Getting Fit Before Baby

[Mrs. Tigger]

Hi Ladies

I hope you're all well. I've not been on the boards much; tired and busy. We had very quiet holidays; just the two of us for Christmas, then just went over to a freind's place for New Years. We didn't take any extra holidays off work, but work was very slow, so we felt we got some rest anyway.

@MissDoc - My weight gain has also been too high so far, but I've just about given up. I know I will get it off again when I am done with everything and can go back on my Low GI diet and my Metformin. They aren't nagging me about it, at least. In fact they seemed surprised I tested negative for Gestational Diabetes.

@Ursaula - Good luck with the TTC. I wasn't ovulating and therefore I had no periods, but with a few months on Metformin and having lost a fair bit of weight, I started ovulating and getting regular periods, then I got pregnant on my 3rd month of actual trying (after we confirmed I was in fact ovulating). Hopefully the weight loss helps you.

@ireadyermind - Wow, that's a crazy family situation you've got going on there. I'm looking forward to hear if things get going for you now that you're being seen by what sounds to be a better clinic.

@krissie328 - Not gaining over the holidays is a huge achievement! I wish I could say the same were true for me! Good luck!

@drjo718 - Can't believe you're TTC2 already; where does the time go? It seems like yesterday you were writing about getting your BFP! Good luck!

I'm doing OK; just tired. I'll be 28 weeks tomorrow, so baby is getting big. Today was a bit stressful, as the last two days I'd noticed reduced movements, and when I called the midwife asked me to come in straight away for monitoring, but it turns out everything is completely fine. It seems baby has turned head down, so they think the combination of the position change and the fact that he's getting bigger (and has less room) means I won't be getting as many of the obvious kicks and jabs but instead more rolls and pushing out...so I just have to pay more attention. My weight gain has been too high (although it's hard for anyone to track accurately because I also retain a lot of water that I'll lose again over the course of a couple of days, so my weight is all over the place). But blood pressure is great and I had my second gestational diabetes test last week, which I passed (so no diabetes). We have a 3D scan booked for this Friday, so looking forward to seeing him again. I'm also looking forward to maternity leave starting at the end of February, and we have a week's holiday with some friends planned for the week after next which will be a nice break.

Hope all is well!

 

[ireadyermind]

So good to hear from you, Mrs Tigger! Glad to see that everything's okay with baby. Decreased movement would worry me, too!

And I agree, it IS a crazy family situation! I am SO glad that I only have to see those people every other year. I don't think I could handle living in town. DH asked me the other day, "Well what would happen if we had to move back to my hometown for some reason?" I said, DH, I love you, but I cannot imagine any situation whatsoever that would force us to move back to your hometown. And even if there WERE, I'm sure we could find other ways to solve whatever it is than to move back there!




AFM -- I had trouble sleeping last night. I've been so keyed up with excitement lately! We are so hopeful for this IUI. The only medical reasons anyone can see for my infertility is the cervical surgery, and PCOS. Since I was ovulating on my own, the main thing was low estrogen and thin lining. DH has no MFI, so with this aggressive course of action, I think we have a real chance!


I spent a good two hours in bed last night reading forum threads and articles on IUI success rates when paired with meds and trigger shots. My RE says it's a 50% chance of success, and they therefore present their IUI treatments as 'packages' of two. Because my PCOS issue will be 'fixed' with meds, and we'll bypass the cervical issue with IUI, we're super optimistic.

Is it crazy of me to be browsing nursery ideas and cloth diaper reviews when I'm not pregnant yet!? lol

 

[MissDoc]

IRYM-- I'm really impressed with your slowcooker freezer meals! I do that with a whitebean chicken chili that I love. Yay for more homecooked meals. I need to take a page out of your book. And I'm really excited for you that you have such a great shot over these next two cycles. That is awesome! I don't think it's crazy to look at nursery ideas and such. I think we get so bogged down with the TTC part we forget to think forward about the actual baby and our lives with baby. And visualization is supposed to be great for TTC, so I say keep up the looking at baby stuff unless it starts feeling depressing! I know everyone has one of these stories, but when we were working with an RE and I felt like I really truly had a chance to get pregnant in a real way (versus just hopeful trying), I felt so optimistic that first cycle after that. It was just different for me. Just a sense of true belief and calmness versus the desperate hope I had had in all the previous cycles. And that's the cycle we finally conceived. I don't know if there's anything to it, who knows. But it felt like there was. Like my brain finally believed I could get help and be pregnant. I hope it works like that for you too in one of these very soon upcoming cycles!

Tigger-- So great to hear from you! Glad your sweet little one is doing well and has turned downward. That's great progress. I feel ya on the weight. I was well behaved yesterday but today I'm eating everything in sight and I'm just going to give myself grace and let it pass. Tomorrow I'll try harder.

Urs-- Yay for your ovulation! That's great. I hope good things happen. And enjoy your jump rope!

 

[swimmyj1]

hey gals sorry i haven't been on sense Christmas, its been a long stressful week.

