A Journey to Parenthood

Matt and I went through fertility treatments in order to get pregnant. When Matt and I decided to start a family I thought I would get pregnant on the first try. I know that it is highly unlikely and a fantasy, but as the days turned to months and the months turned to a year we knew this would be a journey. I am sad that my body will not do what most people's body do without a second thought. At first Matt tried to be extremely positive about everything while I went into a mini depression. I say mini because I was still able to go about by normal day I was just not feeling like myself. Plus, I was also not sleeping AT ALL! I have a plan, schedule, and I rarely can survive without some sort of 'good' sleep!
I am deciding to write this because I have found out first hand what it feels like for people to ask that harmless question: When are you going to have a baby? I have asked a ton of my friends this question without even thinking about the fact that they might be going through fertility problems. I don't want people to feel sorry for us or pity us. My doctor was very optimistic about us conceiving we just needed a little extra help.
Here is what our timetable looked like:
June 2011-Off Birth Control
July 2011-November 2011 Trying To Conceive(TTC)
November 2011- Doctor's Appointment, decide to do blood work
November 2011-January 2012- TTC
January 18,2012- Blood work shows Low progesterone. Given option of Clomid
February 2012-July 2012- TTC(when we could since Matt was gone)
June 2012- 1 year trying=infertility issues
August 2012- Dr.'s Appt. Re-do blood work, found out Progesterone still low but Thyroid and other blood work looks good. Given the option of Clomid. Told my sister who is a nurse and she recommends getting a second opinion since Clomid can have some pretty harsh side effects.
September 2012- Changed Doctors. We met with a Doctor at UAB that my sisters works with. She was very optimistic and has decided a different route instead of Clomid. We both had some tests run and then we will see if medicine is the way for us to go. Basically I am having a test run to see of my tubes are blocked and if my uterus is shaped correctly. Also I will have another panel of blood work done. Matt will have a sperm sample taken and it will be read by the fertility doctor. Once all the tests are in my doctor will decide if medicine will be the way to go or if we need to see an RE(fertility doctor.); HSG/FSH-Mollie, Sperm Sample-Matt, Results of New Tests: My tests were both normal; Matt's Sperm count is low. Maturity is good. We have been referred to a fertility doctor.
October 2012- Met with Fertility doctor at UAB. She re-analyzed all of our test and I got more blood work. We also found out that my hormones are actually ok(my Progesterone was a 7 and she said I only needed a 3 to get pregnant!). Also found out that Matt's "low sperm count" is actually not low, it is just right at the edge. She has label us as "unexplained infertility", meaning something is just not working exactly right. She is very hopeful that we will get pregnant by doing an IUI(inter uterine insemenation). Basically they are going to take the best sperm from Matt and place it in my uterus to help it along. I will not be taking an drugs because we think I am producing an egg and we don't wont multiples if we can help it! We will try it without the drugs a couple of times then move on to some fertility Meds to help.
October 19, 2012- IUI#1 All went well. Two Week Wait(TWW) begins.
November 7, 2012- Period Starts, IUI Failed
November 20, 2012-IUI#2 All went well, TWW begins
December 4, 2012- Period Starts, IUI Failed, I was 3 days late (never been late in my LIFE!!!)
After the 2nd Natural IUI failed, we decided to move on the medication. On Day 3 of my cycle, I had a ultrasound to check everything out. Clomid 50mg on Day 3-7 then on Day 11 went for ultrasound to determine size of follicles (3-9,11, and 14). Go back on Day 14 to remeasure (2-19 and 20). HCG Trigger Shot @ 9pm on December 17 (this is to make me release the eggs that are mature and by using this my doctor can control everything).
Decemebr 19, 2012- Medicated IUI (#3), TWW begins
December 29, 2012- first positive test! I freaked out but didn't get too excited b/c the trigger shot can give you a false positive. Decide to test everyday until I can get to the doctor.
December 31, 2012- call nurse setup blood work for January 2, 2013!
January 2, 2013- blood work comes back in the 400's. We suspect twins but won't know until an ultrasound confirms.
January 4, 2013- 2nd round of blood work comes back in the 800's. Schedule an ultrasound for January 16!
January 16- first ultrasound! The baby was exactly the right size and we even got to hear/see the heartbeat! It was in the 120s.
January 24- second ultrasound! Baby had doubled in size to the size of a kidney bean! Heard/saw the heartbeat in the 160s! Our REI doctor released is to my regular OBGYN!
January 30- first OB appointment with Dr. Greer! No ultrasound but she does an exam an everything checked out perfect. Go back on March 4th for 13 week appointment.
February 13- Ultrasound! Baby is measuring 5 days early, but everything is perfect! HB in the 170s!
February 14- Told the world! Everyone was super excited!