Hello, let me introduce myself first..
For the first 30 years of my life, everything was smooth and worry-free. I was my parents’ most beloved child, found my true love in college, and happily married him after graduation.
At work, I was my boss’s most valued employee. Whenever I was in charge of a project, colleagues would inevitably say, “Oh, then I’m totally at ease.” I was constantly named “Employee of the Year,” with generous bonuses every year.
Later, I started my own business. Within just three months, I had broken into the market and started making money. By the fifth month, I was earning twice my previous salary. Growth was steady month after month. Right when the business needed more hands, I serendipitously met an amazing partner, and the company reached a whole new level.
Really, it seemed like at every step, whatever I needed, a pair of hands would always place it right in front of me, just in time.
My Two Girls: Ellie & Mia
Meet Ellie, My Firstborn
In 2020, my husband and I decided to have a child. After trying for over a year, we finally got the news in 2021 that a little one was on the way. In 2022, we welcomed our first child, Ellie. She made me a mother.
She is utterly adorable—big eyes, rosy skin, chubby little hands. Every time I look at her, I can’t help but give her a kiss. She is pure joy, and I love her more each day.
But as a first-time mom, I faced unprecedented difficulties. The postpartum tearing wouldn’t heal, and the pain was excruciating. Clogged milk ducts made my breasts hard as rocks. The severe sleep deprivation… And what was even more crushing was that, with zero parenting experience, I was clueless when faced with her unexplained wailing, night terrors, refusal to nurse, constipation, diarrhea, fevers… I desperately searched online, longing for one accurate, truly useful answer!
It was during this time that I thought, once I make it through this “dark” path, I must leave a light on for other new moms.
And Then Came Mia
Ellie had just turned one when I got pregnant again. In 2024, we welcomed our second daughter, Mia.
Completely different from Ellie, Mia is a great eater and sleeper. Although she had her fussy moments in the first two months, starting almost from month three, she became super easygoing. She feeds on schedule, gradually sleeps through the night, loves her solid foods, and adapted quickly when I had to stop breastfeeding due to mastitis.
This made me realize just how vastly different babies can be! It made me even more determined to write about my experiences.
Why I Had to Start This Blog
The Catalyst: A Life Pivoted
After Mia was born, my business also began to decline sharply. I had no choice but to close it and become a full-time mom. My work no longer involves Excel and Word, but instead revolves around changing diapers, washing bottles, making baby food, and managing household chores…
This has been a monumental challenge for me. All my past achievements seem irrelevant now. Managing two young children has brought me a sense of frustration I’ve never known before.
The Daily Reality
They are always fighting over things. When one is in my arms, the other immediately demands to be held too. When I try to cook, Ellie wants me to read her a book. When I attempt to load the washing machine, Mia has a diaper blowout, and I must drop everything to change her…
By the time I finish all that, I see the cup of hot coffee on the table has gone cold again. And it’s not until evening that I remember, “Oh my goodness, the clothes are still in the hamper, unwashed!”
Of course, being a mom is filled with happiness, but that doesn’t negate how hard it is.
My Promise to You
Because I’ve walked this path myself, I won’t just tell you how joyful motherhood is, like many websites do. I want to share my real, unfiltered experiences so every new mom can find a “companion” here.
I want to tell you: you are not alone. What you’re going through, I’ve been there too. Your breakdowns, your helplessness, your moments of losing control—I’ve had them all. You don’t need to feel guilty. This is just a small, necessary stretch of the journey for every mom.
My Hope for This Space
I really want to share my parenting experiences—not just the warm, glowing moments, but to honestly document the pitfalls I’ve stumbled into, the tears I’ve shed, and the “survival wisdom” I’ve scraped together in utter exhaustion.
The Goal: A Mom’s Toolkit
I hope this blog becomes a “mom’s toolkit,” filled not with vague theories, but with:
- Practical Tips: Like how to quickly figure out why a baby is crying, tried-and-true methods for dealing with clogged ducts, or how to efficiently manage the daily grind with twins (or two under two) solo.
