A Massive Update is Needed!

Well, it has been a while, but I am finally back up on the Internet! Even if it is dial up and painfully slow, but one mustn't grumble!
We used to have Orange as our Internet provider but after a few problems, we must have rang them a trillion times just to get fobbed off every time, so we got sick of it and decided to leave. However, we then discovered that we are about as far away from the exchange as you can possibly get and no other provider seems to be able to get us broadband access :-(
After being utterly lost without the Internet, we bit the bullet and went back to dial up.
I must admit though, that without the Internet, my house was a lot tidier (hangs head in shame) ... well that was until my husband decided to get sky plus, and then there was always something to watch and the housework went back to the bottom of the list!!


Pregnancy has been OK so far, feeling much rougher than I did with my daughter and feel sick most mornings. I have to get up and get something to eat straight away and then I have to eat it veeeeerrrrry slowly! I can't drink anything until about lunchtime or I'll be sick, which doesn't help when I'm trying to stay hydrated to get rid of the spots that seem to have taken up residence on my forehead! Apart from that, the occasional backache (for which my husband and I have just ordered a gorgeous new suite with reclining chairs... God I love him sometimes!!) and the heartburn at night, all is well!

Had my first midwife appointment at 7 weeks (well I was actually 8 weeks but we didn't know it then). She was very nice and asked what type of birth I wanted. Hubby and I explained that I wanted a home birth but he is too scared, so she put us down for a water birth at the hospital. Obviously the likelihood of the pool being free when I'm in labour isn't great so I am trying to convince hubby to let me have a birth pool at home. He has agreed to look into it and I'm going to chat to the midwife about it at my 15 week appointment.

Had my 12 week scan on the 7 Sep - all looked well thankfully. Bubs was very chilled out and was sucking his/her thumb! The sonographer measured bubs and put him/her at 13 weeks + 2 days so my due date changed from the 19 March 08 to the 12 March 08. It's not much but it's a week I don't have to worry about!


So that's about it really! Very little has happened. Hubby is working away a lot at the moment which is a pain, he is also attended the odd course to help him understand his job better (even though he has been there over a year!!) so he is away quite a bit at the moment, which can be a bit upsetting. I'm wearing my new ring that I got for my anniversary present. It's gorgeous! The only problem is that whereas normally in pregnancy your fingers swell up, mine have shrunk! So, none of my rings fit! It's very annoying when it spins round on my finger, but it's still stunning!!

So - that's it so far. Have my 15 week appointment on the 19th September where I'll be discussing a home birth (everyone keep your fingers crossed!) ands my 20 week scan is currently booked for the 25th of October - it could change as hubby is on a course that week and doesn't know if he'll be able to get away for the scan.)

SO, tada for now :-)

MM
xx

Busy, Busy!

Had my hospital appointment today:

(info here: http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36303 )

So at least that is over and done with. Have to go back in 6 months, but at least I am not laid there at night worried about the big 'C'.

Tomorrow we go to view the photos we had taken by a professional photographer.
Dreading the ones of me, but the ones of DD and DH playing are going to be stunning. Shame they are so expensive to buy - I know I'm not going to be able to chose my favourite!

Still need to sort out transport for our pony! The people I got the £300 quotes from seem to have disappeared into the woodwork - it's now all £440+!
Typical! Still - I will continue searching (not that I have much choice - I'm not paying more the the transport than I paid for the pony!!)

Feeling OK in myself.
Have still had the odd bad cramp(s) but put this down to constipation - an extra large dose of prunes soon sorts it. I am eating about 250g of the things a day, but still it isn't keeping me regular. The joys of early pregnancy!
Never mind, it will all be worth it in the end I am sure.

Broadband will be down soon (not exactly sure when, any time from now really.) Won't be back up until probably mid August. So if there are no updates until then - that is why.

