I had an emergency ultrasound this week. I thought things were improving with this pregnancy, so I haven’t been taking it as easy as I should have been. I had a scary bleed again, but this time it was much bigger than they usually are. The ultrasound showed that the original blood clot has doubled in size, and a second one has appeared on the opposite side of the sac.
Because of the size and location of the largest clot, my midwife is putting me on bed-rest. Every time it bleeds, the clot irritates the uterus and causes it to contract, putting me at risk for premature labor. This is the same condition that caused Anna’s birth at 34 weeks. I’ve been advised to do no lifting and as little bending up and down as possible.
We are overwhelmed by all the offers people have made to help! We could have meals, cleaning, and laundry taken care of for the rest of the pregnancy. Nearly everyday, someone sends us a message asking if they could help out – even people we’ve never met before. It’s very humbling to be the recipient of such kindness.
We talked to friends last weekend who also have difficult pregnancies and they get very hurtful remarks from their own families each time she carries a child because of the help they require from others. I’ll admit that it’s hard not to feel “guilty” for getting pregnant again when we were fairly certain that each subsequent pregnancy would involve the same kind of complications they have previously. But, we’ve had no reprimanding, scolding, or heartless things said to us because of this. Instead, the Body of Christ has been more than willing to sacrifice itself on our behalf and we are so grateful.
Brad’s parents have offered to let us move in with them, just as we did during my pregnancy with Anna, and we’ve taken them up on their offer. Getting outside help is not a problem, but we really needed someone to be around all day to help take care of our 1 year-old who still needs to be lifted frequently. We don’t want to break up our family if we can help it, so we’re all moving to Opa & Oma’s house! The older two are beyond thrilled and we are deeply thankful for the love our parents have for us. This is a huge sacrifice on their behalf as they (particularly Brad’s Mom) will be making our meals, lifting kids in and out of bed, giving them baths, doing the housework, etc. Those in-law jokes? I just don’t get them. I’ve been so blessed by the family I married into.
We’re praying the transition goes well, that bed-rest will be beneficial for myself and our unborn child, and that God’s name would be glorified above all.
It’s so easy to lose sight of the big picture and adopt a “woe is me” attitutde. I really struggled with this during Anna’s pregnancy. I kept worrying about all the problems and forgot I was carrying a baby, a gift from God! It sucked the joy right out of me.
I want to ENJOY this pregnancy, every bit of it, however long or short it may be. And so here’s a list of my maternity favorites that make even the hard parts more delightful than they could be otherwise:
1). Baby moving. At the time of this writing, I’m 18 weeks along and thankful for all the flutters that remind me of the child within.
2). Ultrasounds. I get lots of them with this pregnancy. I know there’s concern that ultrasounds aren’t 100% safe, especially if you have many of them, but it stills my heart each time I get to see our unborn baby, so fearfully and wonderfully made.
3). A new wardrobe. When I’m pregnant and nursing, a large portion of my wardrobe is made by Deborah & Co.! I get to wear pretty things like:
Deborah & Co.’s Floral Scoop Top with Petal Sleeves. $32.99 Comes with an attached camisole that stays in place with an invisible snap button.
This blouse is not specifically a maternity top, but its naturally loose fit makes it perfect to wear during that odd stage of pregnancy where regular clothes are too tight and maternity clothes are still too large. I imagine I’ll get plenty of use out of it post-partum, too. It’s so forgiving! P.S. This scarf comes from Deborah & Co., too!
Use coupon code GH5OFF to take $5.00 off a $50 order at Deborah & Co.! Expires June 23.
Deborah & Co.’s Maternity Ruffle Skirt. $54.95
I got this skirt (and a matching one for Charity!) when I was pregnant with Anna. This time ’round, I hope to be pregnant right through the summer, Lord willing, and will be able to get much more use out of it. It’s light, feminine, easy to clean, and its many colors make it easier to find tops that match!
Use coupon code GH5OFF to take $5.00 off a $50 order at Deborah & Co.! Expires June 23.
Deborah & Co.’s Maternity Rainbow Skirt. $49.99
For three pregnancies, I got to borrow my sister-in-law’s long, denim skirt. I wore it more than any other article of clothing and looked forward to doing so each pregnancy, but this time, we’re due within a week of each other so I had to get my own! I’ve had nothing but good experiences with Deborah & Co.‘s quality made clothing in the past, so their Rainbow Denim Skirt was a natural choice, especially considering the impossibility of finding anything like it locally! It’s in a style that never goes “out,” and the quality workmanship is impeccable. I hope I can make great use out of it for many ’til my child-bearing days are over. 
They also have this skirt available in a non-maternity style, so I may pick up one of those after this pregnancy is over.
From Deborah & Co., I also have their half-shells and three nursing tanks, but I’ll make more use of these after baby is born.
Use coupon code GH5OFF to take $5.00 off a $50 order at Deborah & Co.! Expires June 23.
4). Long nails, thick(er) hair. I only get to enjoy this luxury when I’m pregnant.
5). Children are a Blessing DVD. If you’re on bed-rest, this DVD is a great resource to have on hand for when you need to be reminded of this truth, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Psalm 127:3 The makers of this film are the same family who brought us ABC Say It With Me (read my review). I love having good films on hand for the kids to watch, and Children are a Blessing is a particularly good reminder to them (and myself!) why this season of life is completely worth it.
6). Rest and reading. Bed-rest goes completely against my personality. I love to be busy and productive, and it’s very hard to sit and watch someone else do for my family what I normally can do.
But, it’s not all bad.
Never have I been so caught up on sleep (I wish I could bank these hours to use after the baby is born!), and never have I had so much time to read! I don’t imagine I’ll be getting a whole lot of reading in after baby is born and we have four kids aged five and under, so I’m taking advantage of the extra time to do so now. My new favorite?
Trust: A Godly Woman’s Adornment by Lydia Brownback.
My friend, Meagan, gave this book to me for my birthday last month, and I’ve been devouring it. It’s so appropriate for this pregnancy. I wish I could quote the whole book, but I’ll leave you with an excerpt from yesterday’s reading that was particularly meaningful to me.