Welcoming Our Rainbow Baby

Unknown to many, after losing our first baby in October 2021 due to extreme prematurity, I miscarried in June 2022. Our angel had a weak heartbeat during the first ultrasound. When we went back the following week, no heartbeat was detected. A confirmatory ultrasound later showed the same thing. At that time, I didn't know what to do or think anymore. After taking all the vitamins that my doctor advised me to prepare my womb for another pregnancy, it was still unsuccessful.

In November 2022, we confirmed my third pregnancy. Unlike other couples who experience pure joy when receiving this news, it was a mix of joy, worry, and fear. I knew in my heart that despite what happened previously, we still want to have a child. I was also willing to make major changes.

I resigned from my job that entailed a night shift, moved to the province, and was referred to a perinatologist. She focuses on maternal and fetal medicine, and specializes in high risk pregnancies. Her second opinion on my laboratory results was that I must be treated as an APAS patient. I was frightened to know this, having been told in Manila before that the test showed I was negative. This previous advice made it more likely that my pregnancy loss was caused by my history of COVID infection. I learned that with APAS, the body can let go of the baby despite making it to the second trimester. To prevent this, my doctor prescribed a new regimen that included aspirin and Innohep which I injected into my belly area every day.

On my 18th week, I learned that we're having a boy. Each week that he was in my womb was a reason to celebrate. There was fear still as we neared the 23rd week, a period when we lost our first baby.

On April 14 (26 weeks and 3 days), I had my oral glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes. It brought back the memory of my water breaking on the day I had this test with our first. Fear was present despite doctors' assurance that OGTT is not tied to preterm births. Thank God, my results were normal. Same with the biometry and doppler studies to ensure that the baby and blood flow were fine.

Thoughts from the past still haunted me. For instance, when my previous OB said that the goal was to stop my contractions for at least until the 27th week when our baby would have a chance to live. I kept on reading about survival rates for preemies, and even though my current pregnancy had been going well, I knew that there's no such thing as a safe zone in pregnancy. Instead of buying things to prepare for his arrival, or hosting a baby shower and having a maternity shoot, my focus was to keep him alive. His kicks made me smile.

Since we would go to Jollibee after prenatal checkups, we decided to call our baby "Jollyboy."

At 7 am of June 27, Tuesday, I felt regular contractions. In the afternoon of the same day, I was admitted in the hospital and at 11:38 pm, my waterbag broke. It is the baby's 37th week which is considered as early term.

Our rainbow is here and now.