AnnE-girl Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm not a very active poster, but asking strangers on the internet about very personal matters seems to make sense :-). After a second month of my formerly very predictable 28 day cycles stretching past 30 days, I used a dollar store test this morning. There was absolutely no doubt that there were two very bright lines. Now this test has been sitting in DH's car glovebox since last year because I didn't want the kids to come across it, so it's been exposed to extreme temperatures. That could make it less accurate, right? Would you get another dollar store test or a name brand? I'm freaking out just a bit. I've gotten comfortable with our family of four and enjoying being past the really intense early years. There will be almost 7years between the younger kids if number three really is coming. We have a family wedding that DD is supposed to be a flower girl in nine hours away when I will be 38 weeks. And our house is really small. There's no way we'll be able to sell and buy something bigger for at least a few more years. I'm torn too, because if baby number three really is coming, I feel guilty that I'm not just excited and having doubts. I don't want this baby to feel less wanted. Thanks for "listening." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I've had a sort of a false positive from a dollar tree test a couple times - really the dye flooded the whole test (and I did it correctly). Oh, and the blue dye tests give false positives to even men sometimes. Get the red dye kind. My OBGYN said to not trust dollar store tests because they tend to be expired and give false positives. I couldn't find anything to corroborate that when I googled about it, but if I were you I would at least get a new, name brand one. Or you could just call your OBGYN and ask for a blood test. ETA: I know it was a false positive because I used the same specimen on a branded test when i got the confusting result and it was clearly negative. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I agree with getting a brand name to verify. With my DS number 2, I took a cheap test on the day I should have started. I got a positive result with faint pink lines. I was skeptical because it was a dollar test, and the lines were faint. Later in the same day, I took a brand name test that gives the clear answer in writing, lol, and it read 'pregnant' (and that was even with a mid-day specimen sample). ETA:FWIW, I think all of your feelings are completely normal. My head was spinning with thoughts, plans, fears, and emotions with all of my pregnancies, and they were all planned! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I never truly believed I was pregnant until I took the test with the digital response. I always figured it was worth the $10 to not have to decide if the faint line meant positive or not. Just reading 'Pregnant' or 'Not Pregnant' made it pretty clear. Or maybe I was just in denial all four times 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 RE: the age split. There are six years between kids #3 and #4 for us. We were pretty comfortable with our family of five, it was lovely being able to eat in restaurants and travel without worrying about diaper bags, etc. Then came along kid #4 - our little surprise - and she has been a real blessing. I wasn't very excited about starting over with a baby, but the older kids were great help when she was little - fetching things and entertaining her, especially in her hated car seat. Now that she's a teen and is our only kid left at home, it's very nice. DD13 has the benefit of experienced parents this time around and DH and I are gradually transitioning from "Kid Focused" lives to "Adult Lives". So - if congratulations are appropriate, know that having that "extra kid" can be a Good Thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 With dd2 I used the $1 (88 cents) ones from Walmart until expected period arrival (they were all very faint positives) but then I sprang for one of those digital ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Yeah, I'd use the dollar store one first, but now that you've gotten a positive I'd pay for one of the expensive ones. Even if it's a negative, it will be worth it for the peace of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Oh and it was positive, my squishy is now almost 14 months old :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks for the input and good thoughts, everyone. I bought a First Response two pack at the grocery store this morning. I couldn't sleep after waking up at 4:30 to test so it made sense to get the shopping done before DH had to leave for work. I'll wait to test until after the kids are in bed tonight, and then again in the morning if it's inconclusive. I had to try really hard not to get emotional in the middle of the store, which was not so much fun. I got a few weird looks and more workers than usual asked if I needed help finding anything, but I held it together for the most part. At least I was shopping early enough that I didn't run into anyone I actually know :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 The emotional reaction in the store would be clearer than two lines for me! ;) I have a 7 year gap between #2 and 3. Then a bonus 4... It's been amazing to watch the big kids and their baby sisters. I hope everything works out for you! :grouphug: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 There is a 5 year gap between my two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 "...I'm freaking out just a bit. I've gotten comfortable with our family of four and enjoying being past the really intense early years. There will be almost 7years between the younger kids if number three really is coming. We have a family wedding that DD is supposed to be a flower girl in nine hours away when I will be 38 weeks. And our house is really small. There's no way we'll be able to sell and buy something bigger for at least a few more years.I'm torn too, because if baby number three really is coming, I feel guilty that I'm not just excited and having doubts. I don't want this baby to feel less wanted...." Best wishes to you on your possible surprise. In my experience, some of the nicest people in the world were surprises! The intense years of babies is different when older children are present ant the parents have more experience with parenting. As to your small house, babies themselves are quite small. Babies don't take much room. What takes up room is all the unnecessary baby items that people *think* babies need. Babies need love--and love grows. Our hearts grow as we make room for those small, little people who sometimes enter our lives unexpectedly. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks for the input and good thoughts, everyone. I bought a First Response two pack at the grocery store this morning. I couldn't sleep after waking up at 4:30 to test so it made sense to get the shopping done before DH had to leave for work. I'll wait to test until after the kids are in bed tonight, and then again in the morning if it's inconclusive. I had to try really hard not to get emotional in the middle of the store, which was not so much fun. I got a few weird looks and more workers than usual asked if I needed help finding anything, but I held it together for the most part. At least I was shopping early enough that I didn't run into anyone I actually know :-) As someone who had to sit down on the floor in the aisle at Target the last time I went to buy a pregnancy test, I completely understand. