Ahem Jenn!!!

Time for a new belly shot please!!!

Hmmmm....what to do ~ pink or blue?

April 1st is our "big" u/s appointment. It should give us the opportunity (if we want it) to find out if Jenn is carrying a boy or a girl. Thursday is only 5 days away and I am still on the fence. I always said if this worked I didn't want to know the outcome, I just wanted the "surprise"!! I did have Chris on my side, for all of about 5 minutes! I haven't really changed my mind, although I do see the advantages of finding out who we will be adding to our family.

I have pretty much been outvoted, both Jenn and Chris want to know and apart from my Mum I've yet to find anyone to agree that I'm not crazy to prefer to wait!!

Although it's not really in my nature, I'm sure I'll probably just give in and in 5 days we'll know if baby Ariel is a "he" or a "she". I honestly don't mind, boy or girl, either is a miracle and an amazing gift!

Time to start the medication (again!)

I received all my medication this week to start the process for adoptive breastfeeding. It occurred to me that the medication never stops! I can't deny I was relieved when the last cycle was with an egg donor and Jenn as the carrier, which of course meant no medication for me, the first medication break in more years than I care to remember. However, at least this time, although it may not work, the medication has way more positive vibes surrounding it for me and there are no shots!!!

I am going to start the medication this Friday....... fingers crossed!

Adoptive Breastfeeding

A friend asked me in the early days of our surrogacy journey if I planned on breastfeeding our baby? I admit it had never crossed my mind. Firstly I never actually believed a baby would be the result of the journey and secondly I never knew it was possible to breastfeed without the pregnancy that went with it!

I put the idea on the back burner for a while and pushed it out of my mind, that was until we found out Jenn was pregnant and it was one little bean. I started thinking about adoptive breastfeeding again and did some online research. I found it hard to find much information and even consulted my family doctor who told me she knew nothing about it and couldn't help me.

This weekend an online friend gave me a link to this amazing website which provides everything you could possibly need to know about adoptive breastfeeding and the protocols for inducing lactation and maximizing milk production. The best protocol to follow requires starting the process five to six months before the baby is due so I just have enough time to get on it!!

It's not an exact science and it might not work, but fingers crossed for a good outcome, I'm excited to at least try!

Here is the website;

http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/abindex.shtml

15 weeks today!!

It's so crazy to think we are 15 weeks. It's still so hard to believe! I have a couple of friends who have delivered extra early recently, and being the planner that I am I'm thinking we might need to start getting some things organized!

We moved the cribs this weekend into the room we are going to use as the nursery, so we already have a room set up for the new baby. It looks funny to see only one crib, but it's also nice to see a room especially for our new addition.

It feels so different this time. Having a nursery set up and knowing we will be bringing a baby home is such a refreshing feeling! I don't have to walk past it every time and try to ignore it, this time I can look in and dream of our future.

I am really starting to get excited!

The appointment went so well!

Today's appointment was great. I met the ob/gyn who was lovely and very enthusiastic. Everything is looking great, Jenn is 14w tomorrow and the doctor located the heartbeat which measured 151 beats per minute. We saw the baby on the ultrasound monitor, she was very still, maybe taking a little nap!

Everything with Jenn is good, she is healthy and not too tired so we are hoping everything stays that way. Our next visit is our big ultrasound at approximately 18 to 20 weeks.

First O/B appointment

Today is our first O/B appointment. Well actually, it's not Jenn's first appointment but it is mine. I'm nervous about it. I have been to many medical appointments of course, but all at our fertility clinic, where sadly I do feel at home. At that clinic they understand me, I don't need to explain myself or my situation, it's so normal to them, we've been going there for so long and they know me so well, I don't even have to say anything, they can tell how I feel from the look on my face!

The new O/B is going to be a different story. We have an unusual situation and I'm so tired at this point of being different and having to explain myself!

I have no idea what happens at these type of appointments and I feel like a fraud going to a pregnancy related appointment without being pregnant!! On the positive side I'm hoping Jenn gets an ultrasound today, I can't wait to see our baby, it's been so long since I've seen the little one and I've missed her!!

More later.