*Assisted conception ladies due Jan/Feb/March 2017*

[Pinkie3]

Myshel, try a cup of coffee, I am not a lover of it and avoiding caffeine but it's worked twice for me now.

 

[2have4kids]

Keep up with the mag for at least 3 days and try some coconut water too. Hope you feel better soon Myshelsong!

How's eveveryone doing this weekend? I'm def getting GD if not full blown already. Get a rotty taste in my mouth after carby food, couldn't even think about eating ice cream, my granola tasted horrible the other day, fruit even leaves me wanting to brush my teeth. Made chicken drumsticks last night with zucchini baked fries. I think it'll be hard for me to gain weight again with how aweful everything is tasting, I was SO annoyed last pregnancy with my lack of options with my aversions.

We're just on a walk right now & baby has fallen asleep.

 

[rebecca822]

2have she is so precious!l and cozy!!

Myshel- I've also had a headache the last 2 days. I'm really not into taking medicine but yesterday morning I took Tylenol which temporarily relieved my headache. Then again in the late afternoon I took more Tylenol. The same thing happened today. I woke up with a splitting headache and took Tylenol and now it's back!! I really don't want to take more drugs!

 

[rebecca822]

Hey question for everyone.

Who plans on breastfeeding?

I got a terrible breast infection and only was able to nurse DD for 4 weeks. I'm so nervous about the thought of nursing twins but I really want to.

What are you ladies planning on doing?

 

[2have4kids]

Oh yes, I have a fantastic breast pump to help me too...the Spectra S2 super fast, very quiet and with a night light. It really helped keep my milk up & avoided blockages with MacKinley. She self weaned at 6 months becsuse she was doing both bottle & breast the whole time. She thought the bottle was easier & faster. I shed a tear when she was finished with me!

 

[rebecca822]

Oh yes, I have a fantastic breast pump to help me too...the Spectra S2 super fast, very quiet and with a night light. It really helped keep my milk up & avoided blockages with MacKinley. She self weaned at 6 months becsuse she was doing both bottle & breast the whole time. She thought the bottle was easier & faster. I shed a tear when she was finished with me!

I had a Madela. How does that compare with the spectra?
I'm thinking of only pumping and no nursing since I don't think there's enough hours in the day...

 

[2have4kids]

https://m.babygearlab.com/Breast-Pump-Reviews
This pretty much sums up why I bought a Spectra baby pump over the Medella. On ebay I git mine brand new for $82 when they normally retail for $350. It's super easy to clean, you only need to pop the cups & bottles in the steamer, everything else is a closed system & doesn't get dirty. Also I bought a hands free bra off ebay too, I'd hate to sit there for 1/2 hour and have to hold the cups.

 

[elliecain]

I really want to breastfeed if I can. I'm taking 9-12 months of maternity leave (depending on money) and I'd like to do breastmilk only for 6 months then wean by the time I go back to work. I totally get that some mums want to breastfeed for years, but it's not my thing. Seeing a 2 year old still breastfeeding makes me feel a bit uncomfortable... I'd never react or say anything because it's a personal choice.

 

[rebecca822]

Thanks 2have. I actually will get a free breast pump thanks to Obama's affordable care act
I will strongly consider the spectra.

Ellicain- if I am successful with breastfeeding it will only be until the babies turn 1 and can drink cows milk.

I want to do as much research and preparation that I can so that I can make it work.

 

[2have4kids]

Seeing a 2 year old still breastfeeding makes me feel a bit uncomfortable... I'd never react or say anything because it's a personal choice.

I feel exactly the same. My gf has a 2 year old that verbalizes which boob she wants, and a full set of teeth. I would never ssy snything as it's mom's choice! But I couldn't do it and it looks strange to me having a child who's eating everything we do still feeding from the boob.

I'm not a fan of formula seeing that there are major ingredients like corn syrup and soy products in some formula brands. Soy has been banned for use in infant foods (it links to infertility when given to infants since it mimicks estrogen) from most countries except Canada and the USA (which have huge soy lobby groups). But we supplemented the breast milk with formula all the way along until 6 months when we did both formula and goats milk. Now she's eating enough solid food that she only drinks milk before her naps and bedtime it's only goats milk now. Walmart has the same organic goats milk that I was buying at my local Whole Foods equivalent store. Goats milk doesn't have the lactose that babies have troubles with and it breaks down to similar nutrition as formula.

It was international breast feeding week last week, isn't it amazing that Obama's healthcare covers pumps! It's something we don't get covered in Canada because we have a year long paid maternity leave but it would be nice to have private healthcare cover it too. For those who have c sections it can help the milk come in. My gf's milk didn't come back in after her emergency section but she said both latching the baby and pumping really helped.

