Being Pregnant but Not Preparing for a Baby at Home...Weird!

So, there have been a lot of "news" for me this pregnancy. 

I don't mean news like "things to report" I mean news like the new items and feelings and expectations, etc. I think about 90% of the "news" simply comes from being a surrogate while 10% of the news comes from being pregnant over 30, with a girl, with 3 boys at home.

I must admit it has been funny to start receiving diaper and bottle and nursing top advertisements and all I can think is "nope, not going to need those".

It's a whole new world to realize you are pregnant but you aren't mentally or physically preparing yourself for after the hospital. My only immediate plan will be to sleep and to heal and love on my boys as much as possible!

So, the last few weeks haven't been much different. Still feeling slightly queasy but thank the Lord not the debilitating nausea I had for about 3 weeks. I'm pretty certain the increased nausea was due to the extra hormones I was taking because of the special circumstances of IVF and surrogacy in general. I'm now 11 and a half weeks and each day gets a little better. 

A few weeks ago, I was weaned off the hormone supplements but my numbers didn't hold as high as they would have preferred. It wasn't dangerously low but with all these procedures the doctors always err on the side of safety so I went back on one of the supplements until this week. Once the placenta develops it will take over all hormone production. I am going in Friday to check my numbers just to be certain they are holding for baby's safety.

Around 8 weeks I dug my proverbial heels into the ground and refused to go buy pregnancy shorts. I was only 8 weeks, there is no way I needed maternity clothing yet. But alas, with this being my 5th pregnancy my body was like "oh I know exactly what to do and how to stretch, let's get ready" and I broke down at 9 weeks and have enjoyed the elastic waist ever since 😉

July will mark the end of the first trimester and it can't come soon enough! This has by far been my hardest first trimester and that includes crossing the Atlantic with air sickness with each one of my boys in my first trimester. Again, certain things like being over 30 vs 23 when I first did this and extra hormones have added to that. I've never loathed Summer as much as I have the last few weeks. The other night I had what I can only describe as the very opposite of a nightmare, it was euphoric! I was wearing a sweater and a scarf and I was calling out to my husband "It's COLD, it's ACTUALLY COLD!" Alas I shall endure and I keep reminding myself how glad I am that when I feel as big as a whale at the end of the pregnancy it will be dead of winter! Woohoo! And, of course, when I say "winter" in Southern California it will probably be 60 degrees.

I had a little snag a few days ago that left me in hormonal tears for a few days. After we returned from South Africa I never had the need for a gynecologist. My GP could fulfill whatever I needed. So, for surrogacy I had to start from complete scratch finding an OB/GYN to deliver this baby! Well I did my research and asked some moms I knew and decided to go with a doctor in one of the largest hospitals in Orange County. 2 weeks a before I was to be released from my fertility doctor I called the OB's office and confirmed they took my insurance and was informed the doctor would need to look over my paperwork before he could accept me as a new patient. I got my paperwork from UCLA, dropped it off in person and waited a few days. I got the call that the doctor could take me on and I made the soonest appointment available to meet with one of his nurse practitioners for my initial consultation. Fast forward a few weeks and I spent almost 2 hours at my first appointment creating a file for me, going over all my history and what I knew of Chad and Stephanie's history (since the baby is fully genetically theirs) and getting an ultrasound. Little embie looked great with 4 little stubs still growing (arms and legs). I decided she looked like a teddy bear. The nurse tried for 10 min to get a profile shot but the little girl just wanted to stare straight on at the camera. 

Fast forward a few more days and I get a call from someone at the hospital informing me that not only my doctor but the hospital itself doesn't take my insurance. I was shocked. I told her I double checked AND I waited for over an hour to be seen after giving them my insurance card and no one thought to look it up? There was nothing I could say eventually. I have an EPO and they only take PPOs. And of course, this all happened on a Friday so I felt pressured to find another doctor quick before the weekend even though I didn't need a check-up for another month.

Luckily, after a nap and my emotions settled down I decided not to make any decisions and just wait for the weekend and research and pray and take my time finding another doctor. By Monday I had found another hospital as well as an AMAZING OB that had stopped delivering babies a few years ago but recently joined the hospital and was taking patients again. My first appointment won't be until Aug 2 but I'm hoping it all goes well. You never know what God's plans are but none of this was a surprise to Him and we'll never know what or why He chose to have it happen this way but I can trust that His ways are prefect!

So that's it for me. Wasn't a super exciting update but wanted to fill everyone in on the last few weeks. If you think of it, please pray for me and my family as we are heading to Northern California for a quick trip this weekend and then bringing family back down with us for a few days and I would love to not have any nausea while they are here!