I'M PREGNANT!! Currently 14 1/2 Weeks Along.
Woah, long time no post! Clearly, by the title, a lot has happened in the last months. So let me jump right on in.
Well, as the title says, I am pregnant! My due date is December 12, 2020. I found out I was pregnant by taking an at home pregnancy test on April 10th. Matt and I began trying to get pregnant in February, after I had my IUD removed on January 31. We made the decision to start trying, because I honestly thought I was going to have a hard time getting pregnant and that it was probably going to take us a long time and a lot of trying, and that we might even need help. And I was basing that all on the fact that my cycle had always been irregular my whole life. I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 13, but was told it was most likely weight related and that if I lost my weight it would be fixed. Well, after using a birth control pill called Yaz gave me a blood clot in my right lung, my only option for birth control to help control my period became using the Mirena IUD. And I used the Mirena for about 7.5 years(getting it replaced once) before having it totally removed back in January. And I never once tested to see if my period had regulated itself since I lost my weight. So, I also figured, upon getting my IUD out, that it would take my body a long time to regulate and just get on a normal rhythm or even if it had a normal rhythm.
So, after going the whole month of February with no period, and taking a few pregnancy tests that all came up negative I was beginning to really think it was going to take awhile for me to pregnant. And then I finally ended up getting my period on March 7th and it lasted until March 12th. I tracked my period in a fertility tracker called "Ovia Fertility" to try to figure out when it might be that I would ovulate, given that my period was now "regular". Now, fast forward into April. According to my app I was using, my next period was suppose to start on April 4th. April 4 came and went, and no period. I took a test, it was negative, and I just assumed that my period was late and my cycle was still irregular. Then, as the week progressed, I started to notice one thing that seemed really odd. My breasts were feeling really sore and tender, and then I kept thinking they were starting to look bigger and fuller. I kept thinking it was just all in my head and I was crazy. Then, on April 10, I woke up that morning, still no period, and I decided, "you know what, I am just going to take another test". And I remember saying a prayer to God telling him that if I wasn't pregnant, I would just like to get my period instead of being messed around with by not having it. And I was also praying and begging for that test to come out positive, even though I was fully expecting and just knew it would probably come out negative. I also had been praying so hard to get pregnant because with the COVID-19 Pandemic I just was asking God to give me something else to focus my mind on and bring me, Matt, and my family a little joy, hope, and light in the darkness. So, I took the test first thing in the morning, and I set it aside while waiting for the 3 minutes to be up. I refused to look at it until the time was up because I didn't want to be disappointed early on. I went to the sink and washed my hands, I kept looking in the mirror behind me at the stick, so nervous to look at it. And when the time was up, I went to grab it, fully expecting it say negative. And was in complete shock when I saw, very clearly, 2 lines on that pregnancy test. And all I could say, over and over again was "oh my god, oh my god". My heart was racing and my hands were shaking I was in shock, but also filled with so much joy and excitement.
I raced downstairs to where Matt was already up and sitting in his rocking chair and I ran to him with the stick in my hand and put in front of him. He looked at it and said "there's 2 lines there!" And I just replied, "yeah, there's 2 lines there, I'm pregnant!" Matt doesn't tend to show emotions in a big way at all, but I could see his happiness and excitement all over his face and we kissed and just talked for awhile. And then, the very next thing I did was text my sister, my Aunt Sallie, and my Pastor Amy, just to have a couple people that would know along with me that I could go to and talk to about things if I needed it. I also ended up telling my best friend, Kendra, the next day. And then, the very next thing I did was make a phone call to my doctors office to get set up with an OB and get things started with receiving prenatal care.
My very first "appointment" was actually a phone consult with a nurse, which was on May 5, when I was a little over 8 weeks along. And her and I just went over all of my medical history, Matt's history, and both of our family histories and just discussed different things involving pregnancy. She also set me up with my OB, who is Dr. Todd VanHeest and also scheduled me for a dating ultrasound so we could confirm exactly when my due date was. And my ultrasound was actually scheduled for the very next day.
