26 weeks 5 days pregnant

I’m getting closer, and it’s a wonderful thing. I have a round belly, and look pregnant. Ironically enough, I’m over the “being pregnant” phase, and ready to officially be a mom. Hopefully no earlier than August 16th, though. I’d prefer the baby  not have a NICU stay.

This little one is sitting in the nerve in my left leg, which is quite painful, but it will be totally worth it  in another 10 weeks when this one arrives.

I will find out with the next 9-12 days what date I will be scheduled for.  I will have a scheduled c-section due to past surgeries and a low placenta.

I have a very active little one who likes to move a LOT. Looking forward to seeing a face. 

16 weeks pregnant

16 weeks and 1 day today. Had my OB visit 2 days ago. Doctor was trying to listen to the baby’s heartbeat with a Doppler, but was having a difficult time. I tried very hard to stay calm, and did a creditable job. He decided to switch to an ultrasound. There was the little troublemaker, behind the placenta (which is in front). The baby’s was facing my back with his/her butt in the placenta. Stubborn little thing didn’t want to be bothered. 😂 Everything else looked good. Bones are going through ossification, so the baby’s spine was clearly visible. Pretty cool.

I must say, now that I’m just like every other pregnant person and only getting monitored once a month, it takes a concerted effort not to worry about how things are progressing in the interim. The fact that my little stubborn one had to be physically seen took a major load off my mind. I also know it will be a waste for me to buy a home Doppler! Anatomy scan in 4 weeks !

Now that I’m officially out, I feel like I’ve popped. I have a round belly, not a little bump. I’m really not a huge fan of people rubbing my belly; yuck! I think I’m going to get a shirt that says “Don’t touch!”

Pregnancy symptoms: still very congested. Queasiness is tapering off, followed by indigestion.  Still having some bouts of insomnia. My boobs are seriously full and super sensitive. I went up a cup size. Went clothes shopping with a friend today. It was fun, and I have some new cute and comfy clothes. ☺️

Graduating

Last Thursday I had my final appointment with my RE. He told me to send pictures of the baby in 7 months or less. I still have to go in once a week for blood work, but I’m also now being weaned from the estrogen patches and progesterone in oil shots. My upper outer quadrants are totally ready for this to be over, and if all goes according to plan I have 10 PIO shots before I’m done. I’ll be like every other pregnant person waiting a month for an ultrasound and hoping everything is still OK in the interim. Deep breaths.

First OB appt is in two days. I hope I’ll be able to sleep tomorrow night. I’m sure these days are going to drag. 

Sidelined with the flu

The last week has been hectic. B was sick, which almost never happens. He never went to the doctor, so it wasn’t until I felt terrible on Monday night (once he was feeling better) that I decided to go to the doctor on Tuesday. Despite getting the flu shot in October, I had a very nasty bug. Nothing like telling your job of one week that you won’t be back for a week; at least I have a laptop and felt well enough to work yesterday. 

Whole time I was trying to get my fever down (when I was awake), I was worried about my little bean and hoping that everything was OK. Went to the RE on Thursday with a mask on so I wouldn’t miss my ultrasound. CRL more than doubled and heart rate was 159, so none worse for the wear, thank goodness. 

Today I have to do some housework, even though I’m still taking it easy.  B is not a cleaner, and the bloodhound in me has detected that something in the fridge needs to go. 🤢 

Now I have to decide when I’m going to tell my family. What a dilemma to have! ☺️

Heartbeats

Went for ultrasound and doctor asked if I wanted to hear something. Suddenly there was a steady “flub flub flub” in the room. 121bpm. Heard that little heartbeat, and my heart started beating faster. My RE told me to make an appointment with an OB. Imagine that! I’m almost on to normal pregnancy stuff. Doctor asked me yesterday if I was feeling sick, to which I was able to say a definitive no. All that changed yesterday afternoon, when I feared I would embarrass myself at work at the sudden onslaught of queasiness. Well, I did ask for some signs that I was still pregnant between ultrasounds...