- Pitfall Avoidance Guides: Sharing the baby products I regret buying the most, and those “game-changer” parenting hacks. Letting you know which parenting anxieties you can let go of, and which principles are worth holding onto.
- A Community for Moms: I hope my stories connect me with more moms like you. We can cheer each other on in the comments, share our own tricks, turning the storms we face alone into a journey we walk together.
The Bigger Vision
My previous career taught me to analyze data, solve problems, and optimize processes. Now, I’m applying all those skills to this new “position” of Mom. I want to prove that a mom’s value is absolutely not confined to the home. The mindset, resilience, and creativity we built in our careers can shine just as brightly—perhaps even brighter—in this more complex, long-term “project” of raising humans, and can even be transformed into a force that helps others.
My hope is simple: that every mom who opens this blog can let out a sigh of relief and say, “So it’s not just me.” Then, she can find a bit of practical info, a dose of comforting solidarity, and return to her sweet, chaotic mom-life with a little more confidence and a little less weight on her shoulders.
This road? Let’s walk it together.
travellingjess
member
Re: Introduction
Introduce yourself: Hi, my name is Jess. I live in Vancouver, Canada. This is my second proper Bump group (I departed one quite quickly after my loss earlier this year and my first was for March 2023 babes and we are now a core group of us on FB).
Due date: May 6, 2026
How you found out: I have been testing since 8/22. Got a solid blue line on a Clearblue early test. Started testing with Premom hcg tests to watch line progression (previous chemical pregnancy in Feb 2025 after no line progression so a bit worried this time around). So far the line is getting darker fast.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) I am married to my husband of three years and we have a 2.5 year old son. I enjoy listening to audio books and doing anything else in the world to avoid the ironing. I work in Healthcare Operations and have a very, very supportive boss thankfully.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)? I'm anxious. I don't want to lose this rainbow baby and so am trying to be cautious. I'm having a few cramps, hip pain and am nauseous if I'm hungry or smell the garbage (sick).
I'm brand new here, this is my first pregnancy. My due date is May 5th, 2026. My husband and I have been trying for exactly a year and I finally changed methods to using the Kegg fertility detector this round and here we are!
We live outside of Seattle, Washington. (But Jess I'm a fellow Canadian, originally from Edmonton!). I'm a lawyer working for a nonprofit. My husband and I have 2 kitties and in my free time you'll find me hiking or kayaking and just generally enjoying the PNW.
So far I have almost no symptoms, just a bit of cramping here and there and I swear I am already peeing like 20 times a day. I am trying to manage excitement because of how early it is but I think we're going to tell my parents this weekend.
I currently work as a Histology Technician at a hospital.
My Due date is May 8
Honestly it hasn't fully sunk in for me yet. My only symptom is a better sense of smell. I had two hard pregnancies and a miscarriage between my son and daughter. I had pre-eclampsia during my first pregnancy and had Vasa previa and velementous cord insertion with my daughter causing her to be born at 34 weeks, which means I will be stressing and overthinking this entire pregnancy.
I started noticing some different types of “cramping” at 8/9 DPO and on the morning the 11DPO my BBT had shot way up. I decided to test with a Premom HCG strip and got a faint line, and confirmed with a first response test. I’ve taken a couple other tests since all coming back positive including this morning which was the first day of my missed period. Now it’s feeling real!
My husband and I got married in April of this year, but next month will be our 10 year anniversary since we first started dating. We have a 5-year old Aussalier, so our weekend are usually spent out on walks or bike rides.
I'm not positive of my due date just yet but an educated guess would be about May 6th. I have always had a very irregular period so its really hard to say exactly until we get our first ultrasound on the 23rd, so hopefully that still keeps us in the May 2026 group!
We found out because after having my nexplanon birth control implant removed from my arm in early May of this year, I haven't had my period come back AT ALL. So I bought and was going through tons of pregnancy tests lol. Until finally, exactly a week ago, one came back very faint but positive! I have been taking tests every day or two since then and the line keeps getting darker and darker! Which is why I think i was about 3-4 weeks when I got the positive test. After explaining this to my doctor, they agreed that they think I'd be about 8 weeks be the week of the 22nd.
