This blog post is a little more personal than my other ones. But I wanted to share it with anyone who is curious about my pregnancy journey.

While I know everyone is different and their experience is anything but similar, this is all my personal experience. And I’m going to share things that both Zach and I are comfortable with being online.

I don’t think I will transition to motherhood blogging, but I might sprinkle some things thought-out my blog that are more personal and motherhood related.

Finding Out I Am Pregnant

One of the first questions we got asked was if we were trying or if the baby was a surprise. Zach and I were trying for a family. Ultimately, we knew we wanted to have a family. But we also wanted to wait a few years so we could enjoy time just the two of us before God blessed us with children.

So baby Hoffman was planned. We just left it up to the Lord to about when was the right time to start. As a planner, it was HARD to surrender that, but ultimately I knew that the Lord had the BEST plan for us.

In March of this year, I noticed my period was approaching 10 days late. So I texted my best friend (the MOH at my wedding and who introduced me to Zach) saying I was late. She texted back “TEST!”

So with a stomach full of butterflies, I grabbed the test and took it. I made Zach put a timer on and we waited three minutes.

I originally wanted to surprise Zach, but then I knew I wanted him VERY involved in this moment.

Three minutes later, I peeked into the bathroom and strained my eyes to see two lines on the test. I started bawling. I showed Zach the test and he just held me as we processed becoming parents.

It was such a surreal moment, but one that I’m SO thankful the Lord chose as our journey.

First Ultrasound

I got an appointment with my Dr. and she ran my first blood test.

**For warn, if you didn’t know this already, there are LOTS of bloodwork needed when you’re pregnant. And for me, that’s a nightmare for me.**

By that appointment, I counted backward to my last period and I was around six weeks pregnant. But with my Dr., she found my initial HCG levels were really low. Like at the lowest possible number they could be for pregnancy. So my Dr. scheduled me for an early ultrasound. She wasn’t nervous but wanted to take every precaution. I was praying that the Lord intervenes and that Baby Hoffman grow healthy.

At my first ultrasound the next week I was praying HARD that the Lord continues to work and grow this baby. When I sat down at the table and the Dr. started moving the ultrasound wand along my stomach, I saw a little bean pop up on the screen.

Then the heartbeat started to light up the screen. I cried.

The Dr. said that I was measuring a week behind. So we technically found out I was pregnant at four weeks instead of five weeks I had thought.

First Trimester Symptoms

Shortly after that first ultrasound at six weeks, I started to feel nauseous. Most days I found myself sucking on a ginger candy and sipping bubbly water or ginger ale.

I finally got some sea bands which helped a little. But overall I had morning sickness all day until week 13.

Overall I wouldn’t say I had a terrible first trimester. Living with nausea for several weeks was unpleasant but I also know that some women have it much worse. I was mostly tired and nauseous. So I spent my days resting and eating goldfish.

I have been craving fruit fairly consistently throughout my whole pregnancy, and according to old wives’ tales that could mean Baby Hoffman is a girl. But we will find out in November!

Finding A Midwife

Having never delivered a baby before, I was kinda all new to finding a Dr. or OBGYN. The clinic we went to to get our ultrasound let us interview the Midwives and tour their building. Zach and I really liked them, so we decided to go forward with them.

We are going to deliver Baby Hoffman at a birth centre nearby our house and a few minutes away from a hospital in case anything goes wrong. So far the midwives have been amazing and Zach and I feel very cared for whenever we attend an appointment.

Since we aren’t finding out the gender of the baby, my Dr. was able to even run tests without gender on it so she didn’t slip up and share the baby’s gender accidentally. I’m really excited to have this supportive team with me as I enter motherhood in November.

Follow Along

I am not consistently posting about motherhood on the ‘gram. But that is usually where all my updates live. So if you are curious about things, come follow me along there! I’m also an open book in my DMs, so come chat if you have any questions!

You can also check out the pregnancy announcement photos we got taken earlier this year if you’re looking for some inspiration of your own.