So, then on May 6 is when I went for my first ultrasound. And it was cool to see my Little Bean for the first time, even though it didn't look much like a baby yet. It was still cool to see it up on that screen and even its little heart flickering and beating away nice an strong at 167 bpm. Made it so much more real for me. And my due date of December 12 was confirmed, which was extra special to me because that is my Mom's Birthday. And then right after that I went down for all of my prenatal blood work.
That Friday, May 8 is when I told my Dad that I was pregnant, I brought him a little picture frame with the ultrasound picture in. And then that Sunday, May 10, Mother's Day, was when Matt and I told his family and also told the rest of my family that we were expecting. His family's reaction was definitely by far the best, they were so surprised and their reactions were just so priceless. And, of course, my family was very excited, too.
And then on Monday, June 1, I went in to an appointment over at the Maternal Fetal Medicine office to have yet another ultrasound done and also speak with the specialist over there. I was just over 12 weeks along. I got to see my Little Bean again, and this time it looked much more like a baby and was moving around like crazy! And had a strong heartbeat of 170 bpm just because of how busy and active it was. But baby was still measuring perfectly and looking perfectly healthy. And then after the ultrasound I met with the doctor, Dr. Cordoba. And he explained exactly why I was referred over there. Basically, I am considered a more high risk pregnancy and am being closely watched and monitored for a couple of things. First thing, because of my history of blood clots, and pregnancy making you more susceptible to blood clots, they want to monitor me to make sure that I don't get any blood clots. So I am also being started on Lovenox, which is a blood thinner that can help keep my blood from clotting. And because of this I will be getting induced at 39 weeks, so they can stop the blood thinner 24hrs before my induction so I am not a bleeding risk during delivery and then will go back on the blood thinners after baby is born and until I am 6 weeks post par tum. The 2nd thing they are monitoring is because of my having had Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery. They want to monitor my blood work closely to make sure I am keeping up on all of my nutrients and monitor baby's growth to make sure baby is also getting enough nutrients and growing properly. Lastly, because when I was obese, I had issues with high blood pressure, they want to monitor my blood pressure to make sure it stays normal like it has been since I lost my weight. And they want to make sure it doesn't go up due to pregnancy and cause me to get preeclampsia. And, as a preventative measure they are having me take 2 Baby Aspirin every evening to keep my blood pressure normal and stable and hopefully keep it from ever going up. Which is another reason for having me be induced early, so hopefully I have the baby before any issues were to arise. BUT so far both baby and I are doing great, we are just being closely monitored. And then I was sent down for even more lab work.
After that appointment was when we made the public announcement on facebook and told all of our friends and extended family that we are expecting. The out poor of love, prayers, and excitement for us was great to see.
That Wednesday, June 3, is then when I finally went to see my OB, Dr. VanHeest for the first time. We once again went over everything we had gone over at Maternal Fetal Medicine, and we discussed lots of other pregnancy related things. I actually got to hear my baby's heartbeat for the first time over a Doppler. And then I also had a pelvic exam, pap smear, and breast exam done. And then I also decided to have some genetic testing just done on myself, to test see if I am a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis, because my husband, Matt, is a known carrier of Cystic Fibrosis and had an aunt and uncle that died when they were 12 from it. Luckily, I am not a carrier, so our baby will be fine and will not have Cystic Fibrosis, just could potentially be a carrier and that is it. Again, was found to still be healthy and baby to still be healthy and further appointments were made.
And now, here I am, 14 1/2 weeks along and still full of so much joy and excitement and just taking it all in and seeing this whole journey as nothing but a blessing. I feel blessed, because I was so sure it was going to take us so long to get pregnant, and it didn't and also because I know there are so many women who do struggle for so long and aren't as lucky as I was, and my heart goes out to them. I also see it as a blessing, because when I was obese, I knew I could never be pregnant at the state I was in. And losing my weight gave me the ability to make this dream come true. And I give all the glory to God for carrying me this far. And I am just continuing to do my part to take care of me and baby and then giving the rest to God to get us through and keep us safe and healthy. And I am just taking in each moment and trying to enjoy it, no matter how much the symptoms make suck sometimes. Because, again, it is a blessing, and one I do not want to take for granted! So, where to look next? I look forward to the first time I feel my baby move in there. And I am really excited for July 13, when I get to find out the gender of my baby and be able to go further into all the planning preparation! There is so much more to look forward to and I simply cannot wait to have our little baby and become a Mommy!