We have two other children, both boys, ages 8 and 10, so we are hoping for a girl this time but honestly, a healthy baby is the real goal!! It has been quite a while since I've been pregnant, I had my first two in my early to mid 20s, so I'm sure things will be (and feel) a bit different this time around haha. I work in a deli currently and my fiance is an HVAC regional service manager. His job is much more impressive than mine, I come home smelling like ham. 🤣 But its fast paced, and works for us in this season of life. Its very different from what Ive done in the past but honestly, the exercise I get beats my old office job, and there's literally no stress to bring home after work, so I wont complain.
As for symptoms, the first noticeable ones that made me reach for (another) pregnancy test was how often I was having to pee, and my food cravings! I have been craving Isaly's ham and tomatoes like crazy lol. And I have to pee pretty much every 37 minutes hahaha. I have also been absolutely exhausted and taking naps most days, going to be much earlier than usual, well at least when I can. I drive our boys to and from school every day (every other week. On the other weeks theyre at their father's house) which is an hour each way. Which is exhausting, its a kind of ridiculous commute haha but it is what it is, and their bus rides when we lived in town were just as long so now I'm just their own personal chauffeur.
Im super excited to be here, but am also anxiously awaiting our first appointment to see that beating little heart as my first pregnancy before I had my 2 boys ended with a miscarriage very early on. Im trying to temper my excitement but its not working at all. Here's to praying that all of us here have happy, healthy, and strong little babies come May of next year!! Can't wait to get to know you all! I still talk to a few of the mamas I met here on the bump from my expecting November 2014 group for my first baby!! 🥰
About 2 weeks ago I got a bit nauseous while eating breakfast, took a test, and lo and behold, I’m pregnant again. I’m excited but also very nervous because I’m only 5 months pp and I’m scared of another stillbirth.
Feels crazy to be excited this early, but we are telling family this weekend!
Due date: 14 May 2026
How you found out: We tracked my ovulation window to conceive and then tracked my menstrual for first signs. We took the test on my third day of being late and + test!
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? ) 10 year old. No pets at our home; we pet sit instead.
Job? Business Owner -BudgetLuvn LLC (Budget Coach) I help individuals/ families gain clarity through budget organizing and setting realistic goals!
Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) Coffee/Tea dates are the best! Sometimes we simply warm up a nice drink and turn on some tunes then dance into the night.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)? Feeling great most of the time with small waves of emotional reactions. Tearing up is my new favorite pasttime.
Due date: May 5th
How you found out: I just had a feeling the day before my period so I took a test. And then a second. And then made a doctors appointment to confirm since the lines were FAINT.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) This is our first pregnancy. I have a cat Willow 17yrs and dog Poppy 3 yrs. I work as a children’s therapist. I enjoy reading, cooking, baking, sewing. My partner is Army, he enjoys hiking, puzzles, video games.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally?) some nausea mostly when I am trying to sleep. Emotionally I have been all over the place. Mostly anxious, some excitement, a little numb, like I haven’t fully realized I’m pregnant. Just moving to Anchorage so feeling a little nervous since I don’t have friends or family in the area. Thinking about joining support groups.
Due Date: May 5th
How we found out: was just taking a test to see as we were trying, fully expected it to be negative as it was our 9th cycle trying before starting some fertility treatments. Doubted that I had seen the second line and went and woke my husband to check if we he also saw the second line. Immediately took another one to make sure it wasn't wrong lol.
My husband and I just celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary which was 2 weeks before getting the positive so we've been saying it's our anniversary gift!
Feeling nervous and anxious, praying that everything will go well and baby is healthy. Having some on and off nausea but mainly sore boobs and tiredness
My due date is May 4th (we are huge Star Wars fans, so this is really exciting!)
This is our rainbow baby - we had a missed miscarriage in March. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic this time around. I have PCOS, so we’ve had to use Letrozole to conceive all 3 times. We’ve been trying for just over a year for this second child, so we were about to consider more aggressive fertility treatments and were so surprised that I got pregnant again this cycle!
My due date is 5/9.
