA, that lasted a whole day!! I had some very minor spotting the day after I tested positive (which was to similar to Little Sprout for me!), so we broke down and told our folks, but we swore them to secrecy, they we NOT to tell our siblings.
I phoned my OB/GYN the next day, and I was sent for blood work right away for that day, and every 2 days for 3 drawings, that was the first step to see if this was another ectopic. My first HCG # came in at 324, then 2 days later it was 742, and 2 days after that one it was 2130, needless to say I was more then doubling, so the fear of an ectopic was eased (my HCG never got over 800 with Little Sprout). However, just to make sure that all was a-okay we had an ultra sound scheduled for November 9th, I would be 6 weeks on that day, and we should be able to see a heart beat.
On November 9th Doug and I went to the appointment, and were thrilled to see Itsy Bitsy's teeny heart fluttering away on the screen. Everything looked wonderful, and we were sent home with congratulations.
Our total happiness ended about 2 weeks later, I woke up that morning to bright red spotting, I didn't have any cramping, but there was no question that it was NEW blood, rather then old blood. I called my Dr. who had me come in first thing the following morning. Upon examination he basically gave me a 50/50 chance of having a miscarriage, because the bleeding was coming from my womb. We were once again on our way for an ultra sound.
After a quick review of the # of pregnancies I have had, the tech. immediately scanned my belly, and without hesitation told me that our baby was just fine, with a heart rate of 170, and she couldn't see any reason for the bleeding. Doug was with me for this appointment as well, so we both got to see Itsy Bitsy again.
After that scare everything calmed down, and I waited anxiously for my scheduled appointment of January 3rd, 2001, I was 14 weeks, and we were looking forward to hearing that little heart beating rather then seeing it!! My doctor used a dopler with ear pieces, and it seemed like it took him FORVER to find the heartbeat and let us hear, while he was searching my mind raced back to the night of March 9, 1998!!! FINALLY he gave me the ear pieces, and I heard the most beautiful sound ever!!! Doug was at that appointment as well (I have a feeling he won't be at many more however, because he has used up a lot of holidays to be at the ones he has made!!!) and he got to hear Itsy Bitsy's heart beat too!
We found out that our tension about finding the heart beat was for nothing, because apparently we have an active baby, and the doctor heard the heart beat right away, but then Itsy Bitsy decided to play hide and seek, and he had to search for him/her for a while!!
January 31, 2001 Appointment
We had our second prenatal appointment on January 31st, and I was prepared to go to that appointment on my own, because I KNOW Doug can't make every one of them (my doctors office is 1 hour from our house, and Doug DOES have to work LOL), but the morning of my appointment I woke up to spotting. One frantic phone call from me, and Doug was coming with me!
Needless to say I was stressed out, even though the spotting had stopped I was still fearing the worst. We got to my appointment and were seen right away, it appears that all my worrying was for not, Itsy's heartbeat was wonderful, my belly was measuring right on, and after an internal my doctor couldn't give me any reason for the spotting..........it appears that Itsy wants to give me as many grey hairs as Derek did!!!
February 28, 2001 Appointment
Well we had our ultrasound today, and our 22 week OB appoinment, and both went really well
My ultrasound was at 8:30, and the tech was really nice, of course she asked me what # pregnancy this was, and when I said 3 she asked if that meant we already had 2 at home, she was really sincere and sympathetic when I told her about our angels, she told me right away that Itsy was looking good, and she turned the screen to show me his/her mouth opening and closing, it was soooooo sweet, I almost started to cry then LOL!! I asked her if she was "allowed" to tell us the baby's gender (because when I was pregnant with Derek there were signs everywhere telling you NOT to ask the gender of the baby because they wouldn't tell you), and she SHOCKED me by saying yes, as long as I was sure I wanted to know, I said YES I wanted to know, but she decided to wait to take a peek there until Doug was in the room.
She finished all of her measurements, and then went and got Doug, and with him there she showed us all the pictures that she was taking for us to take home, we got 9 pictures on one sheet to show off our little one. They are so sweet too! Then she asked again if I was sure I wanted to know what the baby was, and I said yes, feeling quite confident that my motherly instincts were right anyway, and that this was a girl...................well after some waking up by the tech Itsy moved enough and there it was in plain sight, Itsy is a BOY! I was shocked because I was so sure that this baby was a girl, but I really don't care if it is a boy or a girl, just as long as he is SCREAMING at his delivery!!!!
I was hoping to be able to share at least one of Itsy's ultrasound pictures with you, but they are all on x-ray type paper, that I am not sure will scan very well, I will try the next time we go to my mother-in-laws with her scanner.............but I am not promising anything!!
After the ultrasound Doug and I went shopping, and bought decals to decorate Itsy's room and a crib set, our little man is going to be surrounded by Winnie The Pooh.
March 28, 2001 Appointment
Well it's been a while (like 4 weeks LOL) since I have updated you all, and quite a bit has happened since then.
First we had an unexpected OB appointment on March 7th because of 12 hours of spotting. My doctor thinks possibly I have a slight placental seperation, and so I was put on to bed rest for 2-3 days, and since then
I have been on restricted activity.......and THANKFULLY there hasn't been any more spotting........and I will continue taking things easy!!!