Hopefully speak to you all soon.
Thanks for reading so far.
MM
xx

Very Happy Monser Munch

* Picked up my new engagement ring last week (not allowed it until our anniversary, but it is in the house and I can try it on and look at it!!)
* My period hasn't come,so I guess I really am pregnant (yes the positive pregnancy tests were a give-away, but I was worried that I might come on anyway)
* We have found a pony for our daughter AND my parents have given me a cheque to get it transported to it's new yard :)
* I am feeling well, and am looking forward to getting some decorating done (sadly not paint as it isn't worth it while we are renting, but I am looking forward to buying little bits and pieces to bring this house together a bit!)

I am just very content at the moment and long may it last!!

Getting the hang of this pregnancy lark.

Thankfully the cramps I was experiencing seem to have gone.
I think they were constipation and trapped gas (sorry for too much information) and once I ate about 30 prunes, a couple of days later it seems to have sorted itself.

Otherwise I am feeling well - a bit tired and feel a bit sick in the afternoons, but that is probably down to not eating breakfast.
I can't stand eating in the morning - the thought of it makes me feel ill, but I remember with my first pregnancy, that if I didn't eat I was ill, if I forced myself to eat breakfast, I was OK.
SO I need to be strict with myself!

Broadband will be off soon - not sure when we will get it back - Orange say it could be 15 working days! SO it could be the middle of August!

Speak to you all soon - keep your fingers crossed that things continue to go well
MM
xx

Oh my Gosh!!

I think I'm pregnant!

I took this test on Saturday (10DPO)


And then this one today (12DPO)


Still early days, obviously and I have been having some bad cramping, so not 100% yet, but at least I know I can do it now!!!

Wooooooooooo

MM
xx

Scary

Been having some horrible cramps on and off :-(
Some have been quite painful that I have had to breathe through them (I love how going through labour gives you life skills! PMSL)

I have been getting up to go for a wee more frequently in the night so I am getting quite excited.
Did a couple of OPK's as they can detect HCG but aren't really that effective.
Did one at 9DPO and one at 10DPO
Both came up positive (as they would) but they don;t mean anything.

I caved in and did a CB digital at 10pm at 10DPO...
will post the results later.

Am a little wary at the moment. I feel pregnant, but then I have the cramps and I don't feel pregnant (they feel like the AF cramps I used to get before going on the pill)

Anyway - will be testing again tomorrow morning and will post the results

Best Wishes
MM

The 1 week wait

Boy is it going slowly!!

I am desperately trying not to symptom spot.
To be honest - I'm not usually that into symptom spotting, but I lie there in the morning wondering if I feel ill.
I have backache from throwing my daughter around (playing with her - not literally just throwing her! LOL) but of course I'm think "backache - is that a symptom"

SNAP OUT OF IT!!

On a high sugar diet at the moment - not very healthy I know. Nipped to the petrol station last night to get some more butter as I fancied making some shortbread biscuits, but they didn't have any so I just bought about £5 worth of sweets...!
I felt very sick after eating most of them, had to concentrate very hard on not being sick whilst making love to hubby! Ahhh the romance!

OH is stressed at work at the moment - they are moving him around from section to section and he is having to do lots of courses and then they change there mind again so he has to do more courses. He is taking it out on me a bit - not in a bad way, but he'll get back from work and just be in a mard. He'll sigh and stomp around moving stuff off the floor that our toddler dumped there. I know the house isn't tidy when he gets back from work, but anything I put away gets dragged out again by our darling daughter.
It's just easier to wait until she goes to bed - other wise it is just a total balls-ache!

Oh yeah - nearly forgot. He said to me (in a text) "I only agreed to have another baby because worked seemed to have settled down"
I'm really not sure how to take that.
I don't think he meant it in the way it sounds to me - but he makes out I',m forcing him to try for another baby. I am probably reading too much into it, plus I know he's stressed so I think I will ignore it for now...

Anyway!!
Chin up :-)
MM

The 2 Week Wait

Here we go again.

