International bumps to be!

[Hena]

Oh my it's quiet in here. I hope everyone's doing well!

Stucki-congrats on the contract! I hope this cycle will be "it" so you won't even need to worry about looking into IVF or giving up. You def know what's best for you, but as someone who's seen a lot of accidental parents who don't treat their children well, it makes me sad to think of a couple who want a child so dearly and would have all the love in the world not raising a family so I'll be quiety crossing my fingers for you no matter what happens.

Expat- How are you doing? Are you in the 2ww now? Hope you're keeping yourself well distracted!

Dusty- I'm so excited for you and and the strong hb! I'm glad the doc took your request to heart and had the other US done right away so you can relax and enjoy the fact that you have one healthy baby growing in there!

Chrissi- How's the abdominal pain? You mentioned a belt, has it helped? I love the image of your belly bumping into things it means that baby is getting ready to enter the world!

RJ- how are you weathering the storm? Or has it passed? Be careful out there. My fingers are crossed that the blood work comes out well. Sorry if you've already told us, but I can't remember, how are the boys reacting to the news they'll soon have a little brother or sister?

Madrid- HAve you o'd yet? I'm hoping you're off catching that eggy right now!!

Molly-Are you feeling any better? It sounds like your in a similar situation to me with ttc, probably pcos but not really sure. I hope we both get answers and bumps soon! (well, all of us really)

Gabby- so glad the lo's arm will be free by Christmas. How's she doing with her cast?

It's the 3rd Sunday of Advent, so I'm off to do Christmasy things. This is the last week of work before the holidays, and I'm crocheting tiny stockings for each of my students and filling them with Swiss chocolates. I can't remember if I mentioned, this year we'll be with my family for the holidays I'm so excited!!!!

 

[Madrid98]

Hi Hena! Just a quick update on me. My temps have been all over the place and I'm not sure if I've O or not. My opk's were getting darker & I was hoping to get my + yesterday but instead it was lighter again. Very frustrating!!!

 

[ChrissiK]

Hallo everybody,

it sure is quiet here right now. I am checking in regularly, but don't always post. While I am following you through the TTC journey with great interest, I know it is hard to read posts from pregnant ladies, so I am a bit self-conscious to post. I remember all to well the thoughts of "While she conceived, carried and birthed a baby, I have been trying / waiting with no luck the entire time!".

Anyway - here is hoping for a lot of lovely Christmas surprises! Especially for you, stucki... I hope you are getting closer to your BFP after figuring out some of the health issues that might have prevented you from conceiving!

Things are hectic around here with Christmas coming - Christmas parties, Christmas nativity plays, Christmas concerts for adults and the kids... Last week of school the coming week, then everybody is home for 2.5 weeks. We are going to Germany for a week hoping to catch some snow for skiing (everybody but me). My parents were supposed to join us, but my mom is in the hospital again (she has bouts of severe depression) so we might drive down (3h) for an afternoon to see them. We are actually taking the car ferry from England (to Amsterdam) for the first time, hoping the North Sea is not too rough!
Health wise, I'm afraid things have declined even further. I think my body is telling me that approaching 40 is its limit for child bearing. While the belt has helped with the back pain and the compression hose with the varicose veins in the leg, I have now developed a huge varicose vein in my vulva (sorry, TMI) and walking the kids to school and the dog is getting painful. I will have to wear yet another compression device and cool regularly with witch hazel. (For those of you who have give birth: its hot and swollen down there like the week after vaginal birth). 14 more weeks to go...

Anybody else traveling for Christmas or New Years???

 

[dusty_sheep]

Chrissi, I don't know if I am high risk preg now - all I know is that I've had weekly U/S so far. And that here, they don't do anything about mc unless you've had like 4 of them. Anyway, I might be high risk, or not. We'll see. Next U/S will be on monday. And I still want 3 kids, and DH changed his mind and would be okay with that too. It's just, that twins would have come in handy, in our case, as DH is way older than I - so we don't exactly have 10 more years of TTC.

Madrid, I know it's very frustrating when you have like no idea when you ovulate and where you are in your cycle. DH and I, we weren't exactly the couple who gets to DTD every day, or two days, so knowing when I ovulated due to fertility treatment/monitoring helped a lot. Sorry if you already posted that, but have you ever considered getting help from a fertility center or something?

