We had our son Miles Isaac at 29 weeks 5 days pregnant on December 14th. He is currently living at the neonatal intensive care unit at our hospital and will still be there for quite awhile. For more information and pictures of him visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/milesnilsen

Psalm 139:1

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.

Dec 10, 2007

Below are some of today's ultrasound pictures. The specialist never came to talk to me today, so I don't have an update on my condition. To me it looks like my cervix changed according to the ultrasound, but the doctor's notes were vague and she used the word "stable" so I honestly have no idea. Last week's ultrasound showed Miles in the 13th percentile, down from the 31st percentile two weeks prior and the 50th percentile at 20 weeks. The doctor said it could just be genetics kicking in, but made me start eating/drinking/breathing protein. Ick.

I did gain 2 pounds since last week though which makes the total so far 18 pounds! Hopefully Miles got one of those.

Dec 9, 2007: Today I'm 29 weeks pregnant! Only 8 weeks to go to be considered full term....I just might make it! No changes that I know of; I have an ultrasound tomorrow.

The tummy picture below was taking yesterday at 28/6. Not the cutest surroundings, but it was the best I could do under the circumstances!

Below is a picture of David and Miles. I think they have similiar expressions!

Another website that I am working on and that I plan to use after Miles is born is: www.caringbridge.org/visit/milesnilsen.

Miles' Due Date on Saturday, Feb 23 at 12:00 am, 2008 will occur in: Share - Remove

David

Carrie

Pennie

Maxie

Holstein

12/1/07 27 weeks/6 days pregnant

Monday's ultrasound showed a slight increase in "funneling" and dilation, but I'm still around 3 cm dilated. No real significant changes. My doctor took me off Motrin which I was taking copious amounts of last week apparently to calm my cervix. I'm glad to be off it. I'm currently just taking Nifedepine which is supposed to calm contractions. It also lowers blood pressure, but mine was already low so they monitor it to make sure it doesn't drop too much, which it hasn't.

I had the glucose/diabetes test earlier this week as well. That came back negative which is good. However, the serum they have you drink is just as nasty as I expected.

I also had my Rh negative shot administed. That was fairly uneventful.

Medications I've taken while here: Turbutaline shots (the first week or so to stop contractions that broke through the other medications.) Ambien for sleeping. I promptly discontinued this after 3 days. I can't stand that stuff! A stool softener. This was promptly discontinued after 2 doses. Why they would think I need that daily is beyond me! Motrin 600 mg 3x/day. That is SO much. For crying out loud. Before pregnancy I only took maybe 2 Aleve a month. Suddenly they had me on 9 Motrin a day. Ick. So glad that's over with. The steroid shots (very painful and throbbing.) An IV antibiotic (can't remember the name at the moment.) I think that's it...

Other developments: Miles has had the hiccups almost daily. I guess I felt them before, I just wasn't sure they were hiccups. Now I am. We had a tour of the NICU here at Evergreen and met a couple who had their baby last week at 31 weeks. She is adorable and looks healthy, but is in an incubator still. She weighs 3.5 pounds. So so cute! They gave us a keepsake diaper for a 1-3 pound baby. It is the tiniest thing I've ever seen!

I will have another ultrasound this coming Monday the 3rd. My doctor wants to make sure Miles is still as healthy as he has been. I guess his heart rate drops some during contractions and they want to monitor that. If it increases as a problem, then I may HAVE to deliver early. But that's a worse case scenario. Right now they're just checking things out.

11/26/07: 27 weeks/1 day pregnant

Still waiting for today's ultrasound which will give us more insight on what's going on and how fast I'm dilating. This past week was incredibly uneventful...which is good. Just boring!

Curiously I've lost 1.5 pounds since my last ultrasound and now weigh 118, so a total of 16 pounds gained. Must be atrophying here in bed!

This picture is to show my belly button turning inside out!

11/19/07: 26 weeks/1 day pregnant and counting...

I've been hospitalized for a short cervix and preterm labor. Miles could be born any day, but the doctors are trying to keep him at bay for as long as possible. The longer he stays the better, but that means that I could be here through Christmas...

11/15/07: 25 weeks/5 days

Yesterday morning I had some suspicious symptoms and called my doctor. Long story short, seems like my cervix is 50% effaced and has shortened to 2.5 cm and I am having contractions that I was completely unaware of. I will have more tests today, so those findings are not officially confirmed.

