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Ugh, childcare is crazy (and crazy expensive!) around here too! We live in a tiny town and options are really limited. I’m super lucky I get to stay home with my kids (although I admittedly don’t feel “lucky” every day...! Haha)

I FINALLY got my NIPT results...she gave them to me over the phone (everything low risk!) but I asked her to send the gender in a message...knowing full well I wouldn’t be able to wait until DH got home to open it, but whatever. Haha

And...It’s a GIRL! I’m so excited! I called DH to tell him, otherwise you guys are the first to know Letting our boys “pop a balloon” like they insist on (I literally don’t know how they even know about that! Haha) and then we will tell everyone else. I’m shaking I’m so relieved that we have a healthy little girl on the way

@bees_knees: yay for a girl!

@bees_knees: Yay! I’m so happy for you! How exciting for you all.

@bees_knees: yay! So happy for you!!

@bees_knees: Big congratulations on a healthy baby, and a girl after 3 boys, how exciting!

Also, congratulations to everyone else getting great results on their NIPTs!
We only did the regular 12 week bloods and ultrasound so I won't find out baby's sex until my anatomy scan, I'm jealous you guys are already finding out!
I had my first braxton hicks this arvo. I can't believe they've started so early this time, it took me a few minutes to even realise what it was!

@Umberto: @bees_knees: wow that is super early BH! i have the opposite problem where even my second pregnancy i was basically having contractions for several days after my due date and didn't even feel them.

ok so i will preface this by saying that i am so sorry to you @Umberto: that you have been suffering through hyperemesis, it sounds absolutely awful. shout out to anyone else who is still experiencing nausea. but right now i am soooo hungry like all. the. time. my first two pregnancies i basically took the "i'm hungry and pregnant and i can eat whatever TF i want" approach. this worked out fine the first time, but second pregnancy i was very very tired the whole time which i partially attribute to crappy diet, and was still struggling to lose that last baby weight before i got pregnant this time. i have been trying SO HARD to be better this time and eat super healthy, but i just want to eat cookies so much. like, many of them. the two apples i just ate are really not cutting it.

@nwm: I totally see that. I’m also less nauseous and more hungry these days, and trying really hard not to gain too much (with the three consecutive losses/grief I’m up ~15lbs from my normal weight to start, which also means the doctor is on my weight like a hawk). My go to for sweet cravings has been a bowl of fresh berries with some whipped cream. Not cookies, but close. I also have a big bag of dove chocolate squares in my desk drawer at work, and eat two or three of those daily, but justify it because they’re only like 40 calories each, and out of sight out of mind most of the time. I don’t know if it’s all the right thing, but I’m hoping to walk a line between denial and total indulgence. 🤷‍♀️

@nwm: Yeah, the only drawback of berries and whipped cream is that the grocery store always puts pound cake next to the berries so I have to consciously choose not to buy it each time. Those nuts sound really good, too. I also like cheese and those pretzel and hummus packs that you can buy (also $$$) for salty/protein. Hate to admit it, but we have a family size bag of string cheeses in the fridge right now and I almost always have one with me for emergencies. The baby and I qualify for family size, right?

So my NIPT results came back as inconclusive... which just means that there wasn’t enough fetal DNA to get results, not that there’s definitely something wrong. They’re going to draw a new sample at my appointment on Wednesday, and then we’ll be in limbo again for another 1-2 weeks. I just want to know if I need to prepare for another loss. Being in limbo like this is so frustrating.

@rattles: I have a regular 12 week appointment on Wednesday, but it should just be pee in a cup listen to the heartbeat, schedule the next one. I have no reason to believe anything is going wrong except for history, I just fet like maybe I’d be able to stop holding my breath if this came back good. I’m wondering if I should schedule a nuchal translucency screen just to be on the safe side because I’ll probably be close to 14 weeks by the time the new results come back.

@karenbme: I’m glad the results came back more quickly than they’d guessed, and hopefully that’d be the case this time too. Still, I wouldn’t blame you for asking for an NT scan.

@nwm: I realized I never answered you about whether we were finding out the sex. We haven’t decided. DH would like to wait again, but I think I’d like to clear out the handmedowns we won’t need and decide how we want to assign the bedrooms. Our girls share right now, but we’d like to split them because it’s been two years and they still don’t go to bed well together. We have a guest room one could move into, but then the baby would have to bunk up with a sibling, and I’d like to start thinking through the logistics. He’s said he’ll defer to me, but I also know he feels strongly about being TG and can’t decide whether to veto. I’m trying to wield my power benevolently They’re supposed to give my OB the results but not give them to us until/unless we ask.

@karenbme: I’m sorry you have to go through the whole process again. That has to be so frustrating and stressful!

