Pregnancy 101

As I mentioned in this post, there have already been some moments of sheer panic that our little poppyseed wasn't developing on track.  I wanted to give you the run down (and for my own records) about how the last few weeks have played out.

Monday March 12, 2012

• Charting day 16 & Estimated date of ovulation.  I was not charting temps this month (only cervical fluid), as my cycles have been so predictable with ovulation on day 16 every cycle for the last 6 months.  Although I don't know 100% CD 16 was ovulation day... I feel pretty confident.

Monday, March 19, 2012  (Approx 7 dpo)

• I had my annual appointment at my obgyns office.  I told her we had just starting trying to conceieve and she offered a quick blood draw (which measures level of HCG, "the pregnancy hormone", in your system) since I was probably 7 or 8 days past ovulation.  She mentioned this was when numbers just start showing up... and to not be disappointed if it was negative.  

Tuesday, March 20, 2012  (Approx 8 dpo)

• Blood draw numbers came back negative.  I was disappointed.  shocker.  

Thursday, March 22, 2012  (Approx 10 dpo)

• I took a pregnancy test at home, at about 10 days past ovulation.  It also came back negative.  A lot of women see positives at 10 dpo, so I assumed we were out for this cycle.

Monday, March 26, 2012 (Approx 14 dpo)

• I didn't get my period as expected.  After work I came home and took a pregnancy test.  Positive.  Wow.  Took another pregnancy test.  Positive.  Called our parents and siblings to share the news.  

Tuesday, March 27, 2012  (Approx 15 dpo)

• I called my obgyn to let them know, and schedule my first appointment.  They said they do their first appts at 8 weeks with sonogram, blood work, and pelvic exam.  I requested early blood work, and they said they typically only do that for women that  have had previous losses.  I told them that my insurance would cover it, and I would like to have blood work for confirmation (along with progesterone levels).  They persisted "can I ask why?".  I just told them that I wanted it, and that was it.  They agreed and said they would send it in to the labs that day.  They forgot, so a trip to the lab was wasted.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 (Approx 16 dpo)

• They finally got the paperwork right and I had blood work taken.  They had to poke me 3 times before they could get blood.  Apparently I have tiny veins and they float.  They ended up using my hands for veins.

Thursday, March 29, 2012  (Approx 17 dpo)

• The nurse called to tell me my beta was 254, but my progesterone was only 10.1 which is not high enough to sustain a pregnancy (they like to see levels at 15 or higher).  She said  I needed to start taking vaginal supplements of this progesterone hormone twice a day... starting that day.   Which I did.  I raced to the pharmacy and inserted the first one in their public restroom.  In my mind I couldn't get it in fast enough.  We also had to meet with a nurse that day and pickup all of our paperwork and brochures on pregnancy.  I felt quite justified in my pushiness to have early blood work.  :::thumbs nose at nurse:::

Friday, March 30, 2012  (Approx 18 dpo)

• More blood work to see if beta numbers were doubling.  They poked me SIX times before they found a vein.  They put "stat" on the order - so I found out later that afternoon that the beta had more than doubled to 577.  Good news.  It was still too early to test progesterone again.

Thursday, April 5, 2012 (Approx 24 dpo)

• More blood work to see if the progesterone supplements are doing their jobs.  They got blood on the first stick.  I almost kissed that tech.  

Friday, April 6, 2012 (Approx 25 dpo)

• Nurse called and my beta numbers are now at 7,274 and my progesterone has increased to 20.8.  Celebrations.

• I do have to continue the 2x per day progesterone supplements... which sucks because they make me SO bloated and constipated... but if I get a healthy baby out of this, no problem.  I typically wake up about 40 minutes earlier than normal and stumble to the fridge to get one out.  After inserting it, I have to lay down for about 35 minutes (per pharmasist's instructions).  I use that for a power nap.  In the evenings I have been passing out around 9:30pm so I insert another one before I go to bed.  

So that has been my life for the last three weeks.  Blood work and worrying about this little poppy seed.  In the mean time I've been substantially less productive and work and my house is a complete wreck.  I'm hopeful next week will bring a little more energy and less worry.  

The nurse said today that I'm back on track for an "average, run of the mill, pregnancy" which is exactly what I hoped for.  

Grow poppy seed (which is apparently now the size of an apple seed)... grow!