Being pregnant: Part 1

It's clear from talking to other mothers and mums-to-be, and ended google searches to find out if something is 'normal', that everyone's pregnancies are different.  Even pregnancies experiences by the same mums are very different, so all I can do is share my own journey through pregnancy.  

Early signs.

I We had been trying for a baby for some time, so I was very aware of any changes that occurred in my body as being potential early indicators of pregnancy.  Imagine my disappointment when once again, I could feel those horrible dull pre menstrual back aches. These lasted for a few days but nothing else materialised, but the aches were very real so I just kept assuming my period would start soon. Then one day, I had a slight bleed...but that was it,  there was no more. Confused by this I took to google before deciding whether or not I should see a real doctor (Dr. Google always has AN answer - not always the right one).  The more I read, the more I started to believe what I'd experienced was an implant bleed - caused by the egg embedding into the wall of the uterus.  

General advice was to leave it about 10 days before trying a pregnancy test so that the correct hormones were being produced and there was a sufficient amount to show up on your test.  I mangaged to leave it about 5 days.  It was a Sunday morning and I peed on a stick once again, trying not to get my hopes up.  I watched the windows carefully, and kept having to look away to make sure I wasn't just imagining the second thin purple line developing in the window. 

I sat there for a while, I can't really remember what I thought or did.  I just remember staying in the bathroom for a few moments.  I went down stairs and began a weird trembling sort of cry as I told my boyfriend the news.  I think I felt a mixture of joy and 'what the hell do I do now?' - my words exactly. (I'd just started a new job - I was about 8 days into the academic term).  My boyfriend's reaction, was much more composed than mine.  I remember him telling me to 'simmer down'  - a phrase he is sure will be used throughout the raising of a child as a full proof way of calming a person down. I carried out another test a few days later, just to be sure, even though I was told that a positive test is a positive as it gets. 

I used Boots own pregnancy test

Following this second positive test, I booked an appointment to see a doctor.  I was referred to the midwives service and was given a form to complete for an exemption certificate (this allows you to get your prescriptions for free throughout your pregnancy).