Pregnancy: Weeks 1-4

Pregnancy: Weeks 1-4

I’m pregnant! I'm 4 weeks and 1 day pregnant, to be exact! I didn’t think it would ever happen, but it has. I’m definitely 100% pregnant as confirmed by the doctor today. Here is a picture of my home pregnancy test, taken Monday night August 2, 2010 at 10:30 p.m.

Before I get into specifics about why I suspected I was pregnant and how I found out for sure let’s take a trip back to elementary school...

A Little Sex Education.

Here’s something they don’t tell you in school: in the first two weeks of pregnancy, there is actually no baby! Your due date is calculated by counting out 40 weeks from your last menstrual period (LMP) and therefore your first week of pregnancy is actually the week of your LMP. This calculation also assumes that a woman experiences approximately a 28 day cycle each month. Pregnancy is calculated this way because it’s hard to pinpoint the exact date of conception. Generally speaking, though, conception happens sometime in the second or third week of pregnancy.

How my pregnancy is calculated.

In my case, I typically experience very long and mostly annovulatory cycles. My LMP was May 19th and by standard measures that would put me at almost 11 weeks by the time I took a pregnancy test, but I know that is not correct. I am currently only 4 weeks pregnant, based on my ovulation date and the size of my uterus at today’s appointment.

How did I know I was pregnant?

I didn’t, but I suspected I might be based on the look of my charted temperatures.

I have been charting my temperature this entire cycle. In doing so I realized that I ovulated on July 20th and my temperatures have not come down ever since. That sustained rise in temperature indicates pregnancy and is what prompted me to take a pregnancy test.

I had been struggling with horribly irregular cycles and I have actually been taking an herbal supplement called Vitex to help restore balance to my reproductive cycle. The hormonal imbalances I have been experiencing carry risks such as uterine cancer and osteoporosis. I began using Vitex to regulate my cycles which seems to have had the added benefit of making me more fertile!

As I mentioned, I had been charting and was caught in a ridiculously long cycle. I started to take Vitex in June and shortly thereafter I noticed a change in the pattern of my temperatures. They were starting to stabilize rather than fluctuate up and down as they had been before the Vitex.

While I awaited my period, I continued to chart as the pattern of my temperatures was my only indication of what my body was doing.

On July 22nd the charting program I use predicted an ovulation date of July 10th (CD 53). That took me by surprise as I was expecting the Vitex to induce a period not cause ovulation (silly me). Then a few days (and a few temps) later the program changed my ovulation date to July 20th (CD 63).  This was confusing and shocking, but a good sign that the Vitex was working and I’d get a period soon! 

I continued to wait for my period to come and continued to temp as well. I missed a few days here and there, but for the most part I could tell that my temperatures were remaining high and that started to get me wondering If I might actually be pregnant.

Very very long chart!

I was very skeptical that I could actually be pregnant because 1) I wasn’t expecting to ovulate and 2) when I did ovulate I figured it was probably a very old and low quality egg. However, we did do the deed around the date that I supposedly ovulated, so that combined with the high temperatures indicated to me that I could be pregnant and should probably test at least to get the wonder out of my head.

So, Monday night after going out to dinner Aaron and I stopped at WalMart where I picked up a test. He didn’t even know I was thinking about taking a test because I hadn’t said anything before that day. Up until that morning’s temperature I was still expecting to get my period and so I hadn’t said anything to him previously.

When we got home I took the test (it’s best to use your first morning urine, but I couldn’t wait) and it immediately came up positive!  It took me by complete surprise and I had no idea how to say the words, “I’m pregnant” so from the bathroom I yelled, “Oh my God, Aaron!” He responded, “what?” and I ran over to show him the test and said, “it’s positive.” He was in much greater shock than I was, and asked “are you sure you did it right?”

It took a while for the shock to wear off and when it did, I got emotional. I told him I didn’t think he was happy, but he was just not ready to get excited. He wanted to confirm it with the doctor and didn’t want us to get ahead of ourselves.  He hugged me and told me to make an appointment. I got an appointment for this morning at 9:10 a.m. and waited anxiously to be able to confirm it!

First doctor’s appointment.

Today was my first appointment. This was not a prenatal appointment, however. My particular medical group requires that you confirm your pregnancy with them before they’ll refer you to a prenatal appointment so I went in had a pap smear done. While I was having an exam, she felt around for the size of my uterus. She said it was pretty small considering my LMP which is when I explained to her my long cycles and ovulation date. I explained that my guess was I was only 4 weeks and 1 day along today and she agreed. When she was done with the exam, I was sent to collect a urine sample.

While I was collecting my sample I started to get nervous. I wondered if I had really seen the plus sign on my home test or if it was just in my head. I started to chant “please still be positive, please still be positive...” I walked out and handed my sample over to the medical assistant. As I sat in that hallway waiting for her to come back I told myself if it was positive, she would just come out and say so. If it was negative, however, she’d probably call me back to talk to the doctor. Then there she was. She looked less excited than she did when she took my sample back and then she said, “can I have you come back to talk to the doctor?” Ouch!

When I walked in I took a peek at the test and saw that there was no line. I sat down and waited nervously for the doctor to come in. Fortunately, she came in right away, but then she proceeded to say, “I’m sorry, but our test is coming up negative. Are you sure your test was positive?” I started to cry and told her that I really thought I saw a positive “plus” sign. She started to tell me that it could just be too early, but stopped mid-sentence as she had glanced over at the test and saw the line had finally developed. Suddenly she said, “Oh there it is. Sometimes it takes a little while. Sorry about that.” Sheesh! Sorry didn’t seem to cut it, but oh well! I’m pregnant!

My due date is April 12, 2011 and my first prenatal exam will be on Friday, September 10, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. I cannot wait because I think I'll get an ultrasound on that date! Yay :)

When I called Aaron to tell him that we were DEFINITELY pregnant he let out a little yelp and within a few hours he let me know that he had already told most of his family. I had to catch up and call everyone in my family. My mom was excited as expected, but my dad surprised me. He actually cried. I could hear him get choked up and then he quickly said, “I’ve gotta go, ok? I love you.”

Needless to say we are all so excited, but no one more than Aaron and me. Today is the most amazing day of my life!

Symptoms

In the days leading up to my positive pregnancy test, I only felt period-like symptoms. I kept waiting for my period to come and kept feeling like it was about to. One afternoon while I was doing dishes and talking on the phone I felt a sudden pinching sensation deep in my abdomen. It was, such an intense feeling that it actually took my breath away and caused me to keel over. I remember screaming, “ouch!” while I was in the middle of my conversation and my friend asked me what had happened. It was hard to explain what I felt, but it was severe enough to write down in my planner. At that point I was 9 days past ovulation, so looking back I think it’s safe to say that was the date my little one implanted in my uterus!

Since then I’ve just continued to feel lots of cramps. Every time I feel them I place my hands on my belly and say, “dig in little one.” I hope my baby finds it comfy in there and decides to stay for good!
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This post is adapted from my personal pregnancy journal and has been back dated to maintain chronology. If you’re new to my blog, please take a moment to read my Introduction .