IVF or FET November/December 2015 - chat thread

[Disneyfan88]

Thanks, ladies! DH is officially back to work effective tomorrow. The pumping / feeding routine is especially challenging at night as by the time I've got her fed and settled down, and after I pump, I have less than an hour (if that! ) to actually get in a tiny nap and then I have to do it all over again. DH has been handling the feedings while I pump while he's been off. We did a dry run of me going solo last night, but I had to have him eventually help. He said he will still do at least one nighttime feeding as there's simply no way that I can do it all on my own night after night. We will see if I can make it to 12 weeks when I can start pumping less frequently and fewer times per day.

Scooby - I felt little flutters with DD1 at 14 weeks, and I felt flutters with DD2 around 18 or 20 weeks (anterior placenta). They eventually become much more identifiable movements. Good luck on the test results!

Klik - Welcome back! It sounds like France was lovely! I'm glad to hear that things have improved with the cysts situation. Hopefully this off cycle will let your body gear up for some extra embryos the next time around.

Amanda - it sounds like little Brielle is thriving - that's awesome! It's entirely possible that she's teething already. DD1 didn't show her first tooth until 6 months, but I've read that some babies are actually born with at least one tooth. Rather rare I think, but it's been known to happen. I can't even imagine adding teeth into the mix when starting out with learning to breastfeed.

I'd be on board for a private Facebook group. I'm hesitant to share too many pictures or personal details on the forums, but I'd be more than happy to share in a private group. It's amazing how long we've all been together supporting each other!

 

[scoobybeans]

klik- I'm so glad you had a nice vacation & also jealous that you're able to drive to southern France. I can drive to, like, the Jersey shore. Not quite the same! My dogs have been getting way more adventurous in the lake but didn't like the Hudson River at all. I don't think they'd do well at the ocean either. That's great news about the big cyst & I so hope you don't need that tube clipped. As far as the little cysts, I think your doctor is right & your body is saying you need a rest. So enjoy these last days of warm weather and jump back in next month!

boopin- Thanks! I'm 17w5d today and really hoping it's just a matter of another week or two before I feel him moving. I'm not stressing about it but definitely looking forward to it!

Amanda- Happy 3 months Brielle! I'm so glad to hear that her reflux is under control. And teething, wow! Thank you for your input on movements. I'm not on Facebook as much as I used to be but I'd be totally down for a FB group.

Disney- I hope it's not too difficult on you with DH going back to work. Your schedule just sounds so hectic, I'm worried you're not getting enough sleep! Is it possible to switch the night time bottles to formula? Or will that not matter because you're still needing to get up to pump anyway? I have an anterior placenta but I'm really hoping I'll feel something sooner than 20 weeks +!

The spina bifida test was negative, whew! It's exactly 1 week until my big scan and I'm getting more and more excited. DH and I feel like we haven't seen him in forever (it's been almost 8 weeks) so we're really, really looking forward to it.

 

[Disneyfan88]

Scooby - I unfortunately have to pump every 2-3 hours around the clock for at least the first 12 weeks if I want to maintain what little milk supply I already have. We give her just a tiny bit of formula to top off her regular feedings, and then she gets full bottles of formula if she's ready to eat again before I've had a chance to pump. I wish that just giving her formula at night would help, but I'd still have to be awake for the same amount of time given that I still have to pump. I got sleep from 1:00-2:40 am and then from 5:30-6:30 am. We shall see if this is really sustainable given that 12 weeks is still 7 or 8 weeks away.

Great news on the test results!

 

[amanda1235]

Ok, I'm gonna create the group, send me your emails via private message and I'll add ya

 

[Disneyfan88]

Ugh - that annoying Disney Baby ad for Walmart is back. Time to switch back to mobile view...

Thanks, Amanda! I sent you a PM.

 

[Wish2BMom]

hi girls!

Disney - so glad to hear that things are going so well for you! Though, yes, your schedule sounds so tiring!! I'm really coming to the realization of maternity leave and how long is going to be necessary. I guess I'd have to go on STD but that is only covered for 6 weeks. If the babies are too premature, they could spend half of that in the NICU! I don't know what's going to happen...DH's job just changed to him having 6 weeks of paternity so maybe I could go back part time after 6 weeks but I really don't want to have to. We'll just have to start saving more money soon. Ugh, I feel like we've already tightened our belts so much!

klik - GREAT news that you may not need to be clipped. And yes, also that you get a little reprieve. South of France...ahhhhh! Yeah I can get to the ocean too but it's no South of France!

Amanda - sure! i'd be down for a FB group! I am finding that i'm not getting on BnB as much anymore, not sure why. New job - hesitant to go on their web (though that's exactly where I am right now) and I hate going on the site on my phone.