Introduce yourself: I'm Sarah. 36 and living in WI. This will be baby #2, pregnancy #3. My son C just turned 3 in July but his father and I got divorced officially earlier this year. Part of that was the infertility we struggled with for 4 years and his unwillingness to ever be open emotionally about it and the other part was me beginning to understand that I've probably had undiagnosed ADHD since high school and realizing my ex was a gaslighting narcissist and my mental health was keeping me in such a toxic relationship. It was actually him that said he didn't know if he was in love with me anymore. I was willing to do couples counseling and work on our relationship which originally he was open to and then a few weeks later was like F that 🙄. This will sound messy but I jumped right back into the dating pool a month after we filed last year and met my now boyfriend a week after I downloaded Tinder. He may have actually been the first profile I swiped right (and did a super like) on when I had no clue how to use that app 😂. So we've been together for over a year and still going strong. He is also divorced and has a son N from that marriage who turns 9 later this year. So I'm chest deep in the boy chaos but I really love it! Our sons are so good together so we are a lovely little blended family.
Dx: low morph (1%), ANA positive, low decidualization score, high TSH and testosterone, histone antibodies
IUI #1-3 | all BFN
IVF #1 | 6.11.19 | 24R, 17M, 15F, 6B, PGT-A tested - 5 normal, 3 girls & 2 boys
FET #1 | 9.10.19 | BFN "I know you, but we've never met. I'm with you, but I don't know your name"
RPL, Receptiva, & ERA testing | all normal/negative, recommended going on gluten and dairy free diet for next FET
FET #2 | 3.31.20 | Opted to cancelled due to pandemic, continued diet and tried naturally over the summer
2nd Opinion with another RE | 8.20.20 | Not immune to measles (received 1 dose); SA results similar to 2 years ago; decided to move forward with FET #2 redo at start of next cycle
Surprise natural BFP! | 9.22.20 | MC 10.23.20 at 8 weeks
TTCAL naturally | starting 11.22.20
Initial consultation with Reproductive Immunologist | 9.14.21
Decidualization score biopsy | 10.1.21 | abnormal - low score of 1; endometrial scratch recommended and progesterone supplementation
Saline sono | 10.15.21 | normal
Bloodwork | 10.21.21 | high TSH, high testosterone, positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and histone antibodies, high protein S, multiple genetic mutations
BFP! | 11.3.21 | EDD 7.14.22
DS born 7.19.22 after induction
TTC #2 begins 6.2023
Consultation with RI | 6.6.23
Saline sono, endometritis biopsy, skin & eye check | all normal
Labs | high TSH, Factor XIII mutation, high %CD56
Follow up | 8.8.23 | prescribed metformin, prednisone, plaquenil, and levothyroxine
Repeat labs after 3 weeks on meds
Follow up | 11.9.23 | Green light!, increase in prednisone, added lovenox
Repeat labs in 8 weeks
Follow up | 1.16.24 | Green light continues
TTC ended due to filing divorce
**New relationship starting May 2024**
Surprise BFP!! | 9.7.25 | EDD 5.11.26
How you found out: I tracked ovulation and started testing 7DPO.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
3 other kids
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)? Nausea is creeping up on me more and more every day. It’s the worst when I wake up and off and on in little waves throughout the day. I’ve had bad nausea with all of my babies so I’m just waiting for it to come in full force. I told my husband I won’t complain about it though because morning sickness is better than not having a baby in my belly. I’m super tired all the time. And cravings/aversions are already kicking in. Emotionally I’m doing alright. Im hesitant to let myself get too excited and might not be active in here til after my first appt (October 7th) but I’m pretty confident this go around. Still a little nervous. But hoping I get to stick around and get to know you all ❤️
I apologize in advance for my big book of an introduction 🫣
Hi everyone! My name is Jimi, I’m 37, and I live in Northern California where I work at a dental office. My baby is due on May 11, 2026.
How I found out: I tested with a Clearblue early test. My earliest signs were cramping and soreness, and lately I’ve been having some vivid nightmares. This is our second pregnancy—I’m really excited since we already have a sweet 3.5-year-old daughter.
