Dear NHS...

... How come there does not seem to be any information given to pregnant ladies before they are 8 weeks pregnant? Now I understand that it's too early for most things, but considering the first trimester of our pregnancy is supposed to pose the most risk to the development of the baby, it means that for some people they'll not know to avoid certain foods/chemicals/cat poo/illnesses!

Yours unhappily, just-pregnant Mum-to-be.


Now I'd like to think I am quite clued up, and am doing my research, but I'm sure there's many out there who don't. So for 2/3's of the 1st trimester, many people don't know that they might be harming the baby growing inside them, by eating something that gives them: salmonellosis, e-coli, toxoplasmosis....!!

I asked on the Period Diary Forum, whether other people had a blood test/urine test at the doctors after the home test. One lady in the UK said she'd got told home test was enough, but was advised about what foods to avoid.

So far, I can't say that my health centre has been all that helpful in terms of information. When I went for a check up before trying to conceive, I got the impression of come back to us in 6 months if still trying and testing anything beforehand wasn't necessary. I asked for the Rubella test, because it didn't want to risk it.

Oh well, Internet, you are my friend. I've also got a pretty good "Practical Parenting, Pregnancy - all your questions answered" book, which is probably a bit out of date (2007), but it was only £1 in a charity shop, and things can't have changed that much since then!

BFP!

I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This morning I woke up early (yet again, after a slightly interrupted sleep), but with the intention of allowing myself time to wake, pee, test and respond accordingly before getting ready to go to work for 8am!

I took 2 Clearblue pregnancy tests, first a normal one, then after getting a positive result, I used a digital one to check the time scale. I think I could have tested a few days ago and have still had a positive result, but at least I wasn't sure yesterday when I spent a few hours with my parents! Getting the result before going to work was better, because it gave me a bit of a distraction (while earning some money) and meant I didn't spend the day on the sofa!

Well the symptoms are increasing every day so far: Wake up, stomach feels like it's got indigestion, which migrates into nausea. The nausea fortunately eased after few nibbles of a stem ginger oat biscuit, eaten while sat on the loo! I'm constantly wearing travel sickness wrist bands, which may or may not be working! I'm getting a cramping/aching feeling and stomach feels very confused! My digestion system is not too pleased at the moment!

I am 4-5 weeks pregnant, according to the pregnancy test. It seems that you don't go to your doctors surgery until you are 8 weeks pregnant and meet your midwife for the first time. I got told I could drop in some urine for them to test, however the home tests are reliable enough. It seems they don't offer blood tests!

What a morning!

It's 5am, I feel really nauseous, so I've had to get up, eat some dry biscuits with ginger in them & put travel sickness bands on, in the hope they'll help! My period is due tomorrow, but no slight spotting.
I've been TTC my 1st & if this is not pregnancy symptoms then I've got a really weird bug! I feel nauseous in the mornings, then it eases through the day, then in the evening my stomach feels unhappy- bloated, achey, gassy. I'm not tired particularly during the day, but get tired really early in evening & have to allow myself plenty of time resting in bed before I go to sleep, so that it doesn't take ages to fall asleep! Often wake early too!
Btw nausea is easing!
I'm trying to wait til tomorrow to test, as spending day with parents, if I confirm it today a day early I'll be struggling not to tell them! Sorry so long!

Trying to wait

I really want to take a test, but I'm still too early. My period is due to start on Thursday, and todays Tuesday, so 2 days early. I've never before had the symptoms that I've been having recently, which is why I wonder whether I might be pregnant.

We've got 1 cheaper pregnancy test sitting in the cupboard behind our toilet, but I wanted a few more, to either have some spare if I get a negative result or so that I can do multiple tests if I get a positive. I now have a cheapy, 2x Clearblue plus and 1x Clearblue Digital - which gives me an idea of time scale.

This month might not be my month, but I'm prepared if it is.

I'm not quite sure when to test though. I looked at the cheapy one this morning and it said needed to test from when the period is due to start. The Clearblues can be done early, but if I did find out tomorrow morning, I would then have to spend most of the day, walking around a Christian Resources Exhibition with my parents, not able to say ANYthing about it.

Tomorrow I've got a dentist appointment, and if they suggest doing an x-ray, I'll have to tell them that there's a chance that I could be pregnant.

4 days...

I've got 4 days until D day...sorry I mean P day! On my longest length monthly cycle, Thursday is when my period is due to start again. I really can't be sure whether to expect it or not at the moment, because although I had some symptoms, they seem to have decreased/gone.

I haven't had anymore morning sickness, although for some reason I started feeling sick today while eating a carvery lunch! Very odd and a huge waste of a very nice (and not cheap) meal! I ate no more than 1/3 of the food on my plate! Stopping eating seemed to cause the nausea to ease off, so couldn't eat much. It wasn't a full-up feeling, more a 'this is making my stomach feel bad' - but the food tasted and looked lovely!

Well if no AF (Aunt Flow) on/by Thursday I'll take a test. If it's negative I'll wait a bit longer and test again.

My last period was early and shorter, so we shall see. Never quite know what my body is doing, but I get the impression it's TRYing for me!

Missing it

OK, my last post I was feel very nauseous. Well it's gradually eased off since then. I was NOT enjoying feeling like I was going to vomit, but now that the feeling has disappeared I'm missing it, because it might mean that this is not THE month! Oh well, we will have to wait and see whether I get my period next week or not.

I feel that the sickness was a good sign though, even if I'm not preggers this month, in that it makes me believe that my body is doing its best to create a new life! It's silly, but having never had a child before and having been on drugs to stop myself becoming pregnant, there's always that nagging thought at the back of my mind: Are hubby and I able to have children?! Now there's no reason to believe we can't, and it's probably the evil one planting doubt in my mind, but there you go!

If it's Gods will for us to be parents naturally, then it'll happen. This is only the 4th month of trying, so really quite early on really.

Is this a sign?

Eeekkkk, it's been a LONG time since I've posted on here... I guess the Period Diary Forum has taken the time away from needing this blog so much.

Why is it that I (hopefully) get closer to being pregnant, that I start hearing more and more things to put me off!

Well I was thinking "Nah, this doesn't seem to be THE month", but this morning I was less sure. I had a really bad nights sleep, struggling to fall asleep, then waking through the night - which was especially annoying, because I was on an early 7am shift. I had tried to go to bed early, but took so long falling asleep, that Andy (who went to bed later than me), fell asleep before me! My stomach didn't feel quite right, when I was trying to go to sleep. This morning I woke up and felt really nauseous! I wasn't sick, but I felt like I was close to vomiting! I really hate vomiting, so if I feel nauseous, then I do everything I can to not be sick!

Hmm, lets see what the next few days/weeks bring. If I'm pregnant then I'll be happier, if it's a weird stomach then I'll be tee'd off!

I'm started taking Sainsburys own brand pregnancy care tablets a week ago. I was already taking Folic Acid, but decided to swap for the multi vit.