Recap Of My Week 4 of Pregnancy

"Your baby is as big as a poppy seed."

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Of course, I downloaded not one but three apps on pregnancy.

Including "What to expect," "Baby Center," and "Pregnancy +."

They are all equally my favorite apps in different ways. But if you prefer minimal clutter, the #1 recommended app is Pregnancy +. In this app, you will find all the tools, evidence-based information, and interactive visuals to stay up to date with your baby's development.

Screen Shot from Pregnancy + App

I slid into week 4, knowing I was pregnant. I encountered so many emotions. Honestly, I did not know what to do with this information. Part of me wanted to tell the whole world to reassure myself. But, another aspect of me was terrified of judgment and/or other people's bad ju-ju.

Most of my friends live life by the societal script. They have done things in order:

1. Meet the guy
2. Date for a few years
3. Get the house
4. Get married
5. Prepare for children / Enjoy marriage / Travel
6. Have children

My timeline looks more like this:

1. Meet the guy
2. Renounced everything we had (car, apartment, jobs)
3. Travel the world as digital nomads for a year and a half
4. Come back home for a friend's wedding
5. Realized through a pregnancy scare that we would love to be parents
6. Take the risk on a passionate night, and BOOM! We are pregnant!
7. Now we have to figure out marriage, housing, and getting ready to give the best possible life to this child!

Can you tell my timeline is a bit all over the place?

I did not feel like those soon-to-be moms that do this earthshaking event to announce their pregnancy because no one was expecting this from me. And the last comment I wanted to hear was, "OMG! I didn't know you guys were trying for a baby" — which people dare to say anyway! How inappropriate!

Anyway, I started by sharing with my family, my in-laws, and closest friends who are doctors or involved in the medical field because, deep down, I wanted to get the most objective feedback possible.

Yet, soon I realized that the most crucial factor was not who knew and who did not, but that a DOCTOR knew.

I started by calling my medical insurance agent for advice on changing or keeping my insurance. After this, I proceeded to contact doctors, and WOW! Some doctors out there are ridiculous!

I called two doctors that I used to see in the past. Both now have their private practice. Both charge people more than they should because although they take my insurance, they choose NOT TO run my insurance to cover the appointments and specific procedures. Instead, they offered me a package of $6,000 and $8,000, which I needed to pay in three parts. They would use my insurance to pay for my lab work but nothing else. That is without counting the hospital cost. So, I declined!

I went with a group from the West Kendall OBGYN clinic in Miami. They will charge me a co-pay for the appointments, and my insurance will cover everything else — As it should be!

In terms of my symptoms, I would say nothing crazy happened besides:

• Bloatedness: Usually, by 8 pm, my belly feels like a basketball. It is so stiff and puffy. My doctor friend, a mother of two, explained this is mostly gas and liquid. A poppy seed could not possibly make anyone look and feel this big!
• Boob pain: From now on, I have to be hyper-alert with my partner's motions while we sleep because one wrong elbow move, and I see HELL!
• Mild tiredness: This may also be because I stopped caffeine completely. However, I do not feel like I needed it because, magically, my body adapted to the day cycle (going to bed at 10:00 pm and waking up at 8:00 am). Sometimes I take a nap or walk to help myself with the fatigue.
• Fear: Fear and guilt for doing something wrong against my baby. I drank alcohol at least six times before I found out I was pregnant. Also, I was drinking 2 cups of coffee daily, taking melatonin nightly, eating deli meats and sushi, doing CrossFit, and biking. All bad things for pregnant women. I researched all the dos and don'ts about pregnancy and began to follow it all to the T. Nonetheless, I was feeling incredibly guilty for what I did and so scared that I would unknowingly continue to do counterproductive things for my baby.

Thankfully, my family was very supportive and allowed me to go through this week smoothly and without judgment.

My advice to you for this week:

• Focus on you and your baby, and that means that the essential step is to get yourself a trustworthy doctor that will take care of you. Disregard all the additional noise.
• Share your pregnancy with the people that love you unconditionally. Take your time with the rest of the world.
• Remember, there is no right or wrong in how you live your life.
• Do not entertain unsolicited opinions or questions.
• Shake off that guilt and shame. Go by what your doctor advises and liberate yourself from unhelpful emotions.

See you next week!