30 weeks 5 days

As we expected I have Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) ( Click Here to learn more about it)

From the very first appointment I insisted that we monitor my Bile Acids monthly so we could catch it the moment it started to rise. The first two lab tests came back normal but the third one came back elevated. So I was diagnosed at 20 weeks. At the time my symptoms were very mild itching, and to anyone else that might seem like no big deal but I knew what was coming.

They started me on Ursodial 300mg 3x a day.

I had my 20 week anatomy ultrasound and also did my gestational diabetes test. My placenta grew in the front and kind of low this time and our little peach likes to be breech. All normal things and she has plenty of time to get in the right position.

I finally saw the Maternal Fetal Medicine Dr last week, she went over my lab work and did a very thorough ultrasound checking everything from placenta to fluid level. She is the one who will give the care instructions for my Midwife to follow. She said I need Non Stress Tests(NST) 2x a week starting at 32 weeks. My fluid level had gone down and my bile acids went up. She ordered a repeat ultrasound at 34 weeks to recheck the fluids and more bile acid tests.

My itching has gotten worse and it keeps me up at night. The Utah summer heat doesn’t help. I often sleep with an icepack for my hands. But lots of places itch. And at least making my hands cold helps me not want to scratch.

If everything goes well induction is scheduled for August 27th. I will be 36 weeks.

As for other things pregnancy related.

I have terrible vericose veins mostly on my right side especially in my legs.

They first showed up when I was pregnant with Steph and have progressively gotten worse each pregnancy. This time though they have gotten so much worse it’s driving me nuts. If I stand too long they swell and hurt. If I sit too long on a hard surface they hurt. I can’t squat without painfully cutting off circulation to my lower leg. I have one on the top of my thigh that makes it painful when kids sit on my lap. They are very ugly and gross looking. And I try not to notice the stares when I am in my swimsuit. The one thing that gives me relief are thigh high compression tights. They are super hard to get on, and they have these little rubber nubs on the top to prevent it from sliding down the leg.

(Compression tights even at the beach on vacation)

But at the end of the day when I take them off the rubber leaves a horrible red mark that itches like crazy (because of ICP) and occasionally blisters. I did ask my Dr about it and she said it’s normal. But the most important thing is that they really help so I have to take the good with the bad.

In this picture I actually hadn’t work them that day and you can still see a few rows of the red marks left behind by the compression tights.

But she is a good, happy, healthy baby so far. She moves a ton and has been getting the hiccups daily. We are so excited for her arrival into this world and our family.