PREGNANCY: How I Found Out!

I learned I was pregnant in October 2022, right after I got home from Florida, eating all the raw sushi, going on all of the theme park rides, and enjoying a hot tub nearly every day.

Little did I know when we got back from this trip I was 8 weeks pregnant. My implantation bleeding was so misleading I thought there was no way I could be pregnant for another few weeks. Based on my FLO app, I couldn't be more than 3 weeks pregnant, so I thought a test wouldn't do anything.

I do recall being extremely exhausted on this trip, though. We got to the hotel and I think I slept the first night for over 12 hours. I woke up the next day and took 2 naps. I thought, "WOW I really needed this vacation, now I feel so rested!". Yet, the next day I was just as tired. I remember being at Universal and getting a third coffee that day to try to simply keep my eyes open. I mean...theme parks are usually exhausting, but I'd like to think my stamina wasn't THAT low.

SO, I bought a test when we arrived home in October and low and behold, it turned positive almost instantly. I didn't even bother taking 2 like some do, as the test seemed to work way too well!

I actually took the test while my husband was at work as I simply have no patience. I wrapped it up and laid it on the kitchen counter when he got home a couple hours later (I really could've waited in retrospect). He did a double take and said "Are you serious?!", with the biggest smile on his face. We were both SO happy.

My husband and I have been together for 14 years (I think, I've honestly lost count). We got married on our 9 year "dating-versary" and have been married for nearly 5 years this September (2023)! Getting married at 26 we knew we had loads of time for kids and thus the past 4ish years have been filled with education, travel, hard work and all around fun times.

We always knew we wanted kids but once we decided to start trying, it all happened so fast. I had heard that the average time it takes to conceive is roughly 6 months and if you have trouble for a year or less, that is totally normal. I wasn't expecting much, so I started the prenatal vitamins around the same time I found out I was pregnant - maybe 4 weeks before. I had a family doctor who I knew would double as my OB for the pregnancy as long as I had a low risk pregnancy.

It's all been a wild ride since October. As I am writing this I am in bed at 6:30pm on a sunny Monday evening, 38 weeks pregnant tomorrow. Overall, I have enjoyed my pregnancy,

although I wouldn't say I liked being pregnant. I have tried my best this entire time to remain true to my values of exercise, eating right, being social, working hard, etc., however as each day progresses, I honestly feel less and less like myself. As I near the end, I need to give myself a surplus of grace and thank my body for all that is has done for me and this baby girl soon to be earth-side. Moms are champions and it starts with the day you learn you are pregnant. Everything I go through now is for someone else and all of us need a reminder that this is why it's all worth it. Pregnancy is by far the toughest thing I've done to date, and I am hoping for a safe and healthy labour with a healthy baby on the other end!