Early Pregnancy Feelings
From the moment the embryos were implanted, I felt pregnant, experiencing nausea, which I initially attributed to the progesterone injections. One night, I woke up with a sharp pain in my side, which I believed was the baby implanting itself. Having undergone IVF and never being pregnant before, I was terrified of losing the pregnancy, so I only shared the news with a select few. As my belly grew, others noticed my pregnancy, but I kept my excitement private, fearing I might jinx it while feeling incredibly grateful.
Positive Blood Test Results
When I visited the fertility center for a blood test to confirm my pregnancy, I expressed my symptoms but worried that the injections might be misleading. Just two hours later, I received a jubilant call informing me that my numbers were high and I was indeed pregnant! The first blood test revealed a Beta #1 of 1,271. Shortly after, they provided my shot schedule. A few days later, the nurse called again to share that my Beta #2 was 2,747, suggesting the possibility of twins. I was overwhelmed with joy and disbelief, as the second blood test two days later confirmed my pregnancy.
Concerns and Bleeding
However, when I started bleeding, I feared I had lost one and braced myself for the worst. Although I was excited about the pregnancy, I was also filled with anxiety, worried it could all slip away, having read numerous stories of loss. During the ultrasound, I was relieved to learn I was carrying one baby. My mom accompanied me to every appointment, as my husband was overseas, but the bleeding continued to concern me. I experienced daily spotting and occasional heavy bleeding, which the doctors assured me was normal, advising me to limit my activities to mostly bed rest.
Frequent Monitoring
I remained on bed rest until they identified the cause of the bleeding as a low placenta. I was eventually permitted to walk for an hour a day, but even short walks around the backyard were painful at first. Gradually, I increased my walking duration and eventually ventured into the neighborhood, including hilly paths.
Feeling Movement
Initially, moving was uncomfortable as my body adjusted. However, once I began to feel her kicks and movements, my anxiety began to diminish. While I still had worries, each movement reassured me she was thriving. Occasionally, I felt her kicks in my back, and they could be quite intense!
Misidentified Pain
In the end, what I thought were contractions turned out to be sciatic nerve pain. At times, the pain would be so severe that I had to stop walking suddenly or lean against a wall for support. If I was in the bathroom when this happened, I had to stand to manage the pain! It truly felt as though she was trying to make her way out.
Pre-Labor Progress
A few weeks before my due date, I mentioned this pain to my doctor, who decided to check my cervix. I was found to be 2 cm dilated and informed that labor could start at any time. The following week, I was at 3 cm, then 4 cm the week after, and by my appointment at 39 weeks, I was 5 cm dilated.
Check out this birth story here……
Routine Pregnancy Care with No Stretch Marks
I consistently applied Curel lotion to my stomach every day, followed by Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula, which has a thicker, butter-like consistency. I used this twice daily as my stomach grew. To stay active, I walked for 30-60 minutes daily, often on hilly terrain. I resisted scratching my stomach, even when it itched. My diet included very little sugar and rare chocolate, focusing instead on eating oranges and tomatoes for their acidity. I maintained my usual five meals a day and avoided exposing my stomach to direct sunlight. This was my daily routine and I had no stretch marks after birth.