Baby Abigail (with pictures)

On May 4, 2010, the week of Mother's Day, we had another positive pregnancy test. I took a home test every day for a week, and finally had a blood test done a week later. My hCG was great, the progesterone level was low. Both were rechecked many times over the next several weeks. The hCG was going to levels I'd never experienced before. The progesterone level was staying low. I was started on an additional supplement, an intramuscular injection that I'd need once a week in addition to the Prometrium. The level still stayed low. The doctors were, once again, baffled. On 6/2 we had our first view of "Pookie" (nicknamed by our u/s tech) via u/s. She measured 8w0d and had the best sounding heartbeat we'd ever heard at a rapid rate of 175bpm. We were still a bit stunned we were pregnant, and even though things looked great overall, we were still very scared. We'd been through this before where everything is perfectly awesome ... until it isn't. Every week we had another ultrasound. Every week, Pookie had grown by leaps and bounds. On June 14, we not only heard that precious heartbeat, we saw her "dancing". The progesterone level continued to be low. We had one more option -- a supplement called Crinone that is used with IVF patients to help build up progesterone and uterine lining. The problem was, our insurance saw it as a fertility drug, so it cost $175 per week. We bit the bullet and went for it. Afterall, little Pookie was worth it. Meanwhile, our doctor called and wrote letters to the insurance company and the company that made the medication. After about 2 weeks, it was approved and now only cost a small copay.

By June 23, she was measuring a week ahead and doing flips. My progesterone level remained low, but was climbing. On July first, we got our first view of her profile, and my progesterone level was finally at an acceptable level. And we'd finally made it past 10 weeks.

July 14, I was finally 13 weeks. I'd completed the first trimester for the very first time. And this was the first time we started looking at genitalia.

On July 28, our 9th wedding anniversary, we started our day by seeing Abigail, who was officially declared a girl at 15 weeks. This was the very first visit to the doctor that I was excited about. Every single week up to this point, I feared there would be no heartbeat. This is the day we announced her existence to the world, via Facebook. 

July 28, 2010 - 15w3d

On 8/6 I'd been having abdominal pain for about 18 hours. In the beginning, I was positive it was just ligaments stretching and nothing to be alarmed about. But, everything I'd heard and read said that pain only lasted for several mins to hours. We were going on almost a whole day. I called the doctor's office and got worked in for an appt. By the time I made it to the office, I was a nervous wreck. I just knew we'd lost her. My hubby was at work but met me at the office. When I heard her heartbeat on the doppler, I cried. No, scratch that. I wept. Like a baby. And, upon physical examination and u/s, all was well with me and Abigail.


Today, I'm 21w4d and happier than I've ever been. It's taken lots of doctors, lots of tests, lots of medicines, lots of poking and prodding and needles and tears to get here. I've come close to losing my faith more times than I'd like to admit. If it wasn't for my husband, I honestly don't think I would have ever made it. Infertility can make or break a relationship. For us, it made us stronger as individuals, and as a couple.

7w3d

9w1d

11w4d

11w4d

12w4d

13w3d

13w3d

15w3d

15w3d

15w3d

16w5d

16w5d

17w3d

17w3d

17w3d

21w2d

21w2d (foot is 1.5" long)

As a daily regimen, I take an 81mg Aspirin, Folic Acid, Prenatal Vitamin, and a Lovenox shot (that my loving husband doses me with). The Lovenox shots will continue until 37 weeks, and then I'll have to start them back up for 6 weeks postpartum. Every week, I still require a intramuscular injection of progesterone that my coworker gives me. But, every night before bed, we get to hear our little miracle's heartbeat via a rented doppler (www.bellybeats.com) and it makes everything else seem so minuscule.