{CLOSED GROUP} Journey to BFP and Beyond!

[jlw617]

Thanks Fleur and Terissa! I am feeling good, trying not to stress about having hardly any symptoms, I've been kind of crampy, but I'm thinking that's just because stuff is going on lol, other then maybe a little bit of random queasiness and maybe a little more tired, I'm not having any other symptoms so we will see!

 

[NDH]

Oh my gosh Jamie congrats! How exciting that there's 4 of us expecting our rainbows within a few weeks of eachother!

Leigh,Kylee, Katie, Zay, I hope your turn is just around the corner

Fleur I was still nauseous for a week after my bleed. I commented in another group (that'son facebook so easier for me to make regular comments) that I felt far moe nauseous than it was fair for a recently un-pregnant person to feel, and I've been quite tired. But I guess you interpret symptoms differently when you're not looking for them lol.

 

[tcinks]

Yes, we could all have our rainbows by the end of the year! How wonderful would that be?

Natalie, what is a freebirth?

 

[tcinks]

Okay ladies, I've been having some really different cramping type feelings than I remember from my last pregnancy. There were the stretching / pulling pains before but otherwise not much. But this time around its just soreness and kind of a full feeling. Then every now and then a sharp pain on both sides and a little soreness in my lower stomach too. I'm just sooooo worried this pregnancy will turn out to be eptopic There would be nothing to do about it this early right? I mean I wouldn't even be able to tell if that was the case until like 8weeks right?

I know I shouldn't be worrying, I'm trying not to.

 

[NDH]

Yes, we could all have our rainbows by the end of the year! How wonderful would that be?

Natalie, what is a freebirth?

I wondered when someone would pick up on that. Freebirthing is giving birth without a Dr or midwife present, generally, though occasionally some will birth with a Dr or midwife present but not assisting if that makes sense - they're just there. For me it means listening to my body and my intuition (or more specifically God's direction) and being completely in charge of my birth rather than anyone "outside" who doesn't know my body half as well as I do. And sometimes that means intuition tells you to get to a hospital, and you go.
Its something we decided on early in my pregnancy with Bug, after having wanted to homebirth since long before Dd1 was born and not being able to afford a midwife, and then not even having access to a midwife. The idea of being in a hospital again outside of an emergency did not feel right to me, and then I found a Christian free birth group while researching my options and felt such peace about it (actually I dreamt of having a freebirth the day after I found out about that pregnancy before I learned there weren't any practicing midwives here). And I haven't stopped reaserching and learning and while I know its not right for everyone its certainly right for me.

The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” exodus 1:19
"The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!” psalm 29:9 - if my God can make the deer (and every other animal) to give birth than He can for us too.
"Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God." – Psalm 22:9-10

Okay ladies, I've been having some really different cramping type feelings than I remember from my last pregnancy. There were the stretching / pulling pains before but otherwise not much. But this time around its just soreness and kind of a full feeling. Then every now and then a sharp pain on both sides and a little soreness in my lower stomach too. I'm just sooooo worried this pregnancy will turn out to be eptopic There would be nothing to do about it this early right? I mean I wouldn't even be able to tell if that was the case until like 8weeks right?

I know I shouldn't be worrying, I'm trying not to.

Its too early to know where baby implanted but they can definitely tell before 8 weeks. At this stage an ultrasound will only show a thickened !lining to indicate pregnancy, but in a week or so they should see the sac if you're concerned and need the peace of mind.

 

[jlw617]

Wow Natalie, you're a brave woman! That sounds awesome and I do believe we as a society have been brainwashed into believing we are safest giving birth in a hospital setting, the business of being born is an amazing documentary if any other ladies are interested in this topic!

Terissa-from what I've read unless you're having painful sharp pains that are only focused on one side, it's probably all normal as your body is preparing for a little one, especially since this isn't your first pregnancy, the cramping is subsequently greater in each pregnancy, this is my fourth pregnancy and some of those cramps definitely have made me worry a little but it's just our bodies doing getting ready!

 

[coucou11]

Huge Congratulations Jamie!!! So thrilled to see all these pregnancies around here! Definitely hoping mine is coming up soon

 

[KTJ006]

Yay yay yay Jamie!!!! This thread is on a roll!! Hoping to see mine soon! You ladies have to share your lucky dust with the rest of us!!

Seperately... I know it's been talked about already but I am not able to go back and look through the old posts. Someone tell me about Vitex. When do I start it? When do I stop taking it? How much do I take? What is the purpose of it? My cycles are all over the place. From when I had the miscarriage they were 34 days long and now they are down to 26!! My LP fluctuates 1 to 2 days as well. Is that normal? Would Vitex help?

 

[KTJ006]

I hate that I deleted all my cycle information I had before the miscarriage. My cycles were always short, under 28 days, I just don't remember how short!