Trying not to get my hopes up and think that whatever the outcome - what's meant to be will be. But if I could switch off my emotions that easily I would be a very rich woman by now!

I am a little worried.
I have had no different feeling or any symptoms, but last night my darling daughter accidentally (on purpose!) kicked me in the stomach. It was quite hard but as she's only 16 months old it wasn't hard enough to make my stomach hurt.
However, since she did it - I have had lots of weird, what I can only describe as flutterings, in my stomach. This wasn't helped by severe backache yesterday (no, not a symptom - threw myself around on the floor playing with little'un and pulled a muscle at the base of my spine!) but even as I sit and type this, I can feel it.
Of course my brain is now going 10 to the dozen - if I am pregnant has this damaged the embryo or even killed it?
It's very silly to think like this, and as I said before what will be, will be but crikey this is doing my head in!!

Anyway - on a much nicer note my lovely husband bought me a gorgeous ring for my anniversary (can't have it until August though) It's very bling (not at all like me!!) - it was a complete bargain (less than £200 with a 3 year guarantee!) and it looks much much more expensive than it is! I am soo excited it's a little sad!!

That's all for now,
Speak soon
MM

Time to Ovulate

Or so my ticker says anyway!

I think it is probably right. I've had some twingey pains in my 'ovary region' and my cervix is open and much softer - mucus is also increasing so it looks good!

Had a good 'session' last night - and will have another tonight.
Had to stop hubby from 'pleasuring himself' this morning. He wasn't impressed, but I think I managed to convince him with the promise of another good session tonight! :-)
If what we did last night can't make a baby than nothing can! I'm feeling really positive - like I'm much more in tune with my body. I even did some visualisation last night when I was trying to fall asleep. I imagined I was looking inside myself and could see my body guiding my husbands sperm to my ovary! A bit 'hippy' and odd, but I didn't make myself visualise it, it just happened.
I'm not going to get my hopes up too much, but I definitely feel like I am going in the right direction. If it takes a few more months then that is perfectly fine - my body knows what it is doing and I have faith that I will get pregnant when my body feels it is right!

Hope everyone is well!
MM

Got some housework done...

For once!! :-)

Tidied up the lounge, the hallway and the computer area anyway!
The kitchen is strewn with clothes waiting to be washed - the blumming washing machine broke at the weekend. It's only 6 months old! The tumble drier also broke a few months ago -was also brand new.
Not happy, but at least they are under warranty. Still - you'd expect them to last a while before breaking down. Looks like it could be something serious with the washer though. They had better be able to fix it and quick, although I doubt it. Someone is coming out to see it Tomorrow, but they will see what is wrong, order some parts, they will come in next week and then they will come and fix it when they feel like it :-(
I have a toddler for heaven's sake - my washing machine is my best friend! We'll start running out of clothes soon!

Never mind eh? These things are sent to try us and all that.

On a brighter note I think I am getting closer to ovulation (the ticker isn't entirely accurate - it assumes ovulation occurs 14 days before your period is due) - my cervix is more open and is softer than yesterday. Not entirely sure on cervical mucus, as I check it in the shower so it probably gets washed away.

Hope this weather clears up. Thankfully we're not flooded, but still, no more rain for a while please!

Ta ta for now
MM

Sunday

We went out for a walk as a family today. Bad idea, as the weather was awful, but in a way it was funny and we had a good day. It did, however, ruin my new hairstyle so hubby took me out for dinner to compensate! He definitely gets top marks in the love stakes today!

I whacked my head today :-( I am a complete Muppet. Where our computer is, is in a little arch under the stairs. Hubby was showing me something on the computer and I stood up afterwards, forgetting that I needed to go backwards first and smacked my head full force on the wall.
It didn't hurt as much as I thought, but it smarted a bit and I felt a bit sick for a little while! Never mind, should have taught me a lesson! Silly MM!!

