Part 1: Our Story Begins — Trying to Get Pregnant After Birth Control
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This post is part of my “From Pregnancy to Peaceful Sleep” blog series, where I’m sharing our real-life journey — from finding out I was pregnant, to navigating a traumatic birth and NICU stay, to helping families all over the country as a certified pediatric sleep consultant.
We officially started trying to get pregnant in April 2023. At the time, I had just stopped taking birth control — I’d been on Hailey (a combination progestin + estrogen pill), and came off it right as we began trying. I had already been using the Premom app for years to track my cycles, and I was very regular — about a 28-day cycle each month.
That April, my period came on the 18th, and the app predicted I’d ovulate around May 1st. We timed everything to align with that window — especially on May 1st — doing everything we could to try and get pregnant. But then, on May 12th, my period came again. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wasn’t pregnant, and the disappointment hit us both pretty hard.
Even though it was technically only our first month trying, it still sent up a few red flags for us. I went ahead and booked an appointment with my OB for June 6th, just to get a baseline check and talk through next steps in case we needed to explore fertility support.
In the meantime, my inner researcher kicked into high gear. That’s when I discovered ovulation sticks.
I had never heard of LH test strips before, but figured they were worth a shot. I ordered this Easy@Home Ovulation and Pregnancy Test Kit on Amazon — it came with 100 ovulation (LH) strips and 20 pregnancy (HCG) tests, and it was super affordable. I loved that I could take a photo of each strip in the Premom app, and it would read and track my levels for me. It took a lot of the second-guessing and stress out of the process.
💛 Loving this story so far? If you're in the thick of trying to conceive, you might also want to bookmark my Top 10 Postpartum Tips (From A Mom Who’s Been There) for when your day finally comes.
I started testing twice a day beginning May 20th. My LH levels peaked on May 26th, which was 10 days after my last period — later than expected. I honestly have no idea what happened that first month… maybe I didn’t ovulate due to just coming off birth control, or maybe my timing was off. But this time, once that surge hit, we did everything we could to maximize our chances.
I kept testing every day to confirm that my LH levels dropped back down — and they did.
My period was expected on June 6th... which, funny enough, was the same day as the OB appointment I had made when we were feeling discouraged. I woke up that morning praying that my period wouldn’t come. As soon as I got out of bed, I took a pregnancy test.
And there it was.
A faint second line.
My heart dropped — in the best way.
I walked straight to my partner and said, “Uhh... I think I’m pregnant.”
He looked at it and said, “There’s no way — that line’s barely there.”
And I was like, “Okay, but… THE LINE IS THERE. It doesn’t show up unless you’re pregnant!”
He was still in total denial. I was already all in.
At noon, we went to the OB appointment. I told her, “So… we originally scheduled this to talk about fertility, but I’m actually pretty sure I’m pregnant now. I tested this morning and got a positive.”
She smiled and said, “Let’s confirm it!”
They had me do a test, and a few minutes later came back and said, “Yep — you’re about four weeks pregnant. Congratulations!”
I couldn’t believe it. I truly kept retesting for two weeks straight — partly because it felt surreal, and partly because I was so scared of miscarrying in those early days. I had read so many stories of loss and didn’t want to let myself get too excited too soon.
But that little line turned into the most beautiful, spunky baby girl. And today, she’s a thriving 16-month-old who amazes me every single day.
What I Took Once I Found Out I Was Pregnant
As soon as I knew I was pregnant, I started taking a daily prenatal vitamin and added a high-quality fish oil supplement:
👉 Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega-D3 (with DHA & EPA)
Fish oil supplements, particularly those rich in omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA, can offer several benefits during pregnancy. According to the American Pregnancy Association, these include:
Supporting your baby’s brain and eye development
Reducing the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight
Lowering the likelihood of postpartum depression in mothers
While we did eventually end up in the NICU for other reasons, I’ll say this:
She wasn’t born preterm — she actually came late at 41 weeks
She wasn’t low birth weight — she was a strong 8 lbs 2.5 oz
And I didn’t experience postpartum depression — something I had genuinely feared throughout pregnancy
I can’t say for certain what prevented any of those outcomes, but I’m thankful I did everything I could to support both of our health from the very beginning.
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And be sure to check back next week for Part 2 of my “From Pregnancy to Peaceful Sleep” series — I’ll be sharing the pregnancy products that were actually worth it (and the ones I could’ve skipped).
Thanks so much for being here 💛