Good news!!

We had our first ultrasound this morning, and everything is exactly as it should be. For once, we did not get bad news!!

The baby is measuring six weeks exactly. We already see a yolk sac in the gestational sac! We've never seen this before with our other two pregnancies!

We will repeat this next week to hopefully see a heartbeat! 

Here's our first view of little bean!

Let the waiting game begin!

I am still so relieved that we got such good news yesterday. Would it have been awesome to hear the baby's heartbeat? Of course, but it's still too early! I am probably barely six weeks along, since I know I ovulated late in my cycle (around day 18 or 19). The doctor said this could put me half of a week behind. It was SO reassuring, though, to see how calm and relaxed he was looking at our ultrasound. He even said, "We are exactly where we need to be right now." Yay! For once, good news at an ultrasound!

I'm part of a June 2014 Moms private Facebook group, which has been really helpful. It's great sharing good news, questions, concerns, and gripings with people who understand, even though they really are total strangers. Many of them are further along than me (since my due date will probably be at the very end of June now) and have been posting their first ultrasound pics. Many have also been seeing their baby and hearing a heartbeat, which I am confident we will get to do next Friday!

I am just so much more relaxed and happy this pregnancy so far. Of course, our consistently good betas and good news yesterday helped, but I just have a better feeling about this in general. I really believe that this is OUR time and OUR baby. It's meant to be!

In the meantime, I will keep meditating/praying, take good care of myself, get plenty of rest, and know that the best is yet to come. If our thoughts often become reality, why not make them positive?

Grow, Bean, grow!!!!!!

Baby bump already?!

I think so! My uterus HAS doubled in size, after all. Here's the first photographic evidence!

Soooo nervous -- but excited -- for my first ultrasound tomorrow! Hoping for good news off once!

Grow, bean, grow!!

Something to make you smile on a Monday....

Happy almost Halloween!

Ridiculously happy!!!

So, in less than 48 hours, my beta has jumped from a 990 to a 2360!!!! The nurse and doctor are soooo excited, and so are we!

We even have our first ultrasound scheduled for next Wednesday morning!!

At this point in our last pregnancy this summer, our beta level was only at a 400. What a difference a new opportunity can make!

I have yet to EVER have good news from an OB ultrasound, so here's hoping for some next week.

Fingers and toes crossed!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Sooo excited and relieved!

It's been several days since I've written, and lots has been happening!

There's a reason why I've been so nauesous and tired recently -- my Beta has risen from a 67 on Wednesday, 10/16 to a whopping 990 today! Yayayayayay! This is SO much better than the last pregnancy. The doctor wants another draw on Thursday, so fingers crossed that it continues to soar!

For those of you who might be pregnant and/or looking for advice about nausea once you do become pregnant, read below (courtesy of Shady Grove Fertility):

PREGNANCY ANTI NAUSEA DIET & LIFESTYLE

A. TWO MAIN GOALS:

Goal 1:

Don’t go more than 4 hours without eating.

Reason:

Your body’s metabolism increases tremendously, and you burn calories

more quickly.

Goal 2:

Eat a combination of sugar and protein each time you eat a meal or snack.

Reason:

Rapid rises and falls of your blood sugar can make you nauseated,

irritable, fatigued, and headachy. Eating a combination of sugar and

protein will help keep your blood sugar stable.

Examples of protein and sugar combinations:

1) Peanut butter, crackers and Sprite

2) Cheese toast on whole grain bread with fruit juice

3) A slice of cheese with an apple

4) Sliced turkey sandwich and low fat chocolate milk

5) Dry roasted nuts and 7-UP

6) Ice cream, pudding, or custard

7) Milkshakes

8) Cottage cheese with sliced peaches and pears

9) High protein cereal with fresh berries or raisins and milk

10) Cheese, crackers, and ginger ale

11) Trail mix and fruit juice

B. OTHER GOALS:

1) Eat small amounts frequently, including first thing in the morning as well as a bedtime

snack.

2) Avoid greasy, spicy, fried, or oily foods including butter and margarine. Use jam, jelly,

or honey instead.

3) Avoid all sodas except Sprite, ginger ale, or 7-UP. The others contain phosphoric acid,

which can make you queasy, including Coke!

4) Sleep in a room with good ventilation.

5) Do not let anyone smoke in the bedroom and preferably not in the house.

6) Avoid cooking if the odors bother you.

C. MEDICATION OPTIONS:

1) Vitamin B6, 10 – 25 mg by mouth every 8 hours as needed.

2) If symptoms persist, add Unisom Sleep Tabs (this is a combination of vitamin B6 &

doxylamine) ½ tablet by mouth 3 – 4 times per day as needed.

i. Unisom will cause drowsiness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else

that could be dangerous until you know how you react to this medication.

3) Both Vitamin B6 and Unisom can be purchased over the counter.

4) If symptoms are still not manageable, ask your nurse or physician about prescription

medication options.

D. IF YOU ARE NAUSEATED IN THE MORNING:

1) Place dry crackers at your bedside when you get your bedtime snack. Do not choose a

cracker, which leaves a buttery stain or greasy mark on a paper towel or napkin (ex.

Ritz, Waverly Wafers, Captains Cracker, or Wheatworths). Choose instead pretzel

sticks, Melba toast, saltines or soda crackers.

2) When you first wake up, do not get out of bed for any reason first.

First beta drawn...

...and my HCG level is at a 67.1. This is a little low (and certainly not fantastic) but still in the normal range and MUCH better than where I started at the same point in my last pregnancy (15.1). That's GOT to be a good sign, right?!