Hena, the story about DH masturbating before the appt. made me laught - even though I would understand if you had been frustrated. I would have been. But my DH wouldn't even have told me about doing something he shouldn't have, in the first place. Can you do the test again? And is there a chance that the quality of his sperm would be better? Though, I got told that 5 days before the appt. the man is supposed to not ...well, do anything.

Gabby, I'm sorry about the accident your littel one had. Can you sue the phone company, or is there nothing you can do? I mean, 3k is a lot of money - I've always wondered how people in the states manage to pay for things like that as the wages aren't a lot higher than our we get here, right? Does your health insurance pay at least part of the costs?

RJ, yes I remember that in the very beginning, even my gyn wasn't able to find the heartbeat right away. The very first time, the baby (now two years old and healthy) didn't exactly seem to like the whole heartbeat issue either and kicked so heavy agains my bumy, that the heartbeat got lost. The first time I knew I would have a little whirlwind. If you manage to get to 22 weeks without the heartbeat, then I'd rather do that than end up frustrated and all panicked. 6 weeks is long, though....


AFM, I feel weird. Except that I am always feeling sick (I hate the smell of coffee and a lot of other things I used to love), I don't feel pregnant really. I mean, there are all the physical signs, but I do miss the emotional ones, like feeling pregnant-pregnant (and not just fat and sick). Feeling the baby moving would help a lot, but I'm far from that I guess. So part of me is horribly scared of another mmc - where you basically are physically still pregnant while in fact the baby isn't alive anymore. I hope that feeling not really pregnant (yet) doesn't mean aynthing bad (again). I'm scared. Another U/S tomorrow, so we'll see.

I'm always scared of eating, too. Anyone knows if it's okay to have fresh vegetables that are from the garden (I know a farmer and buy all my veggies and salad there). What about flax seed oil, and honey? Can you have it? When I was pregnant with the LO, I was so naive and didn't think that much.... I stopped smoking and had less coffee, and that's about it. Now, I still feel so guilty because I had soft ice during the summer and a kind of cold meal at a restaurant once - and I still wonder if that was the reason why I had the mc.

 

[Madrid98]

Dusty thanks for your advice but it isn't that easy here as I have to be referred by my GP and she isn't willing to refer me because she says I have no issues. It was only bad luck that I had the two mc's as I already have 2 children and those were healthy full term pregnancies.
I'm using opk's to help timing bd'ing because as you we can't bd every day as other people do. We bd when we like and if I get the +opk we'll do as well. Is a question of waiting for it to happen. That's all.

Good luck with the scan tomorrow.

XX

 

[gabbyskyy]

Madrid- are you o'ing soon? I'm telling ya. Bd'ing everyday is a dang chore! It's not as much fun either when it happens so often.

Dusty- I'm sure everything will turn out ok. Every pregnancy is different. How far along are you?

AFM- The daughter is doing really well with her cast and just celebrated her 10th bday this past weekend. I'm really hoping the phone company will eat the costs. Luckily my father's a lawyer, so he can send them a letter along with our bills. I'm sure the insurance will pay a portion, but not all. And the er visits here will cost a thousand just to walk through the front door. It's terrible.
So, being a mom, I worry throughout the night about her arm, and wake up occasionally to check to make sure it's not too tight or if her fingers are turning purple. Well, I forgot how sleep depriving having a baby is. That was a little taste of whatit would be like. Not that it won;t be completely worth it, but it's making me have second thoughts. I'm not gonna be trying for a baby anymore, but if it happens it happens.

Hope all you ladies are doing well!

 

[Madrid98]

Hi gabby!! Nice to hear I'm not the only one struggling with bd'ing every other day. Your daughter is one year younger than mine, I thought they were younger don't know why. Glad she's better and that you are taking steps to get your money back.

X

 

[MollyMalone]

Hi!! Just checkin in!

Haven't been around because a few days after I got back from our honeymoon I got tonsilitis again, and about 5 mouth ulcers. It was terrible! Couldn't speak, eat...but I feel better now. Still have some of the mouth ulcers but at least I can eat most things and open my mouth.

Since the last time I've been to the obgyn, can't remember if I posted that. Got my scan on friday and was told that yes I have polycistic ovaries, I could even see it myself! Wasnt meant to get the results until tomorrow but DH had an appointment to see the urologist (yesterday) and since it was in the same clinic as my scan I took my chances to ask if it was ready, to my surprise it was!
The Dr examined DH and said that everythin looked fine. He mentioned that in most cases he could tell that something is wrong just by a physical examination, but obviously there are exceptions so we'll make sure by getting a semi. He was gonna do it that same evening but Dr advised us to go directly to a lab instead of doing it in the clinic (they would have to send it to a lab and it takes longer).
Couldn't do it today either cuz hubby had to travel because of work and wont be back to Madrid until late tonight, so he is going tomorrow morning.

