Stable - Still 33 Weeks

Week 33 out of 39 (6 weeks to go)

Hello Family and Friends,

Summary:

If you can believe it, they said the fluid is even less around his right lung than last week. So everything is stable.

Detail:

I have officially transferred care to a combination of Children's and UW Maternal Infant Care Center. So last Thursday was good timing to get a detailed ultrasound of the baby's weight and overall health and measurements. And I also completed a Fetal Echocardiogram which looked at his heart.

This Monday 2/26/24 was my first appointments at UW Maternal Infant Care Center (UW MICC) and I'll be meeting with them regularly each week until I give birth so it really feels like the home stretch now.

I now have a plan for each week:

Every Monday I'll have 3 appointments with that team:

1 - an ultrasound looking at the points of concern with Lucas, his heart, any fluid in his body making sure it isn't getting worse and also the level of my amniotic fluid (around Lucas)

2 - Have a non-stress test which monitors the baby's heart beat and my contractions for 20 mins to make sure that Lucas isn't showing any signs of distress. They are particularly interested in making sure the placenta is supporting him towards the end of the pregnancy because the down syndrome has it be common that the placenta gets weaker towards the end of pregnancy.

3 - meet with their obstetrician team, one of the doctors and discuss the results

Later in the week I'll go to Valley Medical Maternal Fetal Medicine office in Renton to for just a non-stress test.

Results of 2/26/24 Ultrasound

There is still only fluid around Lucas' left lung and it is measuring even less than last Thursday! Just great news, which is such a relief. The Non-Stress Test came back strong.

This care team was also able to clarify that if they aren't worried about Lucas' heart or the fluid in his body then he doesn't have to be transferred to Children's, he can be in the NICU in the UW Building in the same tower I'll be in when I deliver just on a different floor so after delivery, once I am cleared to walk around after a couple hours, then I can go see him and hang out with him as long as I want/feel able to. That is really great news to me.

The other thing the obstetrician I spoke with on Monday clarified that there are several things they are keeping an eye on. In her mind, she is planning on delivering Lucas in Week 37 which is the earliest he will be considered full term unless everything looks "picture perfect". I asked her if the results that day were considered perfect and she said yes. So that is an adjustment in expectations a bit.

Thank you all for reading and hanging in there with me. My weeks are feeling more exciting now a days. I feel like my sleep is hit or miss. I only slept from 9pm until 2am yesterday and the night before I slept 8 hours. I'm definitely taking each day as it comes and very much thank you for your attention reading these updates and for your prayers. :)

I had a friend take some preggo pics, so I thought I'd share a couple here.