WELL, I was two days late on my birth control...
...took a test, and sure enough....
it went POSITIVE right away! No three-minute wait!
Mitch didn't believe me at all--in fact, it's still a weird little fact!
All we could do is laugh and cry at the same time, all the while shouting, "HOLY CRAP!!!" (forgive my sailor language :o)) over and over again!
This was Monday. What an FHE: calling people (family, family friends, etc.) to interrupt THEIR Family Home Evenings with our good news! (sorry, people!)
I bought prenatal vitamins at the store yesterday. I talked to my nutrition teacher and my mom, oh, and the pharmacist at the store, and eventually felt confident picking one :o)
It kind of makes it real! Luckily I took it last night and fell asleep before it digested and made me nauseous!
Here's what SCARES me and makes me wish this happened at a different time, or that I had been aware of what was going on:
- Albertson's had it's free Dr. Pepper day on February 20th and we had 2 liters of caffeine in our house...I used to never drink it, so of COURSE the ONE time I start it's while i've got UBER important cells inside me actually doing something important!!
-I was told to buy folic acid to take with my birth control, "just in case." ...yeah, I stopped taking it months ago, thinking there was NO WAY anything would happen.
-My apparent due date is November 7th. Our insurance (with its $750 deductible for each of us) starts over on September 1st. We almost have this year's paid off; I have current dental x-rays, so I think i'm gonna go get a filling replaced. however, when i'm 7 months pregnant, I have to find $750 somewhere around our house to pay off the new deductible. We're doing the math now to figure out if it's worth it, or if it would be cheaper for us to pay 100% than $750 + 20%.
So, i'm feeling horribly guilty and I can't kick it. I want to be excited, but I can't stop worrying myself about this folic acid thing especially. Oh, and the MONEY.
Any advice?
I'm not sick of hearing it. I'm welcoming any advice I can get :o)
Plus, Mitch is SUPER stressed out about his classes; he took a heavy load of hard classes and now, just passed midterms, he's really concerned. Needless to say, when I was debating prenatal vitamins and we both played with that machine that squeezes your arm (couldn't help it :o)), he was told he had "hypertension." Really, he's just never been more stressed. Poor guy.
Oh! One more worry. My parents may not be able to come out in November. What am I gonna do without my mom!? I don't know what i'm doing!
My nutrition teacher told me to go look in a mirror and notice how skinny and stress-free I appear right now...even if i'm not, she said it's the thinnest and most stress-free i'll be for the rest of my life. Apparently parents worry about their children for the rest of their lives. Who knew? :o)
After having 3 kids with no money in sight, let me tell you, you will be blessed beyond your imagination. The Lord will lead you to where you need to be and who you need to speak with to make everything work out. Mitch will be able to pass his classes as he puts his family first (if James and the other DC guys can pass 25+ credit hours each trimester with kids, Mitch can too). Get ready for a rollercoaster, but it's amazing! Practical advice--- check out Idaho's Medicaid program. You should qualify because you're pregnant, in school, and poor. ;) While you're there, check out the food stamps situation in Idaho. Anything you can do to relieve the stress on your minds about finances is worth the humbling it will take to receive government aid. (some people disagree, but this is my stance after 5yrs of accepting aid so I can stay home with my babies) For baby gear, check garage sales, craigslist, and consignment sales. You'd be surprised what nice stuff you can find for pretty cheap. Also, you don't need everything that the stores try to sell you. Really. ;) You can do this. You will be awesome parents. Get ready for a big growing experience. :D Oh, and as for the folic acid issue, I never took it before I got pregnant with my babies and they were just fine. Also, if the prenatals make you super sick, take 2 kids Flinstones instead. They work too!
ReplyDeleteAlaina, Congratulations! You can do this! Lots of people have perfectly healthy children who do nothing to help that along. One two liter of Dr. Pepper isn't going to do much. Now, if you were guzzling red bull everyday, drinking 10 cups of coffee and smoking, while doing illegal drugs, there might be an issue. Just take your folic acid now, and have faith. It'll be all right.
ReplyDeleteThe money you will figure out.