A text I received from a close friend really resonated with me today:

... I wanted to tell you that I have such a good feeling for you guys this time. You know that I don't pray about a lot, but I'm praying for you, and I think the fact that you got your BFP on the day of Infant and Pregnancy Loss Remembrance is special and meaningful. Just think of all the hand-me-downs I can give you! Love you so much, keep me posted. xxoo

I continue to be hopeful. I am a warrior woman, and this is MY time to have a baby!!

Sticky baby dust wanted!! ;)

Still in shock....

They say three times is the charm, right?

Well, if that's the case, it's our lucky day!

We are pregnant again!!!!!!

We had a positive HPT this morning with a CLEAR and visible line. Yayayayayayayay!

I am currently scheduling my first beta and in touch with my fertility nurse.

I guess one thing's for sure -- we ARE fertile and able to get preggers. Now, let's just hope this little bean sticks!!

I have a good feeling, though..... ;)

Relaxed and happy

I feel really good about where I am right now. I am happy, content, busy, fulfilled, and appreciative of all the blessings life has brought me up to this point. I actually feel a lot more relaxed and hopeful than I have in a long time.

Naturally, this new outlook on life has transferred to my fertility. This month, Greg and I took a very relaxed approach to baby making, and I have decided that I am in no rush. My period is due today and hasn't arrived, but I'm not freaking out. After all, I am only 30 (and a half) and have plenty of fertile, baby-making years ahead. Setting crazy timelines on it all just tends to make me unnecessarily anxious and stressed out. What good does that do for my fertility? Absolutely noticing. Nothing at all.

I've simply decided that Greg and I have a ton to look forward to -- and am confident that babies are in our future. In the meantime, I will continue to have no regrets, live every day to the fullest, be happy for those around me who are having babies, and have confidence and faith that our time will come.

There is no doubt that the future has big things waiting for us, and we can't wait to meet the baby God has chosen for us.

March on, warrior women!!

Great website to check out!

http://www.blossomclinic.net/2012/05/10/blossom-profile-lisas-story-of-infertility-loss-and-hope-against-all-odds/

Holding on to hope....

I've always been one to treasure a good, hopeful infertility story with a positive outcome. The one below particularly touched me, and I hope it resonates with you as well!

You can find it and more like it at: http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/982233/holding-on-to-hope-during-infertility.

My story. My infertility. My hope.

Coping with infertility

According to the National Survey of Family Growth, one in seven couples grapple with secondary infertility, a couple’s inability to conceive a baby, even though they've had at least one child in the past.
 

My husband and I are one of these couples.

Four years ago, my son was conceived with zero reproductive intervention. My husband (then 37) and I (then 36) had been married for six months, decided to start a family and six months later I was pregnant.
I had a better than textbook pregnancy — no morning sickness, no heartburn, no swollen ankles. It was strange, wonderful and amazing to feel and watch my body grow. And grow. Toward the end of the 40 weeks I felt HUGE but also strong and beautiful and couldn't wait to do it all over again. I'm still waiting.

My infertility struggles

 

Since my son's first birthday, I have had five miscarriages, one through the aid of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. After IVF, I had four failed natural cycles with a hormone replacement regime and three failed intrauterine inseminations (IUI).

I am still not pregnant.

I never thought it would come to this... tens of thousands of dollars, hours upon hours of waiting in doctors' offices, countless blood tests, ultrasounds and other invasive procedures, painful progesterone shots, timed intercourse, more negative pregnancy tests than I care to recall, more heartache and frustration than one person should be allowed and all the while holding on to a strong hope and longing that this will be the cycle we add a fourth member to our family, this will be the cycle we give our son a sibling.

Trying again

 

My reproductive endocrinologist (RE) remains positive that I can get pregnant, but also maintains that time is not on my side. I am 40 now and age appears to be the only obstacle standing in our way. We are now facing IVF again.

Secondary infertility is actually more common than not being able to conceive in the first place. In some ways I believe it's more difficult to endure because I have proof that I have done this successfully in the past in the form of a three-foot child running around my house asking me to play "Go Fish."

Finding support

 

I have found support in many forms — my husband, of course, who is not only my partner on this roller coaster ride, but my grounding force. I also read as much as I can on the subject of infertility and secondary infertility, seek counsel from a licensed therapist, who specializes in individuals and couples experiencing infertility, attend a monthly Resolve (The National Infertility Association) meeting, belong to several online support groups, practice yoga, see an acupuncturist and write about my journey.

Infertility does not discriminate and it's important that for those who are fighting this battle to stick together. Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing my story here and I hope that if you or someone you know is struggling with infertility or secondary infertility, you will read along, comment and ask questions. Let's support each other while we hold on to hope together.

Silly OPK...

According to my ovulation predictor kit, I am highly fertile today. Since I know I ovulated almost two weeks ago, this seems strange. However, last time I was preggers, the same thing happened. After getting a high fertility OPK reading for over a week and then a peak fertility reading, we got a faint positive pregnancy test. That was in July.

It's only day 17 of my cycle, so it's a bit too early to take a HPT. I will continue to take an OPK test every day, though, so we will see what it continues to say. Still, it's hard to not get too excited!!

In case you're interested in the differences between an OPK and a HPT, here is some information I found interesting:

http://www.justmommies.com/articles/opk-as-hpt.shtml

Here's to the future, bright, hopeful, and full of possibilities!

March on, warrior women!!