This is a photo that’s been a long time coming. For those of you analyzing for line darkness, that’s a 12dp3dt or 15dpo line you’re looking at 🙂 I took it the afternoon after we got our beta results back from the clinic. I figured I had finally earned my right to pee all over a stick.
And pee all over myself I did.
True story: it’s been so long since I took an HPT, I peed all over my hand like a POAS noob. Like, ALL over my hand. It was glorious…ly disgusting.
So I wanted to kick off a little intro to talk about these future pregnancy posts. I intend to post all of those things I’ve been wanting to post. You’ll notice the Lilypie ticker on the main #GoTeamZoll page. Personally, I think the floating fetus widget things are creepy, so I think I’ll just stick to the countdown ticker. I might do a monthly check-in meme, like where I list cravings and sensations and baby size and all that jazz. I know. They’re kind of annoying – but, well… I want to do them 🙂 So there. My space, my rules. 🙂
This will also be the dedicated space for all things doctor’s appointments, ultrasounds, blood work, and vaginal goop, of which I’m relatively lucky. Either my vag is like a sponge or maybe I’m just not a fountain of cottage cheese as I have been warned about using Crinone.
Speaking of Crinone… NO MORE PIO SHOTS! Do you see me dancing? I’m dancing. Thank the lucky stars. There are still two small spots on my ass that are completely numb. I hope feeling eventually returns. I’m thinking of giving out my 40+ extra syringes as stocking stuffers this year.
As for meds: still on 4mg daily of estradiol along with an estrogen patch I change every 3 days. A prenatal vitamin, of course, and still taking daily baby aspirin. And of course the Crinone. And that’s it. Not too shabby. My TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was elevated at first beta, which makes sense. This apparently happens when hypothyroid patients become pregnant. My RE has bumped me up to 100mcg of Levoxyl along with my 30mg of Armour; my PCP is in agreement.
Third beta is scheduled for this Saturday. I’m a total early pregnancy noob (and also, a complete math idiot) – if my 2nd beta was 522, what number should we be aiming for by this Saturday?
We bought “What to Expect” for the iPad. It’s… interesting. It’s almost too much information. I can only read a few pages before I have to stop or I’ll have a panic attack. We also got “The Expectant Father” – Larry was struggling to find a book that didn’t treat men as an excuse to throw around sports analogies and/or a complete bonehead. So far, he’s enjoying the title. If anyone has recommendations for books for dads-to-be that don’t treat them like complete morons, please send them my way.
I am having weird issues with food right now. I’m so rarely hungry and truth be told, I’ve lost 7 lbs since egg retrieval the last week in September. And I’m still losing weight. I am trying to hard to a) eat smaller meals more frequently and b) eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods but my biggest issue is that once I start eating, I’m full after a few bites. I’m worrying I’m not getting enough nutrients to the knish(es). I’m not nauseous, per se, but my stomach feels like right before I’m about to go on stage – just an anxious excitement feeling rather than full-on nausea I suppose.
Also, after trying to stay on a 1200-1500 calorie diet for a while, I’m trying so hard to make sure I’m hitting the higher end of my caloric intake. I’m eating marvelously, don’t get me wrong – I just think b/t the hormones kicking my metabolism into gear combined with this anxious tummy thing I’ve got going on that maybe my body is getting to the starting weight it SHOULD be. I dunno. IANAD (I am not a doctor).
My boobs? Already different. Bigger, tender and… my nipples are starting to look “different” when I get very cold. Not bigger per se, just “different.” It’s kind of weird. I look at my boobs in the mirror every time I get into the shower now. Like, every time. I’m obsessed with my boobs right now.
Remember how freaked out I was about twins? Throw that out the window. Bring ’em on. Hoping we do in fact find out for sure at our first ultrasound, still as yet to be scheduled.
I think that’s it. This post was kind of all over the place. Trying to pack a lot into one post. What questions, advice or thoughts do you have so far?
Just had to offer my congratulations! Your infertility video was so powerful and had a lasting effect on me from the first time I saw it. I am so glad you are triumphant over the monster that is infertility! And I’m with you on the crinone. I was so happy to kick that crap to the curb at 12 weeks!
Your last beta was Sat, right? So it will have been a week? Then you should be 6300 (ish). Could be lower, since betas sometimes slow down after about 1000 or 2000.
I just can’t say it enough – I’m so excited for you!
Congrats Keiko – so happy for you guys and looking forward to reading about your journey into parenthood! I’d skip What to Expect – as much as I cannot stand Jenny McCarthy her Belly Laughs book was probably one of the best pregnancy books I read, and the Mayo one is supposed to be pretty good for medical info. Good luck and h&h9!
Keiko, I am so stinking happy for you! This has been such a long time coming. I’m not a wealth of pregnancy information since I have such limited experience. Many years ago I bought Bill Cosby’s “Fatherhood” at the thrift store. It was such a delightful read. While it does not give info on how to, say, diaper a baby, it does have lovely stories that I think you and your husband would enjoy! Cheers to BFPs and a happy, healthy 9 months!
