possible signs of a positive

There are definite signs a woman can see/feel once she has become pregnant.  A woman who is very intune with her body may notice more, and sooner.  But even for women who aren't as intune there are some signs that could mean a little one has begun to grow.  Here are a few...



• Missed Period...The most obvious sign.  It's important to keep track of your periods.  Always record the first day of every period each month.  This date will be important once you become pregnant because your Dr. will use this to determine your expected date of delivery.  As I've mentioned before, if your period is more than a week or two late and your at-home tests are showing negatives, you should see your Dr.
• Frequent trips to the bathroom...This was a sure sign with my first pregnancy and now I see that it was also for my second.  I drink a lot of water so I'm used to going a lot.  But I noticed even more trips to the bathroom after becoming pregnant.  This is actually my first sign as it happens before my missed period.
• Breast tenderness..."Ouch" could be an appropiate word...hahaha.  I had some tenderness the first time around but this time it seems to be even more so.  Your breasts will also begin to grow.  You will eventually need to buy some new bras.  But don't stock up on your new size.  Only buy 2 or 3 for now.  You may very well need to buy an even bigger size as your pregnancy continues.
• Discharge...It is normal for a pregnant woman to have an increase in discharge.  If you notice blood it could or could not signal a potential problem, but either way you must inform your Dr. about it.  I have had friends who bled throughout their entire pregnancy and gave birth to healthy babies.  I have also had friends whose bleeding was the start of a miscarriage (usually there is cramping and/or other symptoms in this case).  So take care.
• Sickness...I recently read that just a little over half of women experience "morning sickness", so just under half are lucky and don't.  My first time I has this constant feeling but only had to vomit a few times.  This ended right after finishing my third month.  This time around, so far so good.  I hope it can stay that way!
• Eating...You may notice cravings.  You may notice an urge to eat more.  You may feel disgusted by all things food.  My first time around I had specific cravings because I felt sick and only certain things sounded good to me.  So far this time around I always feel hungry.  I'm trying to be careful because this could lead to too much weight gain.  My Dr. did tell me to eat small frequent meals.  So I eat my three meals a day plus snacks in between.  And when I want to eat I'm trying to opt for healthier options.  I'm trying to avoid junk foods.
• Physical Feelings...You may notice some aches in pains in your tummy or even your back.  If it's minor, chances are it's nothing serious.  My Dr. advised me that if I feel abdominal pain I should tell her but go to the ER only if it's acute pain (like an appendix erupting).  She explained that some slight abdominal pain can be normal.  With my first pregnancy I had this streching feeling in my right side.  It eventually subsided.  This second time, I sometimes feel a slight feeling in my very lower abdomen.  It's not painful, more like a discomfort and sometimes like a stretching feeling.
• Emotional Feelings...It's so normal to be emotional.  You may feel super happy excited, or scared to death.  You may worry more easily, you may get angry (like PMS), or you may be cool and calm.  Every woman is different.  But find someone to talk to if you do have worries.  It'll make you feel better to get them all out. 
• Growing waistline...Within the first two months you may notice a thicker mid-section.  In the beginning this could be bloating.  But some women do begin to show more quickly than others.  If you are thin, you may show sooner.  If this is not your first time, it it normal to show sooner the second time around.  But again all women and all pregnancies are different.  So don't compare and make yourself worry.  And if you're anxious to have the infamous baby bump, relax and know that it will come eventually.  If your 9th month pregnant self could speak to your 2nd month pregnant self she'd tell you not to rush it.  Your belly will pop all right, and then some!  In my first pregnancy my bottoms were too tight by the end of my 2nd month.  So far this time I'm fitting my bottoms but I'm noticing some tightness.  I often unbutton my pants while sitting for some extra comfort.  I won't be surprised if I need to fish out my maternity pants within the next month - month and a half.

I will say this a million and one times...all women and all pregnancies are different.  We may all share similar things but no two women are going to experience the exact same pregnancy.  Take some pride in that and know that you and your growing little one are unique and special.  ;)

image via

starting 2 grow

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks because we've been waiting.  And in the middle of all the waiting, little guy got tonsilitis and rotavirus which required a couple of days in the hospital for fluid, meds, tests, and observation.  I'm happy to say that little guy is fine now.  I will one day post on rotavirus.  It can sound scary, and when you're child is going through it, it may seem scary.  But with proper steps, your child will bounce back to normal. 
So, anyway...I was late for my period this month.  I felt a bit excited as my body is very regular.  But I didn't want to get my hopes up.  I decided to wait a few days before taking a home test.  With my first pregnancy, I took a test right after missing a period and it was negative. That's because the urine test reads whether or not the pregnancy hormone is present in your urine.  In the beginning, there may not be a high enough level of the hormone to show up.  The further into pregnancy, the higher the level.  I waited a couple more days and that one was positive.  So taking a pregnancy test too early can give you a negative when you may in fact be pregnant.  So always wait a few days and take a 2nd test.  If your period still doesn't come after that, you must see your Dr.