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer132 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 My youngest was a surprise. I actually was not all that excited about her until I met her. :) She is the sweetest little bundle, but throughout the pregnancy all I could think about were the negatives (possibility of 3 in diapers, 3 under three, having FIVE kids, etc). i did struggle with guilty feelings because I wasn't excited about her arrival, but the Lord showed me how perfectly she fits into our family. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Once I was having really mixed feelings and needed to go get a test. DH went to the drugstore with me, we bought the test, and the kid behind the counter yelled, "Good luck!" as we were walking out the door. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelAR05 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Dollar store tests, whether negative or positive, have worked every time for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I went through a LOT of tests when I was TTCing the new sprout. The dollar store are just as accurate as the name brand. I have a 16 year split and he was anything but a surprise. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I used a test that sat in 100+ moving pod for over a month, and I was sure it wasn't right because of that. No, it was right. Heat didn't affect the test result. I was pregnant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Dollar General tests never failed me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thank you for all reassurances. I don't think I can quote on my phone, but your stories really mean a lot. Merry Gardens, your words were exactly what I needed to hear. And Katy, that is so funny :). Ksr5377, the only thing that kept me from finding a quiet corner to just let it out was that I absolutely had to be home quickly for DH to get to work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 So, what did the name brand test say? :grouphug: DS11 is my sit-down moment baby. We were trying, but I was older and had serious doubts about my fertility after reading . All these stories about how a woman's fertility drops after 40. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm not testing until kids are in bed tonight because they are nosy and I want DH home with me. I'll post again when I know for sure :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicMom Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I didn't believe even the blood tests. I was positive I was not pregnant until they finally did an ultrasound and the baby waved to me. Then I cried for about a month. We were very, very very done. Except apparently we aren't, and I'm getting excited to meet this little one. (then I'm getting a tubal) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I laughed and couldn't stop all day. I had actually given up hope and was 100% sure that trying "one last time" wasn't going to work, I just wanted to have pleasant memories of "the last time". I didn't even take any chemical measures to increase my chances. Take the doom and gloom about late life pregnancies with a grain of salt. ds was born a matter of weeks before my 43rd birthday and both pregnancy and birth were completely uneventful. He was also an insanely easy baby and has always been healthy as a horse. I only got the baby paraphernalia we absolutely needed in the styles I absolutely loved, so he fit into a small house just fine. A miracle is still a miracle even though you weren't expecting this one. Strangers on the internet are a perfectly appropriate support system under the circumstances. Update us whenever you feel like it. Your post brightened my day and put a much needed great big smile on my face, and it obviously had the same affect on a lot of much more regular posters. :) :) :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 If I were a betting person, I'd bet that the bright line on the dollar test, even in the hot car for a year, is accurate, but would definitely follow up with more testing (me, probably three different brands). I admire people who can wait when there's a bathroom right. over. there. (If you want to talk discretion, someone I know very well *cough* would buy many dollar tests at a time but dispose of the boxes in the trash can in the parking lot in order to hide the tests inside in her purse...) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Dollar store tests, whether negative or positive, have worked every time for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Kids finally went to sleep and the First Response was absolutely positive. I'm calmer than I was this morning. We've kept almost all of our baby stuff because we weren't ready to say we're absolutely done, or at least DH wasn't. The timing isn't great, but we'll figure it out. DS and DD will be thrilled. DD has been asking for a little sibling since she was a stubborn three year old who insisted that she would stop nursing and sleeping in our bed if we had another baby. I can't say I'm excited yet, but I'll get there once I get over feeling so shocked. Thank you all for keeping me company through my uncertainty today. And now that I have been up for 18 hours and it's time to get some sleep while I can :-) 32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewe Mama Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congratulations! :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!! :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Awe, congratulations! Give yourself time to adjust, it's a big and important thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congrats!!! Your baby will be a blessing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Wow! Congratulations. I hope you have a healthy pregnancy :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congratulations! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congratulations!!! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congrats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congrats :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congratulations! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congratulations!!!! And as to your earlier fears on the original post about this baby feeling "less wanted", it sounds like big sister very much wanted this baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congrats. One of life's biggest suprises, but one of the best. Be gentle on yourself, it can take a while to move out of panic mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Thank you, everyone! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Congratulations!!! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfABunch Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Congratulations!!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Congratulations!! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Congratulations!!! I have eighteen years between oldest to youngest, though no gaps, and you are going to be SHOCKED how much you savor this one's little years through your more experienced lenses!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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