According to my research, our son is about 14 inches in length and weights about 1.7 pounds with feet 2 inches long and eyes that are starting to open. He has been kicking up a storm inside.

At 24 weeks/1 day pregnant I had two complete strangers at different places ask me when I am due. I am counting this day as the official first day that strangers felt confident enough that I am pregnant that they could comment. (Oddly, both of them have February 24th birthdays...) Since then I have had quite a few inquiries. :)

The pictures below are 24 weeks/5 days.

At 23 week/5 days I had gained 16 pounds total. My next appt is 11/30/7 and I will be 27 weeks/5 days. That is the appt I am dreading because I have to drink the sugar serum and have my blood drawn. Plus I'll be getting my RH negative shots....

10/10/07 ~~~ 20 weeks/3 days

So...all my updates from the past month have been erased from this site. :(

A quick overview until I can find the time to be creative again:

At 16 weeks/5 days pregnant David and I had two ultrasounds and found out we're having a boy! (Below are some of our 16 week/5 day ultrasound pictures.)

At 18 weeks/4 days I felt the first "thump thump" that I knew was our son kicking; David was able to feel it the next day. Since then I have felt him more and more. The past two days I've felt almost constant activity and the pressure of him burrowing into dark corners of my uterus.

At 20 weeks/1 day I had some strange 12 hour cold/flu and then woke up in the middle of the night for my first ever midnight snack!

Yesterday at 20 weeks/2 days we had our 20 week ultrasound and confirmed that our baby is a boy. We have a 30-45 minute ultrasound video of the experience and evidence of his burrowing habit.

20 week update: 1) I have gained 11 lbs so far which is on track. I need to gain 14 more total. 2) I had a flu shot which I thought were not allowed, but are apparently recommended while pregant. 3) Got blood drawn to check for immunity to taxoplasmosis ~ we should find out the results by next week. (Below are some of our 20 week ultrasound pictures.)

Week Fifteen You may begin to feel some fluttering movements as baby kicks, flails, twists and turns (but don't panic if you don't yet). She can also grasp, squint, frown, grimace and maybe suck her thumb! Your baby's legs have grown longer than the arms and the body is now longer than the head. And you'll be happy to note that he is moving those arms and legs often! His skin is very thin -- so thin blood vessel are visible. It's covered by a fine, soft layer of hair called lanugo. Lanugo comes from a Latin word meaning "down." This hair is thought to help insulate your little boy. The three tiny bones in his middle ear have begun to harden. The auditory centers in your baby's brain haven't developed yet, so she might not really understand what you say but her hearing capacity is in the process of developing. Fingernails and toenails are growing. Eyebrows are beginning to grow and even the hair his head is sprouting. It will probably change color and texture after birth. All this and your little one is an amazing 3.98 inches (10.1cm) long and may weigh 2.47 ounces (70gm).

15 weeks Pregnant today! (9/2/07)

I read somewhere that a baby has tastebuds formed by this time and can actually "start enjoying" my meals! (Sorry David, I guess the little one will like sweet pickles, not dill!) Baby is about the size of a softball or large orange and apparently probably gets the hiccups often. I have hardly noticed any changes between this week and last. I almost totally feel like myself and I have no food cravings and am able to eat the things that I had an aversion to a month ago. I don't seem to be eating a lot more than normal either. My next doctor appt is 9/14/07, my mom's birthday! I'm going to have a blood test to see if I have the antibodies to toxoplasmosis (contracted from cats) so I don't have to worry so much about changing the litter.

Week Fourteen

• Thyroid gland has matured and your baby begins producing hormones which will be used throughout his or her life.
• In boys, the prostate gland develops
• In girls, the ovaries move from the abdomen to the pelvis
• Your little one may have learned to suck his thumb by this point!
• Your child's bones are getting harder and stronger by the day!
• Your baby's skin is very transparent still
• Lanugo (very fine hair) covers the baby's body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age - Generally this will be shed prior to birth. Its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water!
• Your baby is 3.42 inches (8.7cm) long and weighs about 1.52 ounces (43 grams) - approximately the weight of a letter!

