Friday, February 26, 2016

Finished with artificial hormones!

Over the last two weeks, the fertility clinic has been weaning me off all the artificial hormones I have been taking to help support the pregnancy.  As of three days ago, I am no longer taking anything!

The difference is huge!  I feel so much better.  I know part of it is getting past the 12 week scan and part of it is moving into the second trimester.  But a big part of it, I believe, is no more extra progesterone and estrogen.  I'm not so tired, I can focus on work again and my nausea seems to be a bit better too.

What a relief!  The sense of freedom is huge.  I was on them three times a day for 10 weeks!  Had to lay down for 30 minutes after each dose, then couldn't go to the toilet for at least an hour afterwards.  It is so nice to be able to go to the toilet when I want to!!  lol!

I have one more blood test tomorrow just to make sure the levels are ok without any assistance.  Hopefully everything is fine.

.............

Another day has passed since I wrote the above and I'm getting restless now about bubs.  Its been 5 days since the 12 week scan and some anxiety is creeping back again.  Our next scan is in another 5 days when we see the OB for the results of the nuchal testing etc.

I just have to take each day as it comes and trust that everything is still okay.  I look at the photos and videos from the 12 week scan and that helps.  I feel certain things in my body and that helps.

One day at a time, one scan at a time!

Love and light
xx





Tuesday, February 23, 2016

12 weeks and bubs is going strong

Yesterday was our  12 week scan.  Everything is still going really well!  I almost can't believe it.  It is so surreal.  We are now in new territory having never gotten this far before in our previous pregnancies.

So much to catch up on in 6 weeks...

Last week was a terrible week leading up to our 12 week scan.  That was the week our last baby died in utero and I was paralysed with fear.  I spent a couple of days in bed with exhaustion and it took me a while to realise that some of that exhaustion was not the pregnancy but the unconscious fears I was living with.

Now that we have passed the hump of the 12 week scan my tiredness has gone back to its normal pregnancy exhaustion!  I can function again in otherwords!

We've had a scan every week since the bleed at 6 weeks just to check on everything and also to maintain my sanity!  :)  Each week was good and each week we saw our little one bouncing around inside me.  He/She is an active one, always on the move and seeming to play chasey with the scanner!  :) :) Measurements have been great every week.  It was good, and also necessary, to be reassured every week that things were progressing normally.

At 10.5 weeks, we had our first OB appointment.  That also went well and the doctor assured us that there was absolutely nothing that he was worried about.  Everything looked great.

We go back at 13.5 weeks to get the results of the nuchal test and other tests that I had - blood and urine.  The scan was a good start to the nuchal test with a measurement of just 1.4 mm.  As long as its under 3.5 mm, all should be good.  A normal measurement is 1.3 mm, so we are right on the mark!  So now we wait on the combined tests for the nuchal.  But we are feeling pretty relaxed about that.

As for me, I'm dealing with nausea quite a bit, particularly when I have to cook or prepare food, or sometimes just look at food!!  But I'm very grateful not to have had any vomiting.  A fantastic blessing to be sure!  :)

I've also got a lot of lower abdomen discomfort with the muscles and ligaments stretching and getting ready for expansion.  And then there are the times when my bowels/digestion cause me severe pain as everything moves around.  That is fun - not!  :)

Then there are the temperature fluctuations in my body, with heat at night being a particular problem.  But that does seem to be settling down a little bit.

I always said that if I was pregnant I would be grateful for every bit of pain and discomfort I was in.  And now that we are passed the 12 week mark, I most definitely am.  It was a bit harder before that, when I was also always on the edge of anxiety, but I always kept that thought in mind and tried to focus on the gratitudes rather than the fear.

There is still a question mark over us about our pregnancy.  With our history, I think it will always be there.  But the ? is a lot smaller now and we are happy to tell a few other people about our news.  So, keep your fingers crossed.  We are doing really well so far and can only pray that bubbie continues to grow as beautifully as he/she has been so far.  We love you little one!!