Finally success after 5 years unexplained infertility

[ashknowsbest]

froggy - how are you doing?

l4hope - thank you! I like to think I'm already half baked at 19 weeks since they'll be coming at 38 weeks. I'm growing somewhat impatient. I just can't wait to meet these little babies!

DH and I have been busy little bees setting up their nursery. He painted it last weekend and I have to do a furniture exchange but that's already set up and the new dresser will be here on June 13th. I'm very excited to get everything in place and just wait for them to arrive. We bought two books on memorial day. It's called Welcome little one (a love letter to you). It sums up my feelings and hopes for my babies so well so I had to have them. I honestly couldn't even read through the entire book while we were out because I was tearing up. My emotions are all over the place lately but that's to be expected. I'm on a mission to find a colorful glider ... since their room is mostly white with mocha wood accents I thought if I could find a teal or even a sort of burnt orange gilder (a color that can really be for a boy or a girl) that would be a good pop of color. I'm also trying to decide how important it is to get a glider that is wide enough for me and two babies .... it's really hard to find a glider that is extra wide (that I like) so .... I'm trying to justify how important it really is. Any advice? Did/do you girls use your gliders all the time or just ... now and then?

Other than the nursery getting set up things are pretty quiet on this end. The babies are doing great, I'm pretty sure I'm feeling them move now but it's not on a consistent basis at all. I can't wait until I can really feel the move. We have an appointment with my OB on Thursday of next week. I can't wait to see them again. I've also been able to stay away from the doppler for 3 - 4 days at a time which I'm also very happy about. I used it a lot to get through the first trimester but I think now I'm finally starting to believe that I am going to have babies.

I did start going to prenatal yoga and I'm trying to get a prenatal massage every week because my back is KILLING me! I cannot get relief no matter what. It's driving me insane. Prenatal yoga has been great because a lot of the girls go to lunch afterwards so it offers a chance to build a support system (we're not from CA and it's been really hard to find friends that are in the same stage in life as me and my DH). They're actually coming over today for a pool day. And the massages are expensive but really nice. It does help a little bit but I'm so tight in my back and I'm sure with all of the pressure the babies are putting on my spine is not helping. Hopefully as I keep going week by week things will get better.

Anyways, sorry for the long post. I hope you're all doing well and enjoying your summers!

Mo - how are you feeling?

 

[froggyfrog]

Im doing good. Just very tired all of the time, but have restless nights. I was looking into the prenatal yoga classes too. I do yoga at home but have never been to a class. The classes seem a little more pricey than I want to spend. I'm a cheapskate! But the support would be nice, we don't know anyone here either and I'm not working right now. What kind of doppler do you have? And when we're you able to hear the babies?

 

[MoBaby]

Hey ash! Glad things are coming together. I literally realized I have 73 days to go! Nursery isn't even started. We had some work on our house so we had to move all the downstairs stuff upstairs so there is a bunch of stuff in the nursery room. And the closet has stuff in there we need to seriously throw out. I plan on this weekend going to get some things. We did settle on a crib. Well, it's actually the exact same one and furniture line as DS crib but a different finish. I saw it and fell in love again so we went with it. DS isn't ready for me to make a bunch of changes to his routine so we will keep him in his room and keep in crib until he is crawling out or showing signs he's ready to convert. I'll attach a pic of the crib. I had my gestational diabetes 2 hr test and I think I passed since no one had called me about it. Baby seemed to be doing well yesterday and my next mfm appt is June 14 with ultrasound. I'm growing hourly it feels like and my belly is so big lol. I've felt nauseous yesterday and today which I think is from the glucose test still lingering.

 

[ashknowsbest]

froggy - I was SO tired early on too. I would go to bed around 8:30 and sleep about 10 hours. Enjoy it while you can though! Sleep ... what is that again? I'm not sleeping well at all but it is what it is. The classes can be expensive but sometimes they have an unlimited plan where you can go as much as you want for some amount. Maybe look into that? I know everyone's situation is different but for the money it's so worth it to make connections with women going through similar things as you and your husband. That's what I've found to be true anyways. I hope you're able to sort that out and get your yoga on. I have a fetal doppler called womb music. Here is the link https://www.amazon.com/Womb-Music-H...&qid=1464979906&sr=8-1&keywords=fetal+doppler
If I'm recalling correctly I was able to find one heartbeat around 9 weeks. I tried before then but with no luck. I've been very happy with this doppler though. It doesn't tell you what the fetal heart rate is but I count it myself. Count for 15 seconds and then multiply that number by 4.

