I’ve been a bit MIA from the space here since New Year’s, despite being fairly busy and with lots of updates on the Knish. My radio silence has been a little complicated, to say the least.
It’s official: I can no longer zip up or button my jeans. I feel the transition from teeny bump to blossoming bulge happened overnight sometime in the middle of last week. My first pair of maternity jeans, which I once mocked a month ago, is set to arrive in the mail this week. I understand now why elastic is my bestus friend in the whole wide world and buttons are my arch nemesis!
Also, I’m pretty sure that I’m only going to wear that pair of maternity jeans and leggings until the weather gets warmer, at which point I’ll ditch the pants entirely (or as I call them, prisons for my legs) in favor of skirts and dresses.
In fact, if I could live out of these for the next 6 months, I totally would:
Be Maternity Seamless Capri Leggings by Target #love
Seriously, these are the most comfortable pair of leg prisons I have ever owned.
At 19 weeks, there’s plenty of reason why my jeans wouldn’t be fitting so well anymore. The Knish is doing quite well. At our ultrasound last week the sonographer measured the Knish a whole week ahead based on the size. She said the Knish was measuring around 10 ounces already!
I’m in the “golden age” of pregnancy right now: the nausea has finally chilled the fuck out, I’ve got a decent amount of energy, the bump is growing and I’ve still got that radiant glow. But there are the little things: round ligament pain that sent me to the OB in a panic (who assured me it was totally normal and that the Knish was likely having a growth spurt), the ever-shifting center of gravity, the new shortness of breath when I walk around the supermarket. And now, I can actually feel the baby move.
I hold that I’ve been feeling the Knish for a solid five weeks now: I know, that would make my first detections of movement at 14 weeks and thus ridiculously early for a first pregnancy, but I stand by it. I can definitely always feel the Knish after I eat and usually right before I go to bed. It’s wonderful to know know the Knish is there, especially when every now and then I get that lovely reminder – like someone lightly tapping my skin – that our baby is doing great.
My placenta, on the other hand, may not be cooperating.
At my 18 week ultrasound last week, they had a hard time getting a view of my placenta and cervix, so I got the double pleasure of having both an abdominal AND transvaginal ultrasound. Just when I thought my dates with Wanda were over, it was like a sloppy seconds messy rebound moment. Anywho, the ultrasound went great – we got to see so many details of the Knish since I had my full anatomy scan. We saw tiny bones and fingers and toes and even the ears! (Which, the Knish absolutely takes after Larry in that aspect.)
Later that afternoon, I got a call from my OB: turns out, I have an “anterior marginal placenta previa.” Basically this means that my placenta has attached to the front wall of my uterus as opposed to the back wall; that would explain why I felt the Knish a lot more a few weeks ago as opposed to now, since the placenta acts as a buffer. In addition, my placenta is very close to – but not covering – my cervix. The issue here is that if it doesn’t move out of the way, I’ll potentially need a c-section.
The good news is that since it was detected so early, there’s a good chance that the placenta will move up and out of the way of my cervix as the baby and my uterus grows well before my delivery. I was in a bit of a hysterical panic last Thursday afternoon when we got the news, but after doing a lot of reading online and Larry getting lots of helpful responses on the r/parenting subreddit, we’re feeling a lot better about it.
And if I have to get a c-section, I will. I’m not going to put principle before medical necessity. I’m just really, really hoping to avoid a c-section as much as humanly possible. In my dream world, I’d love a natural, drug-free birth. (Go ahead and laugh, it’s cool.) But I also know that I almost never do anything the easy/normal way medically, so I’m trying to prepare myself for medical intervention if necessary. And, after 3 relatively major surgeries in my life, I’m kind of over that whole “open my body up” thing. Yeah. Not so much.
The other big drawback with this whole marginal placenta previa thing is that I’ve been put on pelvic bed rest… for 10 weeks. There are some bonuses to pelvic bed rest: no heavy lifting or strenuous, aerobic activity. I no longer have to take out the trash because I shouldn’t be lifting. But the biggest bummer of all: no sex. As in: nada, zip, zilch, zero sex. FOR TEN WEEKS.
So, if Larry or I seem a little grouchier than normal between now and the end of March, there’s your answer.
