Pregnancy Update - Placenta Previa

I was really enjoying the second trimester...Like seriously loving it.... despite the vomiting, the scary round ligament pains... I was no longer a high risk pregnancy, and was off bedrest... all these minor niggles that normal pregnant women complain about all the time.. fuck. That's all nothing!

I was happy my baby was safe... so what if I puked after every meal or have to pee 5 times a night. After the first trimester I've been through, those typical pregnancy symptoms were very welcomed.

I think a lot of mothers who have had high risk pregnancies will agree with me.

Unfortunately though, my joy was short lived. At least I got to enjoy being worry free and happily pregnant for 2 months in this second trimester. And oh boy was it fabulous!!!! Some of the best weeks of my life!

But at my fetal anomaly scan, I find out my placenta is covering my cervix completely. Facts are, a low lying placenta at a 20week scan is common (like 1 in 3 will get that) and it will move up and out of the way as the pregnancy progresses, so 95% of them will be a non issue by the time baby is due. However, mine isn't just a low lying placenta, it's actually covering the whole of the OS (cervix/birth canal).

Doctor said that with that degree of coverage, it will never move away enough to allow the baby to pass through. So it's a C-section for me (which is fine)... the only worry is, having a bleed before week 36 because of the placenta previa.. in which case I would have to stay in hospital, to control the bleeding, monitor the baby's growth until it's the safest time to deliver her.

I've looked at the forums, and some mothers have to stay on hospital bed rest for weeks. But even then... in that kind of situation, the longer she can stay resting the better! Because you don't want your baby out too prematurely.

So prayers for me, that we will make it to week 36 with no issues. Then hopefully hold out until week 37 (or more?) That's the best case scenario. It's looking like I'll have a December baby though, no longer a 2016 baby. (I would prefer 2016... but don't want to risk my life or the baby's life for that)
 
For now, I'm just on modified bedrest, so all the work that I can do from home, I'll continue, but all my other clients which require me to be mobile, or at events, I'm sorry I cancelled all those engagements. There were a couple of pregnant momma contests I wanted to join.. and I wanted to do a maternity shoot with my friend who is also pregnant... but I have to scrap all those plans now. So I won't have maternity pics, only the weekly bump shots I take at home, and will continue to take weekly for as long as I'm not on strict bed rest.

I really appreciate the concern & support from my friends... but before you think it's good to give me your advice, please google Grade 4 Placenta Previa risks and find out about it. It's already sucky enough I have to go through this... but it stinks even more when people who know nuts about this then pull advice out of their arse and dish it to me.

I've had things like-
"This is common. You're worrying over nothing!"      (My answer: oh okay, gee thanks)

"Huh? Why you want to Csect so early? Csect is best done in week 39, you know."  (My answer: Oh yes, I purposely want to deprive my child of precious weeks in gestation. And my doctor is a quack)

"What would women 1000 years ago have done?"  (My answer: erm... they would have bled to death at childbirth)

And here's a kicker... David's friend's wife said to him that "it's just a scan and the baby moves around with the placenta anyway, so the placenta will float around and be at a different place at the next scan."    (My answer: erm... no. the placenta doesn't float around, it's anchored to the uterine wall with some major blood vessels. It will move upwards together with the wall of the uterus as the uterus stretches, but with a complete previa lying over the cervix, chance of that happening is slim)

Great, so now my husband believes Dr Zhivago , and doesn't see the seriousness of this condition. It's just me worrying over nothing....

That's okay, people can think what they want. I'll just do whatever is in my capacity to prevent a bleed from happening too early, so that I can push the C-section date as far back as possible. So my baby will be safe.

The good things to be thankful for, the DNA test I took ages ago cleared her of downs and other trisomy defects. This last scan checked all her vital organs, and her size, and she is perfect. Father, I come to you in Jesus' name and through the blood of Jesus Christ to ask you to protect and bless the baby in my womb.  I condemn every tongue that has risen against me and my baby, in accordance with your word.  Thank you Father, that every good and perfect gift comes from you.

Pic of me out and about, blissfully enjoying being pregnant... unaware that I was going to get the shit news at the next scan!

It sucks to go back to a less active lifestyle, and possibly strict bed rest again. My first trimester was rough because of a huge subchorionic clot, but even though that was a bad one and very risky, we healed really quickly (in 5 weeks). This is just a hurdle, and this too shall pass.