Scooby - I hope you get to feel moobley soon!!! I am really starting to feel the twins now but I have less room than you. They were going crazy the other night and it was so cool. Feels like there is a bit more 'rolling' than 'fluttering' than before.
PS - so excited for your scan this week!!!

afm - Chicago was awesome last week and much needed for DH and I to just have fun together. We did a lot of walking (OUCH!), eating and site-seeing. It was wonderful. Even got to see some family and announce to them. Made the official FB announcement too, so that's done. So official and real now!!! It's so weird to see friends of mine from HS posting about driving their kids to freshman year of college and I'm posting a pregnancy announcement.
Next scan for me is 9/8 - had to move it out to align with my every other Friday off. I can't wait!

 

[klik]

Hey, ladies!

Apologies for my absence--I've been trying to catch up with work since my vacation...

Boopin: thanks, hun! I'm heading to your journal in a moment...

Amanda: thanks! I feel the same--this group has helped me get through some really difficult moments... I'd love to keep in touch, so yeah, let's move it to FB! I'll send you a private message in a moment... I'm so glad to hear Brielle is past the reflux... Lol about the screams! I hope the teething goes ok, if that is indeed what is happening... I've heard Sophie la Giraffe is a wonderful teething toy!

Disneyfan: have you been able to keep up with your crazy schedule?! I'm sure you can't wait til 12 weeks rolls around...

Scooby: well, it takes 13.5 hours to get from here to the French Riviera--where can you get to in that time? South Carolina maybe?! That's my guess, without asking Google. There are some nice beaches there (or so I've heard!) My dog especially hates the salty water! I'll head over to your journal in a minute...

Wish: Chicago sounds like it was lovely, but I hear you on the maternity/paternity leave dilemma... I hope your babies don't need the NICU but of course it's a possibility... Yeah, with twins I can imagine the belt tightening is way more than you'd planned for... Ugh. So you've made the announcement on FB! Have you made it at work, too?! New job, it must be really hard to navigate all this when you don't yet know exactly how your relationship with your boss and colleagues will settle... Good luck...

 

[Wish2BMom]

welcome back, klik!! omg, get to FB! the little ones are so adorable!

I haven't told my boss yet - I actually haven't seen her that much. She's very hands-off, which is awesome, but not when I have stuff to tell her! Hopefully I'll get a few mins with her today. If it doesn't work out this week, I have a 1:1 with her next Thurs so there's always that!

 

[klik]

Cool about your hands-off boss but yeah, sometimes it's a problem--I hope she's psyched for you! I also like imagining how you share news and then more news (like, 1. I'm pregnant, 2. it's twins!)

I totally forgot to PM Amanda--let me do that now!

 

[Wish2BMom]

I got to tell my boss yesterday! She was BEYOND excited for me and said over and over not to worry about a thing, they will be fine. Even said that 'we all know that we don't REALLY get back to work until Feb after the holidays around here...' so that made me feel good. She was screaming and hugged me and said I made her week. I literally could not have asked for a better reaction. I even thanked her for having that reaction! She said she wanted to guess, when I told her I wanted to talk to her, but was nervous about being written up (in the states, as I'm sure most places, you can't ASK about it - you have to wait to be told).

So yeah, I said 'so I wanted to let you know, you actually hired 3 of us...' and said I'm pregnant with twins. I said I was nervous to tell her b/c it's like I'm here, then I go on leave, I don't qualify for FMLA, but not to worry - I am not looking to leave and be a stay at home mom, etc etc. She just kept shaking her head going 'it's ok! it's ALL OK! we're going to be fine, there is nothing to worry about...'. I love her already!

 

[scoobybeans]

Amanda- Thank you for starting the FB group!

Disney- whew, that is a tough schedule! You are a trooper!

wish- I love that you're feeling babies move so much. Going through the same thing with FB friends right now lol. Most of my friends have kids in middle school or high school at this point. (My own stepson is about to start his sophomore year!) But there's a big portion of people my age who are just having kids now, too. Your boss sounds AMAZING. I'm so glad you're in that supportive environment now.

klik- Hmmm, 13.5 hours... Yup, I think that would get me to South Carolina! Nice beaches but it's no French Riviera Hope you're caught up on work now. What do you do again?

AFM, feeling the baby move pretty regularly now. So that's been awesome! It got COLD out last night- in the 40's! I had the windows open and I didn't want to get out from under the covers this morning lol.

 

[klik]

What an awesome reaction, Wish! I'm really happy for you!

FMLA kicks in after you've worked for a year, and you can take it during the first 12 months of the babies' lives... so I guess you could take it later on, in about a year? Maybe?!

Anyway, it's awesome! When are you due again?!

 

[klik]

Scooby, we cross-posted! The beach where we were in France is meant to be AWESOME but the sand is really coarse and not so nice to walk on. I've been to better beaches!

So cool you're feeling Moobley all the time! I'm really happy for you--it's really happening!

I'm an investment manager... So much fun... I'm also a very part-time honorary psychotherapist, though, which I enjoy much more!

