Week 31: Yep, I am Carrying Adopted Embryos

I guess most of the medical field has decided that being pregnant with adopted frozen embryos should be considered IVF. While I guess that technically the process of transferring frozen adopted embryos into my womb meets the criteria of IVF, it just doesn’t sit right with me. When we see rotating doctors and sonographers the first thing they say to us is, “So, you guys used IVF?” Why does this bother me? Perhaps it is because in my head I don’t think the definitions line up, or perhaps it is simply that I think our journey and the process of embryo adoption is so much more special and rare that simply taking my eggs and my husband’s sperm and implanting them; (I mean no offense to any of you who may have used IVF) it is as if the term IVF minimizes what we have gone through because they through the term around so frivolously, as if it is no big deal.

          Most of the time I then feel the need to explain to the medical professional at hand exactly what we did and what embryo adoption is. Even then, many of them cannot grasp what I am saying; they think we used a frozen donor egg, or something of the like. This tells me that awareness about the option of embryo adoption needs to be shouted from the rooftops to the general masses, but also to the medical world. If doctors don’t even know about embryo adoption, how can we expect the general population to?

          Okay, so enough of that rant! It dawned on me the other day that I am walking around 31 weeks pregnant with the genetic material of another couple; and when I thought this I was once again floored by the magnificence of our God and this miracle, and that I was being allowed to honor of carrying these babies. You would think that by now I would be used to this miracle…but some days it catches me by surprise. Like on days when I feel a really strong kick or a lot of activity; I am reminded that the life within me was not supposed to be according to doctors. Every moment of discomfort due to pregnancy was not supposed to be, yet here I am, waddling around with strange pains, little sleep, and a huge belly…all which I am grateful for. So yeah, sometimes I just stop in my tracks and think, “yep, I’m carrying adopted frozen embryos. What a miracle.”

          So at 31 weeks my fundal height is measuring in at 38 weeks, which is why I am having all these contractions. My uterus is saying, nay, screaming, “I’m done! You are full term; deliver these babies.” I am politely trying to convince my uterus that although it seems that way, the reality is that I need at least 4 ½ more weeks of work out of her. We just had the babies measured yesterday and Baby A (girl) is a petite 3lbs 4 oz, and Baby B (boy) is a whopping 3lbs 10oz. This means that there is almost 7 pounds of baby in my uterus, which is also signaling my body that it is time to deliver. I mean, a 7 pound baby is a pretty decent size, and they are only going to keep growing! My OB would like me to make it to 38 weeks but he feels that by 35 weeks they probably wouldn’t have to spend much time in the hospital. Everyone thinks their weight gain is good, although Baby A is a little small, and that makes me hopeful because I hope that by 32 ½ or 33 weeks they are both 4 pounds or more.

Elli will not let us see her beautiful face anymore, this was the best "profile" shot of the whole visit.

          Baby girls heart rate has dropped into the 130’s which they say is normal and Baby boys heart rate is at 168; big difference I thought but they say it is normal. Everything else with them looks good; size, heart, lung functioning, amniotic fluid, etc. *Warning, small rant ahead* At this latest perinatologist appointment we had a sonographer that we have never had before and she was rushing and talking the whole time about nonsense and we really didn’t get to see much. When it came time to do my cervical exam she had to measure 3 times and got 3 different numbers each time. Normally, the examiner asks me to bear down at the end to get a cervical length when my cervix is “under pressure” however; she did not ask me to do this. So I asked her if she wanted me to bear down for a measurement and she said no. Okay, so maybe it was unnecessary?

 The first measurements were in the 30’s and the last measurement was 28mm (they worry if you are 25mm or less). SO THEN, the doctor comes in and says everything looks fine because my cervical length is 33mm (last week it was 43mm) so although it has shortened it is still okay. I had to interrupt him and mention that my last measurement was 28mm, not 33mm and he said, “oh she didn’t note that.” Grrr! Okay, as if that wasn’t bad enough, I asked him for the report of that visit and it stated that my cervical length “under stress” was 28mm. Now remember, he said the tech didn’t tell him that number AND the tech never did an “under stress” measurement. So what the heck? That is just frustrating. *End of rant*

          On Tuesday night, the night before this exam, I had 12 contractions in an hour and 20 minutes. That is a lot. I have a feeling that that high number is what shortened my cervix from 43mm to 28mm(or 33mm depending on who you ask, ha-ha ), thus I really am trying to rest. On top of the contractions I have been having a lot of back pain and menstrual like cramps. Yesterday night and today I have been feeling a sense of pressure low in my abdomen and when I have contractions I feel a need to bear down, (TMI, as in a bowel movement but I don’t actually need to go). Thankfully I see my OB Tuesday and my Peri Wednesday so if something is going on they should see it, thus I will not spend my weekend worrying!

          We are currently rushing around, trying to prepare everything we can for the babies just in case they come, say…tomorrow! We just never know and we don’t want to be caught with a million things to still do. And good heavens, I have never done so much laundry in my life! I felt the need to wash and or/wipe down everything for the babies and I still am not done. So wish us luck as we try to finish up the nursery this weekend and figure out what to pack for the hospital!