On Thursday, we went to San Francisco for a day full of a lot of waiting and ultrasounds and an echo (to check the heart) and more waiting. Thankfully, we didn’t need the MRI, like we were initially told. And from it all, we have concluded that the final results consist of waiting until Baby is born and going from there.
Baby’s stomach is fully visible and formed inside the body (praise God!) but just so happens to be on the wrong side. This could be perfectly fine and fully functional or it could lead to complications that would mean we will need to spend some time in the NICU at birth.
The doctors are encouraged by their findings and everything appears to be working just fine. For now, we wait and hold steadfast in our faith. We are staying positive and we know this baby will be healthy and perfect just the way it is- albeit unique.
This man. He keeps me smiling. He lifts me up. He makes sure I eat a delicious burrito after a long day of waiting and ultrasounds and more waiting. Thursday was rough. Thursday was LONG. Thursday was so not fun. But it was still full of joy and smiles and hope. I read this in my devotional, and they were the exact words I needed for the day: “Awareness of My marvelous Companionship can infuse Joy into the grayest day.” So what did I feel yesterday, during the doctor consults and ultrasounds and big scary medical terms? I felt hope, and more importantly, I felt joy.
The best advice I have received lately is to try not to worry and to allow myself to enjoy the remainder of this pregnancy. There is no way to not worry at all, but I’m not allowing myself to be consumed by worry. That does no good. I believe 100% in this baby’s perfect health and that everything will be okay. Each kick that I feel tells me this. Each overwhelming feeling of calm and peace that comes over me reassures me of this. Each time I look at my sweet baby’s face in that ultrasound photo, I know this to be true. Baby, we cannot wait to meet you and hold you and love on you. Until then, keep growing! Keep thriving! Keep being one of the very best parts of me.
So in lieu of all of this craziness, we have decided to find out the gender of our sweet baby! We’re sick of the unknowns and the stress, we’re wanting some excitement and joy and happiness, and right now that is coming in the form of having a little gender reveal and finding out if we’re having a boy or girl! Now, I know I was pretty stuck in not wanting to know, but ever since we looked at each other and said “Let’s do it!” I have been SO excited to find out! We’re finding out on November 15th, and of course I will be sharing here. :)
Also, I just wanted to say thank you all so much for the prayers, the good thoughts, the sweet messages and love that we have received. We are overwhelmed and humbled by it all.
xo
Keeping your family in my thoughts & prayers – fingers crossed!
Thank you Shannon! <3
xo
Keeping your beautiful family in my thoughts and prayers! xoxo
Thank you Kaila <3
xo
Will be praying for you. You guys are such a sweet family. Oh and that’s exciting about the gender. I hope you have a girl. She would be so pretty like you. And well if it’s a boy that’s ok too! Blessings your way!
Aww Laci! You are so sweet for saying that- thank you! <3 I'm so excited to find out!
xo
Keeping your family in my thoughts!
Thank you so much, Rachel!
xo
There are a lot of people that are praying this baby be perfectly healthy and beautiful. Faith will come through.
YES. I feel beyond blessed already, and I know you’re right- faith always comes through.
xo
Keeping your family in my prayers. I really hope that your precious baby is perfectly fine. I’ve heard of quite a few people who have organs on the wrong side and they are completely fine. I will hold on to faith that this is the outcome for you as well.
Sending lots of good thoughts your way!
So sorry you are going through this; I know the waiting can be hard. We went through that part, too. I’m excited for you to find out the gender. It will be nice to give this sweet cherub a name!
Keeping you in my thoughts & prayers!
x. Sabrina | Simply Sabrina
you’ve been in my prayers, love!! and YES enjoy the pregnancy and all the little blessings that you’ve had so far! tummy in tact and on the inside and all. you being happy is the best thing you can do for both you and that little one right now!! and i can’t wait to find out gender!!!!!! i wanna know if my hunch is right!! probably not. i’m only ever right about my own babies. hahaha.
I have followed your blog for a while now.
I’m a nurse in the uk on NICU and see babies with a whole host of conditions, if your baby needs to go there, he/she will be in the best place! How far we have progressed with neonatal care is amazing. Wishing you the best of luck!
It’s a scary time, but as you say the doctors/radiographers are positive and if they weren’t happy they would certainly share that with you! Babies adjust to their own situations so quickly and theyre alot tougher than we would think! X
Been thinking about you and your family so much! Lots of prayers. I seriously love your outlook! The important thing is not to stress and take care of yourself. Baby will keep growing and thriving. And I cannot wait for you to find out the gender!
Oh mama I have faith your babe will be perfectly healthy. I adore your sweet fam and can’t wait to hear gender!!!
Sending all the love! Glad you are able to keep such an amazing positive outlook. Love that piece of advice- to enjoy your pregnancy!
I have followed your blog since before you were pregnant with Sam and it’s been so fun watching your family grow, cannot wait to watch it grow by one more perfect little babe :)
xoxo
Will continue to keep you and your little one in my thoughts and prayers!!! I know this waiting part has to be so tough. Your faith is inspiring and I also just appreciate your honesty as your share your heart! Can’t wait to hear about the gender too. :) :)
Wishing you the BEST outcome for you and your little one. I ask the Lord, our healer, to release healing over this baby. He is for you and He is for this baby. “…and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?…” Romans 8:30-32
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. You can do this. You can handle this!
my baby cousin was born with his stomach on the outside. they kept it healthy in a little baggy and slowly lowered it back into his body a day at a time. we could still see him and touch him :)
he’s a perfectly healthy six year old now and his scar is barely visible!
all the love x