MY PREGNANCY JOURNAL

Hi! I'm Kirsten and this is my fertility website! I am currently 37 years young and I have been trying to conceive since my husband's Vasectomy reversal in December 2000. We conceived in October 2001, 10 months after the surgery, but had a miscarriage at 14 weeks.  A tiny baby boy. We conceived again on Valentines Day 2003 but sadly miscarried again at 12 weeks on April 28th, 2003. On September 19th, on 10dpo I got a faint line on a pregnancy test.  Here is my cycle history: Ovusoft Chart

 September 3rd, 2003 3rd Cycle Day 9
 On September 3rd, 2003, the 9th day of my cycle, I had a  HYSTEROSALPINOGRAM (HSG).  This showed no uterine abnormalities, however, I had a blockage in the left fallopian tube. I was very unhappy about this. Later that week, the doctor called to give me the update on the HSG. He said that in the post HSG X-ray, it showed that the fluid was starting to trickle out my left tube, meaning the HSG was pushing out the blockage. 

Belly Shots

September 9th, 2003 Cycle Day 15
I ovulated on cycle day 15
I am on a steady diet of Prenatals, 81mg baby aspirin a day for the MCs and B-6.

September 19th, 2003 10dpo
I got a very faint positive on 10dpo in the afternoon using a Fertilinet Midstream. I took a First Response and it was so faint, I thought perhaps it was negative. My strips were faint, but a bit darker than FRE, so I thought, maybe I am pregnant. My strips continued to get slightly darker, so at 13dpo I had a beta and it was 116, my progesterone level was 30.1. I went in at 15dpo (hCG should double every 48 hours) and my hCG level was over 330! Of course, I was very cautious about telling people the news because of my miscarriage history. 

5 1/2 weeks
Well, like all the other pregnancies, including my pgs with my three daughters, I had Hyperemsis. I started feeling very nauseas at 5 1/2 weeks, but by 6 weeks I was horribly ill. I controlled it with Zofran and took Milk of Magnesia almost everyday so I wouldn't have horrible constipation, which is a side effect. 

8 week 6 days
Ultrasound confirmed that baby was 8 weeks 6 days. Heart beating, measuring perfect! Textbook pregnancy so far.

11 weeks
The nausea started to taper off which scared me since with my last MC, the nausea was starting to taper off around 11 weeks, so I thought I was going to have yet another MC, so I ordered a doppler from BabyBeats.com and had them overnight it. Well I found the heartbeat rather quickly. What a beautiful sound. The doppler has truly been a blessing.

13 weeks Begins the 2nd Trimester!
During my 13 weeks visit they only used the doppler and checked the size of my uterus. Once again, doctor said, "looking good! Start celebrating!". After I got passed the first trimester, I started feeling much more confident.  Belly Shots

15 1/2 weeks
I am feeling the fluttering in my belly. It is common to feel movement in subsequent pregnancies. Most first time mothers can expect to feel movement closer to 18-20 weeks. Belly Shots

16 weeks and 3 days 
I feel little movements in my belly more often. I still use the doppler in the morning and before bed, but I feel very reassured! 

17 weeks, 6 days Ultrasound
Baby measured 18 weeks 4 days
Head measured 19 weeks
No signs of Down Syndrome or Spina Bifida
AFP test results
Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP): Normal Levels!

What is AFP?
AFP can help determine the presence of a type of birth defect called a neural tube defect. Neural tube defects are an abnormality in which the spinal cord or brain does not form properly. An increased level of AFP may be found in the blood of a woman whose fetus has a neural tube defect or an abdominal wall defect in formation. An AFP level that is lower than normal may be linked to an increased risk of Down syndrome.

Weight gain so far 15 pounds. A bit much, so I have to start exercising more.

Sex determination: not 100% certain, but so far it looks like we are having another GIRL!!! I have three daughters already, LOL. I need names so e-mail with your favorite names! I prefer names of saints, Christian names or Biblical names.

