Lessons in Babymaking

"And when we tried to think of the life inside, we found ourselves looking at the world through new eyes." - Mae

Contrary to what the title of this post may imply, I'm not about to launch into a sex-ed post to tell you how to make a baby. I think we pretty much all know how that happens. We spend a large majority of our dating and early-marriage years doing everything to AVOID that outcome. I, in fact, plan on telling my son or daughter someday, "Do not look at a boy. Do not kiss a girl. Do not hug anyone of the opposite sex. That is how a baby is made." We'll see how long it takes them to figure out it requires a bit more than that, but still...that's how things get started, right?

So really, today's lesson is not in babymaking, but to be accurate, a lesson in how to keep a baby. 

Through testing after our last miscarriage, my midwife and hematologist finally discovered the best way for me to keep a baby and to get us to where we are at today. 

I wanted to share with you a glimpse what the past 16 weeks have been like and how today's medicine combined with a lot of prayers is helping us get through each day.

First, I start each morning with a prenatal vitamin, 4 miligrams of folic acid and a docusate sodium pill (you know, to keep things moving.)


Then, from the week I found out I was pregnant to week 14, I took a progesterone suppository twice daily. It had minimal side effects, but I am grateful to be finished with it! As a prescription, it was $400/month, but thanks to drug reps (even Tim thanked them this time) we got a two-month supply for free.

Then, right before I go to bed, I either give myself or more often than not, Tim gives me an injection of generic Lovenox (a blood thinner) in the stomach, around my belly button. At first, it left me black and blue, but for the most part I am not bruising these days. This drug is around $1K/month, and after Tim and my doctor's office went toe-to-toe with the insurance company, we now get this for $10/month! Most people are only on this drug for 10 days or so post surgery, so it always raises red flags when I come in to get a 30-day supply every month.

Because it became pretty routine each day, we kept a chart taped in the bathroom above our sinks to keep track of everything. 

While we never anticipated this part of the journey, it has been so worth it. In fact, I really don't think about it too much anymore. It used to bother me that we had to be so conscious of how delicate this whole process was, but now it just seems ordinary.

And now I just have to make sure I am being a complete angel right before we go to bed. Because if I'm being bratty, Tim can just give me an extra jab with needle :)