Up to this point I've been pretty nervous to even say anything privately and jinx us (although I've obviously told David), as I know miscarriages are pretty common this early (did you know than 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage?). We plan to tell our families in a few weeks when it's a safer bet, and everyone else anytime between that and 12 weeks (if all goes to plan). In the meantime, we've decided to let ourselves get a little excited and enjoy this little one instead of worrying 24/7. As someone said on one of the forums I've been frequenting, "Be happy that today, you're pregnant." So I am.
Here are the highlights thus far:
4 weeks
On Friday evening, Jan. 4, 2014, I was sitting in Grandma Wittman's recliner and watching "Game of Thrones" on my iPad, when I randomly decided to take a break, use the restroom and have a warm bath. I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I took a pregnancy test. Somehow, I already knew, but was still in shock after seeing that second line. I had taken a few tests in previous months, thinking I "felt pregnant," and of course I was always wrong before and the line never showed. This time it was there, and it was clear as day. Hindsight is 20/20, but suddenly the super weird dreams I had been having over Christmas break, the slight nausea after eating too much pizza and the extreme fatigue (no matter how much sleep I got) started to make sense. My hands shook with nervous excitement. I could have told David in some creative way, or I could have waited, but instead I came right out and showed him the test. He was sick at the time, and medicated, so the news didn't quite sink in until later, but even he couldn't deny the test result.
That weekend was a long and snowy one. On Monday, even the doctor's office was closed (as was Lewis and Clark, where I work) so I had to wait another day to call and make an appointment. I read online that miscarriages are very common before 8 weeks, so knowing we had a whole month ahead of us felt daunting. I took another test that day "to make sure." Again, positive. On Wednesday, I saw Dr. Ricci and had a blood test done to test for pregnancy and my thyroid levels. On Friday, his office called - my levels looked great, and the test, again, was positive. Third time's a charm - after having it confirmed by a medical professional and not just me and a cheap at-home test, we decided to let ourselves get excited about the happy news, even though my first appointment with the OB isn't until the end of Feb. (11 weeks) and that's scary. We're just taking it day by day and feeling lucky for what is ours at the moment. We even know two names we like already, although I have no idea if they will still be on the list in 9 months. Lincoln for a boy, and Violet for a girl.
5 weeks
This week, if baby is growing according to schedule, he or she is now officially an embryo about the size of an appleseed. These next few weeks, according to all the reading I've been doing on The Bump, Baby Center and "What to Expect When You're Expecting,"are crucial because they're when all of his/her organs will be forming (and some will even start to function). I would bet that's why most miscarriages happen during the early weeks, being that the number one reason they happen is that baby is not developing properly. I know I'm being a worrywart and things will probably be OK, but just in case I'm doing most all the right things - exercising (at least as much as I did before I got pregnant), hydrating, and taking a prenatal vitamin every day at dinner (so as not to interfere with my thyroid meds, which are important for me and for baby). I'm not eating badly, though I could eat better, so I'm working on that. I mostly haven't had any caffeine, although I know it's safe to have a little. It just hasn't seemed appealing, even though normally when it's this cold out I drink a pot of coffee a day! As long as that's the case, it's easy to completely abstain - especially since it's not good for me anyway. I'm watching the few pregnancy symptoms I do have for any changes, which could be a hint that something is wrong, but there's not a lot I can do other than stay positive and believe in the power of positivity. So far, I've not experienced any more "sickness." Mostly, it's just light cramping from time to time, digestion issues and fatigue. My chest is a little sore, so I catch myself from time to time checking them to make sure they still are. I read here that the chance of miscarriage drops to about 5 percent between 6-8 weeks, so we're almost there.
Here are the highlights thus far:
4 weeks
On Friday evening, Jan. 4, 2014, I was sitting in Grandma Wittman's recliner and watching "Game of Thrones" on my iPad, when I randomly decided to take a break, use the restroom and have a warm bath. I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I took a pregnancy test. Somehow, I already knew, but was still in shock after seeing that second line. I had taken a few tests in previous months, thinking I "felt pregnant," and of course I was always wrong before and the line never showed. This time it was there, and it was clear as day. Hindsight is 20/20, but suddenly the super weird dreams I had been having over Christmas break, the slight nausea after eating too much pizza and the extreme fatigue (no matter how much sleep I got) started to make sense. My hands shook with nervous excitement. I could have told David in some creative way, or I could have waited, but instead I came right out and showed him the test. He was sick at the time, and medicated, so the news didn't quite sink in until later, but even he couldn't deny the test result.
That weekend was a long and snowy one. On Monday, even the doctor's office was closed (as was Lewis and Clark, where I work) so I had to wait another day to call and make an appointment. I read online that miscarriages are very common before 8 weeks, so knowing we had a whole month ahead of us felt daunting. I took another test that day "to make sure." Again, positive. On Wednesday, I saw Dr. Ricci and had a blood test done to test for pregnancy and my thyroid levels. On Friday, his office called - my levels looked great, and the test, again, was positive. Third time's a charm - after having it confirmed by a medical professional and not just me and a cheap at-home test, we decided to let ourselves get excited about the happy news, even though my first appointment with the OB isn't until the end of Feb. (11 weeks) and that's scary. We're just taking it day by day and feeling lucky for what is ours at the moment. We even know two names we like already, although I have no idea if they will still be on the list in 9 months. Lincoln for a boy, and Violet for a girl.
5 weeks
This week, if baby is growing according to schedule, he or she is now officially an embryo about the size of an appleseed. These next few weeks, according to all the reading I've been doing on The Bump, Baby Center and "What to Expect When You're Expecting,"are crucial because they're when all of his/her organs will be forming (and some will even start to function). I would bet that's why most miscarriages happen during the early weeks, being that the number one reason they happen is that baby is not developing properly. I know I'm being a worrywart and things will probably be OK, but just in case I'm doing most all the right things - exercising (at least as much as I did before I got pregnant), hydrating, and taking a prenatal vitamin every day at dinner (so as not to interfere with my thyroid meds, which are important for me and for baby). I'm not eating badly, though I could eat better, so I'm working on that. I mostly haven't had any caffeine, although I know it's safe to have a little. It just hasn't seemed appealing, even though normally when it's this cold out I drink a pot of coffee a day! As long as that's the case, it's easy to completely abstain - especially since it's not good for me anyway. I'm watching the few pregnancy symptoms I do have for any changes, which could be a hint that something is wrong, but there's not a lot I can do other than stay positive and believe in the power of positivity. So far, I've not experienced any more "sickness." Mostly, it's just light cramping from time to time, digestion issues and fatigue. My chest is a little sore, so I catch myself from time to time checking them to make sure they still are. I read here that the chance of miscarriage drops to about 5 percent between 6-8 weeks, so we're almost there.
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