Then on March 10th we "celebrated" Derek's 3rd birthday in Heaven. Doug and I went out to his grave site, and we sent him a balloon up to Heaven, and we
left him his first flowers of the season..........it was a hard day, but I really think that his little brother (who kicked a LOT that day helped me out!)
Then on March 17 and 18th Doug painted DUSTIN's (yes, it appears that that is what Itsy's name is going to be......of course that IS subject to change considering the fact that there is still 3 months until his arrival!!) room, and we actually set up his crib and change table and dresser....we couldn't put up his Winnie-The-Pooh decal yet, because we need the paint to cure for 2 weeks.
That pretty much brings us up to today...........we had our 26 week appointment, and I have FINALLY reached and surpassed my pre-pregnancy weight, I have now gained 1/2 a pound over my pre-preg. weight LOL........My bp was great, and then came the time to measure my belly........at which time my doctor informed me that it is "safe" to say that I am growing
a big baby in there, because apparently all along I have been measuring ahead of "normal".........oh well, what do I expect, Derek was our first one, and he was over 8 pounds!
Then, just before my appointment was over my doctor told me that he will be away on holiday's for the first 3 weeks in July............and my responce
to that was, Okay then, we will just have to induce in June........that is NOT a problem with me, and he agreed.......we haven't narrowed in on a date yet, he did also mention that if I continue to have problems with bleeding that he would be very easily convinced to induce me as early as 36 weeks........so now I know that this baby will be born in June for sure!!
April 18, 2001 Appointment
Well it was another boring appointment today YIPPEEEEE LOL. Doug couldn't make this appointment because he had a day full of meetings and my doctor indicated that he likes it when he doesn't come to the appointments............because that means that everything is going good LOL
I passed my GTT, my blood pressure is perfect, and I gained 2 1/2 pounds in the last 3 weeks (now I am 3 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight LOL), and my belly is measuring the "proper" amount of growth from my last appointment..........of course I am still measuring big!!!
He DID say (after listening to Dustin's heartbeat) that I am having a girl........I said, nope, the u/s said boy........he claims they are wrong...........but I am sticking by the u/s because this baby's heartrate is the same as Dereks always was, between 145 and 155.
He has scheduled another u/s for 33 weeks, and at that time we will see how everything is progressing.......since we are doing an elective induction he just wants to double check that everything is developing on target.
So I have 3 weeks until my next appointment with him, and 4 weeks until my next u/s...............hopefully the time will continue to move quickly.........and now that spring is officially here (we can actually see all of our grass again LOL) it should continue to zoom by (please please please please!!!)
June 6, 2001 Appointment
Sorry that it has been such a long time in between updates, but there really hasn't been much to tell, my latest appointments have all been pretty boring YIPPEE..............
I did find out at my last appointment that according to my ultrasound at 32 weeks and 4 days that Dustin was weighing in at 5 1/2 pounds already.......and was 16 inches long..........of course I know that those numbers aren't set in stone.........but his weight makes me nervous because if he gains the "typical" 1/2 a pound a week from that point that means he would be over 9 pounds at term..........OUCH.......LOL
But I don't have to worry about how big he will be at term, because we FINALLY agreed on an induction date today................we are officially 19 SLEEPS until "I" day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We didn't work out the particulars like time ect.........but we did agree on June 25th!!!!!!!!! So if this little one is agreable, and doesn't make me have a long drawn out labour his birthday will be exactly 6 months before Christmas..............so he will be spoiled in the summer, and then in the winter LOL
He is head down now (at my last appointment 2 weeks ago he was still transverse (sideways)) and I have now gained 9 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, other then that it was a "same ol same ol" appointment.
June 13, 2001 Appointment
Well once again we had a b-o-r-i-n-g appointment YIPEEEEE, I aasked my doctor about what time I should be at the hospital on the 25th, and his reply to me was that he would go to the hospital that morning, see how busy they are, then phone me with a time to be there............needless to say there won't be much sleeping in my house on the 24th!!!!!!!
On an exciting note, my sister took me shopping prior to my appointment, and she bought us a digital camcorder, so now I can share pictures instantly.......and our first attempt was a side shot of my belly at 37 weeks (no we didn't need the wide angle LOL). I have still only gained 9 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, so I have a feeling that Dustin deffinately is going to be on the large side! Anyways, here's the picture of me that we took.
Dustin Alan Thiessen arrived at 1:43 am, June 26th......I was induced at 8 am on June 25th, but it was a slow painful process............My contractions started almost immediately, at 5 minutes apart, quickly increasing in intensity..............my doctor initially predicted a 6 - 8 hour labour.......but Dustin had other thought...........I think he was trying to opperate on "Thiessen Time", which would have meant being late, rather then arriving 2 weeks early!
Anyways, after 12 hours of intense contractions, and really getting no where fast (I was only 3 centmeters dialated), I broke down and accepted an epidural.............which was a great thig considering that we ended up going another 5 1/2 hours!!!!
He ended up being suctioned out in the end because his heart rate dropped to the low 90's.......and his cord was around his neck..............THANKFULLY I was unaware of either of these cocerns until AFTER he arrived safe and sound!!
He weighed in at 7 pounds 13.7 ounces, and was 22.5 inches long..............it frightens me to think about how big he would have been with another 2 weeks of growing!!!!
See Pictures of Dustin Alan
Return to Derek's main page