Congratulations, you’re pregnant

Those were my nurse’s words to me on Tuesday. First time I ever heard them, so I’m cautiously optimistic. Second Beta yesterday was 611, and she said it looks great, so I don’t have to go in until Tuesday. I’ll be more hopeful after next Thursday’s ultrasound and breathe a sigh of relief after 6 weeks 2 days. We’ll be officially out once we hit the 8 week marker, and that’s when the rest of the family will find out. 21 days to go. This may be harder than the 2ww. Thank goodness I’ll have a new job to keep me busy. 😁

For those on the symptom watch, I’m super tired, but sleep in mostly  3-4 hour intervals and then awake. Some bloating. Have to pee ALL. The. Time.  That’s accompanied by being majorly thirsty (thus a vicious cycle)  Lower back is aching  and I’ve got a few red pimples that have popped up across my nose (I have really clear skin, and only get the occasional period pimples so this can only be hormones). Still intermittent crampiness, but zero spotting so I’m much less anxious. Felt slight queasiness yesterday, which went away after too long. Breasts feel like full water balloons swinging in the wind.

Loving every minute of it. 

New year, new job, new...mini me?

So long, 2017.  Happy to see it go like yesterday's trash.

It's been a very busy December.  I did a final interview for a new job, and am pleased as punch that they offered it to me right before Christmas.  So the day after my embryo transfer, I took myself to a fingerprinting place for my background check.  On the 26th, I gave my official notice, and will start the new position in a couple of weeks.  Happy joy!

Last Saturday, I started to feel really crampy. Very little spotting, but way crampy. Sunday, mega crampy, in a way that made Saturday feel like I was being tickled.  I was pretty sure it was the d@mn adenomyosis rearing it's ugly head.  It can happen at any time, but right before AF is when it's at its absolute worse. Took two extra strength Tylenol, and slept with the heating pad.

Beta was this morning, and I was sitting here trying to decide if I would post as soon as I knew, or if I would wait and see how I felt.  After reading a great article,  I decided I would share. After all, there are more people looking for hope in the nasty world of IF than there are people who know my face, and if I am able to provide even a little sliver, it's totally worth it.

I've written all the above while I wait and hope.  What an exercise in patience (which I don't always have)!

Funny how when the phone starts ringing, it doesn't stop.  Received four calls, one after the other. while soaking to two at a time, I see my nurse calling.  "I have good news for you," she says. "Congratulations, you're pregnant." First Beta: 320.

Yay, 2018!

Random thought - 5 weeks & 3 days pregnant

Short post today. Have an appointment tomorrow, and will fill you in then on the appointments, E2 levels, spotting, etc. So before I lost 27 pounds, I have had people ask me if I was pregnant on occasion. My answer was always, "No; I'm just fat". I will probably just ask why they ask as opposed to sharing at this point, but at least I won't get my feelings hurt ;)

If it ain't one thing...

...it's another. 

I've taken a few days to write to process where I am. 

I'm pregnant. 

So excited to say that. Beta #3 yesterday. Nurse calls me at 4:15, way later than she normally does. Beta is 300!!! It's quadrupled again. I'm actually excited!

Then she says, my estrogen is really low. So I have to go back tomorrow. Praying that beta doubles and my E2 goes up. So I can stay pregnant. Lord have mercy. 

15dp3dt

I am hereby declaring myself insane. Was so happy to hear the news from the nurse and the doctor that beta had risen, especially since my neighbor told me that the doctor only calls with good news (I won't tell you how I felt when I saw the nurse's number on Monday). 

But I digress... Where was I? Oh yes... Innnnssssaaaaanne. I have been "POAS"ing (peeing on a stick-way to refer to taking home pregnancy tests) since Friday. So it's Thursday and I've taken 4:

- Friday morning

- Monday afternoon 

- Tuesday morning (though not first pee)

- Wednesday evening

I even plan to go to the store to get a digital one so I can see the word. 

Even worse is the fact that I still have them all and take pictures to compare (see below). 

Yep. Certifiable.