Pregnancy Stories & Evidence
Real experiences, clinical insights, and honest advice from a registered dietitian who's been through three pregnancies.
Wildfire Smoke Pregnancy Protection
The AQI Hit 180 and I Was 28 Weeks Pregnant. Here Is What My OB Actually Said. I woke up Tuesday morning to a text from my clinic. "Air quality adviso...
Ivf Due Date Multiple Embryos 2026
I got pregnant through IVF last year. Two embryos transferred. Both stuck. Twins. And when I went to calculate my due date, every calculator I found g...
The Third Pregnancy That Made Me Question Everything
The Third Pregnancy That Made Me Question Everything I Knew I peed on the stick at 5:47 AM because I could not sleep and I had one test left in the bo...
Conceived Date Doctor Wrong Two Weeks
"Your due date is December 14th," the doctor said, typing into her computer without looking up. I stared at her. December 14th? That would mean I was ...
Portland Smoke Pregnancy Due Date
Why My Due Date Calculator Was Useless During Portland's Smoke Season—And What I Learned About Pregnancy in a Climate Crisis Emily Carter I was twenty...
I Thought My Third Pregnancy Would Be Like My Second I Was
I Thought My Third Pregnancy Would Be Like My Second. I Was Wrong About Everything. I thought I had this figured out. I really did. My first pregnancy...
Birth plans vs reality: learning to let go of control
My first birth plan was three pages long. Seriously. Three pages. It included: essential oils, music playlist, delayed cord clamping, immediate...
My due date changed three times and I almost lost my mind
I still remember the exact moment. December 15, I told my mom. She booked her flight. She bought non-refundable tickets.
Gestational diabetes: the glucose test is the least of your worries
I failed the one-hour glucose test with my first pregnancy. I cried in the parking lot. Sobbing, mascara-running, ugly crying. I thought I'd caused...
Sleep training debates: what the evidence actually says
When my first baby was 4 months old, I was a zombie. She woke every 2 hours. I couldn’t function. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t be a good parent during....
Fertility apps: are they helping or hurting your chances?
I'll admit it: I've used fertility apps. Four of them, at different times. They all promised to predict ovulation, track cycles, and optimize...
Postpartum nutrition: I ate for recovery, not weight loss. You should too.
At my six-week postpartum checkup, my midwife asked,
Preparing for pregnancy: what I actually did (and what I skipped)
Before my first pregnancy, I was a perfectionist. A recovering one, at least. I bought every supplement recommended on Instagram: CoQ10, inositol,...
I stopped tracking my BBT and got pregnant the next month. Coincidence?
When I decided to try for my second baby, I went all in. I bought a special thermometer. I downloaded three apps. I woke up at 6:15 AM every day,...
Third trimester insomnia is a special kind of torture
I wrote this at 3 AM. Not because I wanted to. Because I couldn't sleep. Again.
Gut health and fertility: what I learned after years of ignoring it
For years, I rolled my eyes at
The fourth trimester: why everyone ignores it (and why you shouldn't)
When my first baby was born, I thought the hard part was over. I'd done the labor. I'd survived the delivery. Now I could relax.
The fourth trimester almost broke me — and I wasn't prepared
I thought I was ready for postpartum. I'd read the books. I'd taken the classes. I'd packed my hospital bag with pads and nipple cream.
The 28-day cycle myth ruined my first due date
I have 31-day cycles. I've always had 31-day cycles. Ever since I started menstruating at 13, my cycles have been longer than the textbook average....
The two-week wait nearly broke me — here's what I wish I'd done differently
I don't have fertility issues myself, but I've sat next to enough friends and patients to know that the two-week wait after IVF transfer is a special....
I told my boss about my pregnancy at 8 weeks. I regret it.
With my first pregnancy, I was excited. I told my boss at 8 weeks. She was happy for me. Then I miscarried at 10 weeks.
Why I refuse to participate in 'perfect pregnancy' culture
I've had three pregnancies. They've all been different. And they've all been imperfect.
Third trimester meal planning: when you're too tired to cook
At 35 weeks pregnant with my second, standing for 15 minutes to cook felt like running a marathon. The heartburn. The back pain. The constant need to....
