I would be remiss if I didn’t begin by thanking so many of you for your faithful prayers on our behalf. Melanie and I have been encouraged and challenged by your faithfulness. Encouraged that we are so graciously remembered before our Father’s throne; challenged as we seek to be faithful in lifting up others we know of with needs.
The biggest news we have on Baby Maxwell’s progress is related to a recent Dr’s appointment. Due to the challenges with Susannah, we were encouraged to have a Level 2 ultra-sound at 18-20 weeks. This happened about a week ago. Let me digress briefly into some information on a Level 2 in case readers aren’t familiar with this. We had a number of Level 2 ultra-sounds (L2 US) with Susannah. An L2 US uses regular US equipment, but the technician spends more time measuring different aspects of the baby, looking at organs, and checking things on the child you didn’t know needed to be checked. A L2 US is also differentiated from a standard one in that a specialist, in our case, a peri-natalogist, reviews the scan pictures and will even operate the US machine himself/herself to check things. A L2 US, last pregnancy, is what found the stomach issue in Susannah. What is grieving to us, is that though they are looking at all things related to the baby, it would be safe to rename the L2 US a “Down Syndrome Screen” as many of the measurements and things they look for are then correlated to Downs markers. These markers are of uncertain accuracy – many children with them don’t have Downs and vice versa. I can only image how many children are matched up against Down’s markers, possibly followed with more testing, and then their lives taken (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_syndrome#Ethical_Issues). We are committed to loving, raising, and caring for any child God gives us, being special to us regardless of whether others apply the same label.
We would have liked to avoid the entire scan. But not knowing whether this child would need special care later on, we felt it was in his/her best interest to have it done. That would allow us to arrange the care he/she needed ahead of time instead of being in reactionary mode. We were prepared to have all kinds of bad news given to us.
Back to the appointment, we praise the Lord that neither the US technician nor the doctor were able to find anything that concerned them regarding what they saw. Everything looked great they said. This was a huge relief to Melanie and I. We couldn’t believe that they found nothing of concern. This obviously doesn’t mean there will not be challenges later on, but it does allow us to stay out of the “high-risk” category and select our doctor/hospital – something we’re now praying about.
The other big news is that Melanie is feeling baby move.
Thank you for your continued prayers for us as we journey through this pregnancy. We’re excited to be approaching the half-way point.
Nathan
Keeping all of you in our prayers. Your baby is precious.
Nathan,
Thank you so much for the update. I am prasing God for your comforting ultrasound!!!
Please keep us updated.
Heather
Praise God… how wonderful for Melanie to feel the baby move!
thank you so much for the update. continuing to keep you all in our prayers. thanking god for your precious baby. blessings.
Thank you so much for the update on your precious baby! Praise the Lord for the positive ultrasound report! How comforting that must be for you. Continued prayers for a healthy pregnancy for Melanie and a healthy baby.
Praise God! Your family continues to be in our prayers.
We are so thrilled with this news. How wonderful! We will keep praying for Baby Maxwell in the months to come.
This is so wonderful to hear, please do not be discouraged but rest in Jesus. He is the one true healer. It is exciting to have such a wonderful blessing and the journey that he/she will bring you. Praise the Lord. He is knitting together for you a special blessing. đŸ™‚
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14
I was so happy to read this update. What wonderful news! Blessings to you!
Precious news! We will pray for Baby.
Speaking of babies with Down Syndrome, our little girl is the cutie pictured below playing during the seminars in the East Bay from last weekend. She has Down Syndrome and she is our delight!
How exciting that you are half way through! I worked in an ob office for many years and know the struggle that many of the patients had regarding the L2US and many of the other screening tests. I agree that with the desire of preparation in mind- it is indeed a blessing to have such technology. We will be praying for you!
Blessings,
Angelena
Our hearts abound with joy at this news. You will be in this families continued prayers!
Thank you for updating us with the information. I got online thinking about you guys this morning and wondering how everything is going. Praise God everything is going well. He is so AWESOME!!!
