Becky & Steve: Preparing for the Baby

01/11/2012

Becky

I can’t believe our journey with A Conception Story has come to an end. When Steve and I first started this journey, I remember thinking: “Will I be pregnant by the end of it?” I am excited to say that we are, indeed, pregnant.

Everything is going great so far. I am starting to feel confident that this pregnancy is here to stay and that we'll actually have a baby come spring. My heart is full of joy as I write this!

The second trimester has been wonderful, with no more morning sickness or feelings of exhaustion like during the first trimester. I am enjoying every step of the way.

When I found out I was pregnant, there were so many people I wanted to share the news with, but I was so afraid about a miscarriage and I didn’t want to jinx my pregnancy. Announcing that you are pregnant is a big jinx to people in the infertile world. But if you make the announcement with the right tone--not too confident, but instead full of gratitude and edged with a bit of fear--the jinx risk factor is lessened. At least this is how I feel about it.

We decided to officially announce we were expecting after our RE released us to a local OBGYN after 14 weeks of pregnancy. Leaving our RE was bittersweet: Even though we've spent the least year talking about how great it would be to not have to drive all that way to see our RE, when it came time so say good-bye, there was some sadness.

We've found a new local doctor and had our first appointment a few weeks ago. It was the first time we heard our baby's heartbeat--and it had the hiccups! We could hear a rapid heart rate of 148 followed by a few hiccups. It was music to our ears! We have decided to keep the gender of our baby a mystery--we want to be surprised on the day of delivery.

I can feel the baby move inside me, and I get so excited every time I feel it fluttering inside me. It truly is one of the most amazing feelings. Now that I can feel the baby, I've allowed myself to see this as a reality--meaning, I have started buying things for the baby. It may not sound like a big step, but it is for me. I used to be unable to walk down the baby aisle at Wal-Mart. I would purposely evade it so as not to be tempted by the cute baby items. I didn't want to open my emotional wounds and bring myself down by thinking of a future without a child. Now, as each week passes, I feel more comfortable buying things for the baby and making plans for the months to come.

Looking back on the past two years, Steve and I have been through so much: the two-hour trips to the fertility doctor, the daily needle injections, the raging hormones, the let downs, the regaining of hope, the thousands of dollars, the fear, the sadness. I don’t know how we made it through, but we did.

I've heard it said that, when in labor, women forget the pain of contractions. This supposedly happens because pain is forgotten the second it leaves the body. I'm not sure if this is true, but I can't forget the pain. I have an appreciation for it. What started as a shot in the abdomen has became a real, live person inside me. I am who I am today because of this struggle, and it has made me realize a lot about myself, Steve, and our marriage. We have had so much support through family, friends, and people on this website, we'll forever be grateful.

Steve and I are looking forward to the next few months and are excited to see how our lives change as we become parents. It's a dream come true.

Steve

Here we are: our final post for A Conception Story. I have to say, it’s been a long journey for Becky and I, but we realize how much stronger we've become as a couple because of it. We are very pleased to be ending this journey as a success story. We've tried to stay positive throughout the entire process, but we would be lying if we said we never had doubts.

After almost two years of fertility treatments, we finally get to go to a regular OBGYN. The great thing about this is that our appointments are now only a 15-minute drive away as opposed to two hours. Not having to drive 4 hours every two days in a week is great, but we were a bit sad when we left our fertility doctor. The staff at our fertility clinic has been the best and we're very thankful for all their help and support. We’ll be seeing them soon enough when we decide to try for baby #2!

Becky is now a little over the half-way point. We are extremely excited and can’t wait for Baby Posada to arrive. We finally feel safe talking about the baby with others. Becky has started to feel the baby move and I never get tired of feeling and hearing it! We've decided not to find out the gender of the baby, because we want to be surprised. If Becky and I are blessed enough to have a second baby, then we'll maybe find out the gender ahead of time.

Becky and I have had so much support from friends and family--we can't thank them enough! We wish the best to any couples going through a similar situation. Remember: stay positive and have faith.

Thank you all for following our story, and thank you for all the prayers!

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Watch all of A Conception Story online, or just watch Becky & Steve's Journey.