Mo - I LOVE the crib. The first thing I noticed about it was how nice the finish was. Good choice! Oh my, 73 days! When you put it in days and not weeks it seems like it's right around the corner. That is very exciting! I think it's great that you're not forcing your DS into a new routine. I'm sure it's hard enough on kids realizing their getting a sibling. It will all change in time, but when he's ready. When is the gestational diabetes test normally done? I'm a little worried about it (for no rational reason of course, lol) but I want to pass! And is the first one an hour and then if you don't pass that one they do a longer one or something? I'm sure you passed since nobody has called you. Yay for that! Growing hourly I have days where I feel like that too. I actually had to have DH take a picture of my last night though because I feel like I haven't grown much since like 18 weeks. After he took the picture though I realized I have ... and my belly sticks out past my boobs, and I can't see my feet or ... TMI but groom my private area. It's a little ridiculous but oh well. Well, good luck at your next MFM appointment. I have my next MFM appointment in a little over 2 weeks and that's for the fetal echo to make sure they have healthy hearts. I've been told almost everyone who does IVF gets the fetal echo. Hmm ... we'll see.

 

[froggyfrog]

Mo, that crib is gorgeous!

Ash, I may end up doing it. Dh was all about it when I told him I was looking up classes.

 

[MoBaby]

The rest is usually performed right at start of third tri but I think sooner for twins maybe around 24 weeks? The duration of test depends on dr. Twins gets treated different so you may automatically have to do the 3 hr. My ob for this pregnancy does only a 2 hr test but my last ob did a 1 hr which intakes and then did the 3 hour. I put a pic of my sons crib up too. The pic has girly decorations but it's a good crib and furniture for gender neutral.
I did not have fetal echo with my son. I did with this baby only because the borderline NT scan and bloodwork. But a lot of ivf patients get a fetal echo. It took a while- almost a hour for a single so be prepared to be there for a bit. But they were testing a new machine so I had some with the new machine and some with the older. But it's so neat! The cardiologist then came in and reviewed everything. He took a quick look too.

I almost got a real glider that was on sale (floor model) but as I was walking to tell the lady I wanted it someone else got the sales person first. I'm not sure if I'll get a new one or not but if I do it will be colorful as we are going to have a rustic look so I'll need a pop of color.

 

[MoBaby]

I can't believe you're over 20 wks! More than halfway there

 

[ashknowsbest]

Mo - right?! Time flies. I'm so ready to meet them. They were moving around all day yesterday it was so crazy! And tomorrow we get to see them. I can't wait.

 

[bubumaci]

21 weeks! Wow! How did the appointment go on Friday?

 

[ashknowsbest]

Bubu - I can't believe it either, although I really am starting to because my back is killing me. It's okay though, I love them. The appointment Friday went great. The babies were moving around, it's really hard to get them on one screen at the same time now and my BP and weight gain are spot on. Things are really looking great. Next Monday I have the fetal echo with the MFM and they'll look at each of their hearts in depth and let me know if everything is fine. I'm assuming everything is given the healthy NT scan but you never know. We'll also find out how much they weight at that appointment which I'm excited about. Last time they weighted 9oz. each. My guess is by that time they'll weight 12-13oz. My babies are already growing up!

How are you doing? How's Fabian?

 

[bubumaci]

That's wonderful, that they are doing so well! So next week Monday, they will get checked out again.

I am doing OK, thank you! We have had a bout of really bad news in the past month, so that has been difficult. Fabi is an absolute gem though and I absolutely love observing and watching him, his interests, how he's developing. It is so amazing! And I feel blessed beyond belief to be his Mama.

 

[MoBaby]

So amazing they are doing great!! I'm so happy for you 9 weeks from today for my new baby arrive!!

 

[ashknowsbest]

Mo - oh my, he will be here before you know it! 9 weeks will fly by.

Bubu - Sorry you've gotten bad news this past week. Hope all is well besides that!

AFM - From what they can tell from ultrasound both babies are doing amazing. There is a 4% difference between their sizes overall but they are doing really good. Lucy is measuring in the 73rd percentile and Oliver is measuring in the 60th percentile. They looked in depth at their hearts and both have very healthy hearts. I am so thrilled with the news. My cervix is also doing a standup job still measuring at 3.8cm (I think cm?). I seriously cannot believe with everything I went through to get pregnant, the pregnancy part has gone so smoothly thus far. I can't wait to meet them and I really am settling into pregnancy and enjoying it now. My belly is getting big, all of their furniture has arrived, and I've started to pick up little things here and there to decorate their room. Things are moving along nicely. I'll see the MFM again in 4 weeks (July 18th) and on July 5th I'll see my OB. I'm guessing at the July 5th appointment we will schedule my gestational diabetes test. I'm really hoping I pass that! I'm on cloud 9 girls! Oh and my mom is flying out and is throwing me a sort of surprise baby shower somewhere between the 15th of July and the 20th of July. I know that a baby shower is happening I'm just not sure where it is, when it is, and who is coming from the east coast besides my mom.