About me: When I’m not working, I love spending time with my family. My partner and I enjoy little adventures with our daughter, and I love making memories with them.
How I’m feeling: Physically, I’ve been dealing with cramping, soreness, and some strong cravings for salty foods like chilies and pickles. Emotionally, I feel a mix of excitement and tiredness. It definitely feels a little different from my first pregnancy, but I’m so grateful and looking forward to this journey. I’ll admit I’m a bit nervous about sharing the news at work since my office isn’t exactly kid-friendly. But I will do after my prenatal visit with the doctor.
Due date: May 20th (according to Flo)
How you found out: I just officially took a test this morning and it was positive, but I suspected all week because of how my body was feeling on top of a missed period.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) My partner and I have no children, just pets :) we are very social and love going out and doing things with friends.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)? The first two days of suspecting, I was in full PANIC. Desperately hoping it wasn't the case. I think just the fear of the unknown and the reality setting in was overwhelming, but that definitely shifted, especially yesterday. We both want to have a child so the reaction actually surprised me, but reading different forums made me feel better that it's not an uncommon reaction. Now I just want to be able to enjoy being excited and nervous and figuring out next steps.
Hi! I’m Sarah! I’m 37 and this will be our eighth! We live in SW Washington where in a stay at home mom and doula. My husband is an anesthesiologist. Our kids are 14, 12.5, almost 11, 9.5, 6.5, 4, 17 months. We have four dachshunds, one indoor kitten, five barn cats, nine rabbits, four horses/ponies, and a boat load of chickens! I homeschool our kids grades 9th through pre-k, and in my *free* (laughs) time enjoy running, riding horses, and tending to our five acre farm!
Due date: May 15th
( a fun little fact this is our first to share a birth month with a sibling! All the rest have their own month!)
How you found out: Well we actually had a stomach bug going through the house so at first I thought I was just dealing with that. I had a fair amount of spotting which I typically do right before I start my cycles so I really didn’t think much of it. Once the spotting stopped it was clear to me I wasn’t fighting a GI illness. We had talked about trying for one more but had tabled it for the fall and were going to come back to that decision early 2026, but God had other plans! We are excited to add a final baby to the mix!
Symptoms wise I actually have felt pretty normal outside of occasional underlying nausea and fatigue. Lack of symptoms always makes me nervous having had four early losses, but HCG is rising appropriately (I’ve been into midwife for blood draws every other days this past week to check) so that’s reassuring!
Due date: May 15th-ish
How you found out: We started trying on my first cycle postpartum. I had the same symptom I have with my other pregnancies (extreme dry mouth/thirst in the middle of the night), so decided to test early.
Tell us about yourself: I work from home and so does my husband. We have a dog and a little boy and are excited for the addition to the family.
How are you feeling: I am very thirsty, tired, and get little bouts of nausea but nothing too bad yet.
I’m Jasna, I’m 39, and due May 18th with our first. We live in Abbotsford, BC. I work as a physician and my husband is an engineering draftsman. We just got married in July.
We found out a few days before expected period. I was tracking ovulation and testing.
Also cautiously optimistic. Being 39 (and a physician) I worry things won’t take or all the things that could go wrong. We are waiting to tell family and friends until after about 14 weeks. We have our honeymoon right at 12 weeks so we decided we didn’t want to tell everyone right before we leave and then get messages and distractions on our honeymoon. We figured it will be the last two weeks of quiet to ourselves. But SO hard not to share the news. I told my boss at work as it’s difficult to plan and have coverage for my work, so I at least feel I have somebody I can talk to.
Due date: May 17th per my period tracking app
How you found out: Took a test maybe 4 days after my missed period. I often do this for my peace of mind, as my menstrual cycles have always been a mess and I can sometimes go on 30-40 day cycles. Completely shocked when I got a strong positive test (my husband and I were really vigorously tracking my cycle for NFP birth control)
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?) I have a 6y5m daughter and a 1y1m daughter. +1 angel baby that would be 2y due to miscarriage. All deliveries were emergency c-sections. SAHM currently.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)? Still in a state of disbelief I guess. Lol. No symptoms beside raging hormones that have caused a lot of irritation and acne.
