Progesterone: Friend and Foe

At 19 weeks 3 days pregnant, I started progesterone shots this Tuesday. Studies have shown that weekly shots of the hormone greatly improve the chances of carrying baby full term if you have had a previous premature baby. I'm really excited and hopeful about this!!! With that said, I AM SICK. Sick like death. I thought the injection would be the worst. It is dissolved in sesame oil and 1ml of it goes right into alternating hips each week, for 16 weeks. Talk about feeling the burn. That was the easy part. Tonight I came home and just cried. I feel like I've gone straight back to the first trimester x 10. It is totally worth it, but it is hard not to feel sorry for myself. Just 15 more weeks to go.

I did get to see "baby sister" again. It is amazing what they can see this early. They check the baby's brain, measure the baby's nasal bone, measure the long bones in her arms and legs, check her kidneys for main blood vessels, measure all 4 chambers of her heart and measure the blood flow in and out, check her lips for any signs of cleft palate, and visualize the stomach and bladder (which were both full. We also saw her drinking the amniotic fluid. The sonographer commented on how active she is, how long her legs are, how big her feet are, and how absolutely perfect she is. She currently weighs 10 oz.

Emma said recently, "I really like my baby sister! When is she going to pop out?"
Emma also asked, "Mommy, (pointing to her arm) when my baby sister pops out, is she going to have white skin like me or brown skin like my friend Robert?" It was such an innocent question, but I kinda felt like I was a guest on the Maury Povich show there for a minute.