My Pregnancy: Finding Out

I'm participating in the Fourth Annual Commenting Challenge over at Jenna's Journey, although I've opted not to stick to the topics each day. Instead, I wanted to begin documenting my pregnancy in the blogosphere. I've been keeping a pen-and-paper pregnancy journal for our little girl to read someday, so I'll be pulling the information from there. 

Was the pregnancy planned or a surprise?

This pregnancy was very much planned. In fact, I think I may have driven my husband a teensy bit crazy with all of the planning.

I first began thinking about having a baby:

When I was a little girl. I have always wanted to be a mother. When Sarge and I got married in July of 2011, we decided to wait at least a year before trying to conceive. We wanted to enjoy our time as newlyweds and get used to living together for the first time. 

We began trying to conceive in August of 2012. I was convinced that it would happen right away. After all, three of my closest friends had gotten pregnant the first month they began trying. My mother had gotten pregnant the month she'd began trying. Surely it would happen that way for me, right? Not exactly. Nothing happened in August or September. October was a bust too, although we were only trying halfheartedly that month due to two significant losses in my family. Nothing happened in November either and, given my propensity to be a slightly neurotic overachiever, I began to grow concerned that perhaps something was wrong. Sarge wasn't concerned but, being the supportive husband that he is, allowed me to drag him to a fertility specialist just in case. We met with the specialist in mid-December and he ran some very basic testing (blood work, a physical exam, and an ultrasound). He didn't see a reason to be concerned but offered to do some more invasive testing should we continue unsuccessfully. The more invasive testing sounded uncomfortable and I went home and prayed that we would conceive before those tests were needed. Unbeknownst to us, we successfully conceived only a few days later. 

I first suspected I might be pregnant:

On New Year's Eve. I spent the evening at my parent's house because Sarge had to work. There was no reason to suspect that I was pregnant; there were no symptoms to speak of. Nevertheless, I turned down a celebratory glass of wine at midnight just in case.

I took a home pregnancy test:

On January 1st, 2013. New Year's Day. I believed that it was way too early to find out but decided to take one anyway. I figured that, if by some chance it was positive, it would be a great way to start the new year. I took the test in our upstairs bathroom while Sarge was downstairs  in our living room, completely unaware. I waited and watched one clear line appear. Then a second, faint line appeared next to it. I carried the test into the bedroom and immediately sank to me knees and began thanking God. 

The first person I told was:

My husband! I immediately called him to come upstairs. When he did, I handed him the test and asked him if I was seeing things. I asked him how many lines he saw. He told me that he saw two lines, one of which was very faint. I told him that two lines meant that it was positive, no matter how faint. I'm not sure that he believed me. The specialist's office was closed for the holiday, so I assured Sarge that I would call for a blood test the following day.

Confirming the Pregnancy:

I woke up the next morning and took another home pregnancy test. Again, one pink line appeared followed by a second faint one. I showed Sarge and then went downstairs to call the specialist. He agreed to bring me in that day for a blood test to check my hormone levels. After the blood draw, Sarge and I went home to wait for the results. That afternoon, the nurse called me. She confirmed that I was, in fact, pregnant. She told me that the pregnancy hormone was on the low side but assured me that it could be because we had tested so early. She explained that they would bring me in for another blood draw in two days to make sure that the hormone levels had doubled.

That night, we went to tell my parents and brother. I had wanted to wait to tell them, but I was nervous about the blood results and wanted their support. I gathered everyone in the kitchen and told them that Sarge and I were expecting a baby. I also explained the blood test results and next steps. My father and brother were excited right away. My mother was happy, but cautious, just like me. Sarge and I got lots of hugs and kisses from everyone as they promised they would pray for us. 

Two days later, I went back for the second blood draw. A few hours later they called to tell us that the hormones had doubled, just as they should. I was told that I would have another blood draw in a few days and then they would do an ultrasound. The ultrasound took place on January 18th. I was exactly six weeks pregnant at the time. When the doctor pulled up the baby on the screen, I was elated. It looked like a tiny circle inside a dark oval. Of course Sarge and I thought it was the cutest circle that we had ever seen. The doctor congratulated us and printed out a picture for us to take home. I put the picture on the bedroom mirror where we could see that glorious little circle every day.

First OB Visit:

My first visit with my regular OB took place on January 30th, when I was 7 weeks and 5 days pregnant. My major concern, aside from the baby's well-being, was that I had been vomiting non-stop for the past week or so. The doctor weighed me and he discovered that I lost six pounds already and was close to dehydration. I was vomiting 15-20 times a day, all day (and night) long. He diagnosed me with a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum and prescribed me medication to stop the vomiting. I was reluctant to take medication but he explained that, if we couldn't control the vomiting, I would become extremely dehydrated and need to be hospitalized. Needless to say I agreed to take the medication. 

The second thing we discuss was the fact that I would be considered a high-risk patient due to a previous surgery that I had had on my cervix. I would be monitored every two weeks to make sure that my cervix didn't open prematurely and cause me to lose the pregnancy. I was nervous but glad that he was being so cautious.

Finally, we got to have another ultrasound and see the baby again. Sarge and I were amazed to see how much growth had taken place in such a short time. Seeing the baby was, by far, the best part of the appointment.

To be continued...