20 Week appointment

I want to start by saying we felt very uplifted about today's visit. I have (finally) started to gain weight back, after losing 13 lbs, I have gained 2 of the 13 lbs lost back.

Our Dr started going over test results from last week. The High Risk Dr has said that my Previa is marginal. That gives us a lot more hope that the placenta will move higher, away from my cervix, which will then stop the bleeding. So we are hoping that happens & we have a much healthier weight baby. Only time will tell.

My blood work came back from last week. I do NOT have the gene that causes blood clots, so hopefully that means Dad doesn't either. However, they found that I have developed an antibody that makes me susceptible to blood clots, the same thing the gene would've done. This is great to know. I will be able to tell all future Dr's & prevent the clots. Does not affect the baby at all.
This news along with the stage of bleeding I am at (nothing is going to cause the bleeding to start, it will just start), the Dr thinks its a good idea for me to not be on a severe bed rest. She wants me walking around to prevent clots. I am going to bleed regardless. I was SO excited to hear I can go to the grocery store! Its been 5 weeks with no shopping of any kind!

Last week when they told me I had to have the genetic test done, I asked if I could have all of my 2nd trimester blood work completed at the same time. I had no idea what they were testing for, just knew it was "routine" 2nd trimester work.

Dr started off by saying that baby came back negative for Downs Syndrome & Tri18, but came back positive for Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP). She says that there is a concern for Neural tube defects, the Spinal Cord (spina bifida), and the stomach & abdomen (gastroschisis). She said she called the high risk Dr that I saw for my level 2 ultrasound last week. While she was on the phone with them they looked back over our images & did not see anything wrong with the spine or stomach. Dr said she could send us for another level 2 ultrasound, but Brian & I felt comfortable with just having one last week & not seeing anything abnormal. I even remember the lady pointing out her stomach, abdomen, spine is obvious. So we left it at that we will just wait until our next ultrasound since I have them so often.

After coming home & googling it, (a big no no, I know!)  I have found that there are other reasons for causing positives on this test & that there are false positives.

I am not upset or stressing over the positive. I am pretty calm (which is unusual :)
There is nothing that we would do different if there is a problem. So I am focusing my attention to the countdown to 24 weeks, when baby can survive outside me.
To celebrate me being to actually able to walk around, we went to Lowe's to get more sample paints for the nursery-we cannot agree on the shade of grey. I am wanting to do grey & yellow. One of the walls will be painted with a chevron print. I also looked for the color we want to paint the nursery furniture but no luck.