To give you a little update on baby first, here he/she is at 19 weeks old!
As most of you know, I was diagnosed with a very large subchorionic hematoma quite early in this pregnancy. Simply put, I had a blood clot (three times larger then our baby) between my placenta and the lining of my uterus. We were told we had a 1 in 3 chance of miscarrying for the second time.
After many ultrasounds, many trips to the ER, and too many times where I broke down into tears because I "knew for sure" we were losing our baby, we are half way through this pregnancy. We are so thankful for God's sustaining grace thus far and all the help we've received from our family, friends, and church so I could be on modified bed-rest.
Last week, things got a little more complicated as an emergency ultrasound showed that the original blood clot had not shrunk in size at all. In addition, I have developed two more clots which cause heavy bleeding, even in the middle of the night while I'm resting.
Second-trimester bleeding puts me at "high-risk" and I am no longer allowed to consult with my midwife alone. We now have and OB in addition to our midwife, and our hopes for another home-birth are put on hold unless something drastically improves.
"Modified bed-rest" has been changed to "strict bed-rest." With the exception of getting up to eat, shower, and use the bathroom, I spend most of the day lying down or crocheting. As you can imagine, it's very difficult with two toddlers running around. :-) Lord willing, we will be moving in with family who have graciously opened up their home to us for as long as we need it sometime this week or next.
We're often asked what's causing these blood clots and how I can get rid of them. The truth is, not one single doctor of the many we have met with over the past few months can explain why they develop or how to prevent them. No one has prescribe any medication to help the clots dissolve, so we've being using the herbs and homeopathic remedies our midwife has suggested to help sustain the pregnancy. Here they are (and what they do) in case you find yourself in the same situation:
Pregnancy Vitamin: I take this with all of my pregnancies, for the baby's health as well as my own. Make sure the folic acid content is at least 1mg daily, and that the iron is taken in a separate pill from the calcium. Calcium inhibits iron absorption.
Arnica: I take 15 arnica pellets a day. It is a homeopathic remedy that aids in the healing of bruises and wounds. I take it to control the growth of the clots, and hopefully, to shrink them as well. You can also use Arnica flowers in a tincture, or to make a salve.
Sepia (Inky Juice): These past few months have been a whirlwind of emotions. One minute we think we're losing another child, and the next we're happily staring at our energetic little babe on the ultrasound screen. I take 15 pellets of Sepia a day to help with the morning sickness, headaches, weariness, and emotional exhaustion.
Later on in the pregnancy (Lord willing, there will be a "later"), I plan on drinking Red Raspberry Tea to help prepare my uterus for birth. I took it with our second child and noticed a huge difference between my labor with him and our first.
Evening Primrose Oil is something else I take near the end of a pregnancy to help soften the cervix. After an hour and a half of pushing and second degree tear with our first, I was willing to try anything to prevent it from happening again! It worked wonders with our second - no tearing at all, and he literally "slipped" out in three pushes!
The Arnica and Red Raspberry Tea are available through The Bulk Herb Store. I love this family run company and its commitment to providing quality, organic, herbs, teas, and information on how to use the natural medicines God has created for us!
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