IRYM - omg yay IUI!!! my fingers are soooo crossed. i'm so glad they are being so aggressive with your TTC at this clinic that's how my clinic was and in 2 cycles there we got pregnant with lizzy! fingers crossed you won't need a second cycle lol. as for your DH's family god what a nightmare!!! I won't blame you for not wanting to go there in 2018 i wouldn't either! Great plan on inviting them lol. I would love the crock pot stuff please!!! i've been doing more crock pot meals!

Urs- i hope you can jump start this cycle i totally get your frustration. I'm still waiting for mine ugh

Doc - congrats on team blue!!! can't wait to see a picture of him when he gets here! As for weight gain i know it isn't easy. my problem was more of an issue of gain after being pregnant hang in there hun.

Tigger - so glad to hear from you too i'm so glad he went head down. lizzy never turned and would get her head stuck under my ribs omg that hurt! lol Hang in there I know the last trimester is no fun. Hope the 3D scan is lots of fun

Krissi - fingers crossed on this cycle. good for you trying to wait to test lol i never could make it past 8dpo haha

AFM - (another long rant from me lol) had a really big spike in weight gain this week. I've been doing way to much stress eating. The day after christmas our lab got sick and he just went down hill fast. Unfortunately with his old age we chose to put him down. Our pug has been having a really hard time adjusting to him not being here. Poor little guy already has a lot of anxiety from being abused and burt was his life line. I also got sick the day after and was having really bad stomach pain. I thought it was from eating all the junk on christmas .... nope turned out i needed to get my appendix out >.< spent 2 days in the hospital. I wouldn't take any narcoitcs sense i'm still feeding lizzy and this one nurse was so mean about it. I kept telling her ummm i'm a nurse here in this hospital i know the risks i can handle the pain with tylenol. but whatever I'm home now and don't have to go back to work until next week. My moms here to help for a few days. But on a happy note I'm going on my yearly girls weekend trip next weekend yay!! looking forward to some great R&R. It sounds shallow but i've also been really struggling with my body image. my body is just .... stretched out? after having lizzy lol. and with not having sex in over a month I'm just feeling very unattractive (sorry just whining right now) lol.

Can't wait to see how everyones TTW goes I have a good feeling about this month, i have some friends doing IUI's and IVFs!!! Hopefully going to be on more with being home this week lol.

 

[krissie328]

Tigger- I think feeling baby less about 28 weeks is very common. When I was pregnant with ds I spent 4 hours being monitored for reduced movements at 28 weeks. Turned out nothing was wrong. He was head down so maybe that was part of it.

Irym- I'm so excited for you to get your bfp! I've also browsed nursery stuff for a little girl. If we have another boy it will be a lot of reused stuff, but a girl will need some new bits.

I'd love the recipes/list as well. I love using my slow cooker. I'm also getting into using an instant pot, which I am totally in love with.

Swimmy- I'm so sorry about your lab. I hope your pug is able to adjust quickly. I'm glad you figured out your appendix and everything is okay.

I just wanted to say it sucks dealing with body image after a baby. I think it was over 1.5 years before I didn't feel gross and all stretched. I think I've read somewhere it takes about that long to fully recover from birth and pregnancy. I believe it! I hope you're able to have about relaxing fun trip!

Afm, 8 dpo tomorrow ans trying not to test. But I'm back to my excited, over thinking all my 'symptoms' mode.

 

[ireadyermind]

MissDoc - You are so right about the relief and hopefulness that has cropped up this month! Before this, I had just been grimly hanging on to any scrap of hope I could find, and even that was hard work.

This month, I've even stopped temping. All the RE wants me to do is OPKs and to call them on CD13 whether or not I have a positive, so they can take a look at my ovaries with an ultrasound. So even THAT stress has been lifted from my shoulders for the time being! It's been such a change. I feel motivated to get more done around the house, I've been more creative lately (I'm usually creative anyway, but that's my job. lol), and these estrogen supplements are helping me feel more like myself, too.


Swimmy - Aww, so sorry to hear about your pup! Losing pets is SO hard, even when you're the one who makes the choice to end their suffering. Have you considered adopting a friend for your little pug?

Our mixed breed, Nellie, is getting up there in age. She's been Watson's whole life. He's only four and has never known any other life than one with Nellie, who is 10 - 11 or so. She's starting to gray in the face, gets a little confused sometimes, and seems to have issues with incontinence. But she's not in any pain and doesn't have any disease, so we're just taking things as they come. I know Watson will be so lost when she passes. We're considering adopting a 3rd dog when it becomes clear that Nellie doesn't have long, just so it's easier on Watson when she goes.

The things we do for our pets, eh?


And sorry to hear about your appendix! Why is it that the nurse felt like you don't have a say on what goes into your own body? If you want to take tylenol or nothing, that's your business! Oye.


Krissie - No matter how many times we go through the TWW, there's always that symptom spotting phase that we know we shouldn't do, but do anyway!

Good luck! FX'd!

 

[ireadyermind]

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10 slow cooker meals w/grocery list
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Since a few of you gals wanted this, here it is!