After checking my cervical position in the shower, I don't think I am close to ovulating yet - cervix is quite high and dry, so still a while to go.
In a way I'm glad (as long as I do actually ovulate though!) as I am only thinking about making love with my husband and not having sex because I think I might be ovulating. Also I am not waiting to test for about a million years!! (Well that's what it feels like anyway)

So, I'll sign off for now.
Speak soon
MM
xx

Saturday

Firstly - I know it isn't Saturday today! I haven't been able to get on the computer so I have been 'blogging' in my journal and am now updating it!

I have decided not to use my OPK's this month. I am determined to crack my peeing on a stick addiction and I think testing with them won't help, but I will continue to half-heartedly check my cervical position and cervical mucus (really have no clue what I am doing though!).

Hubby says he isn't 100% better yet, but is well enough to make love so he must be OK :-)

I got my hair done toady.
I was inspired by Miss Gobby from 'pregnancy forum' - I rang up my salon on the off chance and they had a cancellation! So I now have short hair with light blonde highlights. Very strange and will take some getting used to, but hubby likes it and it is easier to manage (although it does really need straightening, but I will only do that if I go out) so I'm happy.

Bye for now
MM

Busy, busy, busy

Just a quick post - things are very busy at the moment.
Hubby is better though, so thats good :)

Will update properly soon!

Bye for now
MM

Poorly Hubby

Update on hubbies illness here:
Poor Hubby

Poor Boy

Hubby has gone to bed early - he has bad stomach cramps. Doesn't look like it is anything he has eaten - he had something similar last year. The Doctors thought he might have Chromes Disease, but after a whole load of tests it was ruled out and they don't know what has caused it.

So I have sent him to bed with a hot water bottle, poor thing. The way he described it sounded a bit like bad period pains so I suggested a high strength paracetamol and a warm bath before going to bed with a hot water bottle but he didn't want to do that. Instead he has taken some Milk of Magnesia and gone to bed. (He did take to the hot water bottle though. He looks very manly with the pink fluffy cover on it!!)

So, it looks like I won't be getting any tonight. Never mind, bless him.

MM

At It Like Rabbits!

As the title says really! My husband thinks that all his Christmases have come at once. I know I'm nowhere near ovulation, but I am not missing it this month so we are going to be 'at it' at least once a day! It's not just that however - I have felt recently that love-making has become a means to an end and I have been neglecting his needs. This month I am making a concerted effort to get back to how we were before we were married and became parents. He is a pretty fabulous man so he really deserves a treat bless him.

Before and after the 'session' last night, I had that sickly feeling again. When I experienced it the night before I assumed it was the after affects of my night out, but I didn't drink all that much so surely it wouldn't still be affecting me? Plus, it's only when I get into bed... very odd.

Anyhow. I am on a mission to get this house pristine today. Need to get something out for tea as well and sort my daughter out and give her something to do whilst I'm working.

MM

Another Monday Morning

My husband and I made love last night (that's as much detail as I'll be going into!). I have told him that we will be doing so every night and some mornings this month. I haven't wanted to do this previous months as I heard that it could dilute the sperm, but when I fell pregnant with my daughter we were in the 'honeymoon period' and were pretty much 'doing it' constantly! So anyway, hubby thinks he has won the lottery this month!

After the deed had been done last night I felt really unwell. At first I thought it was because I was sitting up funny so laid down and tried to sleep, but I was really having to concentrate to stop myself from being ill. Thankfully it passed and I managed to fall asleep in record time.

Checked my cervical position in the shower last night as well. I'm not entirely sure what I was doing, but it definitely was higher up than it was when I was about to get my period so I will now add that to my 'Fertility Friend' chart. (See link at top of page).

It is appalling weather here. Wanted to nip out to the shops to get some bits for tea and to post a CD to my parents but my husband has the car and I'm not willing to get wet! So - housework it is. I have managed to put it off until now, so had better get on with it.

Bye for now
MM

Phew - No Hangover!

