Tuesday 20 February 2018

7 WEEKS PREGNANT | THE HOOK EFFECT

Does anyone know anything about the hook effect? Following on from my pregnancy test lines coming up super weak, someone advised me to read up on it and try diluting my urine before testing. The top test is undiluted urine, and the others are diluted bit by bit. As you can see, the more I dilute my urine, the darker my test lines get!




Could this be the hook effect?

Jess. xx

Monday 19 February 2018

DISAPPEARING TWIN SYNDROME

Last Thurs a few of my pregnancy symptoms disappeared. By Friday morning I was very suspicious. I took 3 pregnancy tests and the lines were coming up much weaker than before. I had an emergency scan at the EPU and they couldn't find one of the twins. The sonographer said there is a chance that it's hidden behind the other. He kept thinking he could see a second heartbeat but was not sure if it was part of twin 1. 

I have been warned to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Sadly my test lines seem to be getting weaker by the day, so despite twin 1 measuring above what it should and having a very strong heartbeat it's looking like I might lose both. 

Could this be disappearing twin syndrome? If it is, what chance does twin 2 stand? 

Jess. xx

Tuesday 13 February 2018

6 WEEKS PREGNANT WITH IDENTICAL TWINS! | UPDATE

I cannot believe I get to write these words, but not only have we conceived naturally. We are also having identical twins!!!!! It's like a dream come true. Something beyond a miracle! Here's how we found out....

The day after I wrote the last blog post I woke up, went to the toilet and when I wiped there was bright red blood. Horrified, I rang the Early Pregnancy Unit and told them that the brown blood had now changed. They were very kind and offered to bring our 6/7 week scan forward to that day. I was 5+1 and of course my fiance and I were expecting the worst. We thought it was going to be game over....


But nope! It was far from game over because when the sonographer did the internal scan it revealed two very strong heartbeats! We couldn't believe it. I was crying. The sonographer was crying. Obviously she knew a bit about our history and the pain we had been through a few months before.

Not in a million years did I think this was going to happen to us, especially as I've been obsessed with identical twins for most of my adult life. This was the dream. That's all it was though. I never thought it was actually going to happen!!!

I'm really starting to believe in the law of attraction!




Now I understand why my pregnancy tests were so strong early on. I got a 3+ on a Clearblue test when I was only 4+5. As this test measures from the day you conceive that would have meant I was actually more like 5+4. But I didn't think I was that far gone. Sure, when I saw the super strong line on the First Response test I did think 'ohhhh, there's lots of hgc. That's a nice strong pregnancy'. For a second I also wondered if it was twins but that thought was instantly dismissed as I could never be that lucky!

Even when I posted pics of my tests on parenting forums, telling them I'm 4+5 the penny didn't drop. Everyone was saying 'you can't be 4+5, you must be further on'. As I said previously, I just thought it meant I have a nice strong pregnancy and high levels of hcg! Anyway....


This week's symptoms have been:

Acid reflux.

Terrible diarrhea.

Waking up frequently during the night with stomach cramps (because of the diarrhea). On a good day it's every 3 hours. On a bad it's every 30 mins. It's exhausting.

Feeling very thirsty.

Feeling bloated / heavy stomach.

Sore boobs. (Mainly on the sides).

Feeling too hot, then too cold.

Nausea.

Headaches.

Extreme tiredness.

Heightened sense of smell. (Everything stinks!).

Food adversions - I can't bear the idea of eating or smelling roast dinner. Usually my fave!

Very light brown discharge when I wipe.

I've been taking Pregnacare Max for 18 days now (ever since I found out I'm pregnant). Yesterday I went to the docs and explained about the diarrhea etc and she told me to swap to Pregnacare Original. I didn't take it last night and I feel better already. There was no 3-5am wake up call or nasty stomach pains throughout the night. I think those tablets were making me really ill you know!

Jess. xx

Tuesday 6 February 2018

5 WEEKS PREGNANT | UPDATE

Good morning! Today I've been feeling really nauseous and have been throughout the night. I managed to get 9 hours sleep but kept waking up and when I did I felt sick. It's now nearly 11am and I've not eaten a thing. I'm not too bad if I keep still but as soon as I move it starts!


TMI - but I also have diarrhea. I can't work out whether this is pregnancy or if I'm actually ill. Also I'm suspicious of the Pregnacare Max tablets I'm taking as I've had diarrhea related issues ever since I've been pregnant and taking them.

Anyway....

The tests above were taken a few days ago when I was 4+5 and 25 DPO. I was so happy to see a test line stronger than the control line on the First Response and the 3+ on the Clearblue. I was expecting 1-2 as it measures from the date you conceived rather than how many weeks pregnant you are. I'm hoping this means I have a nice strong pregnancy and high levels of hcg.


This week's symptoms have been:

Feeling very thirsty.

Feeling bloated / heavy stomach.

Mild period-like pains / cramps.

Just under the nipples hurting (on and off).

The nipples stinging (on and off).

Pinching / stretching on both sides of the womb.

Feeling to hot, then too cold.

Peeing all the time (which now seems to have stopped since giving up de-caf coffee).

Heightened sense of smell.

Very light brown discharge when I wipe.

I've found the above symptom the most worrying and called the Early Pregnancy Unit for some reassurance yesterday. They said it's very common in early pregnancy and not to worry unless I'm in pain, it get worse or turns into red blood.

I don't get it every time I wipe but just every now and again. It's happened at least once a day for the past 5 days. Triggers seem to include going for a walk or for a number 2!!!

You've gotta love the TMI here. Lol. 

Jess. xx




LUST LIST

OUR BABY GIRL IS 9 MONTHS OLD!!!

This probably isn't what some of you were expecting but the pregnancy worked out and we finally have our baby girl!  I'm sorry...