Congratulations! I’m glad that the Crinone isn’t getting to you like it did to me and a few other friends. And no more PIO!!!! Awesome!
Here is an aweome beta tracker website that I had liked if you are interested. http://www.betabase.info/
Suzanne
Mom-to-be books: From The Hips for options on stuff without any guilt (slightly crunchy twist, so you get that full end of options), toss What To Expect (blech) and if you need one with medical-ish stuff, get the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. The Baby Owner’s Manual was nice too, but misses out on pregnancy. Concur on Girlfriend’s Guide for humor.
General advice: I kept a box of cereal next to the bed and reached over to grab it before sitting up in the mornings for nausea prevention, and it mostly worked. Here in pregnancy 5 (hopeful kid 2), I wasn’t hungry at all and just reached my pre-pregnancy weight now at 19 or 20 weeks (zero weight gain, then lost a few lbs), and the doc said that’s cool and to quit fretting. Also, don’t panic and know where your towel is.
I also have a cavernous vagina and never saw any Crinone go back from whence it came, so 😉
AND I know it’s not a guarantee, but I had high HCG levels and pretty decent lines– got my BFP at 10DPO– so I’m calling it now. TWINS. ;D
Ummmm… if that’s the case, then I’m in trouble! Don’t go saying stuff like that – you’re freaking me out 😉
I have been a lurker for YEARS and am so beyond thrilled for you! I have PCOS and just had my son in May and he is the love of my life 🙂 As far as advice….
Once the morning sickness kicks in you will want to eat AS SOON as you wake up or you will get sick. I had my husband buy me tons of chocolate slim fasts (not for dieting purposes but just because they are satisfying and ready instantly. Plus cold chocolate was one of the few things that didn’t make me gag). That helped A TON. I also bled from about 7 weeks to 11 weeks and even passed golf ball sized clots and found out I had a sub chronic hemorrhage but the baby was 100 percent healthy! Bleeding does not always mean a miscarriage so try not to get your hopes up if you spot some. Also, I spent HOURS googling things like “boobs feel less tender” “Nausea has disappeared” etc and was completely convinced at every ultra sound (until he started moving) that they were going to say there was no heartbeat. I wish someone would have told me it is NORMAL for the nausea and tender breasts to come and go during the first trimester. Anyway, that’s all I can think of right now but e-mail me if you have any questions!
I’ve never commented before, but I’ve followed your story for a couple years, and I just wanted to say that I am so happy for you!
I didn’t much care for What To Expect and never really found a pregnancy book I loved. The book I do recommend is Your Best Birth. It’s never too early to start preparing for the birth. It’s important to understand your options and know what your preferences are.
Hi Keiko!
I love juicing to get the nutrients you need fast and it wont fill you up or hopefully make you nauseous! You literally can get your greens in for a day one fell swoop! I love kale, cucumber, spinach, celery and oj – yum! It was so hard to eat in the first trimester, even though I wasnt nauseous or experience morning sickness. I just did not want to eat. I lived on cheerios – not the best diet for building a baby!
I did two different pregnancy classes and I LOVED Bradley classes because they really empowered the partners and so much of the class was geared to them in conjunction with us. I have yet to find good expectant dad books besides the Expectant Father, but the class was awesome.
So excited for you!
Jen
Congratulations!! This post has been a long time coming ! So thrilled for you!!
First off, congragrafreakinlations! Yes that’s a new word I made! 😉 second, as a fellow infertile-turned preggo, keep blogging! Blog it all! You will be so happy you did once the baby is here. Its a very special time and it goes by SO quickly! I think it’s totally awesome the respect and sensitivity you have for the ladies still in waiting, and maybe keeping it separate is a good idea, but just remember you earned this (more than earned) and you deserve to have the chance to experience this as guilt free as possible. I found it hard sometimes but it doesn’t mean you can’t be just as passionate about infertility as before, I still am, and I’m pregnant with #2 thanks to treatments. I don’t think you ever lose the passion to help and educate, preggo, mommy or not. Take belly pics, write things down, get excited. I cannot wait to follow along this journey with you!
Oh and “Dad’s Pregnant Too” by Harlan Cohen. That’s what DH liked. I thought it was funny too. I liked the set up of the book.
I lost weight all through the first trimester. No worries.
My trick for nausea was to eat first thing in the morning….literally my husband woke me up with food in hand. I ate breakfast in bed through my entire pregnancy 🙂
I wouldn’t try to focus on your beta numbers too much. I always had to remind myself that a “normal” fertile woman has NO idea of all that stuff….and they seem I have healthy babies left and right.
Eating: Crackers, bagels, dry cereal. The cereal is something you can just snack on. Keep the crackers by the bed, and try to eat before getting up (if you get morning sickness).
Weight loss: Normal at the beginning. Don’t worry too much about the nutrients – the baby WILL take what s/he needs from you. You are the one that will suffer, not the littles.