And if your mom can't come, that will be all right too. My mom couldn't come out when I had my first baby either. You'll have the help you need. That's where prayer comes in.
I've never known anyone more prepared to take care of children. Enjoy!
And I agree with your teacher - you might want to take a picture. :-)
ALAINA!!!!! I'm thinking it was inevitable - getting pregnant before you'd planned -- really, do you think Heavenly Father would be willing to wait that long to send his precious children to someone who would love them so much?? You are going to be great!!! As for advice - don't stress the Dr. Pepper or folic acid - just do the best you can, and you'll be FINE. Check out Simplemom.net -- she just posted a few days ago about the real essentials when you have a baby. :) And try not to stress too much about the money, either. Katie & Addie were medicaid babies, Jon was cash, and it all works out in the end - Jon ended up costing right around $5000 with all the cash discounts the hospital/maternity/prediatricians offered. It's a big chunk of change, but worrying about it just makes it seem bigger.
ReplyDeleteI hope your mom can make it!!! Even if she can't I'm sure you will have all the help you need - it's amazing how love and help comes out of the woodwork when you have a baby!
CONGRATULATIONS! Try not to worry about the money. I know I'm still a little concerned with the baby coming, but somehow things always work out! :) God gave you this baby and he'll make things work for you! If you're worried about the insurance you could check into medicaid. Also you could apply for WIC (Women infants and children). It's a government program that gives vouchers for pregnant women and children to get food. It's really cut down on our monthly food bill. There is a WIC office here in Rexburg. All you need to apply is a paper from a doctor's office confirming pregnancy and then financial information according to how much you make each month. I'm sure you'd qualify. If you want more info check out this website http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry too much about the caffeine and as for the folic acid just remember your prenatal vitamins now. There's nothing you can change about the past. I haven't always been the best at taking my prenatal vitamins and everything's been okay. Just do your best.
As for morning sickness if you start throwing up a lot go to a doctor and get a prescription for anti-nausea pills. That's the only thing that helped me. Without pills I never would have made it through last semester. Also try to keep something in your stomach at all times. It's worse if your stomach is empty even if you don't feel like eating.
As for any other advice just try not to stress over the finances. Just be happy and thankful for a new baby! If your Mom can't make it I'm sure members in your ward and people will be willing to help you out. It will be great and everything will work out! :) I know it's a huge shock, but everything will be great! At least that's what I keep telling myself I'll let you know in June after my little one is here!
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWell, Miss Alaina, I decided to stop being a creeper and actually comment on here : - )
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, congratulations!!! Even if this peanut was not planned, I know you guys will be fab parents!
Second of all, you are making me feel old lol. It seems somewhat unreal that someone I graduated with is married and going to be a mommy!!
Third, and most important, lose the guilt. I must be honest, it makes me a little sad to think about you feeling guilty. Nothing you did was intentional, and the kidlet is going to fine (and probably world's most adorable baby). I know SOOOO many people who didn't realize they were pregnant until several months in, and their babies are beautiful and healthy and perfect. The main point: folic acid is not the end all to healthy babies : - )
While I can't offer advice about much else, seeing as I just borrow teenies and then return them, I can tell you that everything will work out in the end...God is awesome like that. Mitch sounds pretty fantastic as well, and you two can do it! All that anyone expects is for you to do what you can, and ask for help for what you cannot.
So...be happy! You cannot change what you think you shouldn't have done, and in the end it doesn't matter. What does matter is you, your husband, and your precious baby!
Hoping that made you feel as least a LITTLE better!
Betsy
get on medicaid.... if you get on that you don't have to pay the 750 deductable. trust me. i work at the health center and all the pregnant people there do it. my former supervisor just had her baby and she hardly paid anything cuz of medicare. :)
ReplyDeleteand i'd be happy to help you any way i can :)
First off, congrats, congrats! Second, RELAX!!! Really, honey, the Lord knows what he's doing sending you this baby now. Absolutely NONE of the things you mentioned are anything to stress over. Things will be fine. Seems like you've already gotten a lot of great advice, so I won't ramble on. Just enjoy your pregnancy. Despite the fatigue, morning sickness, etc if really can be such a joyful time if you want it to be.
ReplyDelete