I had my blood work done yesterday, and was told to wait about a week. I was gettin the results online so decided to check today (don't know why) and they were ready. couldn't believe how quickly we are getting everything back!
I think I may have hypothyrodism..but obgyn will have to confirm it.
I've had the test done several time (my mother has it) and this is the first time it showed. Anyway, hormones are a bit all over the place, so I'm pretty sure I have PCOS, not just polycistic ovaries, but then again it will have to be confirmed my the Dr.

I hope DH's results get back as quick so we can start doing something about my problem.

 

[stuckinoki]

Molly, why do you think that you have hypothyroidism? Jut curious as I do have hypothyroidism and when it was diagnosed, I thought I was suffering depression....

Hypothyroidism symptoms are super close to symptoms of depression...I'm just wonder what triggered that thought fOr you

 

[Anewbeginning]

Any ladies from Nigeria TTC?

 

[ChrissiK]

Expat - are you ok after the earthquake???

 

[MollyMalone]

Molly, why do you think that you have hypothyroidism? Jut curious as I do have hypothyroidism and when it was diagnosed, I thought I was suffering depression....

Hypothyroidism symptoms are super close to symptoms of depression...I'm just wonder what triggered that thought fOr you

I could see that my tsh levels are higher than they should be and mu t4 is normal (on the lower side) in the report I got from my bloods. But I got investigated for it before because of my anemia, and hair loss and they came back negative. However, I just found out that in this lab for diagnosing they set the level at 5.5 when really ir should be 2 or 3 (as new research shows). I've been getting high 3s all along, but this time I got 5.94.

Regarding depression I don't know, never have discussed it with the doctor. I've had it as a teenager, and for periods of time I felt the same way for the past few years but I was able to cope with it and I think it might have been triggered by situations I've been going through. It's hard to say, but i do tend to have drastic mood changes but I always though it was hormonal due to pcos or something.

 

[stuckinoki]

^^
TSH at 5.9 is pretty high. There are lots of natural ways to bring it down [iodine mostly lol] seafood is good for people with high TSH; hopefully they get you on the levothyroxine soon.

 

[Hena]

Hi everyone! Quick update: DH has an appt on Friday to drop of a new sample. I'm bribing him with fantastic rewards that night if he manages to save up the until then, so here's hoping!!!

Only two more days until my holiday until then I'm busy busy, so I'll check in again when I can.

 

[Hena]

Check out what I made for all my students! They're all so grateful, I'm glad I did it :smile:

 

[stuckinoki]

Cute Hena! That's awesome.

 

[ChrissiK]

Taking DH for an early Christmas surprise this morning: a 3d scan to (hopefully) find out the gender!

 

[rjsmam]

Morning everyone Been lying low a bit this wk – had a brief scare on Monday with a very small amount of fluid/blood – long story short is that all appears well and I have some odd thing that may see more blood over the term & will need to be checked each time just in case it’s something else. Heard a lovely strong heartbeat which was fab – had some tests just in case of infection & was told unless I get a phone call in the next couple of days no to worry. Today is Friday so I hope that means nothing to worry about! Also waiting for the Downs test results which had taken last wk – was told also to assume I am low risk unless I get a call this wk. So I am terrified of my phone ringing today It’s also the anniversary of my son’s father’s death this wk end which leaves me a bit melancholy today. Sorry for the glum post! Enough of that!


Stuck – like all the other ladies I really hope that this is your cycle & that you don’t have to consider giving up, although only you know what’s best for you & your dh

Hena – those are adorable – I’m sure your student loved them – aren’t you clever! Am lol-ing at your DS and the bribery re the sample… hope you get the new results v soon!

Chrissi – toooo exciting!!!! Can’t wait to hear all about it! Will you tell friends & family or keep it to yourselves? I hope you get loads of lovely pics


To everyone else – I hope you are all well and getting ready for xmas & getting ready for those BFPs!


xxx

 

[ChrissiK]

We are going to be......TEAM PINK!

 

[Madrid98]

How lovely Chrissik!! Congratulations!!! I'm sure you're both delighted by the news!