Welcome to our series: Real Talk. Here, we share first-person stories from our community on various topics we all go through in our motherhood journey. We created this series because no two motherhood experiences are the same and everyone arrives at motherhood in their own way. And we think that's beautiful. Real Talk elevates different perspectives and experiences on motherhood to foster conversation, connection and to celebrate the sisterhood of motherhood.
Today's topic: pregnancy stories.
“My first pregnancy was wonderful. My pregnancy with my second boy felt like a grumpy, hormonal parasite that I loved was growing inside of me. The sickness was worse, the hormones were worse, the exhaustion was worse, and the feeling of being large but not in charge was unbearable. I was diagnosed with low Papp A, the pregnancy-associated plasma protein A, early on and therefore had extra check-ups with our specialist. This was stressful to say the least, and the big piece of advice I was given was don’t stress. With a toddler, an underperforming placenta, and a blooming business—just don’t stress? Cool.
Then in one of our check-ups, our specialist told us that I also had a marginal cord, which meant that it may be difficult for my baby to get all of the nutrients he needs. The solution? Eat. My doctor literally prescribed me to eat rich, fatty foods and ice cream everyday. The first two weeks of this new diet were glorious. Like dancing to “Glamorous” by Fergy with ice cream dripping down my belly glorious. The following weeks, I needed this baby out of me and that brownie out of my face. When I finally gave birth to my son, a discovery was made. I did not in fact have a marginal cord, my baby was getting fed perfectly fine all along, and that extra 20 pounds I put on from eating dessert everyday was just an added bonus. We had to just laugh at all the confusion and stress. We have two sweet, beautiful boys and I’ve still been extremely fortunate with my pregnancies. And yes, I still want baby number three.”
- Kristen
“I really enjoyed being pregnant for both of my pregnancies. With the exceptions of the usual tiredness, irritability, and pain that comes along with growing a human, I really didn’t mind it. I told myself at the beginning of my first pregnancy that I was going to put full trust in my doctor. I think this was one of the biggest factors that kept my mind from spinning or assuming the worst and looking things up every time I felt like something might be wrong. I figured if my doctor was concerned then I would get concerned, and until then I tried to breathe through everything. I really attribute this to why I was so calm and relaxed both times. I actually found myself romanticizing the last few weeks as I realized how much I enjoyed sharing my body with the life I was growing inside.”
- Lauren
“My husband and I knew we wanted to start a family as soon as possible, so I stopped taking the pill on our honeymoon in October, expecting to be pregnant by Christmas. Unfortunately, the several months following I never got my period. I kept hoping it was because I was pregnant but with each negative test result I became increasingly worried. I finally went to see a fertility doctor and was told I had PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility treatment started from there. I tried several rounds of Clomid and then injectables to get me ovulating, but each cycle was a long, painful process. We tried IUI twice and on the third round my ovaries released over 20 eggs. I was told it was too dangerous to do IUI, but we could try IVF. I was hopeful that the odds would finally be in my favour and thought I could be pregnant within the month. But instead I had to freeze all the embryos (I am lucky to have had the option) and wait until my body was ready to do the transfer. The waiting felt like torture. It felt like friends and family all around me were getting pregnant so easily and it was hard to not feel angry and envious. After a month, I was given the green light for a transfer and finally got that positive pregnancy test I had been dreaming about for over a year. The first trimester was nerve-wracking, but I was lucky to have had an easy pregnancy, a positive birth experience, and finally a beautiful baby girl. I was fortunate to be able to do another round of IVF the following year with success. And then, when least expecting it, I got pregnant naturally with my third. My fertility journey was not at all what I expected. I am unbelievably grateful for my three healthy children, but I will always remember the pain and anguish I felt during that first year trying to conceive.”
- Nicki
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This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and we recommend that you always consult with your healthcare provider. To the extent that this article features the advice of physicians or medical practitioners, the views expressed are the views of the cited expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Perelel.