 

[Fern81]

Aww what a lovely little girl you have!!

I would love to be able to breastfeed. And will try my hardest. Will obviously have to pump since I would have to go back to work ASAP... Hubby saw a breast pump in the shop for the first time yesterday and was a bit rattled by it lol... he was also surprised to learn that babies need to feed very frequently at first and can't just go a whole night without eating, like older kids. He's got a lot to learn! (Well, so do I).

 

[Pinkie3]

2have, your little girl is so adorable, I just want to squeeze those lovely little cheeks.

I really hope I can breastfeed too, I don't know why but the thought terrifies me, I think that's because I have heard some horror stories about how difficult it is. I am hoping to attend a breastfeeding class nearer the time and apparently there is a lot of support from the midwifes after the birth. I too will only feed for 6-12 months or when they get teeth, ouch!

I really need to look at breast pumps and so many other things, it's a bit daunting the amount we need to buy, I need to write a list. I went into a store today to pick up some stretch mark cream which meant I needed to head to the baby section (the section I usually avoid) I decided to have a look and there is so much stuff. I also looked at little baby grows for a 'coming home from hospital' outfit. I want the first thing we buy to be the first thing baby wears. However I found it so emotional I welled up in the middle of the shop and had to leave. I have dreamt for so many years to look in that section but it was a bit too much for me. What a loser ha ha.

Fern, that is so funny your DH thought baby is going to sleep through, he is in for a shock. I think my DH is going to need a lot of educating too, the man has never even held a baby before. It's going to be fun.

I finally got my nuchal scan results back today and we are a low risk for downs, Edwards and pataus so very pleased with that.

How is everyone else doing?

 

[Myshelsong]

I am really hoping to breastfeed and pump successfully. Fingers are crossed. My mother and aunts didn't breastfeed and I am hoping to be able to do this with my child, at least for the first few months. Rebecca I like the idea of pumping ... A lot. We will see how it goes.

Watching the olympics today and piddling around the house trying to get some small stuff done. I am picking up an infant travel bed today from my Paint Party money! Super excited to get this, it will be great for when we have to go to my inlaws. They will not have a crib or anything so this looks pretty convenient for the first few months. Won't need a pack and play for a bit ... Less things to pack lol

 

[beemeck]

checking in and so glad to see everyone is still doing well!!

I'm trying to let everything digest and prepare for the upcoming weeks. after much research, I'm feeling okay that baby will make it through everything just fine, so now mainly mourning the loss of an ovary. us girls with infertility know just how devastating that really is. if one more person tells me that I still have another or they know of someone that had three kids with one ovary, I'll flip! I'm not that person - though I would love to be and I'll hope for a miracle. but after this baby, I'm going straight back to the RE for help.

anyway, my doc put me on a no lifting restriction. I met with my boss this morning and was discussing this with her. she said that my job requirement (and it's true) states that I need to be able to lift up to 50 lbs (which is crazy) since I work with children. so she said that I'm not able to fill my job duties and will have to take a leave. I was debating what to do, so this made my decision easier, but I still can't help but feel like it's not fair. I should be given the option of "light duty" and stay in the office until it's lifted. ugh, whatever. I'll finish this week out, then I'll be off until my surgery and awhile after.

good luck for upcoming scans girls!! soon we will be finding out genders!!! (some of us )

 

[Prayingforno1]

Hi everyone I also plan on breastfeeding. I will also need to start looking at my options for breast pumps.
Myshelsong I see you started getting your baby items, I started window shopping for furniture for my baby room. Are you ladies getting a baby crib? I am a bit torn on this one. I don't want to buy baby items just to have them and don't use them. Obviously baby won't be using crib in another room for a while but would like to hear what you think.

So last week I told my cousin who I grew up really close with and is more like my sister that I am expecting. Everyone we told so far has been so happy for us but when I told her she was like ok, congrats but it was really dry. When she asked how far along I was I said 13weeks and her reply wow talk about being exact why don't you just say 3 months you don't have to say the weeks it's not that serious. She then goes on to say well it's good that it finally happened you guys have been married a really really long time so I'm sure you've been trying for a really really long time (we kept our ttc struggles private-imagine if she really knew what we went through). Not sure If I'm over thinking it but just find her reaction and comments seem so strange to me. She has 2 kids so it can't be that she's jealous. I am always there for her so it's very disappointing to have her react this way. She left me so confused.

 

[froggyfrog]

I'm hoping to breastfeed for a year, until he gets introduced to cows milk. I at least want to go a minimum of 6 months. I agree that it's everyone's personal choice of how long to go for, but I couldn't go past a year. There is no judgment for any one who does it, I just feel like breasts are so sexualized here that if my son had recollection of eating from my breast he may have some issue later. Just a fear of mine.

