11 weeks and 5 Days

Today is just a quick update. I will be going to visit the high risk specialist on Monday for a consultation and for first trimester screening.  Which I think entails an ultrasound and blood testing.  I am going to try to avoid any invasive testing since we already had the genetic testing done before baby was put inside. I do not feel the need to do anything that would put baby at risk.

On a lighter note, my paranoid self, ordered a fetal heart dopplar after reading lots of reviews that I could hear baby's heartbeat at home on my own. So I got it last weeks and tried it at 10w6d and hear the baby for a second.  Over the last week I have tried a few more times to hear baby but she always seemed to be hiding from me.  But today, I found her! Loud and clear!  Its so reassuring to be able to hear her whenever I get worried.  Which will be really nice in the coming weeks, since after my specialist appt I won't be seeing my OB until I am 16 weeks. Such a long time to wait!

Here's a short video where you can hear baby's heartbeat.  The numbers om the monitor are suppose to measure the hear rate but every tiny movement I made reset the counter. It did reach 160 so that is about normal.

I hope this video works. otherwise, you will just have to trust me that I heard it.!

Also, since coming off most of my meds, I have definitely been feeling the first trimester symptoms.
Every day is different. Some days I feel good and other days I feel pretty awful. I have not been throwing up (thankfully) but I do get nauseous from time to tome. Food just doesn't sound good most of the time. I'll be hungry but nothing sounds appetizing or I will try to eat something and it tastes disgusting. Other times I am just not hungry but make myself eat something anyway.  I have been getting a few migraines and I have had some hormonal emotional moments. I have been getting pain in my hip bones, I assume from stretching and shifting.  Other days I just generally don't feel like myself and feel slightly off.
With the second trimester right around the corner. I hope to feeling more normal soon!
Thursday will be the last day I am on prescription medication. My Dr told me I should stop taking it at 10 weeks but I just dialed my dose back to half until 12 weeks. Just to give myself peace of mind and because I had almost an entire bottle of pills left. This is my last "safety net" of medication. So from Thursday on its up to me and baby to get through this.

Updates after monday's appt!

10 Weeks & Graduated from IVF Dr.

Before the update from the Dr visit, i wanted to update everyone from my post last week, when I asked to stopped taking all my meds.  My levels all came back normal so I have been off my shots and patches for a about a week.  A couple of days after stopping everything, I started getting really sick, nauseous sick.  No throwing up or anything. Just really  sick to to my stomach and a really bad migraine. Thankfully, I had 2 days off of work and was able to suffer on my couch with my kittens. Although the next day when i went to work, I had a little bit of nausea  but I was able to make through the day with the help of some ginger ale and crackers. Still getting sick from time to time but not as bad as those few days. and I haven't had another migraine.

But on to the part of the update that everyone has been waiting for...
No ultrasound picture today.  : (
But, she looks more like a baby today. Could see the head and arms and heart flickering. We had a pretty quick visit with dr. and the last appt with this dr. : (
However, baby is doing just great! Shes measuring the right size and her heart rate was good.  I thought it was high at 192 bpm but dr wasn't concerned and said she's good.
So now I have been referred to a high risk specialist for some genetic testing just to verify that baby is normal and to a regular OBGYN.
I have both appts made already! Seeing the specialist in a little over 2 weeks (12 weeks and 4 day) sand the OB at the end of Feb. (16 weeks).
Hopefully, all will continue to go well! We've made it this far, which is further than we have ever been.

I'll continue to keep my blog updated throughout the pregnancy! I appreciate all the support and love I have received from everyone. This has been quite an experience and I hope that it continues to be a good one! Only 30 more weeks to go!

9 Weeks and No More Meds

Today I am 9 weeks!
No Dr visit this week, next week and I hope baby is still cooking away! As I have mentioned before getting through 8 and 9 weeks is a big deal for us since it has yet to be done.
A few days ago I spoke with a nurse from the Dr. office and after the Dr. reviewed my blood test results, I was asked to lower my med dosages to half for a couple of a days and the repeat blood work.  After those results came in I was asked to stop all my meds, except for my vitamins and other pills. So no more shots and no more patches.  My butt and belly are thankfully for this. The skin on my belly hasn't been able to recover as quickly for the patches changes and my butt is so bruised for the shots. Yesterday was my first official day with no meds and this morning I went for more blood work to see if my body is able to produce all the hormones it needs to on its own. I hope to have those results by the afternoon.  If my body cant take over on its own then its back to shots and patches for a bit longer.
I am pretty nervous about being off the meds. They were kind of like a safety net for me. I felt better knowing that I for sure had the necessary hormones in my system.  I know that more than likely my body will be able to take over but my safety net is gone. Its all on me now! In my previous short lived pregnancies I was not hormone deficit, at least not enough to have caused any of the miscarriages.  
Greg has been good about reminding me that our previous losses were more than likely chromosome related that we have corrected that issue by having the embryo tested and that we know she is normal. It gives me some comfort to know this but I still worry. I'll be worry all the way until she is here and then I will probably still continue to worry as most mothers, I am sure, do.
Other than being a worrier, I feel generally ok. I still have the occasional nausea. But that about it.
Hoping that the next 3-5 weeks fly by! I so want to get to the 2nd trimester.

Update next week after Dr. visit, with hopefully news that everything is good.

8 Weeks!

I went to the dr again today! This has been an every  2 weeks thing for me and seems like it will continue until I am released from the fertility specialist and sent back to a regular OB.
So today, I got another ultrasound.  Baby girl is still measuring right on track and her heartbeat has increase (as it should) to 170 bpm.  I had some blood work done today also, to measure my current hormone levels to see if I can start taper off all the meds that I am on. So I'm waiting for a call back on those results. Which I am sure I will get later today.

Here is tiny little girl peanut!

All in all things are going well.  I have been getting nauseous occasionally but not too bad. No throwing up or anything. I am tired all the time! I try to nap in the afternoons but that's not always possible with work. I have been going to bed pretty early lately. We didn't even stay up for new years eve, too tired.

The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty important,since I have miscarried between 8 & 9 weeks before.  I think I will finally be able to relax once we have our 10 week appt. and everything looks good.

So keep hoping and praying for us that we can make it through!

Next update in a couple of weeks and hopefully it be good news!