End of First Trimester Update

First Trimester Dates: 5/13/07-8/25/07 (Conception: 6/2/07)

First Symptom: Missed Period: (-) HPT 2 days before expected period, (+) HPT 3 days after missed period (at 3w/5d)

Other Symptoms (In order of onset): Daily Sneezing (approx 3.5 weeks-ongoing), Nasal Congestion/Slight Bloody Nose (approx 4.5 weeks-ongoing), Slight nausea (approx 5-6 weeks), Bloating (approx 6-11 weeks), Sore Breasts (approx 6-9 weeks), Moderate Lingering Nausea (approx 6-10 weeks), Extreme Sleepiness (approx 6-9 weeks), Decreased Energy (approx 6-10 weeks), Increased Frequency of Urination (approx 6-12 weeks), Difficulty Sleeping (approx 7 weeks-ongoing), Increased Appetite (approx 7/8 weeks-ongoing), Acne (approx 8-10 weeks), Return of Energy (approx 10 weeks-ongoing), Abdominal Stretching Pains (approx 11 weeks-ongoing), Periods of Extreme Nausea with decreased lingering nausea (approx 11 weeks-ongoing)

Baby's heartbeat: 158 (7w/5d), 161 (9w/5d), 160 (13w/5d)

Total Weight Gained: 5.5 lbs

7/27/07 9 weeks/5 days Our little Jumping Bean Alien

8/19/07 Today I am 13 weeks pregnant. This past week I think I have felt the best yet, but still not 100%. I don't have to get up in the middle of the night anymore too. :) I have a doctor's appt this Friday the 24th which I'm really looking forward to. I haven't been able to feel my uterous which people tell me should be a given now. So I hope she finds everything is progressing normally and that she can show me what to feel for!

"13 weeks: The fetus is now nearly 3 inches / 7 to 8 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighs nearly an ounce / 23 grams -- about half a banana. Its unique fingerprints are already in place. And when you poke your stomach gently and she feels it, your baby will start rooting -- that is, act as if she's searching for a nipple."

Congratulations!

Your Due Date Is Saturday, February 23, 2008

Your conception date was most likely Saturday, June 02, 2007
You are in Week 12 of your pregnancy
and your baby is 10 weeks old. Why is this?
Your Second Trimester will begin 8/25/2007
And your Third Trimester will begin 11/24/2007
84 days down, 196 to go!

Fun Birthday Facts

Your baby's birthstone will be Amethyst (Sincerity) Your baby's Flower is Violet or Primrose (Violet, Sky Blue or Yellow) Your baby will be born in the Chinese Year of The Rat This time next year your baby will be 24 Weeks Old! Your baby will start kindergarten in 2013, be old enough to drive a car in 2024, finish high school in 2026, and will graduate from college with the class of 2030, give or take a year. Can you imagine?

THis is a picture of 12 weeks gestation. So cool. We are 12 weeks today (8/12/07) I have been feeling abdomen twinges and my close friends say they can tell I'm pregnant by looking at my stomach. Instead of craving things, I'm started to have adversions to foods. They don't necessarily make me sick, I just can't eat get myself to eat them. I don't think I'm eating that much more than before pregnancy now. My energy is returning, but long outings where I have to walk a lot are still harder to do than normal. I'm still getting morning sickness that strikes in the mornings and other random times. I read online today that we could start feeling our baby kicking as early as 14 weeks! Only two weeks from now.

11 weeks pregnant today! (8/5/07) Our baby can swallow now and is about the size of a large lime or a plumb. Baby will double in length in the next 3 weeks! I guess my uterous is supposed to just about fill my pelvis now, so in the next few weeks I should start actually showing a little bit! My next doctor appointment is 8/24/07 and I will be 13 weeks 5 days at that point. Cannot wait to hear the heartbeat again! I think my energy is starting to return a little bit. Still get the nausea, especially when riding in the car, but David and I actually went hiking yesterday and it felt great!

Our little baby is 10 weeks/2 days old now! At our ultrasound at 9 weeks/5 days we saw our baby jumping and punching and kicking. David LOVED seeing it! :) So cute! We had a DVD burned again, but again it didn't take...

I am still really tired and have morning sickness that comes in waves. Some days are so good and then I have a few miserable ones. Most everyone knowns we're expecting now except my bosses! I'm excited to tell them, but have been waiting for the right time. The plan is to spill the beans next Monday 8/6/07...

