I know, I was on a roll of writing and then I disappeared for a few weeks here. Well, we have certainly had a lot going on as of late, and we were on vacation for one wonderful week to Oklahoma where we got to see my parents, Grandmother, Grandpa, and some Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. I will write another blog post about that later, and add some awesome photos of our fun week. However, I wanted to write this blog first about pregnancy differences, fair warning, this is a long post. As you probably all know (unless you are a new reader) we are expecting baby Frazier girl 2.0 in May; and as many of you know, pregnancy with Novella was no easy task that was riddled with one complication after another up until “Labor Day” as I like to cal it. So I wanted to share some of the differences between this current pregnancy and the latter. Everyone says no two pregnancies are alike, and boy is that a true statement. Thank goodness!! So here we go…

When I was pregnant with Novella we found out that I had a mutation in my Amino Acids called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, better referred to as MTHFR. MTHFR is  necessary enzyme to help convert folate to folic acid so the body can use it, folic acid is very important during pregnancy as it helps to prevent neural tube defects. However, when you have a mutation in your MTHFR it stops your body from being able to complete this conversion, and you are also more at risk for developing clotting. Hence, my history of miscarriages, they believe my body was clotting out the babies and they could not survive in my body. Thus, they began me on 1mg of folic acid a day, and I will likely have to take it for the rest of my life to help my body perform natural duties as it should. So, now that you’ve had a little biology lesson… I began taking folic acid as soon as they found out that I was pregnant with Novella, I was also referred to a hematology specialist during this time to watch my body for any blood clots because they weren’t sure how my body would respond to pregnancy and the folic acid. So add those dr. appointments to your regular high risk ob appointments.

Speaking of high risk, I was referred to a high risk ob with Novella due to previous miscarriages and the MTHFR mutation. I will likely always be considered high risk due to these issues and the added risk of gestational diabetes… YAY ME! 😉 lol The wonderful new is, I had no problems with clotting during my pregnancy with Novella, and therefore they have had no reason to refer me to a hematologist this pregnancy, so fewer appointments already! What an answer to prayers that the 1mg of folic acid along with my prenatal vitamin has done the trick, and has been helping!

As many of you know, I am very pro breastfeeding, and what a blessing that I have been a good producer of breast milk, since I was 18 weeks pregnant with Novella…YIKES, that was a little early to start producing, so much so, that I ended up with mastitis around 27 weeks pregnant with her. They began me on a z-pack to help fight the infection, and then referred me to a breast specialist to see throughout the rest of my pregnancy to make sure no other issues arose; so add that to my appointment list… so glad I was a stay at home wife during that last pregnancy, because I don’t know how I would have explained all of those appointments to an employer! haha, once again, another answer to prayers that all of these little things fell into place when they did. I was able to nurse Novella until 18 months old, when I began to dry up due to pregnancy hormones; so I made the hard decision to go ahead and wean her. She was definitely ready, but I will write another blog about that later as well. It was truly amazing! I did begin re-lactating again this pregnancy around 20 weeks, a couple of weeks after I weaned her, but it seems like that is just the norm for my body, so far no complications with it.

Now, enter the third trimester, my glucose test. With Novella I failed my one hour, I was so upset, I cried for hours after, they assured me that many women fail the one hour, and then go on to pass the three hour, so I was feeling hopeful, until a few days later I failed that one big time. It was devastating. So on February 25, 2014 I went in and picked up my new friends, glucometer, testing strips, and lancets to begin yet another new and interesting journey…long story short, my hormones were all over the place and by the end of the pregnancy I was on 2 insulin shots a day, strict diet, and 2 non stress tests and visits to the ob a week…. for the full story follow this link Gestational Diabetes. So due to my higher risk of developing gestational diabetes again, they tested me around 10 weeks with a one hour, I passed! So now I just had to wait until the third trimester to re-take my one hour test, which was yesterday, February 25, 2016.

Leading up to yesterday I had been worried, I have already gained almost 35 lbs this pregnancy, I have had a lot of swelling, which I figured had a lot to do with the weight gain, and I was terrified that I would fail my glucose test. We already had made plans on how we would handle things with Novella if I had to take the 3 hour test. Ryan would come with me and drop me at the dr. office and take Novella to the children’s museum and lunch while I tested. So we had a plan set just in case, because of how bad I failed it last time, we were feeling pretty certain that we wouldn’t be getting good news, and prepared ourselves that next week we would be going in for the 3 hour test. Then yesterday, I got a call in the afternoon that left me in relieved, happy tears. I had passed my one hour test again! 139 was fail, and I passed with a 136, it was really close, and I just barely passed, but…I PASSED!!! No 3 hour test, no gestational diabetes, no extra doctors, not crazy complications so far. So this is what a relatively normal pregnancy feels like? WHOA! And what are the odds that I passed it on the exact same day that I FAILED my 3 hour test, 2 years ago to the day. I keep saying during this pregnancy that God has a funny sense of humor sometimes. I’ll take it, we are so relieved! We ordered pizza for supper to celebrate!

Now if we can get 2.0 to flip into the right position on her own before 37 weeks and not have to run the risk of having an inversion like we almost had to with Novella, then we will be with zero complications this pregnancy. In other good news from our appointment yesterday, I mentioned my weight gain and swelling. Swelling is a concern to doctors for the risk of preeclampsia, but my blood pressure is as low as it can be and still be healthy. My doctors wording, “your blood pressure is as low as it can go right now, at least at a healthy level, and preeclampsia isn’t even on the table for you this pregnancy. I am not concerned about your swelling because your blood pressure is so low. Every woman carries differently in pregnancy, and some women are just puffy during pregnancy. Micah, you are not fat, you are just puffy. Sounds like it is the same as you were with Novella, and you will likely drop all of the water weight quickly after the baby is born, just like you did with your daughter.” So he is not concerned with my weight gain, which is probably mostly water weight, he is not concerned about the swelling because my blood pressure is so low, and I don’t have gestational diabetes! I am to simply put it… JUST PUFFY! I’ll take puffy for all of the other good news!!! PRAISE JESUS!!!!! *tears of joy right now*

So there are some and most of the biggest differences of the pregnancies; but there are several fun similarities that I thought I would end this post with…Novella and 2.0 were conceived about 2 weeks apart. Novella was born 2 weeks early, so our due date is 2 days before Novella’s 2nd birthday! Both of them are girls, and I am carrying them almost exactly the same, minus I showed a lot sooner this pregnancy, and I am bigger this time around. I tried on the clothes I wore to the hospital when I was in labor with Novella, and they are fitting much snugger already, I will not be wearing those to the hospital this time! Both girls have almost the same exact heart rate the entire pregnancy, Novella ran from 138-180 in utero, 2.0 has run from 138-183 so far. They both like to keep their right hand up by their face in utero, which is how I sleep as well. They both love one another already. Novella will snuggle up with me and lift up my shirt and hug and kiss her sister. The other day my tummy growled and she said “baby talk”, and 2.0 woke up and moved as close as she could to Novellas voice. It is going to be such a joy to watch them together after she is born…. Until our next blog post….