19 weeks 2 days
My ribs are starting to ache more. I have lots of energy now and have been on a cleaning spree. I try not to overdo it though. The baby is kicking a lot now, but I still can't feel the kicking from the outside, just the inside which is amazing since occasionally the kicks are pretty hard. The baby seems to like pushing into my bladder which is pretty uncomfortable, but that is her home for the next 4 months! Belly Shots

21 weeks 6 day, January 26th, 2004, Monday
Friday, the 23rd, I went to the emergency room for my middle child because she had bad side pains and I was afraid of appendicitis. She turned out to just have a stomach virus, however when I was signing her in, I felt dizzy and nearly passed out. They took me up to OB where my doctor just happened to be that night and he checked me out and ran some tests and it turned out that I had a bladder infection. I had been feeling pretty punky the last few days and didn't realize that was the case. They had the monitor on the baby for an hour and baby was fine, mommy was just not well. Monday, my 22 week appointment, everything went well, I gained 2 pounds more than the allowed (6 pounds). I have no idea how, but I did. Well baby sounded great and my uterus measured about a week or so ahead. Doctor kept hinting at a big baby, but all my others were in the 7 pound range. I will schedule a gender verification in two weeks so I will keep you all updated.

23 weeks 6 days

Ultrasound revealed healthy BABY GIRL! That makes 4 daughters for me :-)

27 weeks
Appointment went well. Baby has been active and I am very uncomfortable. I am measuring 29 weeks, but I am sure the baby isn't that big.....I would think, LOL. I am as uncomfortable as I was in my 8th month with my youngest daughter and I am only 6.5 months! Scary! Well only 13 weeks to go! 

28 weeks 
I am so uncomfortable and having such a hard time sleeping. I always loved this part of my pregnancy with my girls, but I am feeling terrible most of the time. I just can't wait to have my little Olivia in my arms and not in my belly. My ribs always hurt and she is a very active little one. I feel like I ate too much spaghetti and if I could just undo my top button I would feel better, LOL. I feel like she is growing faster than my body has a chance too. I have terrible back pain and cramping in my legs. I think there is just too much going on in my life right now too. We just moved to Indiana from Colorado less than a month ago into a tiny 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment. There are 5 of us and 4 are female! It is just a nightmare. Fortunately, we close on our 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom house Monday, March 15th! However, it is yet another move in such a short period of time. We have pros moving us, but there is still so much for me to do. Only 2 months and 20 days to go until baby is due! I just can't wait

30 weeks, 2 days
Well Monday, March 15th, we closed on our new house. Tuesday, the movers came from Colorado, Wednesday, the unpackers came and unpacked a large percentage, but I had to stop them because it was just creating more chaos for me. Thursday, the movers came and moved the rest of the stuff from the apartment to the house. As the movers were finishing up, I started getting severe pains on the left side of my back that radiated to the front. I felt this incredible pressure and went to the bathroom and it felt "clumpy" when I urinated, but when I wiped there was no blood. I feared labor, so I called hubby, he rushed home and took me to my doctor's office. She saw me immediately. Urine test revealed yet another bladder infection and the doctor thought perhaps I passed a small stone. The pain was excruciating and reminded me of what labor would be like and now I am afraid of labor. She put me on Bactrim because I keep getting infections and the others meds don't seem to work. Antibiotics make me feel sick, so I felt sick until they were all out of my systerm. On March 20th, my stepmom threw me a very nice baby shower in Michigan. It was very nice and I got some lovely gifts. I have already put together Olivia's Co-Sleeper, her stroller, washed all her clothes, bedding and bath items, LOL. I am getting very excited. Only 9.5 weeks to go!!!! I can't wait!

