As we get closer to meeting Eden, doctor appointments are becoming more frequent. It went from once a month, to every other week, and now weekly. We are getting as much information about her as we can through ultrasounds and tests and keeping a close eye on her growth so that we can make the best plan for her.
Let’s start out with the best part of these appointments. We absolutely love getting to see Eden on 3D ultrasound! The technology we have nowadays is incredible and more advanced than I even realized. We can watch her live movements in 3D and it’s always so amazing to witness. We are so thankful for the ability to see her sweet features while she is still in the womb. When you don’t know how many photos you’ll ever be able to of your baby, you cherish every one. The cover photo of this post quickly became my new favorite photo of her, as it’s the first photo of her smiling! Here are a few of our other favorites:
In the last photo, you can see her giving us a wave! They were able to send us a still image, but we actually got to see that moment live as well. Dylan basically jumped out of his seat as soon as she did it, and I probably would have too if I wasn’t the one being scanned! In case you weren’t aware, one of the markers of Trisomy 18 that Eden has is clenched hands. Her hands are basically always in a fist shape, and they were unable to tell us if she was able to open them or not. It was something that the doctors said would most likely need to wait to be determined after she’s born. And until about two weeks ago, we had never seen her little fingers open up. But Eden decided to give us a wave, almost as if to say, “watch what I can do!” Since then, we’ve witnessed her at my most previous ultrasound just waving her left hand all around with each tiny finger on display. She also pointed with her first finger on her right hand, which is seen in the cover photo. It really is the little things that bless us the most these days.
As for the other aspects of Eden’s health, she has a few other markers of Trisomy 18 that make her unique. She has multiple heart defects, with the biggest one being a “VSD” or a ventricular septal defect. Basically, there is a hole in between the bottom two chambers of her heart. She also has a splayed cerebellum and a fetal growth restriction. Our little Eden is in the <1%ile, weighing in yesterday at an estimated 3lbs 2oz. All of these markers are common in babies with her condition, so we are just keeping a close eye on them.
One of the ways that we’re able to tell how Eden is doing in utero is through a scan called a doppler ultrasound. This measures the blood flow through the umbilical cord and placenta. Yesterday was our first time doing one of these scans, and the results showed that the doppler levels were raised. This means that the placenta is working harder than normal to provide her with the necessary oxygen and nutrients that she needs, which is adding stress on Eden. It also further explains her fetal growth restriction. They weren’t too concerned yet though, because we don’t know how long this has been going on for. This could have been the way the placenta has been functioning the whole time. The levels were raised, but not into the “severe” range. So, we were advised to come back next week to get another scan and see how the results compare. This will tell us if her well-being is “declining” or if she is staying stable.
Since Trisomy 18 is something that affects Eden and not me, this pregnancy so far has been pretty normal on the health side of things. It’s been the typical nausea, heartburn, back pain, etc. But as of my last appointment, they found that I have polyhydramnios, or an excess of amniotic fluid. This is once again common in these cases, and explains why I have been looking in the mirror confused as to how my belly is so big if she is so small! The good thing is, yesterday they found that my fluid levels came down to closer into the normal range. This can fluctuate however, so we will just pray that it stays maintained as time goes on.
All of this information is definitely scary to hear and hard for us to wrap our minds around. It’s a daily battle. But deep down, I just know Eden is tiny but mighty. Every kick and flutter I feel is a reminder that The Lord is sustaining her in her fight! We would be so blessed if you would join us in prayer for Eden. I know so many of you have already been, and we are so thankful for the support, prayers, and kindness.
How you can join us in prayer:
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Pray for our ultrasound appointments next week and that Eden shows signs that she is staying stable in utero
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Pray that Eden is strong through the labor process and that we can get the chance to meet her
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Pray for Amber’s polyhydramnios, and that it will stay maintained
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Pray for our team of doctors and nurses who are working with us along the way, and for the team who will be present during Eden’s birthday
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
I pray for you and your family daily.