AI embryo selection in 2026: what IVF patients should actually know
When my friend “Rachel” went through IVF in 2025, her clinic offered her something new: artificial intelligence to select which embryo to transfer....
Breastfeeding vs formula: stop the guilt either way
I breastfed my first baby for 14 months. It was hard. I had low supply. I supplemented with formula. I felt like a failure. I went to lactation...
My first trimester I survived on saltines and rage
I remember standing in my kitchen at 8 weeks pregnant, staring at an open bag of saltines, crying because I was so hungry but every single food made.....
C-section recovery: the honest first six weeks
I’ve had two vaginal births, so I can’t speak from personal C-section experience. But I’ve supported dozens of C-section patients, and their stories.....
Male fertility matters too — a conversation my husband and I should have had sooner
When we were trying for our second baby, I was the one doing all the work. Tracking my cycle. Taking my temperature. Popping supplements. Analyzing...
Working while pregnant: the day I finally said no
I was 34 weeks pregnant with my second. Still working full-time as a dietitian in a busy clinic. Standing for hours. Running between exam rooms. My...
Second trimester energy surge is real — but so is round ligament pain
Around week 14 of my first pregnancy, something shifted. I woke up one morning and didn't feel like I'd been hit by a truck. I ate breakfast without.....
Frozen embryo transfer: why it's now the preferred choice
For years, fresh embryo transfers were standard. You’d do an egg retrieval, grow the embryos, and transfer one a few days later. Freezing was for...
My Due Date Changed Three Times: What Nobody Tells You
When my OB moved my due date from December 15th to December 22nd and then back to December 18th, I learned how fuzzy this whole concept really is.
Postpartum hair loss hit me like a truck at 4 months
I was brushing my hair one morning, and suddenly the brush was full. Not a few strands — a clump. I looked down at the sink. More hair. I ran my hand....
Prenatal vitamins: I stopped believing the hype and saved $500
My first pregnancy, I walked into a fancy natural foods store and asked for
IVF Due Date vs Natural Conception: Why the Math Is Different
Most people don't realize IVF due dates are calculated differently. With my first, I was confused when the clinic gave me a date that didn't match my ...
Pelvic floor recovery: why Kegels are not enough
After my first vaginal delivery, I did Kegels religiously. Hundreds a day. Apps. Reminders. I was sure I was doing the right thing.
IVF due dates are different. Here's why your clinic's math matters.
A close friend — let's call her Rachel — went through IVF last year. She'd had two failed transfers. The third one felt different. She was hopeful...
NIPT is not a diagnosis. I learned that the hard way — twice.
The first time I heard about NIPT, I was at a baby shower. A friend of a friend — let's call her
Pregnancy after loss: the joy and terror no one prepares you for
When I was 26, I had a miscarriage at 9 weeks. It was early. My friends said,
Why I Stopped Telling People My Due Date
By week 38, the 'any day now' texts were relentless. By week 41, I was getting anxiety every time my phone buzzed. So I stopped telling people.
First Trimester Milestones Week by Week
Week 4: The positive test. Week 6: First ultrasound. Week 8: Heartbeat. Week 12: The end of the riskiest period. Here's what actually happens.
How Cycle Length Affects Your Due Date
If your cycle is 35 days instead of 28, your 'standard' due date is probably wrong by a full week. Here's why the 28-day assumption fails so many wome...
Second Trimester: The Best and Worst Weeks
Week 16: The anatomy scan. Week 20: Gender reveal if you want it. Week 24: Viability milestone. But also: round ligament pain and the glucose test.
IVF Two-Week Wait: A Survival Guide
Those 14 days between transfer and beta test are the longest two weeks of your life. Here's what actually helped me survive them.
Third Trimester: The Final Countdown
Week 28: Glucose screening. Week 32: Growth scan. Week 36: Weekly visits begin. Week 40: The waiting game. And then... week 41, 42, sometimes 43.
Basal Body Temperature Tracking: 6 Months of Data
I tracked my BBT every morning for 6 months before conceiving. The patterns were fascinating — and frustrating. Here's what the data actually showed.