I hope you're all well!

 

[ashknowsbest]

Oh and they weight 1lb2oz and 1lb1oz.

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

stalking you!

 

[ashknowsbest]

Onerth - Welcome!

 

[MoBaby]

Ash that is so great about the babies!! So exciting! The echo is amazingSurprise baby shower sounds like so much fun. You'll get so much stuff at your shower. I think we need a bump pic lol. My bump is so huge now. I was looking back and I'm about as big as I was right before I delivered DS. I'm getting really uncomfortable too recently. I bet you are too since there are two in there and your measuring when I'm at!! 8 weeks left for me today. Where does your mom live?

 

[bubumaci]

Thank you Ash! (We had a couple of deaths, one not so surprising, but still very upsetting, the other, absolutely tragic! - which is why I had to drive to Budapest twice within a few weeks for the funerals).

It's wonderful news that Lucy and Oliver are doing so well (I love their names by the way, I think I missed where you announced their names)! My fingers will be crossed that you pass the GD test! I also was very lucky to have a smooth pregnancy - once we finally got there - but did get GD and so had not seen the back of the needles. But it was gone the moment that Fabi was born!

I agree with Mo - it's time to see another bump picture

 

[ashknowsbest]

Mo - I can't believe you have only 8 weeks left! I feel like once you give birth it's going to get so real for me about my babies. I'm still shocked that I'm going to have 2 children before the end of this year! My mom lives in NJ as does most of my family so they'll all be traveling from there. And yes, I am getting uncomfortable. I recently started having acid reflux after every single meal. Just one time I had heartburn so far but ... I wouldn't be surprised if I started getting it more often. Oh and it started at about 20-21 weeks but I have been so tired and extremely hungry! I think maybe they're going through a growth spurt or something?

Bubu - any death in a family is hard but especially the tragic ones. I'm so sorry to hear this and I hope you and your family are leaning on one another during this difficult time. Thanks about their names! We had Oliver picked out for a long time. The girl name took a while but we think Lucy is so timeless and classic. And we plan to call her Lulu and Oliver Olly so .. it all works out. I'm happy to hear your GD was gone once he was born. My biggest fear is that when they're born the diabetes won't go away. I saw my grandmother struggle with diabetes her whole life so .. just scares me a little bit. But hoping for the best. And as of right now I shouldn't worry because I haven't even been diagnosed yet.

Here is a bump picture for you girls.

https://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q625/akinner/22weeks_zpsxxzuyys3.jpg

 

[ashknowsbest]

Well, I'm feeling my little munchkins moving around all the time. And this morning I felt a strong rolling sensation so I felt my belly and to the left of my belly button I felt this really hard thing underneath my skin. Guessing one of my babies, Oliver most likely since he's always higher than Lucy. DH has been able to feel them on a fairly consistent basis too. He loves it! And I am feeling huge. Within 4 days I got huge! I will post a picture. I feel like they really went through a growth spurt, I've been totally exhausted and hungry all the time.

We finally sorted out the extra furniture we had in their nursery now so it's really feeling like their room since everything else is out. I also got a shipment from my mom of assorted baby items but most clothes. Feels weird to have baby boy and girl clothes hanging in their closet! I ordered their wooden alphabet letters that we're going to hang on the wall and we're going to order some other artwork for their room that my DH found the other day.

I did have a scare on Saturday. I woke up with cramps (mild I would say) and they didn't really go away so by .... idk 12pm I told my DH I wanted to go to the urgent care just to be safe. We went there and everything is fine and they said that I'm measuring 30 weeks and for 30 weeks it's normal to have some cramping. They were very thorough and reassuring though so I was happy we went. I just don't know what to expect and honestly I felt dumb for going by the end of the appointment but ... the doctor said it's better to be safe than sorry and now I know that some level of cramping is normal.

Can you believe I'm 23 weeks already?! Where does the time go?! I'm very excited to be 6 days away from viability for my own sanity. Oh and my cervix is amazing btw ... we checked it at the emergency appointment on Saturday. It was 3.7-4 and when I bare down it only shortens to 3.1. There is also no funneling when I bare down which makes me so happy! I have a feeling these babies are going to stay put until at least 37 weeks!

We are heading down to LA for our baby moon on Friday in the afternoon and I'm so excited to get away with my hubby. We plan on eating good food, going to the griffith observatory (we love all things space!) and getting a couples massage (maternity for me of course). And checking out the Getty museum. It should be fun and relaxing.

Hope all is well with everyone else!

Mo - how are you?! 6 weeks left right?