Still lifting you up in prayer. I would feel very comfortable having the ultrasound for the purpose of being prepared. It is amazing that we have this type of technology. Sadly, many people use it for their own purposes, but you are going to glorify God in the life of your precious baby, no matter what. He knows that, and our family is thanking Him today for a good report and praying with expectation that the latter half of your pregnancy will be problem free.
So glad to hear good news… try to relax and enjoy a “normal” pregnancy. Don’t let worries rob your joy… I am telling myself this, too, as I tell you. :o) Bless you all.
Praise God!!!!!! The entire house has been praying for you on a daily basis, and we are all happy to hear a good update. We will continue to pray for you all!!
Amanda L.
Nathan & Melanie,
Thanks for the update. I, too, am sharing the bliss of pregnancy with you and am only two weeks ahead of your delivery date. We also recently had the L2US (because of a possible hereditary family birth defect…all looks well!) and we chose to refuse a lot of the “tests” that they do as we feel God is ultimately in control and this child will be exactly the way He intends it to be. But, we truly enjoyed the technology and seeing our child inside playing peek-a-boo by covering his/her face with his/her hands. I have been elated with joy feeling the baby move, too, and I’m glad that God has blessed us both and that our due dates are so close in timing as I know we are both reaching milestones at the same time! Throughout this pregnancy, you often have come to mind and I’ve prayed that God will bless you as He has blessed me.
In Christ Jesus,
Dee Dee
Praise the Lord! We have been praying for you. I am so thankful that the ultrasound turned out well. May the Lord give you wisdom concerning hospitals and doctors. Have a blessed day!
Mrs. Team S for the rest of the team as well
Hi! I got onto the Duggar website looking for some chore chart ideas for our family of 7. Somehow I came across you writing about having a level 2 sonogram and worrying about down syndrome.
Our 5th child has DS, he is 2 years old and is the biggest pc. of the puzzle of our family of 7. He is the glue that keeps all of us together, laughing and smiling. When he was first born we were so scared, but now if they said that they could take the DS away, we would all say “NO”. We all love him so much. We are all blessed to have him just the way he is. We are proud and honored to be his parents and sibilings. Michelle
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Michelle – Thanks for your comment. Melanie and I aren’t concerned about a down syndrome child, we would welcome a child with that diagnosis or any other “special needs” into our home without feeling slighted or anything like that. Our purpose in the L2 scan was to ensure that the child wouldn’t need any special care at labor/delivery/immediately after birth. –Nathan
Oh, we are so happy to hear the good news! Praise God for His mercies!
My heart was pounding with suspense as I read the post! Then…finally the good news at the end! Praise God!
Jen
As the parent of a very beautiful, bright, compassionate, helpful, kind little girl who loves her Lord Jesus (and who by the way has Down syndrome) I appreciate your thoughtful comments on the prenatal testing process. You remain in my thoughts and prayers!
We continue to pray for your pregnancy Melanie.
T
Praise God all is well!! I was happy to see an update, I was wondering how baby and parents were doing. đŸ™‚
The Lord just placed you on my heart, and I said a prayer that all is still going well. Blessings to you both as you anticipate your precious gift.
Thank you for updating us all as we enjoy the Lord’s addition to your family. As one of many, many I’m sure I agonized as I read your “valley experience” last year. I had 2 miscarriages last year and prayed for you as the Lord brought you to mind. Gracoiusly, the Lord blessed our family, too, and we are expecting again. I am due 2+ weeks after Melanie! So far everything is going well for us. We are so thankful for your blessing and ours! I look forward to enjoying more posts on this sweet time of anticipation.
I will continue to keep you in my prayers.
I buried an infant son 10 years ago and my heart breaks for parents when this also happens to them. The Lord has given me 4 other children (plus another miscarriage), and we love them as though we have no tomorrow. We are comforted to know we will see them again, but until then, we’ll keep marching forward.
Many prayers.