Didn't get a chance to post last night's blog when I got home, so quickly did it just now (thankfully, even in my drunken state, I managed to remember to write a few notes in my diary! Gee I'm sad)

Woke up this morning very tired, but clear headed. Had a bit of a phlegm-y throat (lovely) from all the cigarettes but I really needed to get out and be the old me for a night.
Was worth it - feel really refreshed and ready to be a great mum again. It certainly made me realise that although I do enjoy a good night out, I could not do that kind of thing every weekend.

Have had a lazy day today. My husband made us Sunday lunch and it was absolutely beautiful. (I should have been making it really as it is Fathers Day but he wanted to do it and I wasn't going to complain!)
Have sat here eating a big packet of m&m's so have not helped my healthy eating regime - haven't done much exercise either.
That will change tomorrow. I am going to get the housework done first thing (after sorting my daughter out of course) and will do it energetically to burn as many calories as possible! Then, if I have time and if I don't feel as though my daughter has been ignored too much I will get my exercise DVD out again.

So, that's it for now.
Bye!
MM

Had a Good Night Out!

Went out as planned last night.
Had a really great time.
Had a few drinks, more than a few cigarettes and met loads of new people. I really enjoyed myself. It was nice to feel like the old me for a few hours.
I love being a wife and a mum, but sometimes it's nice to not be those for a little while.
I was tired by the time my husband picked me up but very happy!

Spring Cleaning

Not much to say today, apart from the fast that I have to do some serious spring cleaning to do.

Still bleeding, not too heavily though, so hopefully it's on its way out.

Cough is feeling a little better, when I do cough it feels like it is shifting so hopefully that's on its way out too!

I am quite psyched out about this month now. Want to get on with it. I am going to use the OPKs this month - suss out when I ovulate and then the month after, I am going to completely forget about trying to conceive - no tickers or anything, I will completely ignore it and leave it to fate. It will be hard but I am determined. If it doesn't happen next month then it is a sign that I need to chill out and let nature take it's course.

OK - it's housework time!
Hope everyone is well
MM

Bad Cough

I have had my cough for a while now, it's not constant, but seems to appear when I want to talk to someone and at night time when I am trying to get to sleep.
My ribs and stomach muscles really hurt, but the cough seems to have changed now, it's more phlegm-ey (sorry if anyone is eating whilst reading this) so hopefully that means it is shifting.
Haven't got my exercise DVD out yet, but went for a walk into our town centre this morning so at least have been out and about.

I am feeling much more upbeat about trying for a baby today. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but last night before falling asleep (or trying to!!) I chanted in my head "I'm confident in my body's ability to make a baby."
Now, I'm not a 'hippy' and am not into meditation or similar things, so I'm not sure what possessed me to do that, but I really have woken up to a confident and happy mood today.
Will definitely be doing it again tonight.

I am still on my period - seems a little heavier now. Hopefully it will only last for another 3 days and then I can have some 'special cuddles' with my husband!!

Bye for now
MM

Pact

OK this is for all of my friends at pregnancyforum.co.uk in the TTC section:

This is our pact:

• We will not obsess
• We will not symptom spot
• We will not test early
• We will continue with our every day lives and try to keep TTC at the back of our minds

No doubt this will be broken within minutes but I for one am desperately trying to stick to it.

Afternoon

Have made a pact with one of my online pals (Hi Libs) to do more exercise and tone up. Double sided benefit - I will get fitter, which I definitely need to do, seeing as I can barely run up the stairs without getting out of breath and it will also take my mind off trying for a baby.

I have also found my healthy eating book where it has sections to write down what you ate for breakfast, lunch, tea and snack and to work out the calorie intake (it has an accompanying booklet listing food and the calories in them). It will be difficult as I was told by my Dr. not to lose anymore weight, especially as I am trying for a baby, but I definitely need to eat more regularly, and more healthily, so maybe having to write it down will make me more aware of what I am eating.

Have booked my appointment with the Breast clinic for the lump I found. Although my GP wasn't worried, she wanted me to get checked out there anyway - my appointment is on the 18th July -a bit of a wait but at least it is booked and I can't get out of it! Fingers crossed it is nothing to worry about.

