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

[Myshelsong]

Ellie, thats what we did the Harmony test! Came back in about 9 days for us, but really could have been our Drs office that just didn't get back in touch with me fast.

Praying. Just the normal prenatal for me. Low results mean the chance of downs or other issues are very low. 1/10000 as per our blood chronological test. So very great news.

Wow husbands be crazy, mine isn't driving me crazy crazy but he is feeling sick, and for some reason I have no patience with that right now.

The kitchen Reno is the worst! We are thinking about doing our counter tops before the boy comes but not sure if we are going to have time or if I can handle it lol. We will see, but that seems like a long time for a ceiling smooth.

Fern, just don't invite the siblings invite the parents only. Or just don't invite them I am sure they won't care.

Yay good scans ladies, so exciting to see heartbeats!

RQ sounds like a great relaxing weekend.

We are going to a very casual reception for my cousin today who is getting married.
I had the worst sleep last night, up and down at least six times for no reason other than my body hates me. Had weird dreams about baby switching posits and me being able to feel it. Then woke up with lightning crotch! Wtf anyone else get lightning crotch already? It was really disturbing lol.

 

[Pinkie3]

Froggy, happy birthday for yesterday, I hope you had a lovely day.

Myshel, arh congratulations on your little boy, enjoy choosing your colours for the nursery. I haven't even thought about what unisex colours I will use yet. I will start doing some research after my 20 week scan.

ES89, fab news on the scan, that flicker is amazing, glad everything went well.

Ellie, I don't blame you for having the harmony test, they are 99% accurate so will definitely put your mind at rest. My nuchal scan came back at very low risk so I didn't have one in the end but then again my donor was 13 years younger than me.

2have, sorry about the car, it's one thing after another isn't it. I hope you get a new one sorted asap. That's another thing we need to think about is getting a family car, we only have one between us at the moment. I like that DH has booked counselling, it sounds like he is tying to put this right.

Fern, I would be a bit reluctant to invite the BIL, you don't want to be worry about them when it's your special tea party, can you get away with not inviting them? If not then I think your idea of setting down rules is the best idea.

Praying, 5 days does seem a long time to do a ceiling! It sounds like DH knows this and he took it out on you. I hope it doesn't take much longer and you have a clean and orderly house again soon.

We brought a house 2 years ago that needs quite a lot of work doing to it. We were not expecting it to take so long and so much money to fall pregnant so the main extension has had to take a backseat unfortunately. Frustrating buy maybe a wise idea.

Today, I have rearranged a few things in the house, now we are not doing the main work to the house I am making another room into the dining room and going to try get the rest of the house done, I want to make it as comfy as possible for when baby arrives and the big work can take place in a couple of years when we get the money together again. Tomorrow I have an all day wedding, it's 2 hour drive away and I am getting tired thinking about having to be out all day. I am sure it will be fine and DH has already warned the bride and groom that we may not be staying for the evening reception.

Have a fab weekend everyone X

 

[Fern81]

Dh says I have to invite them. So I'll try to make it clear they are to behave in front of my family.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I felt baby kick or punch yesterday I had a coffee and was sitting on the porch, quietly perusing bnb when I felt one distinct tap below my belly button. Then only some flutters later that night. I've only felt something a handful of times but I'm pretty sure about that tap yesterday!

Phew pinkie that sounds tiring! Are you feeling a bit better ms wise?

Myshel- hope you enjoyed the wedding!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. I've been really lazy, watching tv (Olympics, "the martian" movie last night which I loved, Grey's anatomy marathon today) and cleaning & cooking a bit in between. I tried to do a bikini wax yesterday, epic fail. For the past 5 years I've waxed everything off, every 3 weeks; and yesterday was the first time I couldn't reach everywhere due to the bump! And d@mn it suddenly hurts a lot! So looks like the "down-there" area will have a revised waxing regime until a few months after giving birth lol!

