Joining the club! Got my BFP on Valentine's :D

[Orglethorp]

Hello first trimester ladies! Looks like I finally get to join the club

My fiance and I have been trying since October 2014 with only 1 chemical last spring and otherwise no luck. We stopped trying trying back in the fall due to all the weddings coming up this summer (including our own in July), but since we hadn't had any luck, I never bothered to go back on the pill. Surprise!

I hadn't been tracking anything at all since last August due to "not trying," but my last AF was roughly January 14th (again, wasn't tracking) and I average 35 days, so I should have been due this past weekend. I started getting odd cramps and very sore boobs 2 weeks ago, which made me think I was off by a week and that my period was due a week earlier, but then it never showed up so I went back to waiting for it around the 11th. I started getting a sore throat and a queasy stomach on the 9th. I was suspicious but didn't want to hope, so I went on with life as usual. Then I was stuck at home due to blizard conditions on Tuesday (Valentine's) and while my fiance was outside shovelling the driveway, I decided to test on a whim. Afternoon, no hold, BLAZING positive that showed up so fast I thought it was the control line. And then the control line showed up too. Couldn't believe it!

Anyway, I did my calling around to book appointments. My OB/GYN office gave me instructions to see my GP and get referred back to them, to a different doc, because my usual doc (who's on mat herself) is only a gyn. Then I called my GP and she's also on mat, so I have an appointment on Wednesday with someone new. What are the chances? lol.

I got back on my prenatal vitamin yesterday (couldn't get out to the store on Tuesday due to blizzard), but I hadn't been taking it since my last bottle ran out in the fall due to not "trying." I'm trying my best not to worry that maybe I didn't have enough folic acid in my system before now. The neural tube will just start to form this week, right? I love spinach, brocolli, carrots and oranges, so I hope I've had enough in my system just from regular eating before now.

I only drank once in the last month, and I didn't even get tipsy, but I have a high tolerance. It was 2 shots of whiskey (fireball) & 2 5% coolers (Mike's hard lemonade, which is vodka + carbonated lemonade). I'm also trying really hard not to worry about that, because that was probably exactly 14 days post-ovulation, so the placenta was still just forming. Shouldn't be a problem, right? Obviously I won't have any more alcohol from now on.

I'm worried about what pregnancy means for my work situation. I work in receiving at Walmart. I have no idea how many months I have before I have to stop that job. I'm worried that when I need to transfer to a different job, I'll lose my full time status & my guarantee of only day shifts. I became full time when I accepted the position on the first shift receiving team. Before that I was a floor associate in the seasonal department / extra cashier, and I was getting mostly closing shifts, which were super inconvenient given that my fiance and I only have 1 vehicle, and he works 7:30-5 (construction). I have to go into town with him that early on work days no matter what time I start. That means when I was working part time and getting evening shifts I was spending my days in a library and busing to work, then not getting home until 11pm, only to turn around and do it all again the next day. It sucked then. It'll suck even more when I'm heavily pregnant.

I'm also wondering about foods & over the counter medicines.

For lunches at work, I usually buy a frozen dinner at lunch, since it's the easiest & cheapest option. I get the VH healthy steamers (I LOVE the chicken teryaki rice bowl) most of the time, often with a personal size bottle of chocolate milk. Breakfast is a 12 grain bagel with a little margarine. Supper is usually something involving chicken breast or moose (hunting family). We make stir-fries, chicken salads, moose meat tacos, and baked chicken w/ potatoes most often. Snacks are usually oranges, whole wheat crackers, granola bars, or ice cream. If I'm going to be lazy with my meals at home, my go-to is Mr Noodles (ramen) in the spicey chicken flavour. My go-to beverages are water, chocolate milk (used to be severely lactose intollerant, can't stomach plain milk), cranberry juice with sprite, or hot chocolate. I have caffinated beverages (LOVE mochas) very rarely. Don't even own a coffee maker; coffee is a treat. I love tea but don't make it often. When I do, it's always Early Grey or Lady Grey (Early Grey + bergamot). Am I doing okay?

In terms of OTC medicines. I've always had pain issues; particularily with bad headaches (could be called migranes) that usually catch me first thing in the morning following a very active or very cold day. Ever since I was a teenager I've treated this with a combination of tylenol (acetaminophen) and advil (ibuprofen). I know ibuprofen is dangerous during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, so I've been abstaining. I'm worried, though, because when I get those really bad headaches, acetaminophen alone doesn't touch it, and if I don't treat the headache, I'm not functional. I also have a bad ankle due to a ballet injury when I was 22, and sometimes after a few consecutive days of work it'll get sore. I usually sooth it with RUB·A535 (a heating cream that contains menthol, methyl salicylate and camphor). Is that safe? I don't use it often, but when I do it only gets applied to my ancle. Very rarely when my headaches are bad I'll also put it on the back of my neck, at the base of my skull.

