Update 10/29 10 pm

I'm staring at my keyboard. I really don't know where to begin. Except, with all of my heart, very humbly, I ask if you could please lift baby Hunter and myself up in prayer.

I just spent about an hour with one of my Perinatologists. I did not retain all of the information. But, this is what I wrote down when I returned to my room after my ultrasound. I'm just going to list it out...This is what the doctor explained to me. This is very blunt. Stating the facts.

First, the best news: Baby Hunter looks very healthy and is a good, normal size at 2 lbs 12 oz. Also, I've had no contractions today and no decelerations show up when baby's heartbeat has been monitored today. Thank you, Lord.

Now the rest.
I now realize that this entry is long - so, bottom line, the amniotic fluid is dangerously low and the placenta is beginning to restrict nutrients going to the baby.

Amniotic fluid:
- a measurement of 14 (i don't know in what units) is average
- below 10 = very concerned
- mine is a 6.6
- 6.6 = not good at all. I need to drink 64 oz water a day and get rest in hopes that the fluid level increases.
- I'm not leaking any amniotic fluid, so cause of decrease is not known. This sometimes just happens.

Dips in heartbeat:
- Because of the low amniotic fluid, baby doesn't have as much room to swim in the uterus. Therefore, he is sitting on his cord (he turned and is now breech) at times.
- They don't routinely see this at this stage.
- Dips (decelerations) are not affecting the baby negatively = Not causing brain damage. Once his heart decels, it always will eventually accelerate at a higher level, which is normal and what they want to see.
- Compared to when we hold our breath while swimming under water. Doesn't hurt us; doesn't hurt him.
- Will continue to monitor his heart rate

Placenta:
- (Think of this as a clogged sink or a coffe maker that is clogged, ok?)...Placenta acts as a filter. Nutrients/blood ("faucet") pass through the placenta ("filter"), through the cord and to the baby.
-We are at "borderline restriction" of nutrients being passed from placenta to the baby.
- 7.0 and below = normal
- My flow = 7.6, which is borderline
- 10 = bad
- If source of nutrients (the "faucet") stops running into the placenta ("filter"), yet the fluid that was in the placenta ("filter") backs up (like a clogged drain) = death of baby
- If faucet runs, yet filter still backs up (this reaction would create pressure and cause fluid to explode to ceiling) = death of baby within 3 days
- Doctor said, "Baby not going to die now, but we must monitor this closely via ultrasound."
- I don't know how often ultrasounds will occur
- At some point of time, usually after the 40 weeks gestation, everyone's placenta begins to age and nutrients will become restricted eventually. Mine has begun early.
- What is causing the placenta (filter) not to work and restriction to occur?
- May be unexplainable - it just happens, and we don't know why.
- But because this happened in my first pregnancy, and is happening again which is unusual, this is a good indicator that something else may be wrong inside of ME = disease or disorder.
- Could be a blood clotting disorder (Our bodies constantly produce blood clots, but we have a mechanism that helps to disolve these clots. I may not be producing enough of that substance, therefore, I have too many clots that is clogging up my "filter" (placenta).
- Could be Lupus (but the doctor said that I "don't look like I have Lupus"...)

Tomorrow, they will begin to draw blood from me for lots of testing. They will fill about 8 viles to begin. We won't get the results back for minimum 10 days, as testing takes a long time.

Other info:
- Cervix measures 1.8 cm (Did not get smaller since two weeks ago, so that is great news), yet without including the measurement of the stitch, it is actually only 7.8mm long - which is not much!
- Funneling of fluid behind cervix is better, but may still be there. Hard to see.
- My next ultrasound will be this weekend.

I don't remember anything else.

I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment, to say the least. Overwhelmed with information. Overwhelmed, period. I understand the reality of all of this. But, at the same time, I have a great peace that everything else is going to be alright. My God is great. He works miracles. I need to do what the doctors tell me, and leave all the details up to God.

Am I scared? yeah. Am I hopeful? You bet.

"So do not fear, I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10