 

[nimbec]

Hi everyone I'm so sorry I've been so rubbish keeping in touch! It's no excuse I know but things have been SO busy here, I've been trying to get on top of work since being off in hospital and had some fairly big stresses (work) which I've been trying to remain calm about! I am reading and thinking of everyone even though I'm not posting!

Family politics is such a nightmare, no easy answer just try and make it on your terms the best you can, I sometimes feel better that way as I'm sort of in control of the situation...or so I think 😂.

So pleased everyone is having lovely scans! I also saw baby last Thursday and heard heartbeat just an amazing sound!!!!

Ellie can I be cheeky and ask how much your test cost - the one in Cardiff is £500 and I'm wondering if it's worth a trip over the bridge 😂.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

 

[rebecca822]

Hi ladies sorry I've been missing since Friday. Busy weekend with family. Traveled today a friends wedding so I just got to the hotel. I'm utterly exhausted so I'll nap a little before doing some touristy things here in New Jersey. The wedding is tomorrow night and were staying until Tuesday. I'm with my mom and sister. Left DH at home caring for DD he is not thrilled

 

[Rq120]

Today is rest day. I worked at the hospital yesterday (extra job). I'm going grocery shopping here in a min with DH. Leftovers for dinner so after the grocery shopping is done it's being lazy the rest of the day. Trying to get all the laziness in that I can before we become parents. It has been raining all day today and yesterday. Yuck!

 

[froggyfrog]

I will read and respond to everyone in a little bit, I just wanted to pop on and show you all my little guy!

 

[froggyfrog]

 

[elliecain]

Nimbec, £440 without scan, £490 with scan. They require a dating scan if you've not had one yet, because you need to be confirmed over 10 weeks.
https://www.somersetearlyscans.co.uk/harmony/

Froggy, cool picture. Hello baby boy!

 

[Rq120]

Froggy - so sweet!

 

[rebecca822]

Lovely froggy, love those 4d's!

 

[2have4kids]

Hi ladies, how is everyone. I hope you all had a good weekend.

RQ the plan to pay off the fertility debt sounds good. It'll allow you to enjoy LO more stress free.

Rebecca enjoy the wedding. Yay for husbands!

Ellie those scan prices are outrageous! I hope you ladies have ither options, is there a public healthcare option?

Praying, it's really best to get the renos done now. Once baby is here you won't want construction crews on your home. We did major remodelling when DD was 3 months old. Hardwood floors redone & baseboards, new granite kitchen island, remodelled master bath & hot tub area, painting. We went to Banff national park while the worst of it was being done but got home with no furniture in the house except our mattress. It was challenging to say the least.

Fern, best of luck with the tea. I like your idea of including 'semi-formal dress' in the bil's invites. I have a tool of a chauvinist pig for a bil too, you can't pick yourfamilybut you can manage them! Gl.

ES congrats on the scan, it's the best feeling seeing that heartbeat!

Pinkie enjoy your wedding and home - rearranging/decorating.

Nimbec & Beemack how are you doing?

Froggy what a great birthday present - love the 4D scans.

Now who did I miss, I'm sure I missed someone! We did a lovely drive to Banff in a loaner test drive vehicle that we got from a dealership. We definitely have to get a 7-seater. I can't reach the babies from the front in their Diono car seats while they face backwards as the seats are too high. One of us will sit in the last row and feed them/ keep them happy when we're on long haul trips. It also leaves more room for skiis, stroller, and stuff if we need the room going to the mountains.

Now that I'm off prednisone I'm def feeling nausia when / before eating and I get dizzy just after eating from low blood pressure. I think all of the blood rushes to my stomach. I've been trying to eat small but I find I'm just constantly having to eat. I haven't gained anything more than when I checked 3 weeks ago, still 9 pounds over starting weight.

 

[elliecain]

2have, no, I explained badly!

