Baby Girl #2

We didn't do the best job letting people know we had another little one on the way, so here is (more than) everything you need to know about our little girl, due October 24, 2019!

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Is this another IVF Baby?

We did a FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer) this time around. When we did IVF in 2017 to get Annie, we were able to freeze six additional embryos, so I didn't need to do a retrieval all over again. Which is good and bad. Since my body didn't ovulate, that meant I had to take hormone treatments to mimic what my ovaries would have been doing throughout the first trimester (until the placenta can take over producing the hormones).

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Has this pregnancy been similar to my first?

First of all, I'm surprised at how little I remember from Annie's pregnancy! I definitely remember getting these hormone induced migraines both times, but I seem to have blocked out a lot of the discomfort. The main difference was in the first trimester. I felt a lot more nauseous while I was taking hormones than when my body was producing them naturally. This pregnancy is also going by a lot faster since Annie helps to split my focus.

Did I expect that we were going to have another girl?

I went back and forth for a while, but right now it just feels like we're a girl family. I am so excited that Annie will have a sister, and I get so much enjoyment out of saying, "the girls"!!! And Matt? He loves being a father to daughters. They're lucky to have him as their dad!

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What names are we considering?

If she had been a boy, we were pretty sure we were going to name her Benjamin. Girl names are trickier for us! I don't think I want her name to end in a "y" sound, and we prefer traditional names. There are a lot that we like (i.e. Emma and Kate), but no definite front runners yet. ​

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Am I considering doing a natural labor?

Consider? Yes. But I'm already so uncomfortable, my resolve often wavers. My friends who have fearlessly brought their babies into the world without epidurals recommended I read Natural Hospital Birth by Cynthia Gabriel, and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Both have been excellent resources to help me prepare for the second time around.

Does Annie seem to know what's going on?

Not at all. But I think she's going to make a wonderful big sister. 

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What do I think I will need this time around that

​I didn't have with Annie?

I did make a baby registry, but it doesn't seem like we need anything! I would have liked to have had a bassinet for Annie, so I took care of that. And our infant car seat will need to be replaced, but other than that, I was really happy with the gear we had for Annie. Plus, the girls (!!!) will be almost exactly two years apart, so we should even be good on clothes.
​I am going to do a Promptly Journal for this baby. And I no longer have reservations about buying Annie shoes, bows, or clothes, knowing that we'll get plenty of use out of them now!

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This time around I'm just excited. I even feel like I know this new baby better because I know Annie. There is something special about your first, but I can tell already that there is something wonderful about your second. 22 weeks today! Couldn't be feeling more grateful.