Trimester Talk

Ilse Jansen
Dietitian in Academic Hospital
36 years old
Trimester 2: 18 weeks pregnant with her second child
Mama of daughter Robin (15 months)
Due date: October 17

This edition tells Ilse all about her pregnancy’s. Every month, another mommy-to-be tells her story. How do you experience your pregnancy, how do you prepare and do you have crazy or striking features?

“Becoming pregnant has been a long and exciting process for us. You often hear the positive stories, but I think it’s important to be honest about our story. Maybe other women recognize themselves in my story and it helps a bit to know you’re not alone. With us it has become a very positive story now with this second pregnancy. ”

“At the age of 32 we were ready for it; let’s grow our family. And within 3 months I was pregnant. So super fast. Unfortunately, this ended in an ectopic pregnancy. Only one year later I was pregnant again. This time (probably) again an ectopic pregnancy. Very painful and sad. At the hospital I got an operation. It turned out that one fallopian tube was no longer accessible. At the gynecologist immediately we got the choice to go into the IUI process, because I had only one functioning ovary. ”

“We wanted to go for it right away. In this process we made 3 attempts in 6 months, unfortunately without a positive result. After the 4th attempt I was pregnant. Crazy! We had been busy for almost 2,5 years now to become pregnant. ”

“Very happy, of course, but also still careful because of the first two pregnancies. At 12 weeks we got a combination test, which had a very bad result. That was another big setback. We have been extremely worried. Immediately we were back in the medical mill and all sorts of tests were done. Including the flake test that was completely good. With each test was ‘the risk’ of a severe abnormality smaller, but they could only give us security when I was 20 weeks pregnant. Very exciting period with lots of worries of course, because would our baby save it all? ”

“With 20 weeks we finally got the redeeming news, everything looked good. And we were told that we will have a daughter. Our beautiful wonder. We could finally enjoy a little, although it was of course exciting until we had her in our arms. With 38 weeks and 5 days I was diagnosed with pregnancy scholestase. I had to deliver immediately. In the end, my birth fortunately went very well, and we finally had our daughter Robin healthy and in our arms. ”

“After such a process, you will of course never enter a second pregnancy without worries. Yet we are so very happy with Robin, that we very much wanted and dared to do this again. And because it took quite a while for the first time, we went back to the gynecologist fairly quickly. We were immediately able to enter the route again, and IUI’s second attempt was spot on. Robin was 11 months old at the time. Of course we would never have dreamed that it would go so smoothly. And with the 12 weeks ultrasound and the NIPT test all results were good, so we can really enjoy this pregnancy. Of course I never completely lose it, and you always keep worrying. It is no longer self-evident, all tests are extra exciting. We look forward to the 20-week ultrasound, a very important course to see if our baby is healthy again.

I feel fine during this pregnancy. A bit broke, and have appetite in both healthy and greasy. I do not feel the baby very well yet, I hope that happens quickly. We already know the names for both a boy and a girl. I do not look forward to the delivery, but I hope it is the same as the first time. We will have to face it again, don’t we :)!

After the interview, Ilse had a fantastic 20-week ultrasound. She has also been told that in October they can expand the family with a baby boy.