The £440 is for the Harmony blood test and that's quite reasonable, as it tests the DNA from the placenta in the mother's blood. A dating scan at the same time adds £50, which is really good. Public healthcare in the UK is called the NHS and it doesn't cover Harmony yet. The only reason I'm doing Harmony is my age. The NT result will be screen positive, whatever the thickness, because the odds of Trisomy in my age group is higher than the cut off for a positive...

The NHS gives 2 free scans, one at 12 weeks (with an NT scan and a different, not so reliable blood test) and another one at 20 weeks, the anatomy scan. If you've done IVF, you have an additional one at 6/7 weeks (viability scan).

I didn't get IVF funded on the NHS because I had a fluke natural chemical pregnancy last year, so they decided I'm not infertile, despite all the immune issues we both have. I started fighting the decision, but I'm 39 and time is not on my side. The NHS is strapped for cash and, to be honest, was set up to help ill people get well. It's not easy to get any NHS help with infertility, in my experience. My parents agreed to lend/give us the money for the IVF so we just got on with it. We were extremely lucky that it worked first time, as credit cards were going to be the option for IVF 2, and it costs £6,500.

Anyway, the reassurance scan I paid for the other week was £85, which isn't too bad. I was sad that I couldn't get a scan paid for by the NHS since I've already spent so much, but I've had to lower my expectations and dig deep so often in those process, that I'm now resigned to it.

By the way, I'm dreading ending my prednisolone. It's been amazing for my skin... I have eczema and I used to get sore, itchy, red skin sound my mouth most of the time. We reckon it was an allergy but couldn't do much about it. I hated it so much. Since taking pred, it's not flared up once. I love it! I'm going to try to get referred to an immunologist to look at other treatment options, as I think it is closely linked to my infertility. My system was flooded with histamine and my immune system was in overdrive. Now, it's all calm! I've gained a lot of weight on pred which is tough for me (I used to have anorexia and this weight gain is a bit of a headf*** to be honest, especially as I'd already gained loads on Clomid), but I have to just put up with it for my baby's sake. So I'll be happy to stop gaining so fast (I'll be fine with normal pregnancy gain just not this rapid fatness), but I'm worried it's been masking my nausea so I'll get pukey and also my skin will start being mean again when I stop. I stop the day after I return to school!

 

[2have4kids]

Ellie, my sister has anorexia, it never really goes away does it, you just manage it throughout life. It sounds like you have a good grasp on your priorities, babies health is #1 I lost 80 pounds 5+ years ago and am terrified of gaining too much or having it get out of control again. Working out and eating low carb is how I maintain and withnot being able to work out my entire 1st tri AND having low blood pressure I feel absolutely terrible right now. Weak and out of breath all the time. Workouts help immensely with low blood pressure so now that the sch's are gone I've been gently doing more fitness-wise.

Those costs aren't so bad and I would absolutely pay for the Harmony test too if these embryos were from our old bodies @ 40 and 45. In fact my threshold is 35, I think I read trisomy/Downs and other chromosomal issues effect 1 in 5 embryos. Most times our bodies are smart and kick them out in the form of mc or chemical but some make it through. @ 40 the chances are 1 in 3, there's no way I would go into a pregnancy without ensuring I know things are ok/being prepared for age-related outcomes.

 

[froggyfrog]

Fern how exciting that you have been feeling baby so much!!! I'm definitely jealous. I feel like he is just teasing me by letting me feel a little something every now and then! Oh and I turned 29!

Myshel I love the idea of a mountain painted on the wall, that sounds beautiful!


Thanks ladies for the comments on our photo , he is so cute! He seems to have a thing about having his hands up to his face. This picture was taken while he was putting his hands up to his face. We got some good shots that I'm waiting to have emailed to me. I was paranoid that maybe they read me the wrong sex of the wrong embryo from my chart(silly I know) so I had them double check for me! He had his knees under him and was laying with his butt in the air and there his peepee was hanging down!! I know it's early, but I'm so certain he is going to be a little dh jr. The shape of his eyes and his little nose already look like his daddy!