I also have IBS, and when that flairs up, I usually reach for Pepto Bismol. I've heard the bismuth subsalicylate component is one of those "avoid at all costs" things during pregnancy, so I'm wondering what's a safe alternative?

 

[vaniilla]

Congratulations on your bfp!

 

[SonnyH]

Oh bless you, don't stress about everything, it all be ok! Firstly, congratulations!

Don't worry a jot about the alchohol you consumed. Thousands of people, myself included, have a drink or several as they don't realise they are pregnant! I had my fair share at a wedding the week before I got my positive! I wouldn't suggest continuing obviously but drinks in very very early pregnancy are not a worry.

I'm not sure anyone can really say about your work situation unfortunately, probably something you need to evaluate yourself and with your employer. If you are worried, I'd be up front and honest with them. I told my direct manager only very early on and it was the best thing I did. I was able to have time off for morning sickness without making up a lie, I had healthy & safety assessments and open discussion and adaptions to my work loads when I was really sick.

Food wise, you sound fine! You don't need any extra calories in the first trimester. Just keep eating as healthily as you can but don't worry if you can't if and when morning sickness hits! I spent 8-10 weeks living off fish fingers, bread and plain crackers! I didn't eat single vegetable! And the only fruit I could stomach was tinned oranges! Baby is absoloutly fine! I lost weight. Morning sickness was dreadful! I went off all food! The only negative of the poor eating was that I am now anaemic!

I have IBS and a condition that means my stomach muscles don't work as well as they should. Pregnancy has been rough on it, I'm not gona lie! Pretty sure Pepto is a no go in pregnancy. I suffer terribly with constipation with mine. I've been lucky enough to be able to keep taking Laxido as it's pregnancy safe and that's kept things from being too awful. If you suffer the other way, I'd def talk to your doctor to see if there is anything pregnancy safe you can use. In terms on the bloating and pain, sadly, you just have to grit your teeth as there is nothing you can take!

While no medicine can be deemed 100% safe in pregnancy, there are plenty that are considered safe to take. If you are struggling with anything, don't hesitate to see your doctor and asks what's OK to take. Some people really hate the idea of taking meds in pregnancy and that's fine. But if you really need it, then make the choice yourself. I've had to take Zofran and ranitidine from week 6 and I made peace with that based on my own research and my doctors advice. Baby is doing well as I enter the 3rd tri!

Happy & healthy 9 months to you!

 

[Shanlee16]

First off, congrats on your bfp!! As pp said tho you really shouldn't worry yourself right now!! Anything you did when you didn't know you were pregnant can't be held against you because you didn't know! As for everything else, only time will tell and dictate your situations. I find that being open with work helped me personally but that's just me. I wasn't worried about getting fired or losing my position/hours etc. as for food and medications I have no appetite right now due to MS so I'm actually losing weight but my doctor has told me to drink drink drink! So I've bought pedialite and a case of waters and constantly am drinking those until I can muster up an appetite. And for meds I know that acetominophen is safe and my doc told me I can take Benadryl if I have a hard time sleeping.

Good luck, try to enjoy this and remember, you have 9 whole months to worry about so many different things, try to enjoy it while you still don't feel pregnant!

 

[lilmisscaviar]

Congrats! I know it is hard but you will be fine, I'm sure. The first trimester is horrible for about 80% of people so you are not alone! I've had HG in my past three of four successful pregnancies and it is much more manageable with meds, so if you need it, I would not hesitate. I've had to take Zofran, Ranitidine and suppositories (yuck!) in the past for sickness but I've found the best thing to take and the one that was made specifically for morning sickness is Diclegis. The other two only helped with the vomiting but Diclegis also helps with the nausea. It is slow release so it works a bit better than taking vitamin B6 and Unisom at night. I still have to take suppositories on occasion but the Diclegis does wonders alone. I hope it doesn't get to that point for you but know it is there for a reason and don't be afraid to ask for it

As others have said your MS could be bad because you're dehydrated too so try to drink as much as you can, little sips here and there throughout the day. As for food the baby's needs are so small right now, although I have noticed that my nausea is worse on an empty stomach but everyone is different. For most people MS is gone completely by 12-14 weeks so know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Even with HG mine was gone completely between 16-18 weeks. It seems like forever but it really does go by quickly. Just try to keep yourself distracted as much as possible. That helps with the MS too

I drank during the 2ww and ultrasound @ 7 weeks showed that baby was fine. It was New Years eve and we weren't really "trying" so I didn't think anything of it. I drink tea everyday and caffeinated beverages probably once a day to keep headaches at bay. I do take a prenatal once a day though but right now I'm on one without iron since iron tends to make my MS worse. I will get back on iron once I hit the second trimester.

I hope you get relief soon! Welcome to the first trimester