Pregnancy Journal: Necessary Testing!

Me at almost 11 weeks! Tiny belly now.

Welcome back to the pregnancy journal!  I’m keeping track of my third pregnancy here.  You can read previous journals here.

Today finds me at almost 11 weeks.  The morning sickness is gone, and I’m not so tired.  I’m beginning to feel more like myself for real.  I’ve jumped back into the fray of “usual daily life” now that Ben is back to work normally after the holidays.  I’m doing okay, except when Daniel decides not to sleep well at night.  Unfortunately he’s getting in his canine teeth, which, for many kids, seem to be the.worst.teeth.EVER!!  A few nights we’ve had to sleep on his floor because if we tried to leave his room [after changing, rocking, nursing...] he’d wake up immediately, hysterical.  A few nights he was up for an hour or more straight.  Then I remembered belladonna, and saw an immediate change in his sleep.  Hoping for a much better week now!  Luckily Daniel and Bekah will sit on my bed and watch School House Rock and eat a snack and let me sleep awhile longer most mornings, if I need it!

Next week is our next midwives’ appointment, and we’re hoping to hear the heartbeat then!  We’ll see.  It’ll still be early yet.

It’s interesting.  During those months we were hoping to get pregnant, I was so depressed and I didn’t even know it.  I’m really not the most outgoing person as it is; in fact, I tend to be rather secretive and passive aggressive.  Ben hates it because he says I never tell him anything important.  I hide stuff, usually my real and most important feelings, from everyone.  I especially pulled back from my friends, because I felt like they were all so busy with their lives [their own babies, health issues, adoption, and lots more] that they wouldn’t have time to talk to me, not that I asked.  I avoided them a lot.

But now that I feel better, I feel the need to bless and serve others.  I’m specifically keeping after friends now, asking how they are, talking to them.  I’ve invited people over and out places with me.  I’m trying to help them and be present for them.  I seriously can’t wait until all their babies are born so I can help them by bringing meals, watching older children, or doing whatever else they need.  I’ve felt very open to this sort of thing the last several weeks.  And even when something “weird” happens, or I wonder what they must have thought of me all those months, I perservere.  It’s not about me, it’s about serving them.

Last week I talked about unnecessary testing.  I do feel that a lot of the testing done in routine pregnancies is not necessary.  We don’t have to check on every little thing “just in case.”  But that’s not to say that we should have no testing.  I think that there are a few tests that are non invasive and really should be done, because these tests will rule out bigger problems.  Then, if and only if something comes back “weird” on these tests, should we follow up.

Briefly, I know there are women who are so into natural pregnancy that they refuse all prenatal care and deliver unassisted.  I suppose if you’ve had several pregnancies and you really know your body well that it could be okay.  Hopefully you would notice if something felt wrong, and go get it checked out.  But if you’re not in that position, like this is your first couple of pregnancies, I definitely think you are better off seeking care.  I don’t think I’d ever put myself in that position.  I would, however, consider an “unassisted” birth with midwives at my home in the next room, should something go wrong.  But even that’s something far down the road, if ever, not now.

So which tests do I feel are necessary, and why?

• Weight check: This test is necessary because it allows you to know if you haven’t been gaining, or have lost weight [potentially dangerous because you could be malnourished due to morning sickness] or if you gain very rapidly [sign of preeclampsia or other serious issues]
• Urine for protein/sugar: This test will tell you if you’re spilling protein [a sign of preeclampsia] or sugar [a sign of gestational diabetes] in your urine.  I believe a diabetes test would be a good follow up if you are spilling sugar, but generally you will not have it if there is no sugar in your urine.
• Blood pressure: High blood pressure can be a sign that you are stressed, or that you are heading for preeclampsia.
• Edema: Also known as swelling, a small amount is normal, especially in hot weather and later pregnancy.  But if you swell suddenly or significantly, this, too, is a sign of serious problems.
• Baby’s heartrate: Knowing that your baby’s heartrate is normal is reassuring, especially before you can feel the baby move.  It’s less important once you’re feeling regular movement, but still good.  Unfortunately, on rare occasions you can think you feel the baby moving even though it has died [typically you would no longer feel movement and would likely sense something was wrong], but a heartrate is always accurate: your baby’s definitely alive and well!
• Baby’s position: It’s possible to tell if your baby is breech, which you would want to know.  It’s sometimes possible to feel the placenta, too, which could let you know if you need a follow up.  If it seems low, something may be wrong.

It’s important to check all of these things as early in pregnancy as possible, usually around the 8th week, sooner if you feel like something’s wrong.  If your levels on anything turn out higher than they were previously, even if they are not in the “danger zone,” it can indicate that something is not right.  This gives your care providers a guideline to tell if follow up testing is necessary.

And as always, don’t discount mother’s instincts.  If you feel like something is wrong, even if all the tests are coming back normal, don’t hesitate to ask to be checked out!  It’s definitely better to be safe than sorry.

The above tests are the ones I’ll have at all my midwives’ appointments.  They’ll also measure my belly to see how big my uterus is, although this isn’t accurate until around 2O weeks.  After that time, the number of cm corresponds roughly to weeks of gestation.

By the way, although I’ll cover this indepth in a Healthy Pregnancy Series post, beware the gestational diabetes test.  Both the 1 hour and 3 hour versions require you to drink a large quantity of sugar water, complete with artificial color and flavor.  The 3 hour one requires fasting for 12 hours first.  It’s a test that isn’t particularly accurate because it doesn’t simulate real life conditions very well.  Ask to see if you can substitute 1OO% grape juice of even a carb heavy meal for the artificial drink if you must get this test.  I, myself, refused last time and won’t even be offered this time.

What tests do you consider truly necessary in pregnancy?  Why?  Have you been offered or even forced to take tests you didn’t want to?