@bees_knees: Totally agree with you, I'm way too impatient to be team green, I don't know how other people do it! My OB offered the NIPT but at $485 we just couldn't justify the cost purely to know the sex.

@nwm: Contractions without even knowing it? Sounds like you were living the dream!!
I know what you mean re: trying to eat well! My OB gave me her blessing to eat whatever made me feel ok, but I'm trying to be careful anyway because I'm already overweight to begin with.

@rattles: Even if you weren't officially HG, it sounds like you understand those feelings of misery! Are you as bad this time, too?
It's already improved for me so much in recent weeks. I tried cutting back on some medication but regretted it very quickly, definitely not ready for that yet!

@karenbme: yeah I think I would schedule the NT scan too, just to be on the safe side. A butterfly has tubing from the needle in your arm to the collection tube, while I regular 21 gauge needle looks like a regular syringe. You can google pictures if you want to make sure they’re using the right type of collection method. I was going to post some here, but I know some people have an aversion to things like that! Anyways, it apparently makes a real difference, so just be sure they aren’t using the right needle!

@Umberto: I don’t have HG, but my nausea is out of control. I’ve been sick with all pregnancies, but this is the worst of them all. Not sure if it’s because it’s a girl or because I have 3 little boys to chase around! I’m 11+5, and my nausea didn’t subside until 18-20 weeks with my other pregnancies, so I’m not optimistic about it being over any time soon!

@nwm: hoooow were you able to keep the sex a secret from your DH?! That’s incredible.

You guys, I swear I already feel little baby movements! I’m only 11+5 (although baby measured 5 days ahead at my last US) but I’ve been feeling them all week. Maybe it’s because it’s my fourth so I know what they feel like?! I don’t know, seems crazy early. But it’s in the right place and feels exactly like early movement, so...I’m calling it! Haha. It’s seriously the best feeling. Every time I deliver a baby, I get sad for a couple weeks afterwards because I miss the baby kicks so much!

@Umberto: @LemonJack: Thanks

@nwm: Also, second @bees_knees: ‘s comment. HOW were you able to keep that a secret?! I feel like I would’ve cracked before the first week was up.

@bees_knees: That’s so exciting!

@Beebeeholiday: first of all, kudos on being under 35, lol. i am jealous here is my understanding: the NIPT is a generic term for genetic testing done through a blood test that generally screens for three specific genetic abnormalities, and can also tell you gender. MaterniT21 is one brand (Panorama is another, and there are a few), and it happens to be the one that my office uses as well. My practice recommends it as standard for everyone, but basically advises everyone to call their insurance to see what's going to be covered. Since my last pregnancy and this one I was over 35, it was automatically covered. For my first, I called insurance and got a somewhat ambiguous answer, but I felt like I really wanted to do it, so I did and it was covered anyway for mysterious reasons. I think typically insurance will cover it if you are over 35, or if you have one of several specific risk factors.

Actually, randomly the MaterniT21 is "out of network" for me, so did cost me $240, which is annoying but obviously way better than $2500!

Hope that's helpful--and hope your doc can help you figure out a way to get it done !

@Beebeeholiday: You are right, NIPT is the type of test, MaterniT21 is one of the many companies that performs this type of test. I would suggest calling MaterniT21 and asking if they have a cash pay rate (I'm pretty sure they didn't when I called them in 2017 with my last pregnancy).

I did the Panorama, which is offered through my OB's office. I am not 35, so it was not covered by insurance, but Panorama has a cash pay rate of $249. I'm not sure if that is the rate they contracted with my OB? When I called Panorama in 2017, their cash pay rate was around $150. They were going to send my provider the kit, and then I would get it drawn and receive a bill. I can't remember the details for sure. I ended up having a different NIPT drawn.

If you're sure you want to get some sort of genetic screening, and the MaterniT21 doesn't have a cash pay rate I would get the NT scan, since that has to be done before 13+6. By the time you had an alternative company (like Panorama) send you a kit, you got it drawn, sent to the lab, results sent back to you, etc. I would think you'd be close to 15 weeks anyways, if gender is the result you're most anxious about But def talk to your doctor about your options!

How is everyone feeling? Some of us are out of the first trimester!

Morning sickness never really set in for me, and I am very, very grateful for that. I felt pretty sick with my previous pregnancies (all three girls), so I am wondering if this one is a boy.

I am still working out 5x a week and don't really feel limited in any capacity yet. I feel very lucky.

I gave away all my maternity clothes so I think it's time I stock up on a few things (at least pants, because my jeans are starting to leave indents on my belly from being so tight). Who has maternity pants they love?

Also... anyone feeling movement yet? I am so eager for it.