4 Weeks
We went to the beach. John took a picture of my belly and asked if I’m showing. He’s lucky I’m confident in how I look right now. 😒 I’ve been eating so healthily to prep for IVF and I was working out/running almost every day, so I know I’m not showing yet. Rude. He also took a video of me happy dancing around the beach. I decided I’m going to do a happy dance every week to celebrate each week of pregnancy. I downloaded a few baby apps. I love reading week specific information and other articles about baby milestones, changing body, pregnancy, and crazy things that I’ve never heard of before. This week, baby is the size of a poppy seed! I had to get a third blood test. I was pretty nervous about it, but I assume I’ll be nervous about every appointment that I’ll have forever and ever moving forward.
5 Weeks
My blood test results came back great! The baby is growing and my hCG level is at a great level. My nurse said if she didn’t know we transferred one embryo, she would have guessed we’re having twins by how high my hCG is. We have a very strong baby! No notable symptoms yet except an increase in discharge. This was happening last week during the implantation and attachment phase too.
6 Weeks
I’ve been taking stool softeners daily because I was afraid of pooping out my embryo. I read that Chinese medicine says warm feet = warm womb, so I’ve been wearing socks every single day since my embryo transfer even though it’s pretty hot here in Hawaii right now. I’m still more anxious than excited about being pregnant. For the first time, my butt shot went wrong once this week. The progesterone is in sesame oil, so that’s why it needs to be injected with such a long, thick needle. I’ve had so many butt shots already that the medicine and oil is starting to collect and crystalize in my butt muscles. When John tried to push the syringe plunger in, the medicine wouldn’t go in, so he had to do the shot all over again. I know the progesterone is so good for the baby, but I can’t wait until I can be done with these shots.
7 Weeks
This week I’ve been sooo nauseous. It sucks! And I don’t think it should be called morning sickness because it happens whenever it feels like it. I get nauseous when I sleep too late, when I have an empty stomach, when I eat too much, etc. And I’ve been so hangry. I thought I knew what hangry felt like, but this is real. If I don’t have food right when I’m hungry, I feel like I’m going to faint. John has experienced me dramatically yelling that I’m going to die. One time, we were stuck in traffic on the freeway and I got so hangry, he reversed all the way to the freeway exit and off the freeway! I keep crackers next to the bed, so I can stuff my face whenever I feel the nausea coming on. I tried a bunch of different nausea remedies – ginger candy, ginger ale, ginger tea, preggie pops, nausea bands for going on boats, etc., but nothing works. My joints are also very weak! My right wrist got swollen over night and it feels like I have carpal tunnel when I write with it or type at work. My left wrist also hurts but not as much. I got a cheap brace from Longs that I alternate wearing. My ankles kinda hurt too. My boobs are tender and I can tell that they are already growing. My lips have been super dry and cracked. I easily get light headed, dizzy, and have headaches when I get up too fast. I’ve heard of other people feeling sick when they smell certain things, but I haven’t heard of anyone saying their shampoo and detergent smells bad like me. I’ve also been very sleepy. I have a hard time keeping my eyes open sometimes at work. Lastly, I have lots and lots of boogers.
8 Weeks
It’s winter break! Perfect timing with how nauseous, hungry, and fatigued I’ve been feeling. I started eating more small meals throughout the day and I think it’s helping a tiny bit with the nausea. I got cramps this week and one time I had a sweating episode. John had to take 10 days off because he didn’t use any vacation time this year since Covid and it’s use it or lose it. It’s nice that we can spend time together, but we’re just staying at home since the positivity rate went up to 4.5%, so it’s not safe to be out and about. We have to be extra careful, especially for the baby. Quarantine Christmas actually turned out really nice. We had Zoom Christmas calls with John’s mom’s family in the Philippines, John’s dad’s side in California, and my family. Our families and friends mailed us Christmas cards and gifts! And my auntie and uncle sent us a pregnancy present with our Christmas present.
9 Weeks
I don’t have a bump yet, but I can feel my round ligaments stretching a lot now. I thought the nausea was getting better, but I spoke too soon. John’s cousin got me the book Like a Mother, A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by a Filipina author, Angela Garbes. I finished reading it and I learned a lot. This week is exciting because I get to start to taper off on the progesterone shot dosage by half. I recently started bruising at the injection sites and have hard marble sized bumps from the crystallization. I also am done taking daily estrogen pills. It feels good to be on less drugs. I had another boobs growth spurt. To say goodbye to 2020, we watched the last sunset of the year. And to celebrate the New Year, we watched the Waipahu fireworks at midnight while pulled over on the side of the freeway with my crackers for nausea.
10 Weeks
I’ve been having lots more discharge this week and I started having to pee frequently. My areolas are also changing. They’re getting bigger and darker. I know it’s normal, but it’s weird. My ligaments keep continuing to stretch out. Yeah yeah, I’m supposed to gain weight during pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean anyone enjoys gaining weight. I lost 20lbs while on my strict IVF diet. I didn’t plan to lose weight, but it was such a great silver lining of the difficult process I went through. I’m sad that it was so short lived.
11 Weeks
Things are looking up! I keep hearing that the first trimester is not fun and that the second trimester is the golden period of pregnancy. I don’t feel as nauseous and tired this week! And after my late night Zoom call with my friends, I woke up feeling fine!
12 Weeks
I took my final progesterone pill and MY LAST BUTT SHOT! My total injection numbers are 52 stomach shots and 70 butt shots. People have been asking if I’m going to have a gender reveal (virtual) party, but I’d rather have a party to celebrate my last butt shot! I don’t feel nauseous anymore and I have my energy back. Let’s party!!! I had an appointment at the Fetal Diagnostic Center for an ultrasound. They did the nuchal translucency test, took measurements of the baby and baby’s heartbeat, and baby had their first 3D ultrasound. Everything looked great!
I also had my first OBGYN appointment this week. I don’t know if I had high expectations because I’m so used to the amazing care and monitoring at my fertility clinic, but I did not have a good experience and I’m switching providers. The one nice thing I can say is that their office has nice wallpaper.
