18 weeks and 3 days

We had our big anatomy ultrasound today. The baby looks great. I tried to get a peak to see if it is a girl or boy, but was unable to tell! From one angle it looked like a boy, and from another a girl, so I am no closer to knowing. She was careful not to show us, and she said she didn't know either because she wants it to be a surprise for us. The baby has a beautiful spine, skin fold, brain and heart. Everything looks great with the baby. There is a slight complication, but when I asked Dr. Rousis if we should be worried he said "Yes and No." That didn't give me the warm fuzzies. I have total placenta previa, which is when the placenta is over the cervix. I will go back in two weeks for an exam and then again 2 weeks after that for another ultrasound. So in 4 weeks we will know if we are to worry or not, basically. Of course I will be worrying until then, it's my nature and I just can't help it. The placenta can grow higher up so that it is not covering the cervix, so that is why we check again in 4 weeks. Hopefully we find out the placenta has "moved" (it can't actually move, but at this point the uterus will grow faster than the placenta, so it will be as if it moved higher on the uterus and away from the cervix. Statistically, 5% of pregnancies are diagnosed between 18 and 20 weeks with placenta previa, and 90% correct themselves by the third trimester. So those are very good odds. If it doesn't correct itself, then there is an increased risk of hemorrhage (terrifying since I am on blood thinners presently), premature delivery, low birth weight, and placenta accreta (which is when the placenta grows into the uterine wall and can even attach to other organs like the bladder and usually requires hysterectomy after delivery and surgery to remove the growth from the other organs-also terrifying but this is worst case scenario.) Those of you who know me know that I am now worrying myself into a frenzy. For now, I am not completely on bed rest, but almost. No housework (woohoo!), no camping, no lifting, no exercise, etc. We will just hope and pray that everything is totally corrected by my next ultrasound! More later...