Life Update :: We Are Having A Baby Girl!

I haven’t written here since October, but if you’ve connected with me on social media, you may already know: my husband, Derek, and I are expecting! Yes, I am pregnant with a baby girl! Due this summer, and I can’t help but smile as I type those words.

The journey to pregnancy wasn’t easy. It has been a dream of Derek’s and mine to be parents. It’s funny that you go through life hearing that getting pregnant is one of the most natural things, and yet everything in our bodies needs to be functioning properly and the timing just right for conception to happen.

Derek and I tried to conceive for more than a year. After two referrals to the same doctor from friends, we began to see a NaPro doctor – with whose help, we learned where my body had deficiencies. If you’re wondering what a NaPro doctor is it’s a board certified physician who’s been trained and certified to offer Natural Procreative Technology – an approach to understanding women’s reproductive health and regulating fertility by figuring out and treating the underlying causes and problems behind infertility – to patients. After a series of blood tests and monitoring, we had some answers. My iron and vitamin D levels were low and that would need to be addressed; but my progesterone level was also low, and progesterone is what we need to actually carry a baby, to hold a pregnancy!

Prior to meeting with our NaPro doctor, I had symptoms that led me to believe this was the issue, and this was great news to hear because low progesterone is treatable. And the route we took to get a definitive answer was so much better than the initial alternative offered by my OB, which was a costly, invasive surgery to correct a *possible* but not certain issue. I knew in my gut I didn’t need that kind of procedure, and following the Holy Spirit’s leading, took an alternate route. One thing I’ve learned about the medical industry and treatment is that just because it’s done or has been done a certain way for x amount of time, doesn’t mean it’s the right way for you. There are always alternatives, though often less known or discussed in the greater medical community. I am grateful that my OB was onboard with me seeing a NaPro doctor because it makes a huge difference to have a supportive healthcare team, which we’ve had!

Let me just say that the journey to figuring out what was keeping us from conceiving was difficult and emotionally exhausting at times. It can be easy to get frustrated and question why things aren’t just happening naturally. But through it all, we relied on God for His strength, wisdom, and guidance, knowing He is faithful and good and would be faithful to meet us where we were and fulfill this desire in our hearts. He has, after all, told us to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth (Genesis 1:28)! And we continued to speak LIFE over our story and journey to parenthood.

February 27, 2022, we received a word spoken during church service: you’ve been seeking the Lord and believing for a baby, and He is going to fulfill that desire. Soon after, I had a dream of being pregnant during an Easter gathering with family while in the third trimester, and it’s now that time!

Last May, I shared this post. I can remember being in that place and overwhelmed with emotion but choosing to feed on God’s faithfulness, to look back on moments in my life where He had been faithful and to strengthen my heart and spirit by going to Him and His Word. God’s very power is in His Word, and when we receive it wholeheartedly, His word of promise will never be fruitless because His own life power is within it! I’ll share this again: the POWER in God’s Word will ALWAYS fulfill the PROMISE of His Word.

So onward we went, acting in faith and believing a baby was on the way! My NaPro doctor first suggested HCG shots, believing that would be our best option of treatment. I wasn’t very keen on the idea and continued to believe we simply needed to address the primary issue of low progesterone; but we gave it a go for one month, which meant several self injections over the course of a few days (I relied on a friend of mine who’s a nurse to help me with this). But I hated the way the HCG shots made me feel and didn’t have a peace in continuing with it. I spoke with Derek, prayed about it, and knew God was leading us in a different direction; so we decided on the alternative treatment option: progesterone, plain and simple. I remember praying something like,

“Father, I don’t feel a peace with these shots, so I’m just going to treat the actual issue which is the low progesterone, no added bells and whistles to put us over the top for conceiving, and I’m trusting that You will meet us where we are. Nothing is too great for You. You are the Author of life, and if You caused Sarah to conceive at 90 and Elizabeth to conceive and carry John the Baptist in later years, you can do it for us, too.”

I took one month off before I began taking progesterone. And in that first month of taking progesterone, it happened. That month was different. I took a pregnancy test. We were PREGNANT! It was surreal to see. To see that after two years of trying and monitoring and working to improve my fertility health and shedding tears and feeling exhausted at times and trusting and waiting on God’s timing, we were staring at a POSITIVE test result. The moment we were believing for was now a reality. Praise God!

So, here we are. Overjoyed to be welcoming a baby girl into the world in just three months. Deeply grateful to our Heavenly Father who’s given us the opportunity to love and care for this little one that continues to grow and kick and move within me as He knits her together perfectly. It’s one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had.

The first trimester was rough with all-day morning sickness and fatigue. Some days felt like I couldn’t do much of anything, but the second trimester has been so much better (just a few minor, common discomforts), and now we are moving into the third trimester! It’s been a season of prep and personal care – from the registry to designing and getting her room together, to doctor visits and maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise (Lindsey Bomgren of  Nourish Move Love has the *best* prenatal workouts!). Oh, and all the cutest little girl things! Derek and I are simply grateful to be here. It’s been a gift to experience a whole new level of God’s love, goodness, and design; and we have been so blessed by the outpouring of love and excitement we’ve received from our family, friends, and community. It is not lost on me how much life-giving community matters and how each of us can be a part of that in some way, each and every day.

While I’ve been absent here for a while, I will be returning to regular posting.

Thank you for letting me share this special piece of our lives with you.

With love and gratitude,

Elizabeth