Well, as the title says, I am pregnant! My due date is December 12, 2020. I found out I was pregnant by taking an at home pregnancy test on April 10th. Matt and I began trying to get pregnant in February, after I had my IUD removed on January 31. We made the decision to start trying, because I honestly thought I was going to have a hard time getting pregnant and that it was probably going to take us a long time and a lot of trying, and that we might even need help. And I was basing that all on the fact that my cycle had always been irregular my whole life. I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 13, but was told it was most likely weight related and that if I lost my weight it would be fixed. Well, after using a birth control pill called Yaz gave me a blood clot in my right lung, my only option for birth control to help control my period became using the Mirena IUD. And I used the Mirena for about 7.5 years(getting it replaced once) before having it totally removed back in January. And I never once tested to see if my period had regulated itself since I lost my weight. So, I also figured, upon getting my IUD out, that it would take my body a long time to regulate and just get on a normal rhythm or even if it had a normal rhythm.
So, after going the whole month of February with no period, and taking a few pregnancy tests that all came up negative I was beginning to really think it was going to take awhile for me to pregnant. And then I finally ended up getting my period on March 7th and it lasted until March 12th. I tracked my period in a fertility tracker called "Ovia Fertility" to try to figure out when it might be that I would ovulate, given that my period was now "regular". Now, fast forward into April. According to my app I was using, my next period was suppose to start on April 4th. April 4 came and went, and no period. I took a test, it was negative, and I just assumed that my period was late and my cycle was still irregular. Then, as the week progressed, I started to notice one thing that seemed really odd. My breasts were feeling really sore and tender, and then I kept thinking they were starting to look bigger and fuller. I kept thinking it was just all in my head and I was crazy. Then, on April 10, I woke up that morning, still no period, and I decided, "you know what, I am just going to take another test". And I remember saying a prayer to God telling him that if I wasn't pregnant, I would just like to get my period instead of being messed around with by not having it. And I was also praying and begging for that test to come out positive, even though I was fully expecting and just knew it would probably come out negative. I also had been praying so hard to get pregnant because with the COVID-19 Pandemic I just was asking God to give me something else to focus my mind on and bring me, Matt, and my family a little joy, hope, and light in the darkness. So, I took the test first thing in the morning, and I set it aside while waiting for the 3 minutes to be up. I refused to look at it until the time was up because I didn't want to be disappointed early on. I went to the sink and washed my hands, I kept looking in the mirror behind me at the stick, so nervous to look at it. And when the time was up, I went to grab it, fully expecting it say negative. And was in complete shock when I saw, very clearly, 2 lines on that pregnancy test. And all I could say, over and over again was "oh my god, oh my god". My heart was racing and my hands were shaking I was in shock, but also filled with so much joy and excitement.
I raced downstairs to where Matt was already up and sitting in his rocking chair and I ran to him with the stick in my hand and put in front of him. He looked at it and said "there's 2 lines there!" And I just replied, "yeah, there's 2 lines there, I'm pregnant!" Matt doesn't tend to show emotions in a big way at all, but I could see his happiness and excitement all over his face and we kissed and just talked for awhile. And then, the very next thing I did was text my sister, my Aunt Sallie, and my Pastor Amy, just to have a couple people that would know along with me that I could go to and talk to about things if I needed it. I also ended up telling my best friend, Kendra, the next day. And then, the very next thing I did was make a phone call to my doctors office to get set up with an OB and get things started with receiving prenatal care.
My very first "appointment" was actually a phone consult with a nurse, which was on May 5, when I was a little over 8 weeks along. And her and I just went over all of my medical history, Matt's history, and both of our family histories and just discussed different things involving pregnancy. She also set me up with my OB, who is Dr. Todd VanHeest and also scheduled me for a dating ultrasound so we could confirm exactly when my due date was. And my ultrasound was actually scheduled for the very next day.
So, then on May 6 is when I went for my first ultrasound. And it was cool to see my Little Bean for the first time, even though it didn't look much like a baby yet. It was still cool to see it up on that screen and even its little heart flickering and beating away nice an strong at 167 bpm. Made it so much more real for me. And my due date of December 12 was confirmed, which was extra special to me because that is my Mom's Birthday. And then right after that I went down for all of my prenatal blood work.
