Becoming pregnant is indeed a
blessing from God. To know that you will be God’s instrument in giving a life
to a little bundle of joy is a wonderful experience. How did I know? It’s
because I had already experienced it five times. All of these pregnancies brought
happiness to me. Getting pregnant made me happy, but staying pregnant is not
that easy for me.
I should be thankful, because my
first pregnancy is a successful one. Thru normal delivery, I gave birth to a
healthy and beautiful baby girl in 2009. Unlike other expecting mothers, I did
not experience labor pains. No vomiting, morning sickness and I feel good
throughout the whole pregnancy. I thought my successive pregnancies would be
easier and smooth sailing too, but I was wrong.
In September 2010, two months
before my first born turned one, I became pregnant again. I experienced
brownish spotting and slight fever which is different from my first pregnancy.
Later, we found out it was an ectopic pregnancy. That ectopic pregnancy
resulted in the removal of my right fallopian tube in October 2010.
After four months, I got pregnant
again. By that time, I was really nervous afraid that it was another ectopic
pregnancy. Thank God it was an intrauterine pregnancy. I thought after seeing
an active baby with a healthy heartbeat in the ultrasound, I would carry the
pregnancy to full term. But I was wrong; my third pregnancy has not been that
easy. Aside from the subchorionic hemorrhage noted in the ultrasound, I
experienced having light greenish discharge. Pap smear result was normal. Then,
my OB-Gyne’s reliever diagnosed that I have urinary tract infection after
having urine test. She prescribed antibiotics for seven days. But then, at
twelve weeks ultrasound after experiencing spotting, the baby lost its heartbeat.
I waited for the baby to come out and had a natural miscarriage. It was really
heartbreaking to see my little baby, lifeless and fragile. My OB-Gyne suspected
it was due to chromosomal abnormality.
I never thought that having
miscarriage really hurt. Some people say I should be thankful that at least the
baby died before I bore it. But then, it still hurts even if I did not have the
chance to carry her on my arms. My OB recommended giving my body to rest for at
least six months before trying again. After ten months of recovery from
physical and emotional pain, we tried again. As usual, I don’t have problem in
conceiving even though I only have one fallopian tube remaining. It was April
2012 when I found out I am pregnant again. I am still optimistic hoping that my
last miscarriage was only due to chromosomal abnormality. Like my last miscarriage, ultrasound showed
again subchorionic hemorrhage. I was on Duphaston since I’m on the fourth week
of pregnancy. Everything was fine in my first trimester. I was even thankful
that I surpassed the first twelve weeks. That pregnancy brought so much hope
for us. We even found out that I’m expecting for a baby boy during my 14 weeks
ultrasound. We decided to give him the name “Justine”. I and husband thought
the baby was really meant for us because already surpassed the first twelve
weeks and the subchorionic hemorrhage disappeared. We never expected on July
11, 2012 that we will lose the baby too. The day that I supposed to confirm his
gender was the day we found out that Baby Justine was already gone. It was a
very devastating experience and it was very hard for me to accept. Maybe that
explain why at 18 weeks I can’t still feel his kicks. I was induced on July 13,
2012. I was on labor pain from 4 PM to 12AM. I felt an unbearable pain which
hurts more because of emotional pain. It hurts more when you know that you will
give birth to a sleeping baby. I can’t explain the feeling. After that 3rd
miscarriage, I was suspected of having Antiphospolipid Antibody Syndrome or
APAS.
My OB GYne advised me to undergo
APAS testing in order to detect what causes my recurrent miscarriage. We were
informed also that this test might be costly, as well as the treatment. I
decided to give my body a rest. I transferred to another OB, Dra. Arlene Pineda
Rodriguez, whom my officemate referred to me. I was advised to take Folic and
Iron before getting pregnant again.
By May 2013, ten months after my
last miscarriage, I experienced recurrent stomachache, which was later
diagnosed as acid reflux. I was advised to take medication (Omeprazole) for the
treatment of my acid reflux. I enrolled in a law school in June to occupy
myself.
Around June 2013, I was always
feeling sleepy, until I noticed that I am already five days late. Knowing that
I am pregnant again made me happy but the fear that I might lose the baby again
is still there. My OB advised me to take prenatal vitamins like Obimin and
Terraferon, and to prevent miscarriage again, she gave me Duphaston, Isoxilan and Aspirin. My
ultrasound reports showed an active baby without subchorionic hemorrhage.
However, this pregnancy was not that easy because at 4 months I experienced
early contractions and abdominal cramping. So my OB put me on a strict bed rest
and filed for 3 months leave.
We thank
God for His insurmountable love. After three consecutive miscarriages, I was
diagnosed as suspected APAS patient. Becoming pregnant again was not that
easy.. emotionally, physically, financially.. Yet God is so good..He blessed
and guided me throughout my high risk pregnancy (pre-term labor, gestational
diabetes, blood clotting issues). Meet our rainbow baby, our second
princess..Cielo Krislyn, born on 02/04/2014 weighing 8.8 lbs (4.0 kgs), at
37w6d. Thank you Lord for blessing us with another beautiful, healthy princess.