So, after a few days of missing my period, I took a test at home (and I used a cheapy test, the pharmacist insisted that they're all the same).  The pregnancy line was very faint.  Now, I know from my first experience that this qualifies as a postive (depending on the level of the hormone as well as the sensitivity of the test, the line may not be as bright colored as the control line).  But still, just to be sure, I waited two days and took a second test.  Again, positive.  I then made my Dr. appt. and a blood test confirmed that I am pregnant.  Yay!  We have a due date of early February 2012.  :)

So now we are not only ready to grow, we are in fact starting to grow.  As of now, it's our (and your) little secrect.  We plan to tell family and friends later.  What a difficult secret to keep.  :)

A lot more to come as we continue this journey...

p.s.  I'm sorry to say that I forget where the image is from.  If you know, please let me know so that I can credit it.  Thanks!  ;)

still waiting

We're waiting.  It's still too early to know anything for this month of trying.
The waiting game requires patience, and a lot of it.  I try my best to go about normal life and not think too much about it.  But that's not always so easy to do.  When you want to be pregnant, suddenly the world becomes full of pregnancy and baby things.  Baby talk is all around.  Pregnant ladies are all around (my school has like a bizillion pregnant teachers this year...lol).  Friends and family pressuring us to have another.  And then there's that whole "act like you're pregnant, until you know you're not" thing.  Like today, I had to be careful by not ordering deli meat from Subway.

Then there's me playing see-saw.  Keeping an eye on my body and how I feel, wondering if I could be, but telling myself reasons why I should not get my hopes up.  Up and down we go.

UP:  I'm feeling tired to the point that I've fallen asleep a couple times this week for a short catnap on my sofa (something I never do). 

DOWN:  However, I've made efforts to cut down on caffeine and I'm not sleeping enough at night.

UP:  I have to pee a lot more (a sign with my first pregnancy). 

DOWN:  However, I do drink a lot of water.

UP:  I've had this slight feeling, kinda like heartburn, sometimes a little more than that. 

DOWN:  However, I had this feeling last month while I had the flu.  Maybe I'm just having heartburn or maybe I ate something that didn't agree with me too well.

UP:  I got a couple of small pimples, a sign of pregnany. 

DOWN:  However, I always get a pimple or two the week before my period.

UP:  My breasts possibly feel different (ever so slighty btw). 

DOWN:  However, I always have tenderness a couple of days before my period.

UP:  And I won't go too personal with the whole bodily fluid talk, but what I'm seeing could be a sign. 

DOWN:  However, it is normal for me to have a similar situation before menstration.

I think it's just a case of, "I want another baby, I want to be pregnant." vs.  "Don't get your hopes up.  The more you think about it and want it, the more disappointed you'll be when "your friend" comes and you find out you're not pregnant."

So, in order to help me out, I'll be taking a week or so off blogging.  I don't want to think or talk too much about pregnancy (which is incredibly hard to do these days when so many around me are pregnant, but I'm so happy for them (truly I am) that I kinda sorta don't mind all the talk, at least for now...if this game goes on for months I may feel differently, just being honest here). 

So, until the next post...

image via

inside pregnancy videos

I was taking a look over at Babycenter today.  I was actually looking up some information on the safety of certain foods during pregnancy; peanut butter, fish, and caffeine to be exact.  But I'll post more about those things later on.  If you are currently pregnant or trying to conceive, and have a specific food question, Babycenter has a lot of useful info.  Or you can of course talk to your Dr.

Anyway, I decided to check out some of their videos.  I'm wondering why I never checked them out before.  They have some wonderful videos that take a look inside pregnancy, from conception to right before birth.  The images are computerized but real.  Everything is explained in a clear and educational kind of way.  I really enjoyed watching them.

Click here for the first video called "Inside pregnancy, weeks 1 to 9".  After watching this first video you can then click on the list to the right where you'll find four more "Inside pregnancy" videos.  They also have a ton of other videos to enjoy as well.  I also watched a video about getting the epidural (which I did get with my first one).  That particular video was a bit graphic, I must warn, but it was pretty amazing at the same time.

I think I will show the "Inside pregnancy" videos to little guy when and if I become pregnant.  This decision would be based on one's parenting techniques of course, but personally I feel that these videos are educational and not too real-life graphic.  This decision would also be based on your child.  Every child is different.  Some children might be fascinated while others might be unsure about it all.  But considering little guy already knows a lot about how babies grow in the Mommy, I believe he's ready for such videos.