 

[tcinks]

Leigh, when are you planning to test?

Hi Katie! I really don't know much about vitex , I think Jamie has a lot more info. But I THINK I read you start taking it when AF leaves and keep taking it through first trimester. Or at least wean off slowly. I know some women have had concerns that they stopped vitex too soon after a bfp and lost the baby If you aren't pregnant, I think you stop when your AF comes back?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[jlw617]

I'm not familiar with vitex since it is prescribed right? I take progesterone on days 12-26 of my cycle, since I got my bfp earlier than expected I have just continued to take it and plan on taking it through my entire first trimester

 

[tcinks]

Oh okay Jamie, I thought you'd used it before. It's not prescription, just an herb I think. You can get it at a health store.

Any of you working out? I have to for class and I'm worried about pushing too far. I mean, I'm not doing much, just some light cardio and weights. That's good for pregnancy, right?

Ugh. The nurse still hadnt called me about my numbers. I called and left a message and am still waiting...

 

[NDH]

Vitex is OTC. Vitex, Angus Castus, Chasteberry are all different names for the same herb. It can be taken all cycle long. Generally it takes 3 months or longer to work, but many women do have immediate success with it stabalizing cycles(and getting pregnant)
Wean off it slowly once you get a bfp. I didn't start it until after I ws pregnant and didn't know it but I'm still weaning off it.

 

[tcinks]

Got my hcg results back. Monday it was at 692 and Wednesday at 2214! More than doubled! So reassuring. I'll call back tomorrow to get my first appointment set up!!

Natalie, did you ever decide whether or not you'll go in for a blood test?

 

[NDH]

Woohoo sounds great!

I decided against a blood test. The normal ranges vary so much that it won't be helpful at determining anything really, and even a second one won't give an indication if things are going well as by now I'm sure the doubling time has slowed down.

If I'm not feeling movement by 15 weeks though I'll go for a reassurance scan.

 

[jlw617]

That's great Terissa! I'm considering going in now for an 8 week, when I miscarried, my ob said she wanted to see me at 6 weeks but I really want to try to hold off, I don't want unnecessary scans...but I've been a little worried as I just have that "not pregnant feeling" I feel like I've had some random nausea but I'm not sure if that's just in my head, really the only symptom I've had that is definite is cramping.

 

[Fleur828815]

Terrissa, your numbers look great ! Will your first appointment be with your ob/gyn or a midwife? The medical system is different here, if you go private you can pretty much book appointments etc. directly with your doctor whenever you want. I’m glad you asked about working out. I haven’t been to the gym at all since I got some spotting last time I went 2 weeks ago, I really want to go back but I’m scared. I think I’ll ask the coach to give me another workout routine, although I don’t do heavy lifting or high intensity cardio.

Jamie, it’s still very early for symptoms. When did you start getting them with your girls? I’m 6 weeks today and have literally no symptoms. I’ve been googling “no symptoms” and lots of women say “I’m not having any symptoms except for sore boobs/nausea/fatigue/constipation/cravings/mood swings/increased urination…” (pick any combination of 2 or 3). So yeah, not very helpful. I’m holding off till 7 weeks for a scan.

Natalie, a freebirth sounds very empowering but I’d be too scared to try it for my first. You sound very well informed and open to going to hospital if required, so I hope you’ll get the homebirth you want.

Katie, I don’t know anything about Vitex, sorry.

Leigh, are you close to testing yet?

Kylee, zaycain, hope you’re both doing ok.

 

[tcinks]

Yes Fleur it'll be with my Obgyn. Midwives aren't used that often here, you really have to seek them out. I used one last time but just would feel more comfortable with an obgyn now.

A free birth does sound interesting. I'd like to try that at some point, perhaps. I was planning home birth with my last pregnancy, now with the loss I just want to do everything at the hospital! But who knows , if all goes well I may end up still doing it. Probably not though, with the first one. But I was just talking to a friend of mine who is in med school about how until the past 100 years or so women gave birth at home with the assistance of mom or some older woman. Obviously there were times when modern medicine would have been helpful , but overall I think, like Natalie was saying, that we would instinctively know what to do and not need a doctor (unless something went wrong). I really like the idea of being in charge of my own birth and just listening to my own body. Hopefully by the end of the pregnancy my nerves will be gone and I'll go through with it!

 

[jlw617]

Thanks Fleur, I should know better, honestly I wished I kept better track because I do not remember when my symptoms started with my girls! I guessing just worried too with the cramping I'm having as well.

I've heard you should be working out at least 20 min a day, light weights with more reps

 

[tcinks]

Look at some other boards on this site, I've seen tons of ladies talking about how they aren't having symptoms but things are still progressing well! Don't worry