I was hesitant to post under my current circumstances, but if anyone has spotting success stories, I’d love to hear them! I’m trying to cling to the positives.
Due date: May 30th! I'm at the tail end. May very well possibly end up being a June birth. I'm not sure how many people actually get their due date completely accurate. I think I hear it is often earlier or later?
How you found out: My husband and I started trying after the ceremony and honeymoon. So, I was really keeping track of my ovulation and cycle. This time, it just felt different. Most notably, my emotions were completely out of whack, and I was crying so much and so easily, especially at work, which was embarrassing, heh. For good and bad things. It was beyond how moody and irritated I get during my period. I took the test Sept. 16 and got a faint line. and then again and again the next days. I'm positive for sure now! Symptoms have already started.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
No other children! This is our first.
I work as a museum tour guide and children's librarian. I do the program for the toddlers, and as you can tell, I got baby fever lol.
I like to draw. I listen to podcasts. I watch things with my family. I have a collection of board games.
My husband likes to play music. He enjoys reading with me like actually reading to each other. Good practice for the baby lol.
We have a pet turtle named Toph. She's a cutie. And my family has a pet dog named Buddy. Now he doesn't live with me anymore since I live with my husband, but he was my first pet dog and I visit him every weekend, so it feels weird not to include him.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)?
I haven't personally thrown up in years. I got really bad nausea and already threw up, which was a big deal for me because I'm emetophobic, which I probably do need to get over because of the baby- The first time was rough. I've been doing everything I possibly can do to deal with that symptom. I feel better this week. I think I'm more prepared and been doing the ginger tea, eating crackers, I've also just don't want eat anything. So, I have to force myself to eat something small now and then. (I usually have a big appetite.) I'm taking vitamin B6 the moment I wake up too.
I got spotting too. From what I've been reading. Your HCG doubles and go up and that's normal. I will tell my doctor for the first appointment, of course. I would tell a doctor if you're concerned. Spotting a week or two after ovulation could be implantation bleeding. If there was no cramping accompanied with it, I think that's a good sign. Also, if you're still having your other symptons, that's a good sign too. Of course, this is all from what I'm reading, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but spotting seems to be normal.
Due date: May 23, 2026
How you found out: Took a test a few days after i was late (actually i took two cause the line was faint 😂)
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
I have 3 dogs and a cat, and my husband. I’m a high school teacher, and this is my first child 💕
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)?
So excited!! We’ve been trying for 2 years, so I’m also pretty nervous. Some minor symptoms but I’m only 5 weeks along!
Due date: 5/30
How you found out: took a test when I woke up. My periods are irregular due to breastfeeding so I regularly take tests.
Tell us about yourself (Other children/pets? Job? Things you like to do? Spouse/partner?)
My daughter Freya is 10.5 months right now so I will have 2 under 2. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and work as a bank teller part time. I am 21 and I’ve been married to my husband for 2 years and we’ve been together for about 7 years now. I like to read, bake, go on walks, and crochet.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)?
I’m nervous/ anxious about 2 under 2 but also excited. I love my daughter so much and knew I wanted to have more kids with my husband. I’ve been a little nauseous and drowsy.
Due date: 5/28/26
How you found out: I couldn't eat a donut and decided to test last Sunday and the line popped up so quick, I called my husband in to the bathroom as I was still wiping.
Tell us about yourself: My husband and I are highschool sweethearts of 17 years now and we have 2 daughters and identical twins sons.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)?
A lot of cramping and gas I feel bloated and I don't have much of an appetite. As far as emotionally I am still in shock, happy though.
Introduce yourself: Alana 💗
Due date: May 3
How you found out: I have been tracking and testing regularly this past year. I took an early test three days before my missed period and it was clear as can be! Then I obsessively tested daily for like a week or two just to be sure. I couldn’t believe it, had just thought it wouldn’t happen at this point.
