For the past couple months, I have been thinking a lot about getting pregnant again. I've found myself really looking forward to it. When I was pregnant, I hated the idea of having to wait several months before we could try again for another baby, but right after Elam was born, surprisingly (to me), I was not looking forward to getting pregnant again. I knew that if I got pregnant, it wouldn't be Elam, and the new baby could never replace him. So I thought, if I can't have Elam, I'm in no hurry to have another baby. But our hearts have been slowly healing, and over the past couple months, I have been really wanting to be pregnant again. Emotionally, we think we are ready. Physically, I think I'm getting there.
About a month ago, I talked to my obstetrician about it. She has always suggested waiting at least about 6 months after giving birth before trying to conceive again. Studies have shown that there's a higher risk of pre-term labor, low birth-weight, and uterine rupture if someone conceives within 6 months of giving birth. Many people get pregnant within those 6 months and are fine... It's just riskier. She said that she thought that if we start trying to get pregnant "in the next month or two" (her exact words), we'd probably be fine.
It is not likely that we will ever have a baby with triploidy again. Elam's disorder was most likely caused by a random event, not our genetics or any environmental influence (vitamin deficiency, bad nutrition, exposure to chemicals, etc.). However, my OB has told me that we can approach my next pregnancy as "high-risk" if we like. She said that they can do ultrasounds and other tests as often as Ben and I like, if we believe that will help put our minds at ease. I really appreciate that my doctor is very understanding. She was such a blessing during my pregnancy with Elam, and I am sure she will continue to be in my next pregnancy.
So, it's been about a month since our doctor told us to wait "a month or two". We're very excited that our wait is over, but we know that this will now bring on a whole new set of emotions. I know that I could very easily get into a routine of getting my hopes up every month, thinking that I'm pregnant, and then being incredibly disappointed when I found out that I'm not. So I'm praying that I will be patient and content to wait for God's timing. I would very much appreciate your prayers as well. :) I'm praying also, of course, for a healthy baby and healthy pregnancy.
As Ben and I once discussed (and I'm sure many of you know), having children, or even just trying to have children, really opens you up and makes you vulnerable to a lot of heartbreak. We knew this before we got pregnant with Elam, and we definitely know it now through experience. So while the future seems a little scary, we are still looking ahead with excitement for whatever God has planned for us.
Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.