Still bleeding, it's not too heavy so thanks Heavens for small mercies! Have been reading up on my OPK's so that I will know what to do when I can start using them. They predict the L.H. surge {definition from OPK instructions: When a woman is about to ovulate, her body releases a large amount of a hormone called L.H. - Luteinising Hormone. L.L. is always present in your urine but the levels increase (surge) in the middle of your cycle, causing you to release an egg from the ovary.} It also explains that a positive OPK is when the 2 lines are of equal intensity or when the test band is stronger than the control line. It is negative if there is only the control line or if the test line is weaker than the control line.

I thought it would be the same rules as a pregnancy test, but apparently not, so it was interesting to read the instructions.

According to the table they provide, with my cycle length being around 28 - 30 days, I should start testing with the OPKs around day 11 of my cycle. I should also not test first thing in the morning so it will be a lunchtime thing.

Hope I haven't bored you to death there!

MM

Morning

Had quite a restless night coughing my guts up. Had quite bad back ache and stomach cramps before going to sleep. I have a sneaking suspicion that they were period pains - if I remember correctly, they felt similar to the pains I used to get before going on the pill all those years ago! I'm hoping it means that the pill will finally be out of my system and it's all systems go for this cycle.

I woke up at 4am this morning, didn't realise that I had even been to sleep and I remember wondering why it was so light in the bedroom. I checked my watch and was very confused when I saw the time!

I nipped to the loo and climbed back in bed beside my husband and of course the coughing started again (I now have very sore ribs and stomach muscles!), so when I eventually got back to sleep I didn't wake up until half past 9! Thankfully my daughter wanted a lie in too, which was very nice!

I have sorted my night out for the weekend to cheer me up. Dear husband seemed a bit miffed that he wasn't invited. I explained that it would be too late in the evening to take our daughter and he begrudgingly accepted that I would go and he would stay home and babysit.

I was a bit annoyed at his reaction, to be honest - he has had quite a few nights out since our daughter was born - I made sure he didn't miss any of his mates' parties, even if it meant me walking home with my daughter so he could stay. This will be my first proper night out in about a year, having had 2 nights out since my daughter was born, I think I need to let my hair down for a few hours!

Will post some more this evening.

Byebye

1st Blog Post

Hi!

Welcome to my Trying To Conceive blog.


Please forgive me for not putting too many personal details in here - it will be in the public domain and I don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing who I am!

My husband and I have a child together already - a daughter who is 1 year old, and now feel we are ready for baby number 2

I have been off the pill now since approximately the 10th of January 2007, so far we have not succeeded in getting pregnant, although this month I got a few positive pregnancy tests and my period was late - leading me to believe I have had a chemical pregnancy.

Definition of Chemical Pregnancy, courtesy of storknet.com:
"chemical pregnancy" - form of miscarriage. It is termed "chemical" because the only clinical evidence of pregnancy is a lab test, which indicates that that implantation occurred but only developed long enough to raise your circulating blood level of hCG. These are often early non-viable genetic "accidents."

But, I'm not getting down-hearted.

Everything happens for a reason, and here's to next month.

I have created this blog so those that know me can keep track of my progress (I am hoping that this blog will also become a pregnancy blog!) and those that don't can read it and hopefully it can help others in similar situations.

So - here goes - comments welcome by the way! Would love to hear other people's experiences and thoughts.

12 June 06

My period started this afternoon - was 2 days late and I always usually come on in the mornings, but I contribute this to a suspected chemical pregnancy.
Have got some Ovulation testing sticks so, even though my husband and I will be making love regularly, I want to be able to pin-point ovulation just for my own piece of mind.

Have had a bit of a stomach bug the past couple of days, as has my daughter so have not been eating well or feeling too great. Hopefully that is on it's way out and I can get on with being a more production wife and mother!

Bye for now
MM