Tell us about yourself: I’m married and we have a 4.5 year old. I work full time in behavioral health.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)? Excited and nervous. I’m older and have more physical health concerns than last time. I’ve had a herniated disc in my low back and I’m pretty worried about the pain getting bad from that. Dr okayed getting pregnant… but I’m still worried. I’ve had lots of nausea on and off. Tired as can be. That’s mostly it for now!
Due date: May 14
How you found out: My husband and I been trying for 18 months, never had a positive test. At the year mark, we decided to start IVF. I had my egg retrieval on July 15, transferred Aug. 26, and got my positive test on Sept. 3. I’m a bit in disbelief still but we are both hopeful and cautiously optimistic.
Tell us about yourself: We’ve been married for 10 years, always focused on careers, and loving our three dogs. None of our family members or friends know that we have been going through IVF, so this will all be a huge shock to them once we tell them.
How are you feeling? At 8 weeks, I’m starting to feel it more. My first symptoms were twinges and feeling heavier in my lower abdomen area, then I started being able to smell everything! Now my symptoms are sore breasts, pulling/cramping and slight nausea every now and then.
Introduce yourself: I’m Rebecca from Abbotsford BC. I am 40 and this is my first pregnancy after a year and half of trying. I had an HSG to see if my fallopian tubes were blocked and they showed as clear but the contrast might have pushed something small out of the way because we got pregnant the very same week!
Due date: May 15, 2026 (my birthday is May 16!)
How you found out: a couple weeks after my HSG, I was scheduled for an ultrasound to see how many healthy ovarian follicles I have. I was a couple days late for my monthly and thought it was going to be late and result in having to reschedule this ultra sound that I was anxious to have and know more information from. Then I realized if I started stressing about my period being late, it could be even later so I took a test thinking I would say a negative and move on with the appointment. However, the test was positive.
Tell us about yourself: like I said this is my first pregnancy so we don’t have any kids yet but we have two cats. One is 10 one is one. I’m a sales manager for an interior finishing distribution company. Despite being very male dominated, it is very supportive of women has a women’s ERG which I chaired last year, and very progressive leadership so I was able to share my news early with my boss, and he was very understanding and accommodating. I wanted to share early because at 40 I have extra appointments and care so I may be missing work and stepping out for these any appointments. It helps that he has two young kids of his own, and his wife is a labour and delivery nurse! My husband is an engine machinist and he is definitely the one that takes longer to warm up the big changes in life, but I’ve always been able to coax him through and he’s fully on board and excited about our baby even though in the beginning he was very nervous! Now I see more of the happiness and excitement coming through the more we progress. I think he was scared of early miscarriage and finances, and all of the things that you worry about. Worry is his default, where as I’m more optimistic and excited. But we balance each other out and he is an amazing partner and he’s been super doting and sweet through these first few weeks.
How are you feeling (any symptoms, Emotionally)? I definitely worry about the normal things like early miscarriage, and we have to do genetic testing because of my age and all of that definitely plays into how I’m feeling, but I’m trying not to stress about it and be positive and optimistic and cross those bridges we get to them. Other than that, I’m super excited. I wanted to be a mom my whole life and like I said we’ve been trying for a year and a half and we had started working with a fertility doctor so this is so very wanted and I just couldn’t be more happy about it. I have had nausea, vomiting, sore breasts, bodyaches as the relaxin kicks in, fatigue, etc. Pretty much all the stereotypical symptoms and they have all been right on queue when my pregnancy app says “you may experience ____” I’ve either already just started experiencing it or it isn’t far behind. And I am taking that as my body is doing exactly what it needs to do and everything is going really well. Where I live I will see my GP once a month for a check up and to see how things are going until I get handed over to my OB. I have my intake appointment with my OB just before Christmas at 18 weeks. My GP has been fantastic and I’ve had a couple extra appointments to fill out various requisitions for ultrasounds and bloodwork for the genetic testing I mentioned. And he’s just so patient and kind with all of it.
All in all, I feel very lucky and blessed that this is finally happening so excited to meet others who are due around our same time.
I've got an awesome little toddler who's just getting to that crazy threenager stage lol. I like to read, play video games, and occasionally cross stitch.