That Friday, May 8 is when I told my Dad that I was pregnant, I brought him a little picture frame with the ultrasound picture in. And then that Sunday, May 10, Mother's Day, was when Matt and I told his family and also told the rest of my family that we were expecting. His family's reaction was definitely by far the best, they were so surprised and their reactions were just so priceless. And, of course, my family was very excited, too.
And then on Monday, June 1, I went in to an appointment over at the Maternal Fetal Medicine office to have yet another ultrasound done and also speak with the specialist over there. I was just over 12 weeks along. I got to see my Little Bean again, and this time it looked much more like a baby and was moving around like crazy! And had a strong heartbeat of 170 bpm just because of how busy and active it was. But baby was still measuring perfectly and looking perfectly healthy. And then after the ultrasound I met with the doctor, Dr. Cordoba. And he explained exactly why I was referred over there. Basically, I am considered a more high risk pregnancy and am being closely watched and monitored for a couple of things. First thing, because of my history of blood clots, and pregnancy making you more susceptible to blood clots, they want to monitor me to make sure that I don't get any blood clots. So I am also being started on Lovenox, which is a blood thinner that can help keep my blood from clotting. And because of this I will be getting induced at 39 weeks, so they can stop the blood thinner 24hrs before my induction so I am not a bleeding risk during delivery and then will go back on the blood thinners after baby is born and until I am 6 weeks post par tum. The 2nd thing they are monitoring is because of my having had Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery. They want to monitor my blood work closely to make sure I am keeping up on all of my nutrients and monitor baby's growth to make sure baby is also getting enough nutrients and growing properly. Lastly, because when I was obese, I had issues with high blood pressure, they want to monitor my blood pressure to make sure it stays normal like it has been since I lost my weight. And they want to make sure it doesn't go up due to pregnancy and cause me to get preeclampsia. And, as a preventative measure they are having me take 2 Baby Aspirin every evening to keep my blood pressure normal and stable and hopefully keep it from ever going up. Which is another reason for having me be induced early, so hopefully I have the baby before any issues were to arise. BUT so far both baby and I are doing great, we are just being closely monitored. And then I was sent down for even more lab work.
After that appointment was when we made the public announcement on facebook and told all of our friends and extended family that we are expecting. The out poor of love, prayers, and excitement for us was great to see.
That Wednesday, June 3, is then when I finally went to see my OB, Dr. VanHeest for the first time. We once again went over everything we had gone over at Maternal Fetal Medicine, and we discussed lots of other pregnancy related things. I actually got to hear my baby's heartbeat for the first time over a Doppler. And then I also had a pelvic exam, pap smear, and breast exam done. And then I also decided to have some genetic testing just done on myself, to test see if I am a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis, because my husband, Matt, is a known carrier of Cystic Fibrosis and had an aunt and uncle that died when they were 12 from it. Luckily, I am not a carrier, so our baby will be fine and will not have Cystic Fibrosis, just could potentially be a carrier and that is it. Again, was found to still be healthy and baby to still be healthy and further appointments were made.
And now, here I am, 14 1/2 weeks along and still full of so much joy and excitement and just taking it all in and seeing this whole journey as nothing but a blessing. I feel blessed, because I was so sure it was going to take us so long to get pregnant, and it didn't and also because I know there are so many women who do struggle for so long and aren't as lucky as I was, and my heart goes out to them. I also see it as a blessing, because when I was obese, I knew I could never be pregnant at the state I was in. And losing my weight gave me the ability to make this dream come true. And I give all the glory to God for carrying me this far. And I am just continuing to do my part to take care of me and baby and then giving the rest to God to get us through and keep us safe and healthy. And I am just taking in each moment and trying to enjoy it, no matter how much the symptoms make suck sometimes. Because, again, it is a blessing, and one I do not want to take for granted! So, where to look next? I look forward to the first time I feel my baby move in there. And I am really excited for July 13, when I get to find out the gender of my baby and be able to go further into all the planning preparation! There is so much more to look forward to and I simply cannot wait to have our little baby and become a Mommy!
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