Nausea: If you get this, sour things help. I got the Preggie Pop drops (hard candies) but I couldn’t handle them because they were too strong. I got the old school Lemonheads instead and that worked a lot better. Also? Peppermint candies and since Christmas is coming and stuff is out, you should be able to find them easily. Ginger helps, as do green apples.
syringes: Hold on to them, if you can remove the needle part. You may end up needing them. Cole was a syringe fed baby for the first day, and periodically throughout his life. We use them to give him meds, and when he got rotavirus at 13 months, we used them to feed him pedialyte. And? My husband tells me they make GREAT water guns! So syringes = useful for a variety of things.
Books: What to Expect is, imo, absolutely ridiculous. It really does treat you like you’re an idiot! I read “Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy” and was amused. Mostly I relied on the interwebs and the blogosphere and a few friends for information and reassurance. “Expectant Father” is fairly decent – Aaron read it, for a while.
What to expect in 1st tri: I was a freaking zombie. I slept about 14 hours a day. I would get up, go to work and try to stay awake, come home and nap for a few hours until Aaron got home at 7. I would get up, spend a few hours with him, and then crash for 8 hours. Lather, rinse, repeat. As soon as I hit 2nd tri, it was WAY better. I was lucky that I had little to no nausea, but I was really good about keeping up on the peppermints and lemondrops so that it would stay away.
And that? My assvice from 18 months ago. 🙂 I still remember the early days of pregnancy, so I will be more than happy to answer any questions you have!
I second the Colace suggestion. Dear heavens. I needed that stuff through most of my pregnancy. No joke. I have a funny story (okay, it’s funny NOW when I look back on it!) involving poop during my pregnancy. Get used to that full feeling. It’s here for awhile and no, the knish(es) don’t need much at the moment so just do what your body is telling you to do. Eat when you need to (calories get important soon, so no ‘limits’ as long as you’re in reasonable ranges) and sleep when you need to. There. My Assvice for today. Smooches sweets. Sooooo happy to be able to read your pregnancy updates here. This will be fun… for all of us!
Your whole digestive system is slowing down….Colace is your friend 😉
So happy for you. Be obsessed with every part of it- you both deserve it.
Don’t stress about the food- your body knows what it needs- mine kicked my off coffee before I even knew Jake was on the way- it just knows.
xoxo
I’m 28 weeks and still have yet to hit my per pregnancy weight. As far as the food thing goes, google “fish fingers and custard.” It’s a doctor who video that explains eating in early pregnancy perfectly.
You can do this. Congratulations!!
The womanly art of breastfeeding is also a great read, I’m sure you will be reading up a storm.
Don’t worry about losing weight…the baby (babies?)’ s nutritional needs are miniscule right now. I had the same thing happen, and my doctor said it was fine. The appetite comes back when you need it! She said it was more important not to make myself nauseated by trying to eat too much or to eat specific foods. Good luck!
I am so glad to get to be reading your pregnancy posts!!! And I am also so glad to see that you are going to enjoy your pregnancy – even the early part of it. It is so hard to make that transition and to LIVE IN THE HAPPINESS that non-infertiles can bask in when they find out their news. Good for you! And I will be here to cheer you on. (I wish I had done more of this rather than worrying about the what-ifs my first few weeks. Go on Pinterest and find some good ways to take pictures of your growing belly. The chalkboard one is really cute and I wish I would have done that one…)
And since we are sharing, I splattered my hand EVERY time I POAS. And my nips were the first to show signs of change as well. Darker w/ more bumps, apparently more sensitive…
IANADE(I am not a doctor either) but:
As far as your question about the Beta numbers – because doubling time can drop from 48 to 96 hours after your HCG levels reach 1,000 (and I said can, not will), the range of “normal” is quite large. I think the normal range for 6 weeks for a singleton is anywhere from 1,100 to 56,000 – so as you can see, the numbers aren’t the most telling tale.
We transferred 6 blasts and my first beta number was over 400. The second beta (2 days later) was over 900. The clinic didn’t order a 3rd beta. And then, about a week after my last beta (so at around 6 weeks), I started having heavy red bleeding with clots and cramping. I was sure I had miscarried. The clinic said it was too early to see anything on an ultrasound but offered another beta to give me peace of mind. The nurse said we were looking for anything over 900 (which would indicate it was still rising and not falling as a lower number would indicate a loss). My number was over 14,000 at that point.
My point is – since normal can vary so much, perhaps don’t get too caught up in what the proper doubling number would be. Perhaps hope for somewhere between 2,000 and 6,000 – a wide range I know but both would be in the range of normal for your exact second beta number . If your clinic feels the numbers aren’t doing the right thing, you will probably be able to tell it in your nurses’ voice.
As far as the full feeling – that will stick around a while. From my understanding, your digestive system slows down from all of the hormones and it takes longer for your body to process what you eat. Small meals is the key. And I think this is also why so many pregnant women crave carbs the first trimester – they are easier to digest…
Can’t wait for your next update!