I'll share with you a few things I learned while making these:

First, A lot of these recipes say to use fresh versions of veggies that you can also find frozen. I went with the fresh versions, like green beans and spinach, but next time I'm doing frozen! It's less expensive that way, and you already know the veggies will freeze well because they already ARE frozen! AND, in the case of the green beans, if I buy them fresh I have to trim the ends, wash the beans and chop them up. Too much extra work involved! lol

Second, see if you can't plan to do these recipes when your local grocer has a sale on meat. We paid full price for all of ours this time around, but next time I'm scouring local ads for coupons and good deals, and might even buy in bulk and make extras.

Third, invest in slow cooker liners! As often as you'll be using your cooker, you'll be cleaning it over and over. As I well know, slow cooking for 6+ hrs means that there's food which is basically baked onto the insides of the pot. The liners may cost a little extra, but to me they are well worth it. Dish washing is my least favorite chore out of all of them, even compared to scrubbing toilets. lol

And lastly, if you can, get an extra pair of hands to help you with this, because without something to hold the freezer bags open for you while you pour stuff in, you risk the bag collapsing or folding and all your stuff goes everywhere!



Oh, and PS -- You can find tons more of these sorts of collections on Pinterest. That's where I got mine.

 

[krissie328]

Thanks for the recipes irym! I'm gonna convince dh to do that over the weekend of the 14th since we have an extra day off.

We got a snow day today. There's probably 7-8 inches out there and it's suppose to snow all night! My dad lives in central oregon and says they have 1.5 feet. I don't think I'd be able to cope with that. I seriously hate winter and snow.

 

[krissie328]

Oh and yea, no matter how many times I'm always excited in the tww. I did test this morning. I got either a faint positive or a nasty evap. But like I said I'm snowed in and out of tests (except a couple dodgy wondfos). So maybe tomorrow if dh drives me to work or Friday I will stop by the store.

 

[Ursaula]

Fx'd Krissie!

I've had really hopeful tests with Wondfo the past couple days. I bought Dollar Tree tests and 2 FRER. The Dollar Tree looks pretty negative though

IRYM: Thanks for the meals!

 

[ireadyermind]

Oooo, send pics of those tests so I can obsess over them!



I start OPKs today to determine when I should go to the clinic! I'm getting SO nervous and excited, I don't know what to do with myself!

 

[krissie328]

I took a frer this morning and it was a bfn. But that test yesterday is still bugging me. I'm hoping to get another of that brand tonight. I'll post tomorrow, hopefully.

I'm having such a difficult time with smell sensitivity. I'm really hoping it's a good sign. It was with my ds! As was taste, which I'm also experiencing my water tastes horrible. Dh says it's fine.

 

[ireadyermind]

Krissie - Aww, well good luck if you get another one of those tests!




AFM -- Guys! Today I had EWCM! That doesn't happen on its own except as a fluke. I'm so stoked! That means this medication is working!

No +OPK today, but I'm supposed to test until Saturday and then call and let them know if I got a positive or not, and either way they'll bring me in for an ultrasound. FX'd I get a +OPK on schedule though.

 

[Ursaula]

Krissie: Looking forward to your test becoming a BFP!

IRYM: YAY medications that work!

If any of you want to see my tests (IRYM-hehe), I have them from 7dpo-present (10dpo) in the Pregnancy Test section under "7dpo Wondfo ".

 

[ireadyermind]

Urs - Oh, thanks for the heads up! I always forget about that forum.

I took a look and posted my comment!

 

[Ursaula]

Any updates?

 

[ireadyermind]

None from me except my nipples are on fire today. Haha

-OPK this morning. If I don't get a +OPK tomorrow morning, I still have to call the clinic and set up an appt for an ultrasound, so I'll know more tomorrow!

How about you?

 

[krissie328]

Not much here, my test was bfn today. I know it's still early but I'm disappointed.

 

[krissie328]

How are you ladies doing?

I'm expecting af today since my temp dropped yesterday.

But in better news I've lost 1.2 lbs last week. I'm pretty excited to say the least. Now I need to get serious and back on my diet. If we have to go to the fertility clinic I would like my bmi out of the obese range. That means 36.8 lbs before June. So roughly 7.5 lbs a month.

 

[ireadyermind]

Krissie - Whew, that's an aggressive goal! But just think of it as a reflection of how badly you want baby #2!


AFM - Went to the clinic yesterday. My lining was much thicker this cycle, thanks to the estrogen supplements. I went from being less than 6mm on CD17 last cycle, to 8.6mm thick on CD 14 this cycle. What an improvement!

I have two eggs which were something like 13mm and 11mm, and one on another ovary which was only about 9mm, so they aren't ready for ovulation yet. We're going back on Wednesday the 11th for yet another ultrasound. Hopefully both the larger eggs are over 18mm on Wednesday, because I feel like if it's only one good egg, our odds of conceiving this cycle are pretty slim. :\

Wish us luck!


DH and I have decided that if we do two IUI cycles and they don't work, I'm going to go have the stomach sleeve surgery done and then we'll try again in 6ish mos when my weight stabilizes.

EDIT: Updated the follicle size after reviewing my records.