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down syndrome warning sign

we recently learned the our child at 20 weeks revealed a shaded area in the heart which is common in children with down syndrome, can anyone offer any advice based on experience? this is the only warning sign we are aware of at this time.

bobby and amanda

the 6th adorable child

Who would have guessed that with my 6th pregnancy I would get toxemia and HELLP Syndrom.
Never before have I been so scared. It all started when I was about 12 weeks from term. I began to notice that my hands hurt when I would try to work on a quilt I was making for the baby. Then I noticed that my arms ached when I tried to braid my hair. When I went to the doctor he told me I needed to have Non-Stress tests. As I would travel to the hospital every few days, I would mention to the nurse that I felt like a sponge in the shower. I felt like my skin just soaked up all the water while I was bathing. But, my feet didn't look swollen to her. What? Could she not see how fat my feet and hands were? She just thought I was a heavy mom to begin with. The doctor was so supportive, while the hospital just didn't understand why the concern. So, I kept going in and soon the doctor put me on complete bed rest. I had 5 other children, my oldest being 16 and my youngest was just about 3. Life was so hard for my dear husband and oldest daughter who tried to take care of things around the house, along with the little one. After 2 months I went to the doctor and he told me I was doing fine. He decided not to do a C-Section, (I had never had one before) and he sent me home with hope that we would be ok. That was Thursday. One thing he did not mention is that I needed to keep resting. So, because I felt so much better than I had, I decided to vacuum out a used car that we had just purchased. After than I went back to bed. The next day I didn't feel too well, so I rested more. That night, 3 1/2 weeks before my due date, I began to have the most awful stomach ache. I also noticed a lot of pain under my right rib. I felt like I just needed to throw up and that if I did the pressure would be relieved. I went to bed, worried. Around midnight my husband went to another room to sleep as my snoring became so loud he could not sleep. Then I woke in terrible pain, still in the right side. I called out to him. He called the doctor who told us to get to the hospital immediately. When we got there they thought I was having a heart attack. I told them I was being watched for toxemia. The EMT rushed me in a wheel chair to the labor and delivery dept. They hooked me up to many things, and then the doctor arrived. Once it was determined that I now had HELLP Syndrome they decided we needed to get that baby out. But, because of my low blood platelets they could not do a C-Section. I was given a drug I think was called Staydall and it helped to take away the pain of Labor. He broke my water, I would sleep between contractions and within a few hours the baby came, on the way to the operating room, she was on the gurney by herself. I told them she was born and they lifted the sheet and there she was, all 4 1/2 pounds of her. She was perfect. I was still in trouble. They had to get me onto Magnesium Sulfate soon and I'm sorry I don't know what else. When I got to the hospital my blood pressure was 206/103. No kidding! So I spent the next 4 days in the hospital recovering and trying my best to stay quiet. They would not let me have visitors except my husband, my father and my baby, my older children came for only a few minutes. I could not watch TV, nor have my blinds open as all stimulation would cause my blood pressure to rise. My urine was dark, almost black. I asked when I could go home and the nurse held up the bag and told me when this urine turns yellow, then and only then. For four long days and nights I layed there wondering what was going on. I was so confused. I was lucky and so was my baby. We finally went home on Thursday night. Then I had to stay resting for a few more days. When I took the baby back for jaundice on the 10th day after delivery, (all my children are jaundiced except for one) the nurse in the lab did not recognize me. She asked when my baby had been born and then she just shook her head and told me they did not expect me to survive. That was 15 years ago. Why am I sending you this now? Because my daughter, child #4 (expecting her first) just called and told me she is being watched for toxemia. She has 7 weeks to go. I cannot stress enough how important it is to follow your doctor and REST.........hope this helps someone. Oh by the way...I was told not to have anymore children and had to wait 3 months before I could have my tubes tied as my blood clotting factors were so low. I am healthy now and so is my beautiful daughter.

Terry

Early Labor

My pregnancy was never easy to start with. Im only 15 years old and im pregnant. now im 7months pregnant but during my 6month of pregnancy one saturday i started labor. It was a normal saturday i was being walking around the house cleaning and tryin to find something to do to past time when my stomach started hurting. At first i thought it was something i had ate earlier. But and hour later the pains were getting worse and stronger and they were in my abdomen so i called my mama and i told her what was going on. she told me to sit down immedietly and call a ambulance. so i did as i was told and by this time i knew something was terribly wrong and i was scared to death. when i got to the hospital the doctor told me that i was having premature labor and that i needed to stay calm for the sake of my baby. so i did as i was told and they hooked me up to fetal machines and they gave me some medicine to stop the labor. I remember being very calm about the whole thing but what really made me feel good was when my little girl kicked. i was so shocked but i was happy cause i knew she was okay and this was not affecting her very much. i know i may be young but i think if i had had my baby that day i wouldve died if she died because then i realized im no longer just one person im two and that im responsible for that little life in me. you can say that day i grew from 15 to years way beyond my age and i felt great. i had finnally realized nothing in this world mattered but my baby girl and thats how its gonna stay. Now 2months later i have pre-eclampsia but im trying my hardest to do all what the doctor says so my baby comes out healthy and not affected by anything but if she was to come out with down syndrome or anything of that sort i would love and care for all the same even at the age of 15.

Makayla Robinson

having my baby would be the biggest gift from GOD!

hi, im 20 years old and i am so sad because I WENT TODAY TO THE DOCTOR AND HE TOLD ME THAT MY BABY MIGHT HAVE DOWN SYNDROME . I REMEMBER THAT IN MY FIRST VISIT TO THE DOCTOR I WAS SO EXICITED BECAUSE HE TOLD ME I WAS PREGNANT I JUST CANT BELIEVE NOW AND I CAN T ACCEPT THAT MY BABY IS HAVING THAT PROBLEM THE DOCTOR SAYS WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE ULTRASOUND AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENED , I JUST CANT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME , NOW I JUST DREAM IN HAVING MY BA BY IN MY ARMS AND HEAR FROM THE DOCTOR EVERYTHING WAS INCORRECT I JUST CAN WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO BE OUR FUTURE NOW ALL I KNOW I WANT TO HAVE MY BAB Y IN GOOD CONDITIONS.,,, PLEASE GOD HELP ME!!!!

sandra

DON't KNOW WHAt tO DO?!

i am only 16 years old and my period is late for a few days ago. i dont know if im pregnant or not. but i know my parents will kick me out. my boyfriend says he will take responsobility but i dont want to be a problem for him or his parents. im scared. HELP!!!!

jessica