The end is in sight!

Yesterday I made my final visit to the fertility clinic.  After spending weeks going back and forth, it seemed kind of anti-climatic.  Why am I still going even though I'm pregnant?  Good question.  After my ultrasound, I was turned over to my regular OB/GYN clinic but the fertility clinic monitors my bloodwork for the two hormones I was still on - the estrogen patch and the progesterone shot.  A couple weeks ago I was allowed to stop the estrogen patches but had to continue with the progesterone shot and have the levels rechecked.  That re-check was yesterday.  I still have to continue with the shot but the good news is that my last shot will be on Monday!  So only 7 more "butt" shots to go.

I am also progressing on becoming a regular pregnant person in this world.  Today I had my first official pregnancy visit to my regular OB/GYN clinic.  Granted it was just for bloodwork and health history but it's important step for me.  I got to join the other normal looking people in the waiting room, and then in the early pregnancy class (which they made me take for some odd reason).  It was oddly satisfying.  Next week I take another step in this direction with my first official OB visit.

I am also joining the ranks of other pregnant people in the world with my continued reminders that there is indeed a human being growing in my body.  I'm constantly hot, nauseous, and gassy (sorry, I know, TMI).  It's uncomfortable but reassuring that all is going well.

Breaking out the maternity jeans (8 weeks)

It was going to happen eventually I knew but I had hoped for a couple more weeks at least before I had to break out the maternity jeans.  People keep reassuring me this is a good thing; you show sooner and sooner each time you're pregnant and this is my 3rd go round at this.  People that know my story also say to embrace it since I worked so hard to get here. 

But it's tough to swallow.  I worked very hard after my second son was born to lose weight (35 pounds!) and get past that phase where I was really unhappy with how I looked (not to mention how unhealthy it was for me to be carrying around all that extra weight).  And since I changed my mindset about food and exercise, I'm relearning what it means to be a healthy pregnant person.  It's been harder than I thought.  Raging "morning" sickness and exhaustion are not great motivators for exercise or eating right.  So I'm hoping that in the next few weeks, as these symptoms ease and I can feel a little more normal, my motivation will return and I can find a way to balance the need to be healthy without obsessing over the scale.

And the result is....

POSITIVE!

Yes, once again we were successful with our IVF cycle.  I'm not sure how we've been blessed to have this work 3 times, each on the first try.  But rather than trying to guess as to why, I'm thankful that I have been blessed with this joy yet again.

I am 7 weeks along today and due June 3rd, 2013.  Here's the first picture:

Of course not to much to see at this point but what's important is that there is someone to see in there, including little heart flutters! 

Now comes transition time for me.  Technically I have been released to my regular ob/gyn clinic but the fertility clinic is monitoring my hormone levels. I'm in the home stretch of my meds and have 3 weeks or less to go before I can just be a normal pregnant person dealing with the ups and downs of being pregnant yet again.

I want to take a moment to thank my readers out there.  This has been an amazing outlet and a great way to educate people on the trials and tribulations of IVF.

I'll of course continue to update the blog because of course, the story isn't over!