 

[froggyfrog]

2have, I have never heard of fitness helping low blood pressure. I have syncope, which is where I get sudden drops in my blood pressure and it causes me to faint and I have even had seizures from it. No doctor has ever told me to exercise to help it. I was always told to increase my salt intake and electrolyte intake and to be careful when working out.

 

[Prayingforno1]

Lovely scan Froggy, look at the little hand !!

Hope everyone is having an awesome day so far. 1 more week until our next scan. It feels like forever and I can't wait.

 

[Fern81]

Aaww froggy the scan is amazing!! So much detail! congrats . Yep it's cool to feel him/her but it's only happened about 5 times total and some of those could have been my imagination lol... but I really felt that distinct tap/kick on Saturday so I count that one as a definite. I know my placenta is far to the top of my uterus so it shouldn't mask too much movement. One of these days we are going to complain about all the kicks!

Praying- will you be finding out the gender then? Sorry if I've already asked, my memory is mush lol. Is your kitchen ceiling done?

Ellie & 2have - I'm also hating the weight gain. My bump is enormous & I look about 6 months along. Lots of people have started commenting on my bump & asking me if it's a boy/girl... obviously I look far enough along to know! I've also suffered with various eating disorders (anorexia then emotional eating etc) all my life & really struggled with Clomid related weight gain. I had just lost 13 pounds when I got my bfp and am now the size of a mountain which freaks me out. I can't imagine getting any bigger but there is still 25 weeks to go! Dh keeps reminding me it's normal & healthy to gain weight but it's super hard on me. If I could eat less carbs, I would but I still feel like I'm going to pass out if I don't eat carbs 3x a day. It sounds really selfish to be so worried about my weight but I can't help it. Plus I have almost no time to work out atm, too busy at work! Eeekk!

Ellie- is it perioral dermatitis? I get it and can share what works for me if I get a flare up.

Sooo we had 500 mm high rolls of barbed wire installed all around our property now it looks like a prison! We found out where the thieves got in, under an electric fence & over pointy (devil's fork?) fencing... this is the third layer of fencing and hopefully will keep all but the most determined thieves out!

My bladder has started doing that irritating thing where I have to pee every 10 seconds and it doesn't empty properly lol not fun when I have to teach for 8 hrs a day! I had to run to the loo 4 times in 1 hour during one student's lesson this morning... hectic!

 

[elliecain]

It doesn't seem to be perioral dermatitis, I took a look at Google... In fact, mine is often helped by steroid ointments and PD seems to be made worse by them. It doesn't come up as red bumps, just I get extremely itchy skin around my mouth. I get it in other areas too but the mouth is the worst.

https://i68.tinypic.com/2gvj3hi.jpg
This was a typical flare up... You can see why I love prednisolone!!! DH is convinced it's an allergy but I've tried all kinds of exclusion diets and some seem to help (no bread seemed to be a starter) but not consistently. The only thing that has halted it is prednisolone.

The weight thing is tough. I've come such a long way since my anorexia got me admitted to an EDU. I have been a healthy weight for nearly 5 years now and I will never go back there. I resent the thoughts because I've embraced body positivity and moved on. 5 cycles of Clomid, IVF and weeks of 20mg prednisolone have taken their toll on my body and I'm in the overweight category for the first time in decades. It's really tough, but I know why I'm doing this and I want a baby infinitely more than I want to be skinny. When I get a bit wobbly, I remember how desperately unhappy I was at my lowest weight and how insanely happy I am today.

I'm going to buy maternity clothes quite soon. I am happy to embrace the bump body!

 

[Fern81]

Ellie that looks sooo uncomfortable, poor you! I'm keeping my fx that it doesn't flare up when you stop the prednisone. Also, like the way you've summarized that last bit. I've never been happy with my body but I'm very happy about my baby!