I started to draft a version of this post five years ago. So, it’s a bit surreal to be able to put the words “we’re pregnant” down on paper. Or, to even say them out loud for that matter. There was a time I just didn’t think it would happen. But, after a long journey of battling infertility, we are on our way to becoming mom and dad! I’m so excited to announce that Baby Champion will be joining us in November 2022! I’m grinning ear to ear as I write this because… WE’RE PREGNANT!
We’re Pregnant! Announcing Baby Champion
The story of how Matt and I met has never been shared here, but the abridged version goes something like this. We were both in long-term relationships and engaged. Luckily, those didn’t work out for their own reasons! We were working for the same company at the time, and after working up his confidence, Matt came to introduce himself. And just like that, my life changed in a moment. After a month or so of back and forth emails and chats, we went on our first date. I remember thinking that night, “I’m going to marry him.” Two years later, we did just that (see the post here).
While I always assumed I’d have kids one day, it truly wasn’t a priority. But, with Matt I could see it all so clearly. He was born to be a dad and we’d be blessed if we could have a family. It might have taken us far longer than we anticipated, but that dream is finally becoming a reality.
Shop the Post
Dress: Sachin and Babi at BHLDN // Earrings: Jennifer Behr // Matt’s Shirt: JCrew // Matt’s Pants: JCrew // Baby Onesie: Amazon
Why We Waited to Announce Until 20 Weeks
After years of infertility struggles (you can read our full journey here), I was incredibly hesitant to announce our pregnancy. Our closest family and friends were in on the secret. And, the normal safe zone is after the first trimester or 12 weeks. But, it just seemed safer (and maybe even more special?) to keep the news to ourselves for a bit longer. Plus, for whatever silly reason, I really wanted to have a bump for our pregnancy announcement photos!
I like to think it was a gift after the years of heartache, but I had zero nausea or morning sickness in my first trimester. At 10 weeks I was cleared to work out again. It’s standard that before and during IVF anything high impact is restricted. Then, if you get pregnant from IVF you’re normally restricted to just walking during the early weeks. Since my energy levels were good, I kept myself active which definitely helped keep weight gain to a minimum. But, when I saw this dress, I knew it was the one. My bump was just starting to show! It was time to take our pregnancy announcement photos.
What to Wear for Pregnancy Announcement Photos
Just like I’ll never forget the moment I showed Matt our positive pregnancy test, I’ll also forever remember the moments taking these announcement photos. It was easy for us to figure out what to wear for our pregnancy announcement photos once I had my dress. It was a splurge from BHLDN at Anthropologie. But, I just loved the bow and how sweet it was! From there, we kept Matt’s outfit simple and grabbed him a new button up shirt and grey chino pants from J.Crew.
Of course, there are plenty of other stunning dress options! Anything with ruching is very flattering for the bump (love this one). If it’s fall or winter, I love a sweater dress too.
Lastly, be sure to have a few props on hand! Something like this cute ‘Coming Soon’ onesie is perfect. Or, you can use your sonogram pictures! I also love the idea of using a small letterboard to spell out the due date or a message like ‘And baby makes 3’.
If you’re reading this and you’re still struggling to conceive, my heart is with you. We know that pain all too well. I pray that your journey will be blessed as ours has been (finally!) and I hope you’ll follow along as I share my pregnancy experience here. Conceiving through IVF and delivering when I’m nearly 40 years old will be different in and of itself. But, I’m looking forward to all that comes with the first, second and third trimester phases. We’re pregnant!
