Specialist #2
This morning we saw the 2nd specialist to get his opinion and recommendations. He confirmed the diagnosis of vasa previa. The blood vessels in question are sitting about 8 mm away from the cervix. Jack was still looking good in the scans and the umbilical cord still has a healthy flow.
He also gave the recommendation of a scheduled c-section at 34 weeks. He feels that any risk of a preemie at that point is less than the risk of my cervix dilating and hitting the blood vessel.
We visited with my OB after the specialist and she said she would be going with his recommendation of 34 weeks. This also confirms some of what I had been seeing in my own research online. She also reminded us that is the goal and it doesn't mean Jack won't come before then. They're going to start me on medication proactively to prevent contractions, but any sign of labor or bleeding will most likely result in an emergency c-section.
My doctor told us if we could make it to the 28 week mark (2 weeks from now), then everyone would breathe a little bit easier with Jack's size.
So all of this threw me into another bit of panic insisting to Justin that we get the carseat, the bassinet, and the nursery done ASAP. While I know realistically Jack won't be coming home anytime soon because he'll be in the NICU if he comes that early, I also know that I'll feel a little bit better knowing we're ready when he is.
So that's where we are right now. They'll continue to monitor Jack twice a day, everyday. We'll continue to see the specialist weekly to check for any changes. We'll also continue to pray and hope that Jack will stay put for as long as possible. But also mentally preparing for the idea that he may be making his appearance in the world much sooner than I had ever thought.
He also gave the recommendation of a scheduled c-section at 34 weeks. He feels that any risk of a preemie at that point is less than the risk of my cervix dilating and hitting the blood vessel.
We visited with my OB after the specialist and she said she would be going with his recommendation of 34 weeks. This also confirms some of what I had been seeing in my own research online. She also reminded us that is the goal and it doesn't mean Jack won't come before then. They're going to start me on medication proactively to prevent contractions, but any sign of labor or bleeding will most likely result in an emergency c-section.
My doctor told us if we could make it to the 28 week mark (2 weeks from now), then everyone would breathe a little bit easier with Jack's size.
So all of this threw me into another bit of panic insisting to Justin that we get the carseat, the bassinet, and the nursery done ASAP. While I know realistically Jack won't be coming home anytime soon because he'll be in the NICU if he comes that early, I also know that I'll feel a little bit better knowing we're ready when he is.
So that's where we are right now. They'll continue to monitor Jack twice a day, everyday. We'll continue to see the specialist weekly to check for any changes. We'll also continue to pray and hope that Jack will stay put for as long as possible. But also mentally preparing for the idea that he may be making his appearance in the world much sooner than I had ever thought.
Thinking of you Sally! I ended up spending 4 weeks in the hospital and one of the things that helped me was having a calendar on the wall that you could mark days off on. We set goals on that calendar. Each day you make it is better for your sweet baby and it helped to be able to mark them off and see our progress. Keep him cooking!
ReplyDelete- Jennifer Snyder <3
I'm so sorry this is happening. My heart goes out to you and your family. I wish I was nearby so I could help you, too! If there's ever anything I can do, please let me know. I'm so glad to hear that you have such a good, strong support system. I'll be thinking of you all the time and sending good vibes your way. Looove you! <3 <3 <3
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