Little Foot Update: Over Halfway!

So, I’ve been wanting to tell you so many things about the backstory of our becoming-parents journey. So many pieces partially written and not quite ready. So instead, an update on where we are and what we’re expecting (aside from, perhaps, the obvious).

The very general and bestest of all news is that Little Foot is doing great! The doctor said, “She looks gorgeous.” Pfft. We new that. But seriously, that is a direct quote after viewing her anatomy ultrasound images and finding no signs of anomalies. Yay!

We are 21+ weeks along, and she is growing per the charts and moving all around (though I can’t feel her yet… or can I? Was that her? Or was that gas?… it’s hard to tell). She is decidedly not cooperative during ultrasounds, either turning away from the wand or curling up into a ball and taking a nap. Hmm… How early do these personality traits begin?

And now, let’s check in with the risk factors so far:

Age (still 39)

Honestly, the other risk factors seem so much greater that I still don’t know the specifics of this one. I think I’m at higher risk for pre-eclampsia (I’m taking aspirin), gestational diabetes (I’m still eating dessert), and a few others. But I couldn’t tell you much about it. So let’s move on.

Congential Heart Anomaly

Good news on that front! Little Foot had a fetal heart echo a couple weeks ago, and her heart is way more normal than mine was. There were no signs of major anomalies! (always possible that minor ones come up that can’t be imaged that early)

Brian and I are honestly stunned at every piece of good news we get (we keep waiting for the other shoe to drop), and this was no exception. Also, Brian actually got to join me for this ultrasound due to it being performed at a children’s hospital (they have a 1-guest policy during COVID). If I hadn’t mentioned earlier, he is not allowed at any other appointments including ultrasounds due to COVID precautions. So it was tear-jerkingly wonderful to be able to hold his hand while we both watched Little Foot duck and weave trying to avoid the ultrasound wand.

Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency

My first trimester echo and ekg showed no changes. So we are still holding okay there. No news is good news in that department! Next appointment later this week.

Unicornuate Uterus

Additional good news in this area too! and a bit more detail… My uterus seems to be holding well so far! Due to the unicornuate uterus, we are concerned about it not being able to stretch enough to allow Little Foot all the growth and roominess a fetus tends to expect from its temporary Yotel. We are deeply concerned I will go into early or pre-term labor as my unicorn reaches its maximum stretch.

To track for warning signs of weakness in the area and potential early labor, I get to have my cervix measured via ultrasound every two weeks to check for shortening. Shortening of the cervix can be indicative of me not being able to hold her much longer without intervention. Intervention? Yes, specifically in the form of a tiny operation called a cervical cerclage… in laymen’s terms, sewing my cervix shut.

So, every two weeks from week 16 – 24, I get a transvaginal ultrasound to measure the length of my cervix. Trans-whatinal? Oh yes, you read that right. For those who don’t know what a transvaginal ultrasound is, I’ll give you a minute to sound it out slowly and Google it yourself. For those thinking, “Is that through the….???” Yes, yes it is. With a comfort level somewhere between an awkward sexual experience and a papsmear, these are no treat. But they’re not the worst, either (The cerclage itself sounds much more uncomfortable.). And so far my cervix has been holding at a healthy length. Yay! I am one more transvaginal ultrasound away from not needing to have my cervix sewn shut. Apparently, once you are far enough along – have reached viability – it is considered riskier to bring a needle and thread near your very important sac of fluid than to adopt other methods of preventing pre-term labor. So fingers crossed for continued cervical length for now!

Additionally, the blessing of having an ultrasound every two weeks is that they also do an abdominal ultrasound to check out Little Foot. So I get to see her developing much more frequently than with a low-risk pregnancy. And it’s been so fascinating. From seeing her bones fill in, to facial features developing, to her moving around and kicking. That part is a real treat!

Birthing

Not on the original list of risk factors, giving birth is a risk factor that I was unaware of being one (’cause we needed one more). Okay, yes, birthing carries risks and is risky for anyone going through it. But a few weeks ago my OB specifically mentioned that she was not yet sure how I would be giving birth, “because you’re a little bit complicated.” Huh? I thought my options were pretty limited in that area.

But she’s right. I’m a little bit complicated in structure and placement of my birth-giving and other nearby organs. I just hadn’t anticipated actually giving birth (in much the same way I hadn’t anticipated getting pregnant), so I hadn’t thought through how my own medical history played into its complications. The short of it is that, in addition to the other anomalies I listed previously, I was born with the end of my colon not connecting where it was supposed to. I had a colostomy for the first year of life until the anomaly (and later the colostomy) were repaired in 1982. But nothing repaired is structured exactly as if it had developed normally. So I’m “a little bit complicted” down there.

Meaning, giving birth vaginally, while ideal if I’m fit for it, comes with possibly higher potential for wreacking havoc on some delicate handiwork from the 80’s that I do not want havoc wreacked on. Additionally, my OB specifically commented that, “the baby might not fit.” Hmm… that whole natural birth thing is sounding more and more unappealing.

On the other hand, having a cesearean brings with it the concern that my doctor may accidentally puncture or cut through my colon (oh yipee), and so would require a colo-rectal surgeon to be on hand during the procedure in case I find myself in the unfortunate position of needing both my uterus and colon sewn back together. Not to mention whatever infection risk comes with opening one’s excrement tunnel during a c-section.

To this end, I have an appointment this week with a specialty group of doctors to further explore the mysteries of my down-there’s and what kinds of birthing are possible.

And that about sums it up for my end of things at the moment. But you must also be wondering about our other team member. What has Brian been up to through the growing of Little Foot and numerous doctors’ appts that COVID prevents us both attending? He has been almost single-handedly holding up the entire rest of our lives. He cooks (really, far more than I think he wants to), does all dishes all the time, cares for the pup (because the smell of her food is atrocious), cares for me in the most loving and encouraging way (seriously, he’s unbelievably sweet… he even cheers me on when I take a nap… which I’m taking a lot of these days), attends all my appts with me via Facetime (video call), and spends (seriously) no less than 2 hours a week on the phone with insurance companies because my medical insurance is, to put it mildly, “a little bit complicated.” This is all in addition to doing his own things and taking on some time-consuming roles in our community. So, he’s basically the behind-the-scenes hero of this story. Many cheers for my amazing partner in all things!

And our ongoing cheer for Little Foot’s journey: Go, Little Foot, go! Grow, Little Foot, grow!