31 Weeks
Doctors appt this morning went well. I did lose a pound since the last check, but when I went in for the bladder infection, I had lost four pounds from the last check up, so I picked up 3 pounds from the last visit. My appetite has really been poor and it is such an effort to eat because the baby is squishing my tummy and not a lot of food goes in. I try to snack, but nothing looks good to me. My right arm hurts all the time from the nerves being pressed and I get a lot of numbness in my back. I asked if I could be induced at 38 weeks and he said he might be talked into 39, LOL. I don't want to wait the whole 40! LOL

35 weeks
Doctors appt went well, baby measuring on target. My next appt is in 2 weeks, they will do a Group B Strep culture. Let's hope they knock my plug loose and get the party started! I can't find my digital camera which is why there have been no new belly shots, but I am getting a new one, so as soon as it comes in, I will take more photos and fill whole page full of Olivia shots!

Here is what I will take her home in:

My 37 week appointment. I've had an increase in cervical mucus and this morning a nice big glob came out. Apparently at my 35 week appointment I was only measuring 34 weeks, but now I am measuring 37 weeks. I did gain 4 pounds in two weeks and the doctor says it is probably all baby. I had a Group B Strep Culture and will have the results by my next appointment. I had an internal exam. The outer portion of my cervix is open which is why I am experiencing the large amount of mucus because my cervix is starting to open, but I have not dilated yet. I am 50% effaced which means my cervix is thinning out and getting ready for labor. I have been have pretty irregular Braxton Hicks contractions. I am getting very anxious.

My 38 week appt. went well. I did not have an internal exam. I am measuring right on target. My doctor suggested that we strip my membranes in one week to get things moving if I don't go into labor sooner.

I am really very uncomfortable today. Olivia feels like she is between my legs. I have to have my legs spread apart while I sit at the edge of my seat so my stomach can fall forward!  It hurts to let it set on my lap. Very strange. She is like a little alien. If you have ever see the movie "Alien", that is how my stomach takes form these days. I will see her entire body part protruding a good four inches from my stomach when she feels like stretching. I am in so much pain from the sciatica in my back. The left side of my back has been numb for months, but now the shooting pains are getting worse. Soon, soon, soon.

39 Week Appointment (38 weeks 6 days)

I am going to have my membranes strip. I have been losing my plug for sometime now. I am so tired today and worried about labor. This is my 4th delivery and honestly I am terrified. For those of you who are first time moms, ignorance is bliss. The memories of labor and delivery are flooding back to me now and I have been feeling panicked. I will let you know how the appointment went when I come back.

Post Appt: Only 2 cm dilated and only 50% effaced. I couldn't even get stripped. I am so upset. I go back Friday, so we shall see!

38 weeks 6 days

At my 39 week appt, as I mentioned I was supposed to get my membranes stripped but I was only 2cm dilated on the outside but not on the inside. I was so disappointed. I went home. When my daughters came home, we went for a long walk. No contractions, nothing. I thought I might have been leaking urine. We ate dinner and started watching the Fox series finale of "The Swan". Midway, I took a shower because I thought that I was have a lot of discharge, then decided to watch the rest in bed because I was just really tired and Olivia was so active. I got in bed and the announcer said, "In just a few moments you will find out the winner of the pageant". I turned just a little and felt a small gush come out of me. At first I thought I peed myself, so I got up and ran into the bathroom and a waterfall started pouring out. My water broke. I yelled to my husband in the other room and everyone started throwing on shoes and grabbing bags. My husband was saying "what do I do, what do I do?". I said, help me put some clothes on and a robe and let's go! We got to the hospital, and they checked me and I don't think the nurse believed me when I said my water broke because she still felt it when she examined me. I don't know why, but I got up just a little and a lot more gushed out and I was there to stay. I tried to walk around to get the party started, but I kept getting drenched, so I got back in bed. No contractions, so the doctor started Pitocin at 2am along with an epidural. I did not want to go through an induction without an epidural. For hours, there was no change.  At 5am, I was checked again and still no change. At 7am, I felt the contractions stronger, but not the pain. I called in the nurse and she said, "We are ready to go!".  Doctor got there at 7:10am and I pushed four or five 10 second pushes and her head was out, then by 7:21am, she was born! Easy Peasy, Lemon Cheesy! LOL Olivia Bernadette weighed 7lbs. 6 oz. and was 20 inches long!

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