So, I am pregnant.
I was testing from 9dpo with internet cheapies and got nothing but negatives - even though I had severe acid reflux in the evening, to the point where it was burning my throat and I was going to be sick!
Anyway, the day of my expected period arrived.
I thought just for the hell of it, use a clearblue digital.
It's one of those posh pregnancy tests where it'll tell you 'pregnant' or 'not pregnant' and then it'll go the extra mile to tell you how long ago it thinks you conceived.
Anyway, I was busy getting up and getting the boys ready for school.
I peed on it. The hour glass set to work. It was working it out.
I got a few items of clothing on, the hour glass still working it's magic. As I prepared to glance away 'Pregnant' appeared.
I had to look again, no way. That said I was pregnant. The hour glass remained in motion, I put it down to a duff test.
After a minute or so, it decided I had conceived 1-2 weeks ago.
I am still in shock at the results. These tests are 98% effective. I had got so many negative tests before this - could this be real?
I did the school run, all be it in a bit of a daze.
I nipped down to a local pharmacy, bought a twin pack of a test and first response twin pack.
I asked the pharmacist for advice, took the test in.
Told her about the whole 'hour glass was still working when it said pregnant, surely it has to be a duff test?' thing.
Anyway, she said the digitals are extremely accurate and the reason the hour glass was still deciding is because it was deciding how far pregnant I was....
So, Many more tests later to confirm it - I am absolutely certain I am pregnant and expecting my 6th Child, though this child has a new Daddy.
Now, me being me I like to mess around with my tests - lol.
I decided to use an ovulation test to see what it would say.
The LH hormone (ovulation) is like a 'twin sister' in make up, compared to the HCG (pregnancy hormone).
With the twins, I did an ovulation test around 8 weeks by which time it was exceptionally strong.
I wanted to test early on to see the difference, would it pick it up? Would it be stronger than the pregnancy tests?
Green test strip - Ovulation test
Blue test strip - pregnancy test
As you can see, it picked it up BETTER. Weird and wonderful ways our bodies work huh?
When is my Expected Due Date (E.D.D)?
I will no doubtfully get asked this question billions of times during my pregnancy.
The only people who will know the babies ''Expected due date' is those who make up this nonsense in the first place.
Babies come when they are ready and certainly not when they are told to.
What are the plans for the birth?
Need you ask? I am planning my third home birth.
D = Elective caesarean
J = Home birth after 1 caesarean
M = Home birth after 1 caesarean
Twin M's = Emergency caesarean
This baby = Home birth after two caesareans (but also two home births).
All I am going to say is this birth will be a whole lot different.
A bit of background: (for my new friends & followers)
D's ''birth'' wasn't birth as I class it an operation. It was an 'uneccessarean' (unnecessary caesarean), he was breech presentated, with apparently low amniotic fluid levels and he was a HUGE baby, so a natural birth would brain damage him.
A trial of labour was not allowed.
D was born weighing 5lb 9oz.
J's birth was absolutely amazing, a home birth against medical advice. It empowered me. 100% I am the Mother of this baby and I chose what was best for my child, it's just a shame I couldn't do that with D. Anyway, he was born beautifully at home, despite death threats made towards us, we both were fine. I suffered a minor tear, for which I refused stitches. I had only gas and air, a water pool (for which only used for about half an hour then popped haha), and a tens machine.
J was born weighing a healthy 7lb 8oz, which was fitting as he was 11 days late.
M's birth was another absolutely amazing home birth, again against medical advice.
We had a few days stop / start labour. But when it got going she was born in 2 hours 49 minutes. At 9:05 I was examined and was ''only 4cm'' At 9:49am she was delivered and in my arms. The NICE guidelines recommend a Mother typically dilates 1cm every hour. I dilated 6cm in 40 minutes!
M was born without anything, not even gas and air!
M was diagnosed as having a heart murmur at birth, a few months later down the line (and 3 days before her first Christmas) she was diagnosed has having a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD). She should of had it picked up during her antenatal scans.
Thankfully her home birth was another non-eventful birth and she was fine, things could of been different had she had a different CHD.
Twin M's birth was an emergency caesarean. We spent 3 days in labour with no progress. They were stuck plain and simple. I tried a lot of different holistic techniques to turn them to birth them naturally, but they were having none of it. Twin 1 was stuck, her shoulder was in my pelvis.
Even the surgeon had problems removing them from me.
After D's mishandled and traumatic ''birth'' I set upon myself to educate myself about the whole pregnancy, labour and birth thing.
I have experienced the trauma of birth rape and have experienced the 'dead eyes' following a caesarean now twice.
It's not just the trauma of the physical pain but the psychological ones too.
Feelings as strong as these do not go away.
I have always worn my babies, ok with D I knew no better and used a 'crotch dangler' I have always avoided medication where possible, and despite my wishes not being adhered to for D I had ordered ORAL vitamin K.
J, M and Twin M's have ALL had ORAL vitamin K and so will this new baby.
Why serve your newborn precious baby a NEEDLE OF PAIN, when there is a painless oral version?
Oral vitamin K is adminstered at home, by yourself on Day 1, Day 7 and Day 28.
I am a breast-feeder too. I didn't do well with D because of the caesarean and inexperience.
I did well with J, M and Twin M's - though I admit, to feed twins was extremely challenging.
I again will be breast-feeding. I strongly believe 'breast is best'. I support breast-feeding and advocate it as much as I do natural home birthing.
Because of M's CHD I will be having a 17 week foetal echocardigram with this baby (as I did with the twins) to rule out further Congenital Heart Defects, though I am sure since this baby was made using the finest sperm out there, there will be no issues - insert winky face here ;)
Upcoming dates for the calendar:
Wednesday 13th November - Booking in appointment with the Midwife
Saturday 30th November - Private Early Scan
Wednesday 11th December - NHS dating scan
As a few of you will know, I am the Administrator of a highly successful natural pregnancy and parenting page on Facebook.
I do what I believe to be natural and right.
