Baby Nichols #5 Update

There have been many people asking how this baby is doing throughout the pregnancy, so I wanted to update everyone.

As many already know, I became Rh-Sensitzed sometime between delivering Arwen and my first blood draw with Ava. Thankfully, Ava's pregnancy went extremely well with no problems.

This pregnancy has been going extremely well also. I have to go once a week to Mercy St. Louis for a high risk ultrasound, for them to check the blood flow in the baby's brain, to make sure she is not becoming anemic -- which is the danger of being Rh-Sensitized. My blood attacks the baby's blood as if it were a virus.

Like I said, everything has gone extremely well, until last week the blood flow numbers had gone up significantly. They were still in normal range, but it was a surprise change from the way things have been going this whole time.

This week, the blood flow numbers showed another significant jump; Although still barely hanging in the normal range. The Dr. came in to speak to me and said if the numbers keep going up at the rate they have been over the past two visits, we will have to do a blood transfusion sometime next week.

Because of this, I have to go ahead and start preparing for that. I have to go to my delivering OB and get two steroid shots, 24-hours apart, to help develop the baby's lungs, if anything were to go wrong during transfusion and baby need to be delivered.

I will also have to get another blood flow ultrasound on Friday (Feb. 10) for them to determine how quickly things are progressing. And there is the possibility that a transfusion will have to be done as early as Monday (Feb. 13). If the transfusion is needed right away I will also have to give blood for the hospital to Type and Cross Match my blood with donor blood to make sure they don't give the baby any of the same antibodies I have in my blood. It also cannot be frozen, it has to be fresh.

This procedure has to be done similar to a C-section as far as the environment goes, in a Labor and Delivery Operating Room, as it has to be a sterile environment, with a big curtain blocking my view, and they need to be prepared for basically anything. They will have to first draw blood from the baby to determine exactly how anemic she is. Then they can do the transfusion and give her the correct amount.

They also will have to give me some sort of sedation that keeps me calm and VERY still during the procedure, because they will be inserting a large needle into my stomach, but also doesn't effect the baby TOO much if they have to deliver.

Long story short, everything is happening all at once. But we know that our hope rests in Yahweh, and everything will be okay, no matter the outcome. But we still appreciate your prayers. For the baby and her safety, and for my nerves.

Also, there is a very real possibility if we make it safely through all the transfusions baby needs without having to deliver, that we will still have to deliver around 34/35 weeks gestation. So prayers for that too.

Thank you all for the prayers and support you've given our family through everything we've been through. We love and appreciate every one of you.