Anyway, happy watching and learning.  :)

patience in parenting

Patience.  One of THE most challenging things to obtain.  And when it comes to parenting, patience will be tested to the fullest.

We must be patient with our partners in family planning.  When to have children, how many children to have, what to name those children, how to raise those children, and the list goes on.  For those who are blessed with the surprise of pregnancy, they must be patience with all of the sudden responsibilites and changes that come their way.

We must be patient in trying to conceive.  For some it will happen quickly, for others it may take months, even years, and for some it may never happen the way they had planned, and they may then have to deal with patience in adoption and all that comes with it.

We must be patient throughout pregnancy.  Morning sickness, cravings, mood swings, fatigue, and so much more.

We must be patient in those first days and weeks of life with a newborn.  It is not easy, not at all.  And I sometimes believe that if you can make it through that time, you can make it through anything.

We must be patient as our children grow.  Sickness, teething, diaper rash, infections, colic, potty training, weening, temper tantrums, schooling, phases, puberty, and so much more.

And here I find myself, having a secret little battle with patience.  Wanting to conceive, and wondering if this month will be the month.  But I must wait, and then wait a little more.  There is truly nothing I can do except be patient.  So patient it shall be.  :)

P.S.  That fabulous little necklace above is from Etsy, and you can find it here.  What is so coincidental about finding this piece is that the designer designed it for those trying to conceive.  It comes with a fresh water pearl and a rose quartz, which is believed to be a bead of love and fertility.  I was searching for an image to represent patience, and found this piece.  I love when things like this happen.  :)

trying...second month

Our second attempt has begun.  I printed a new calendar and we're ready.  Although I must say that we are relaxed and just having normal fun.  ;)  Let's see how this month will turn out.  If we do not get pregnant, I'm not sure if we'll try again for awhile.  We may try a third time and if it doesn't work then we'll have to postpone for some time.  And this is because of our travel plans next summer.  But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
So how much do you know about the whole conception thing?  If you're like me, you probably studied this in school.  But it wasn't until I was trying for my son that I really had an interest in knowing all the details.  It is actually quite the miracle.

Some interesting facts:

~ an egg is released each month and will travel to one of the fallopian tubes where it'll remain until possible fertilization

~ about 40-150 million sperm are ejaculated each time but only a few hundred will reach the egg

~ fast sperm can reach the egg within half an hour while slower sperm can take days

~ it only takes a single sperm to fertilize an egg, and if this happens a protective layer will form around the egg to prevent any other sperm from entering it

~fertilization takes 24 hours

~ three to four days after fertilization the egg will leave the fallopian tube and enter the uterus where implantation will take place

~ let's talk chromosomes....a woman is an X, so if the sperm is an X the baby will be a girl, if the sperm is a Y then the baby will be a boy

~ Y sperm are smaller, faster and do not live as long as X sperm

~ an average pregnancy will last for about 40 weeks, drs start to calculate the pregnancy from the first day of the last period so the first two weeks of pregnancy are before conception even takes place

We just need that one little sperm, one out of 150 million.  Let's see...

images and much of the info from WebMD

the letdown

Our first month of trying has come and gone.  I'm not pregnant.  :( 
I am disappointed.  I am sad.  I feel let down.
All of which are very normal, I think.  Expected in fact.

But what surprised me where the other emotions.
I cried.
I got mad at my hubby for not wanting to try until now.  If we had started earlier maybe this month would've been the one.
I got mad at hubby's work.  He was away on business during some very crucial days.  Had he been home maybe things would be different now.
I got mad at my body for misleading me.  I had some sort of stomach flu which threw me off.
I got mad at myself for feeling so upset.

But then I got my crap together and reminded myself of many things.
I reminded myself that getting pregnant the first month of trying is far from an easy task.
I reminded myself that this is nothing compared to what couples struggling with issues like infertility go through.
I reminded myself that we have pressured ourselves into a certain time frame and that that adds stress.
I reminded myself that my body has not failed me, rather being sick with a stomach flu was a real thing.  If I wasn't trying to get pregnant I would've known that my symptoms were in fact what they were, flu symptoms.
And most importanty, I reminded myself that May is in fact another month, another chance to try.

I'm good now.  Over it. 
Seeing hubby's disappointment reminded me that I'm not alone in this.  Support is everything.
And looking at little guy reminds me that I am truly blessed.  I love him so much.

I think I will treat myself to a warm, relaxing bubble bath (I've read some articles that this is not the best idea for pregnant women, but I'll post more about that later).
I may also treat myself to a new haircut and color (there's controversy about the safety of hair color during pregnancy, especially in the first trimmester).

You know, because May is another month.  ;)