We are overjoyed to share the news of another precious miracle with all of you.
I am 15 weeks pregnant.........with ONE baby! :)
May 8, 2014 is our due date.
We are beyond blessed.
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| Baby Vincelli at 11 weeks. |
For this child we prayed. 1 Samuel 1:27
It has been quite the emotional year. As you may or may not know, we began trying for another baby in May of 2012, but with no success. So we started doctoring at the Mayo Clinic again and did a FET (frozen embryo transfer) this past February. But I did not become pregnant. We were heartbroken.
But we tried again right away and did another FET in April. I became pregnant and we were thrilled for another miracle. But at just a little over 6 weeks along, I miscarried and we lost our precious baby. (Blog post: Goodbye, Sweet Baby) We were devastated. But still not near ready to give up.
I was all set up to start medications again in September with another FET in October, but we were shocked to become pregnant on our own in August.
ON OUR OWN!!
With no fertility medications or treatments. An absolute miracle!
I was able to call and cancel our appointment in Rochester. I had always dreamed of doing that! Some people we've told have said, "See what happens when you stop trying." Well, I can guarantee we definitely hadn't stopped trying. And I did stumble across some research that said you are most fertile 1 to 3 months after a miscarriage. I had never heard that before. But we did conceive almost exactly 3 months after our miscarriage. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it, but it is definitely interesting.
So in less than one year after our miscarriage and losing our third baby, we will hold baby number four in our arms. I could have never imagined we'd go through all we have this year. Even through all the ups and downs, we have always continued to trust in God's perfect plan for our family.
But we have had some scares along the way already:
The day before I was supposed to go in for our first ultrasound at 6 weeks, I began spotting. Just like I did, at the exact same time during my miscarriage in May. I cried and cried and seriously thought we were losing our baby again. I went in for an ultrasound that day, but it was too early to see a heartbeat. So for the next 9 days, I continued to bleed and started mourning what I thought was the loss of another baby. But the bleeding didn't become worse like it did during my miscarriage in May. I started feeling hope, but didn't want to be overly positive. Finally, after bleeding and worrying for those 9 days, we went in for an ultrasound and there baby was with a strong heartbeat. It was one of the happiest moments of our lives! Relieved and overjoyed just doesn't even begin to describe what we were feeling!
Unfortunately, we also found out right away that I tested positive for the Jka antibody. I used to be negative for this antibody, but Nick is positive. (Which is very rare and of course Nick likes to think he's pretty unique because of this!) So this means that Nick passed it onto one of the twins. And when I delivered the twins, it entered into my bloodstream. It's just been floating around me with no problem, until you become pregnant.
To make a long story short, this antibody has a chance of crossing into the placenta and attacking baby's red blood cells and destroying them. If that happens the baby may become anemic. If that occurs, the doctors would either have to give baby a blood transfusion inside of me, and/or deliver baby early. This is called Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn.
But from everything that I've researched, it seems like even if it did cross over to the baby, that it would be very rare for it to be serious. So, I continue to be closely monitored by blood tests every month (and then every 2 weeks after 24 weeks along) to measure my blood titers, which will tell how much antibody is in my system and getting to baby. So far my numbers have been right where they need to be. Praise God!
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| Excited big brothers-to-be!! |
It's still hard to believe this is all really happening. And in this way! We feel so very grateful and blessed.
Besides being absolutely exhausted every day (literally falling asleep when I sit down sometimes!), and other little pregnancy symptoms, I have been feeling wonderful. I really can't complain at all. I am so thankful for that because I know so many women feel horrible for so very long in their pregnancies. I am excited to feel what a singleton pregnancy will be like. I imagine I won't be quite as big as I got with the twins. Ha! And I hope to deliver a full term, healthy baby! :)
Thank you for your continued support and prayers during all these years. We are so grateful for your love in our lives. Please continue to keep our precious baby in your prayers.
Amy & Nick
