This pregnancy was challenging. It might have been our third, but we struggled still.

During our first and second trimester of pregnancy, I had hyperemesis gravidarum. My nausea was so severe that I lost 16 lbs on the first trimester alone. The only liquid I could tolerate was sparkling water and talbos ng camote juice, the recipe of which we learned from our doula, Velvet. Also, even if I couldn’t tolerate any food, we developed gestational diabetes (GDM).

On the second trimester, we learned that we had placenta previa totalis and it did migrate upward in the third trimester. During the third trimester, baby kept onmoving from cephalic to breech position.

Since we had controlled GDM, I had to go on a regular non-stresstest, which is expensive. It felt silly because even having almost no foodintake, we still had GDM.

I then kept having contractions on my 34^th week.We grew very concerned and we were in constant communication with our doula, Velvet, because of thefrequent contractions. Doula Velvet pointed out that it might be prodromallabor. When we realized it was indeedprodromal labor, we relaxed.

As if these things weren’t enough, our eldest daughter gotchicken pox on our 20^th week. I haven’t had the pox yet, nor do Ihave the vaccine for it. I couldn’t believe I was still sane after those monthsof challenges.

But God was our refuge and our strength. Through these tryingtimes, we had to be strong, and we couldn’t do it alone. Sharing our Pregnancy Verse: “I cando all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13