My story began in 2010 when I got married at the age of 32. My husband and I didn’t really plan when we are going to have kids. We decided to just go with the flow and let things happen without pressure.
First time mom at 40 years old
After a year of being married, I found out I was pregnant. It was a pleasant surprise for my husband and I. Because we were really excited, we announced our pregnancy to our family, friends right away and posted on our social media.
I didn’t experience any uncomfortable symptoms and I went about my usual house office routine.
After 8 weeks, I experienced bleeding so we went to our OB for a checkup. The first ultrasound did not show a fetus and I was asked to go back for a repeat ultrasound after 2 weeks.
The second ultrasound confirmed that there’s no fetus and I had blighted ovum. We were really devastated about it. And after the miscarriage, we didn’t try to get pregnant immediately
Journey of conceiving
After the first pregnancy, we had a hard time conceiving. So in 2017, we decided to try consulting a fertility doctor for a work up. To prepare us for the pregnancy, the doctor did some tests on me and my husband. We were both given supplements to boost the chances of pregnancy.
I had to inject a medicine on my abdomen everyday to help produce a healthy egg. I also underwent polypectomy to remove the polyps in my cervix.
First, we tried Intrauterine Insemination or IUI. It’s an outpatient procedure that inserts the sperm directly in the uterus placing it near the healthy egg. After the procedure, we just have to wait if I will get my monthly period or not.
We had our hopes high since we diligently followed all the advice of our doctor. It was the longest two weeks of waiting and anticipation. But, unfortunately, I had my period right on schedule in my calendar.
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It was frustrating. We thought it was easy to conceive through IUI. After the first attempt, we decided to take a rest from the workup and remove the pressure of getting pregnant.
The following year, we thought of doing Invitro Fertilization or IVF instead of doing another round of IUI. We scheduled to visit an IVF clinic in the second half of 2018 when there is less work for both of us.
Good news!
A month before our planned visit to the clinic, my monthly period was delayed. I thought to myself, maybe I was just stressed and my cycle is changing. Two weeks after my missed period, I took a home pregnancy test. I was surprised to see two faint lines meaning positive pregnancy.
So, I did not believe the first result so I asked my husband to buy more home pregnancy tests. I took the test for another 2 days and the results were the same.
I was pregnant!
We went to our doctor and told her the good news. She quickly prescribed vitamins and supplements and scheduled an ultrasound to check my pregnancy.
I remember how nervous I was during the first ultrasound. It will confirm if I was really pregnant or not. I was looking at the monitor, hoping and praying, then suddenly I saw and heard a tiny heartbeat. I couldn’t help but become emotional that time. Then the doctor called my husband in to take a look at our baby.
It was really a magical moment
For my pregnancy, I was given vitamins to make sure me and my baby were healthy. I also had to take progesterone to prevent contractions during the first trimester.
I was categorized as high risk because of my age. But It was a relatively smooth pregnancy. In the first trimester I just had mild nausea and dizziness because of the progesterone. I was extra careful in doing things and did not drive while I was pregnant. And unlike the first pregnancy, we kept it a secret for as long as we could
Weeks nearing my due date my husband and I attended a Birthing Class. I learned about strategies on how to handle labor pains, breathing techniques so I can push the baby out smoothly, how to carry and bathe a newborn.
Image from Freepik
It was a fun experience because we got to meet other couples who were also expecting their first baby. The class somehow eased my fears of childbirth
Finally, it was time for my baby to enter the world. I was already 40 weeks pregnant but there were no contractions yet. I was put in induced labor because there’s little fluid left in the sac. After 16 hours of labor, my doctor decided, with our consent, to do CS to prevent further stress on my baby.
I was mildly sedated because I told them I was having difficulty breathing even if my oxygen levels were perfect. Everything happened quickly. Next thing I knew my husband was called to check our baby while she was being cleaned. Then they brought her to me, my sweet princess, the blessing we waited for 8 years.
And I became a mom at 40.
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