See you gals on FB in a little while--gotta go back to work for now...

 

[Wish2BMom]

investment manager AND psychotherapist?? your brain is ambidextrous!!
ohhhhh I love that about the FMLA - I don't think I'd take it though. Still unpaid at that point, so who knows. Maybe DH will get a HUGE raise and promotion someday and I can cut out of work for a little bit. BAHAHAHA yeah right.
I'm due 1/28. Now that fall is about here, it doesn't seem so far away anymore! I have plans for each of the months heading up to Jan too - heading down to my folks' in a couple of weeks, NYCC again first week of Oct, then my shower a couple weeks after that. Then Thanksgiving and a week visit from my folks, then December is always chock-full of my bday, xmas, our anniversary...crazy stuff when it's broken down like that!

 

[klik]

I don't know whether to post updates here or on Facebook but we don't have Boopin on Facebook so I guess I'll post here instead...

Wish, Jan 28 doesn't feel so far at all! Once September rolls in, it's all downhill to the holidays... Your little beans will be joining us in the outside world very soon!

I'm having a retrieval tomorrow, gals! I was trying to monitor with OPK for ovulation so we could try naturally and so I could put on the patch to prep for next cycle, but by CD16 I had nothing--and my surge is usually on CD12 or so. I got a blood test at an independent lab and my oestrogen was temptingly high--I asked my doc about it and (a) he called me in time, which is amazing! and (b) he said to come in and have a scan. It really only looks like one mature, at 21--the others are 9 12 13 but even the fact that I have so many measurable ones on a natural cycle is amazing! And my E2 numbers are hinting hard at 2 mature at least, so I'm hoping the sizes are misleading... I was surging already on Tuesday though, so by tomorrow it's possible they will all be gone and this will all have been for nought...

 

[klik]

Oh, forgot to ask: Wish, do you know genders yet?!

 

[boopin4baby]

KMFX tightly for you klik!! GL at your retrieval tomorrow. I hope you get at least 1 mature juicy egg that's ready for fertilization!! xx

P.S. Sorry ladies. I don't have a FB account.

 

[Wish2BMom]

good morning girls!

klik! I can't believe you are retrieving today!!! that's amazing! I hope your levels are right and there are 2 mature in there. WOW! good luck!

we find out genders tomorrow morning at 9am - I cannot WAIT. Though I'm currently waiting for the little monkeys to start rolling around. I had this bad thought overnight that my kitty's kneeding or the way I was sleeping had done something drastic to them. I kept feeling a little nauseous when I would lay on my back, so I stayed on my sides. I haven't felt them yet this morning, but that's not unheard of. I just ate and they like to wake up after that, so I'm anxious. I even put a little caff in my coffee this morning instead of just full decaf.

 

[klik]

Aw, Wish, hang in there! Surely they're just preparing for the big reveal tomorrow... Seriously, though, I totally understand the anxiety... I'm sure I'd be there too, in your place... But I hope the scan tomorrow is as lovely as you could possibly wish!

Boopin: no Facebook? How sensible! I would delete my account (especially after this election insanity) except it's so darn convenient... But I really wish I didn't have one. Thanks for the wishes!

Sadly, though, it was a total, complete, unadulterated dud. My beautiful big follicle was "empty"--one scenario my doc used to possibly explain it was: the egg in that follicle started out looking good, but then it died... the granulosa cells did not notice and kept growing and producing oestrogen like there's no tomorrow. I forgot to ask if maybe the trigger just didn't work, but I'd been obsessed, rather, with the idea that I'd already ovulated and he said no, that wasn't possible. Ho, hum. He said it was just plain bad luck. He'd been enthused, apparently, by my lining having thickened well this cycle--he figured it just looked like a good cycle all around, so why not go for it? But we were fooled... I've never had zero eggs retrieved before, so this is a whole new kind of pain... Still, at least I got the all clear to put on my oestrogen patch next week and then try again on the mild stims that have been so great to me so far... In the meantime I'll be licking my wounds and hoping next time we get at least one more to add to our little team. But I'm 43, ladies--my eggs ain't so good anymore...

 

[Wish2BMom]

I'm so sorry, klik. That sucks so bad. I hear you in all of that.
I do think, and believe you have no reason not to think, that your next cycle will be successful once again. You e responded so well to the medicated cycles that I think you'll have another 2-3 to add to the pack. FXed so much.

For me - yesterday went great!! The whole anatomy scan took an hour. It was so great to see how much they've developed. And by 'they', I mean my sons! 2 boys!
All fingers, toes, kidneys, etc were present and accounted for. They weigh about 10 and 11oz which is right on target. Everything could not be better. PHEW!!
Oh and they are head down too - hopefully they stay that way! They are a little on top of each other too, hence why I probably lost a little of one's kicks the other day. But I can relax a bit more now.
Now to make it to 24 weeks! My next scan is 10/5 and that will be just near 24 weeks.