On the 25th of March 2025—just nine weeks before our wedding day—I found out I was pregnant.
I can still feel the rush of emotions from that moment. The second those two pink lines appeared, everything paused. For a split second, it was just me, the test, and the memory of what a positive pregnancy test truly means... and what it doesn’t always mean.
Graham was over the moon. His joy was instant and unshakable. But for me? I was cautious. I've learned the hard way that a positive doesn’t always promise a happy ending. The ache of Louis’s pregnancy and the heart-wrenching goodbye we were forced to say still lives close to the surface. His presence, his strength, his loss—it’s all shaped how I now navigate pregnancy.
But despite everything, I stayed calm.
There was a quiet sense of trust this time. My anxiety, surprisingly, held back. I chose to believe that peace was possible, and I summoned all the positive, healthy energy I could to our tiny, growing baby. Our baby. Baby Carter.
Even before I told Graham the news, I had already called the doctors. That will make him laugh when he reads this, I’m sure! Things had changed slightly since Louis’s pregnancy—there was now a self-referral system for midwife care. I filled in the form, and before long my first appointment was confirmed.
I estimated our due date to be the 8th of December 2025, although based on my last cycle, late November was also a possibility.
My first midwife appointment came on the 7th of April. I had a spring cold, my voice was barely there, and Graham sadly couldn’t make it due to a big work meeting. He was gutted, but I promised to call him so he wouldn’t miss out on any of the important health questions—it’s our first baby together.
At the appointment, I gave a urine sample, had my bloods taken, and did a carbon monoxide test. I blew a 1—likely from car pollution, they said. I was also introduced to the new Badger Notes app, which has now replaced the paper maternity notes. I must admit, it felt strange not carrying that little folder around!
In those first few weeks, I managed to hold off booking a private scan. But eventually, the curiosity and need for reassurance got the better of me. I told Graham, “I need to know what’s going on inside of me.” And so, I booked an early scan at Peek a Baby in Bromsgrove for Saturday 19th April 2025.
I didn’t realise until we pulled up outside—but I’d been there before. It was the same place we’d had Louis’s gender scan. The one where we were told he was very poorly. That moment hit me like a wave. Familiar building. Familiar fear.
I’d been guzzling water all morning, absolutely bursting for the loo. The sonographer was running late and told me to “let a bit out—count to ten then stop.” I think I did that about three times! The nerves were properly setting in now. Up until this moment, I had felt relatively calm. But this... scans are where things had always gone wrong before.
When we were finally called in, I lay down, they applied the gel, and the Doppler met my stomach. Instantly, a gestational sac appeared. For a terrifying moment, it looked empty. My heart dropped. Please not another missed miscarriage.
Then, there it was—a fetal pole... and the tiniest flicker of a 6-week-old heartbeat. A real, strong beat. Our baby. A brand new little life.
Graham’s eyes welled. Mine did too. There in front of us was our creation. The little person we had made together. A baby that would be coming to our wedding, and even tagging along on our honeymoon.
It felt real now. We left Peek a Baby beaming—me in awe, Graham already besotted. I was pregnant. We were having a baby. And this time, we allowed ourselves to start believing... I knew I was a way off being convinced yet, but it was a start.
The pregnancy fatigue had really kicked in early, I would say right from thye first positive test. My chest has been sore (and surprisingly warm to the touch!), and naps have become a regular part of my day. I’m sleeping whenever I can, surrendering to the changes my body is going through.
I still have my moments. Quiet fears that creep in. But mostly, I’m choosing hope.
A Kind Message from Worcester
Then, on 22nd April, I received a text that truly touched me. It was from the bereavement team at Worcester Hospital. They had seen my name on the system and kindly reached out to offer support, knowing that pregnancy after loss can bring its own quiet storm of emotions.
They offered me an early reassurance scan over at the hospital on Monday 28th April, and of course, I gladly accepted. I needed to know that our baby was growing and that heartbeat was still strong.
Graham met me from work, and together we returned to the Early Pregnancy Unit—a place I knew all too well. It was in that very unit that, back in July 2019, I had been told I was suffering a missed miscarriage.
But this time, it was different.
Our little splodge popped up on the screen, measuring 8 weeks gestation, and everything looked perfect for their age. The sonographer was happy. We were happy. Our hearts, for a moment, felt light again.
Looking Ahead
Our official 12-week scan was originally booked for 8th May at Evesham Community Hospital, but based on my dates and previous scans, I knew I would only be around 9 weeks at that point.
I really wanted to make sure we had the nuchal translucency measurements done within the proper window of 11–14 weeks, so we had the scan rearranged for Monday 19th May.
Just days before we were due to fly to Santorini for our big day... and then head straight on to America for our honeymoon road trip adventure across the States!