Next week we head out to Disney World for six days for a much needed and most likely last vacation, at least for a little while. And when we get back, we’ve got some exciting news to share… Like whether the Knish is a boy or a girl!
And yes, we totally know right now and nope – we’re not sayin’ a word until we get back 
As my midwife put it, rather brilliantly: drugs or natural birth, c-section or vaginal delivery … the point is the same: a baby at the end. And in this world of such tenuousness, that’s really very good perspective. (And I did manage to have a completely natural second delivery, so I’m not going to laugh. Anything is possible.)
Have a blast at Disney, and say hello to Mickey for N., who is currently obsessed with him for reasons I can not even begin to fathom.
Justine recently posted…Enjoy You: Coconut Curry Soup
I was on pelvic rest basically from 4wks until 21wks… it does suck. But in the long run, it will seem so insignificant- promise!
I’m glad things are going well otherwise
That’s great!
Another Dreamer recently posted…January 2013 Weigh In-
I’ve never managed the delivery of my dreams…not one time out of three…but the end results exceeded my every dream. One way or the other, once you have Knish in arm, it will all be worth it.
Kristin recently posted…What We Have Is A Failure To Communicate
I had marginal placenta previa, discovered when I had a bleed at 13.5 weeks. It resolved by 20 weeks or so. Chances are good yours will resolve sooner than 10 weeks.
And I’m sure you’ve been feeling the baby since 14w. I think I felt something as early as 11w but only sporadically. Didn’t feel real movement until just before 18w.
Hope the placenta moves out of the way!
Brave IVF Mama recently posted…Almost 3 weeks in
I was diagnosed with complete placenta previa, told all of the same gloom and doom predictions about having a c-section, and everything worked out all right in the end. Try not to worry (I know, easier said than done) and have a relaxing vacation!
Charlotte York Goldenblatt recently posted…Breastfeeding and D-MER
Dying to know. Just sayin.
Makes me happy to think of you sensing the Knish.
Lori Lavender Luz recently posted…The open adoption spectrum? Or something better.
I totally kept my maternity leggings BECAUSE they are so darned comfortable. Actually, they’ve transitioned over to being my workout-pants-of-choice since they stay up and hide my gut nicely while I’m bonding with the elliptical.
And I’ve discovered bellybands are wonderful to act as pseudo-tops; when I’m wearing a shirt that is a little too short (rides up unflatteringly when I reach to the top of the chalkboard), I put a bellyband on under the shirt but over my pants/skirt and voila! No grossing out the kids because they can see my muffin top.
I’m so glad to hear that Knish is doing well and you are finally getting a break from that terrible morning sickness. I hope everything with the placenta works itself out, if not, you are in great hands and the doctors will take good care of you. If you are anything like the rest of us, you know how to fight the doctors to make sure they take good care of you and Knish!
Kimberly recently posted…Winter Shed Blog Hop: Week 2
Go see a midwife… Marginal placenta previa basically means it’s barely if at all covering the cervix. The chance of it staying there is pretty slim #1, and #2 as long as the placenta is only partially or barely covering the cervix, you can have a vaginal delivery. The only risk is with bleeding, so that if you were to start bleeding or have some kind of placental problem during labor then they would have to do a C-Section. If it’s a complete previa then, of course, there’s no way out. But a placenta that isn’t previa now isn’t going to randomly become fully previa in 4 months. My twin A had a marginal previa at 12 weeks that was gone by 18, and declared “low-lying”, so I’m pretty sure yours will move as baby gets bigger. And don’t forget to hire a doula! Having an intervention & med-free birth is almost impossible without one.
P.S. I was on pelvic rest from 12 weeks until about 6 weeks after I delivered my twins (at 35 weeks). Do the math… Life sucked for a very, very long time, but it was worth it in the end.
P.P.S. Their reason for putting you on pelvic rest is because of their fear of this marginal previa. IMHO if you haven’t been bleeding after sex up until now, you probably won’t randomly start bleeding now. They just don’t want you to bleed or have an issue with the placenta since it’s partially over the cervix. Ehhh doctors.
Elana Kahn recently posted…The Secret
I had the same placenta placement early on, have faith that it will move! And as for a natural, drug-free birth, you can do it. It is so empowering. The tub is your friend during labor.