Little Muffin (IUD and Pregnancy)

For the past 2 years, I have suffered an array of physical pains and health issues all resulting mainly from an IUD I have been using for contraceptive.  First, it fell out 3 weeks after being placed in and was replaced with a new one that made me have extremely heavy and painful menstrual cycles every month thereafter, though everyone has different side effects.  The doctor recommended taking 6 Motrin tablets during my cycle days to minimize the amount of blood clots and release...which worked! I unfortunately developed anemia (1 1/2 yrs later) because of the constant loss of iron from the bleeding, changing a super tampon AND a maxi pad every 2-3 hours for 5 straight days.  I was still breast feeding my child and that also drained me of even more energy.  I then had an "ulcer attack" in which I experienced chills, fever, excruciating and gut-wrenching stomach pain and upper left shoulder blade sharp pain about 2 years and 1 month from having an IUD. It was caused due to the constant ibuprofen I was placing in my system and resulted in me also having a stomach bacterial infection that needed to be treated by a combined therapy treatment medication, which made me begin to ween my boy from breastmilk at night.  Around this same time I had my last menstrual cycle recorded as well.  I've had stress, exhaustion, pains, nausea, dizziness, aches, nipple chaffing, joint pains, deficiencies, and even felt my left ovary swollen for some time and would try to massage the pain away.  The doctors kept saying it was just all normal and kept handing me prescriptions,though I would relieve my own pains with teas and a healthy diet.  About 2 years and 3 months into my IUD (Paraguard) I stopped breastfeeding completely, and began to feel strange, getting baby fever and telling my husband I felt pregnant every week.  I took 3 at-home pregnancy tests, all negtive, so we would laugh it off, but as a woman you still have a funny gut feeling something's inside you.  Andrew would sometimes rub my tummy and say, "baby!" and I would explain that yeah he used to be in there a while ago, but he would just hug my waist and rest his head there.

Well, 2 years and 7 months after having the IUD, I had had enough! The constant pains, the nausea, the lightheaded days, weight fluctuations, etc... it was too much.  I scheduled an appointment with a doctor to talk about how I could end this all.  I wanted to get better!  If I had a stone or whatever else in me causing the bloating, aches and lack of menstruation, then I wanted an answer...no more diagnosis and probabilities.  I demanded an ultrasound and more blood work today and as the doctor walked me into the ultrasound room, saying he knew it was my gall bladder and saying he'll take a look at how my IUD was placed too.... he saw a baby!  That's right, there was a baby about 16-17 weeks old inside of me!  I'm not gonna lie, I cried.  I was in shock.  Not because I didn't want a baby (which I've been begging my husband to agree to plan with me already and secretly praying for too), but because it was nearly impossible.  I knew the risks, was it alive? If it was, would it grow to be a full grown baby?

The doctor searched for my IUD, which I had recently felt inside, and it was safely tucked away in my cervix, leaving the uterus and baby inside of it unharmed.  I sighed with great relief when I saw that baby jump and kick...it was right near the ovary I have been massaging when I felt pains...I cried more.  I asked how healthy it looked through tears and he began to take measurements and was exited and surprised himself saying he'd never had a patient walk in with an IUD inside and this far along in a pregnancy..."it's one in a million!" he said and smiled big, "it's looking healthy!"

The rest as they say is history, funny how both my pregnancies have been a shock and though I like to plan almost every detail in my life, the surprise of having a baby come to us is just great.  I'm grateful!  I love this baby already and I only wish I would've known earlier to nourish it more properly, but so far it's healthy...it's safe...it's growing...and I love him/her with every part of me.  I don't care about going through more pain at the moment....I just want baby to be healthy!   I want everyone to know I am having a new family member come in a really big way, by beating the odds, by prayer, and by only divine power.

NOTE TO BABY:  Ok, little one, though I've missed 16 weeks of your journey, I know now and I'm gonna do my best :-)  I hope you read this some day and feel special in every way because you are one of life's biggest blessings ♥