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I’m excited to get rid of the anonymity and announce that this winter the Piñata family will be a family of 5! We are still shocked that our first round of IVF was successful and feel so grateful that there is a little life growing inside of me that we can’t wait to meet in 7 months.

After my first ultrasound at my RE’s office at 6.5 weeks, he discharged me to my OB. So, at 8 weeks I went to my first OB appointment and it was so surreal to be there as a pregnant woman and not the infertile woman just getting her PAP Smear. We got to see the baby’s heartbeat again at that appointment and were told that our risk of miscarriage went down to 3% by seeing a healthy heartbeat at that point in my pregnancy and would be down to 2% at 9 weeks. So, at 9 weeks we told the kids that there was a baby growing inside of mommy’s belly!  Sweet P had no idea what we said, but Little Piñata was SO excited! Now we just have to convince him that it takes a long time for a baby to grow in a mommy’s tummy, because last time we told him he was going to have a little sister, she arrived the very next day! So, 7 months is a very long time to wait for this next sibling.

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Physically I am doing pretty well. I’ve never known this kind of exhaustion, and I occasionally feel pretty sick and nauseated by about 6pm, but I’m grateful this is more rare than usual. I continue to see my acupuncturist and I think she is helping with the “morning” (ie: all day) sickness as well. The most interesting thing is that I’m showing pretty obviously at just 9.5 weeks. I was unable to fit in my pants and shorts by 7 weeks and was a bit concerned something was wrong. But, my OB said that due to the bloating from the progesterone supplements I’m on, and also because of my short stature, it’s not surprising that my belly would start growing and showing sooner than others.

I will admit that I’m also feeling some “survivor’s guilt” after spending 5 years in the infertility community. This happened when we adopted both times too. As ecstatic as we have been about each child we have added to our family, I continue to feel sad for those that are still waiting to get pregnant, for a treatment cycle to be successful, or to adopt. I’ve been in all of those shoes before and I know it’s hard.

But, as a part of the Hellobee community, I’m looking forward to blogging about my pregnancy! I think it will be interesting to experience my first pregnancy while also running around and chasing two small kiddos. I don’t know what to expect when it comes to body changes or giving birth, as this aspect of parenting before the baby is born is very new to me. I have so much to learn and am excited to share with you all what I discover as I go. I’ve already been pretty surprised at how pregnancy is changing my body and mood and I’m not even 1/4 of the way through!

When did you share with your kids that you were expecting their sibling? And how did you feel in the first part of your first trimester?