The Journey to Getting Pregnant (and staying that way)

I know that a lot of people just decide to try and get pregnant.  There are a lot of others that try for years and never get pregnant.  Some need medical assistance.  Some just need some charting help to find out when ovulation occurs.  There are a million different reasons why some people don't have any issues and some have issue upon issue to deal with.

I count myself somewhere in the middle.  We had no problem getting pregnant at all.  Every cycle we tried, I got pregnant.  It was the staying pregnant part that I struggled with.  It all started 3 years ago when we decided I needed to get off all birth control and use Natural Family Planning.  During our learning curve, we ended up pregnant.  It was blatantly apparent that I indeed was pregnant.  2 days later we lost that baby.  Missing the baby as well as thinking it was a hidden blessing we learned Natural Family Planning much better and used it fully and correctly the next 2 years.

In 2010 we knew that it was time for us to start our family.  We set a date for October to start officially trying. 

In July, we had our second loss.  We weren't necessarily trying.  But, I didn't have a perspective job so we weren't too careful.  We lost that one a week later.  Since we had already gotten excited about it, we were very saddened by the loss.  We decided to officially start trying in August; a month before our expected start date.

August came around.  We thought that if we were officially trying the quality and quantity of necessary things would be better upping our chances of conception of a healthy baby.  Again, we found out I was pregnant and lost the baby 2 days later. I had lost our 3rd child.  It really devastated me. 

September we took a break...kind of.  We tried but with me working and getting used to the schedule we definitely didn't time anything right and I knew there was a very slim chance of conception.  It was honestly a blessing.

In October we again got pregnant.  We were very happy, until I lost that baby too.  4 babies come and gone.  3 babies lost in a row.  I was broken and I didn't know what to do.  We didn't have money to seek any professional help.  I went to my message board and got advice from a wonderful woman; take a baby aspirin.  I called my midwife and asked if that was recommended and it was a resounding YES!

When November came around, I started feeling old and broken.  Turning 25 was hard without a baby.  We got pregnant that cycle.  I was in the middle of that cycle when I started taking the baby aspirin.  I was hopeful, but at the same time knew that I should have started it much earlier.  We lost that baby too.  5 babies.  I can't even explain how much it hurt.  I was DONE.  I didn't want to try anymore.  Adoption was our option again.  I did a lot of research, while still taking the baby aspirin.  

We did everything in December to NOT get pregnant.  I couldn't go through loss again.  Not so soon anyways.  We went to the temple and the spirit bore witness to both of us that we needed to start trying again after this cycle.   It was really hard for me.  I wanted to, but was terrified. (A little TMI) When my period started It was majorly different than before.  It was SO much less painful.  I didn't have the large clotting that I was used to.  My hopes again got high and decided to take the leap of faith and follow the promptings of the spirit.

The new year came with new hope.  I was taking the baby aspirin everyday.  I had been taking it for a month.  This January/February cycle was different.  I got all of the pregnancy symptoms.  Before I ever took the test, I knew I was pregnant.  I was so sick one day I called for a sub and took a test.  Another line.  I was pregnant again. 

Then the terror started.  I automatically called the OB that I was referred to.  He was pretty good.  He wanted me to come in for a blood test.  I went in for it and it came back positive.  I was now considered a high risk pregnancy and he put me on several medications to prevent early pregnancy loss and scheduled an appointment for 6 weeks...the longest I had ever kept a baby. 

I got an ultrasound at that appointment. There was a beautiful fetal pole.  I was still pregnant!  He scheduled a more advanced ultrasound for 1 week later.  7 weeks 1 day.  When I went in, Endrit wasn't able to go with me.  Knowing that I needed support I called my good friend Summer to go to the ultrasound with me. We both heard the most wonderful sound in the world...a heartbeat. 133 beats per minute never sounded better. 

He scheduled me for my second appointment at 10 weeks.  Symptoms got worse and worse.  I knew I was staying pregnant.  I was miserable, but doing the best I could.  I was on Zofran. I only lost 7 pounds between my appointments. He didn't like that I didn't call to tell him that I was so sick.  He changed my meds and it was a life saver.  I didn't feel like I was going to die 24/7.

I went to my appointment at 10 weeks with Endrit.  I had another little ultrasound.  Geeklet was definitely there moving around and the little heart was fluttering.   That was when I decided to announce for sure on April 1st.  I sit here at 11 weeks and happier than a lot of people could comprehend.

We couldn't be more excited to start our family in October.  I just wanted to share our full journey so that there might be a little more understanding as to what Endrit and I have gone through in the past few months.