7 Weeks/5 Days (7/13/07) 5 Weeks/1 Day (6/25/07)

Our Little Animal Cracker! Our Little Yolk Sac!

We thought it was so nice of my doctor to do an ultrasound at our first appointment even though it was so early! We loved seeing evidence of the baby since it sometimes can seem so unreal!

This picture is a baby at 8 weeks pregnant.

Our baby is 9 weeks old today (7/22/07) and is about an inch long with defined fingers. (The two pictues below this are 9 weeks.) It's ears are starting to become more prominent and it is starting to exercise its tiny little muscles. At our next ultrasound we should be able to see it moving! I have been sooooo tired and some nights I am only awake enough after work to eat dinner. I had my initial ultrasound at 5 weeks/1 day right after returning from our vacation/10 days after finding out we were pregnant. Though the baby was right on track, we could only see the yolk sac, so the doctor approved another ultrasound 2.5 weeks later. We were encouraged to bring a dvd to that last ultrasound at 8 weeks 5 days so we could have a video of the heartbeat. However, the ultrasound tech didn't exactly know how to work the burning equipment and the dvd didn't turn out. I called to see if they had it on file and could reburn it, but they didn't and offered us another ultrasound! As long as its safe to have another we are going to go for it. It is scheduled this Friday the 27th (I will be 9 weeks 5 days) and we are hoping to be able to see our baby move. I wish ultrasounds were commonly done once a month or so. Its so exciting to see the baby's development!
Pregnancy Survey About You
Age?: 25
Height?: 5'2 (almost!)
Pre-pregnancy weight?: 102 lbs
About The Father
Age?: 26
Height?: 5'10
Are you still together?: Of course! We've been together for 10 years and married for 5
About Your Pregnancy
Is this your first pregnancy?: Yes
When did you find out you were pregnant?: June 15th 07; the day we left for Kauai for our 5 year anniversary trip
Was it planned?: yes, but totally not expected so soon since it was our first month trying
What was your first reaction?: Totally freaked out and happy
Who was with you when you found out?: my husband, David
Who was the first person you told?: Our parents
How did your parents react?: Happy and in disbelief (we kept it a secret that we were going to be trying and they thought we wouldn't be ready for years.) Except my mom; she'd been suspicious of our plans :)
How far along are you?: 8 weeks (7/15/07)
What was your first symptom?: nausea starting at 5 weeks
What is your due date?: Feb 23, 2008
Do you know the sex of the baby?: Not yet, but hope to find out! Oct 9th
If so, what is it?:
Have you picked out names?: Yes
If so, what are they?: classified at this time!
How much weight have you gained?: Not sure, maybe a couple lbs
Do you have stretch marks?: Way too early
Have you felt the baby move?: No, but saw it move!
Have you heard the heartbeat?: Yes! 158/min at 7 week/5 days and 161/min at 9 weeks/5 days
About the birth
Will you keep the baby?: Most Definitely
Home or hospital birth?: Hospital
Natural or medicated birth?: probably medicated if possible
Who will be in the delivery room with you?: my husband only!
Will you breastfeed?: Yes
Do you think you'll need a c-section?: hopefully not
Will you cry when you hold the baby for the first time?: probably
What's the first thing you might say to him/her?:
Would you let someone videotape the birth?: NO
Are you excited about the birth, or scared?: haven't really thought that far ahead yet since I'm not even in the 2nd trimester yet We told David's mom by showing her a slideshow of our Hawaii pictures. This "pregnut" picture was the last one of the set...it took her a minute to process what it meant! First Trimester Cravings: June: - Bagels/Cream cheese - Clear pop - a "big crunchy salad" - anything salty July: - Cheezits - Pad Thai - Sweet Pickles (by themselves!) - Apples with cheese - Pasta (like spagettios and white cheddar mac & cheese) August: -Fruit At the moment I seem to not have cravings other than fruit; more like adversions to foods: (no longer like: most chicken, burritos, peanut butter, my favorite salad dressing, pickles, foods with red sauces including ravioli, cheezits...) We told my parents & brother by giving them an updated tour of our fairly new house. The last room we showed them was our "guest room" with this portable crib in it.... Tummy pictures! 8w/0d 7/15/07 12w/0d 8/12/07 16w/0d 9/9/07 18w/4d 9/27/07