 

[froggyfrog]

Beemeck, at least the time off will let you rest! Sorry about people's comments! I feel like that about when people tell me that they know someone who did if and then got pregnant naturally. I just say oh that would be nice, but with our type of infertility, I'm not going to hope for that to happen for us.

Praying, sorry your friend didn't seem excited. That really is weird! I wonder what was holding her back from being excited for you.

 

[elliecain]

I've lost count of the number of people who have told me about someone they know who did IVF then got pregnant naturally. It was ok at first, but now I'm getting really annoyed with it. It's like I'm being told I rushed into assisted conception or that my and DH's immune issues will somehow magically be cured by pregnancy. I just smile and nod then change the subject, but I think I might start responding differently soon...! What's so great about "natural" anyway? I'm proud to have become pregnant through ICSI. I am meant to be a mother and this is the way it is meant to happen. I will never take my baby for granted, I'll always know how wanted and special he or she is.

 

[Rq120]

Ellie - I hear you. This does happen to a subset of people, but I think what people don't understand is (in SOME people) the first pregnancy from assisted conception helps you to become pregnant the second time. For example, in my case my infertility was from endometriosis. But during pregnancy, the endo shrinks substantially in most women and the amount of "bad" receptors on that tissue is reduced. So pregnancy in itself might help me to become pregnant a second time naturally, but I wouldn't have that improved chance without getting pregnant with assisted conception first. AND that isn't the case for most people going through assisted conception with different infertility diagnosis. People just don't understand!

Beemeck - I don't like that your boss treated you like that, but it does sound like maybe you are not that bothered by it? If you are, you might look into your rights because it sounds like you should be offered a limited duty position or something. There are definite pregnancy rights in the US.


Yes, I plan on breastfeeding. Because we are having twins, I plan on taking the full 12 weeks offered by Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). I will breastfeed during this time and then try to pump as work.

Is anyone looking at classes? I am starting to look at classes at our hospital we are giving birth at. I just read on the class website that they encourage you to have signed up by month 4. You don't have attend, but at least enroll for later in your pregnancy. I'm glad I started looking it up now. I plan to discuss with Hubby and see what he thinks might be the best ones for us. We will be new parents and he will be a stay at home daddy. However we will have great support around us. Currently sister in law lives with us (going through a divorce) and she has tons of childcare experience from working in a daycare and in-laws have fostered 50 kids (some special needs babies) over the last 16 years.

As far as shopping, we are kinda in limbo with this pregnancy. We have planned on moving to Florida for years. In laws just moved there this weekend and they are our main support system. I want to stay in Indiana during my pregnancy to make sure I get my benefits and insurance, then we are planning on putting the house for sale right after/before maternity leave is finished. I have a good chance of taking my current job with me to Florida and working from home, but it's not guaranteed. However, I can find a new job relatively quickly and we are saving all the money we can in case I am out of work for a few weeks or more. But as far as shopping, I don't even think we will set up a nursery. I think my plan is to get bare necessities and then set up a nursery after we move states. I'm thinking of getting bassinets for our bedroom while they are still young. Like I said, limbo.... It will be stressful, but I have to trust that everything will work out and I am not stressing over something to be in 9 months from now.

We also have a wedding in Mexico in April for our best friends. We are Maid of Honor and Best Man so we have to go. I'm also slightly stressing out about traveling with ~3 month olds. Oh life is exciting!

 

[2have4kids]

Praying your sour friend sounds just like mine, we should introduce them to each other. And as a mom, she should know that most women measure pregnancy time in weeks not months, what a thing to bicker about!

We got a second hand high end crib for next to nothing for MacKinley (saves from off gassing mattress worries) and we'll get another second hand crib that unfolds into a toddler bed as well. We also got a Halo 'bassinest' with mesh sides (second hand of course) which I loved, MacKinley stayed in our bedroom the first 6 months anyway and by the time the twins need cribs, MacKinley will be in a bed. The twins can share the bassinet but then I'd like them to have their own cribs at 6 months.

Beemack, Air Canada and other companies offer light duties for pregnant ladies. Thry have the same requirements as flight attendants, so as soon as you feel you can't meet your duties you're meant to report to them and they have an obligation to modify your work. It must be for the safety of the children that she was si black & white about it, which is noble of her, but at the same time she showed you no options or empathy, which is crappy!

Well, it's my first day back at work since last Sept 30. Just clearing up 1001 emails before I dig in. The bosses snd some colleagues are away on holidays so it's fairly quiet thankfully! I hope everyone is feeling good today!