IVF Cycle #3 Results

I dreamed about positive pregnancy tests all night until just before 7 when Kenzie woke me up to remind me that I needed to take my pregnancy test today! We had decided that since we had such a full house this time (my dad is here for the weekend and Kenzie had a friend coming over to play) and it would be impossible to be alone, that we would take a home pregnancy test before going to the doctor for our blood test to make the results phone call less of a surprise. 

I'd been itching to take a test for days, but as soon as the time came, I got scared! I'd been feeling really good about this transfer and a negative result seemed impossible...which is what made it so terrifying. I laid in bed holding in my pee for 15 minutes. Who knew it would be so hard to convince myself to just do it?

Finally I couldn't hold it any more so I got up and peed on the stick. By the time I stood up to wash my hands there was already a plus sign showing in the window of the pregnancy test sitting on my counter! I couldn't believe it! This is the FIRST positive pregnancy test I have ever had! I always thought I would cry, but instead I just smiled and bounced up and down for a second. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face! Then I capped the test, washed my hands and mouthwashed (so I could have fresh breath when I delivered the news to Ryan, of course). 

My FIRST positive test EVER!

I carried the pregnancy test into Ryan who was still groggy in bed and handed it to him. I'm sure he could tell by my big grin what the result was, but he still looked at the pregnancy test and then turned on his bedside lamp to get a better look. Then he said, "Don't get too excited. Let's wait for the blood test." I told him that this clear of a positive on a home test was a good sign; home tests are not near as sensitive as blood tests. 

We hugged each other for a couple minutes-me excited and him reserved. Then I asked if he wanted to come upstairs to tell Melissa and the kids with me. I glanced up the stairs and saw Kenzie standing at the top with a huge smile on her face. I walked away so she wouldn't see me smiling and she came downstairs. I kept my back to her as she asked if I took the test and I told her we would come upstairs and tell them in a minute. 

We walked up and showed Kenzie the test first since she was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. I told her plus means yes, minus means no. She looked at it for a minute then started laughing and jumping up and down. Melissa was just waking up on the couch so I showed it to her. She jumped up laughing and gave me the tightest hug ever! Then my dad walked in the back door and Brinlee wandered into the living room, fresh out of bed so I told both of them and we shared hugs all around before we got ready to go to the doctor and have my blood drawn for the beta count. I knew it was at LEAST 25 because it had to be for a home pregnancy test to detect the hcg hormone.

The drive to and from the doctor is the first time I've stayed awake in the car for 3 days! Which brings me to my next topic: symptoms. For all my curious friends who are also trying to conceive and obsessing during the 2-week wait, I really didn't have symptoms that couldn't be attributed to the hormones I'm on, until yesterday when I'm pretty sure I peed more liquid than I took in (frequent urination is a symptom that is usually caused by rising hCG levels). 

Starting on Tuesday (9 days post transfer) I was feeling tired (which can be a side effect of the progesterone injections). I thought I was just worn out from the busyness of the last couple of weeks, but then while we were in Idaho it got worse: I fell asleep every time we got in the car, took naps a couple hours after waking up and was in bed (and exhausted) by 11 every night...not like me at all! 

Me napping in Idaho

Starting Wednesday I felt like no matter how much I ate I was never completely full and always hungry again within an hour. I'm hungry now, but nothing sounds good...in fact the thought of most food turns my stomach right now.

I also have had some cramping for the last week. I was scared it was my period trying to break through, but I guess it was just my uterus changing to make room for the growing embryo as it implanted. I had no CM, where most have lots during pregnancy so I was afraid that was a bad sign (probably tmi for those of you not going through this) and I woke up every morning and felt my boobs to see if they were sore (that's usually one of the first signs)...they still feel completely normal.

After going to the clinic for the blood draw this morning at 8:00, we came home and I ate breakfast and took a nap (shocking, right?) while we waited for the call. And then we waited some more. Finally Ryan got impatient and started trying to get ahold of them around 11:30 (a hard thing to do on a Saturday). Just after noon he reached the nurse. She said my beta is over 700! That's high for how far along I am so she said there's a good chance that BOTH embryos stuck! We might be having twins!!! 

I can't believe I am FINALLY pregnant!!! It seems so weird! I'm so excited and so glad we have some HAPPY news to share this time! I'm also feeling a bit impatient...I'm excited to experience pregnancy, but I'm more excited to meet this little baby or babies! I keep having to slow myself down and focus on the next milestones: more blood tests and ultrasounds next week! I don't "feel pregnant"...all I want to do is sleep, but I'm too excited to nap right now!