PCOS Buddies (10 BFP)

[Atuck2]

So guys... I'm back!! I have been AWOL for SEVERAL months now. I took a long break from TTC and all the forums when we lost our baby last June/July. I couldn't take another heartbreak and just decided to NTNP and just kind of see what happens... Well in the course of that, I think we may have caught an eggy this cycle but I'm still not sure. I'm currently 11dpo and feeling crazy. Part of me thinks that I'm definitely pregnant because I'm having a lot of symptoms that started shortly after ovulation and ones that I only had with my other pregnancy. Also, I'm not one to get many symptoms before AF just moodiness and extreme hunger and cravings for spicy things (like Chester's hot fries!!). The other part of me is just so discouraged because I haven't had a BFP yet and I just keep thinking that my body is a cruel bitch and giving me false hope and I'm just going to be heartbroken again. I took an FRER today and thought I saw something so I held it up to the light and saw a very faint squinter, but now after reading, I'm sure it was just the indention on the back of the test shining through...

How do you keep your hopes up day after day without falling into a pit when the witch does show up?

 

[krissie328]

Good luck Atuck. Fx you have a sticky bean in there.

Afm, after a lot of thinking and discussion DH and I will start ttc next month. We are giving it 6 more months before we move on and stop ttc. I feel happy with this decision, while I would love to get pregnant, if I do not I feel like we can raise DS and have a happy life the three of us.

How is everyone else doing?

 

[sarah2211]

Good luck Atuck! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Krissie, sounds like a good plan. Will you use fertility treatments or just try on your own?

AFM, almost half way! Partly feels like I've been pregnant forever and partly like this is going so quickly. Im having a few complications, mostly autoimmune related. But in terms of the PCOS my midwife is really concerned about gestational diabetes. For those of you who are pregnant or have already had a baby, what was your doctor's plan for glucose tolerance tests? I attempted to do one at 17 weeks but vomited within half an hour. My midwife wants me to do 3 in total but said I can check in with my high risk OB.. My A1C was really low at the start of pregnancy, I've never had sugar related issues and only put on 4lb so far.

 

[sarah2211]

And my sister in law has freaked me out saying that she had a lot of trouble breastfeeding because of her PCOS. Any tips or tricks?

 

[krissie328]

Sarah- I did not do the gtt since I was tracking blood sugars for fasting and after each meal. It was enough for my ob to refer me to the diabetic nurse.

As for breastfeeding... I was unable to. My ds lost 25% of his birth weight and at that point I started formula feeding. It was clear by how he perked up and started sleeping that he had not been getting enough. If you cannot it's not the end of the world. My ds was formula fed from 2 weeks and he's a brilliant little guy with few illnesses. A fed baby is best at the end of the day. I mourned not breastfeeding but it was out of my control.

 

[Betty.Rubble]

I was just booked to do my GTT at 28 weeks (I'm UK?) so will find out next week if I have got gestational diabetes.

I didn't know about PCOS when I had DD and I managed to breastfeed exclusively til 6/7months. Be open minded x

 

[drjo718]

I just did the normal gtt at 28 weeks. I had to do the 3 hour and barely passed. As for breastfeeding, I didn't know pcos could cause problems, but mine did. I had a terrible supply and my baby failed to thrive so I had to supplement with formula. I fed and pumped for a total of 7 months, never getting more than 1.5oz at a time, eventually dwindling to less than 5ml at a time, before stopping. I felt terrible that I couldn't feed my baby, but there was nothing I could change about it. She always did wonderfully though, and fed is best.

 

[sarah2211]

Thanks ladies. I've put off getting my GTT until after I see my high risk OB at the end of the month. I think I'll be 22 weeks then and if she says I should do it now, I think I'll just wait a few weeks before I book it.

Awww this breastfeeding stuff is making me sad. I know fed is best and I am not bagging formula but I really want to have that bond through BFing and pass on all the antibodies. I'm not afraid to ask for help if I'm struggling and my SIL is a midwife who I know will take all the time I need to help me. Did you ladies try all the remedies like lactation cookies, regular pumping, domperidone, fennel etc?

 

[krissie328]

I tried pumping (only ever got 5-10 ml at a time), fenugreek, and a mother's milk herbal supplement. I tried to combi feed to 6 weeks but it was clear I had next to no supply. To be honest I never felt my milk came in at all.

I also saw 4 lactation consultants and nothing really seemed to help. It was a very frustrating time that I wish I'd been prepared for on top of post partum hormones.

I never felt bottle feeding lost any bond with ds. I think it helped after all the stress bfing caused. I still tried to do some skin to skin and held him when I fed so it mimicked the same feelings.

 

[sarah2211]

Thanks. I'm sorry you had so much trouble. I'm hoping I'll be able to BF but I guess there's very little I can do to prepare or improve the chances now. I'll talk to my midwife too. I'm sure it will all work out. Thanks.

 

[krissie328]

Oh and for what's it's worth my ob said true gd does not show up until after 24 weeks so it's really pointless to take the gtt before that time.

 

[sarah2211]

Good to know! I'll be putting it off until at least then.

I've spoken to my SIL this afternoon about breastfeeding. She's given me some advice and said she's happy to come and help and support after the baby is born. I'm feeling like I can't do much more than that now and just hope for the best. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Atuck2]

I'm out again. Hubby is convinced we had a chemical due to my short LP (11 days) but I never got even a faint positive, so we can't know for sure.

 

[drjo718]

I tried everything to help breastfeed. Saw multiple lactation consultants, I'm an L&D nurse myself and have lactation training, increased fluid intake, oats, fenugreek, brewers yeast, domperidone (which I had to order from overseas), increased pumping, this herbal supplement my coworker suggested...you name it, I tried it. I still never got more than 1.5oz. Usually it was just 1oz per session at most. My right breast would actually feel engorged and be leaking in the mornings, and I would still get less than an ounce on that side. I think I was producing to my own capacitt, but my capacity is small due to the pcos. It happens during puberty, when your hormones aren't correct and it causes a lack of growth in glands needed for lactation.

This pregnancy, my midwives and a lactation consultant have recommended I take metformin the entire pregnancy. Sometimes that helps increase breast growth and therefore helps improve milk production. I barely had any growth last pregnancy, so we'll see what happens. I'm really hoping it helps, but I also know this time around that this is how my body is, so maybe I can avoid the guilt and depression I felt last time.

 

[krissie328]

Drjo- one lactation consultant did say something about me lacking breast tissue so I guess that makes sense. My bbs didn't grow at all in pregnancy or after.

It's interesting how pcos can effect some so young. I'm pretty sure I had symptoms around 11, possibly before but that's when I noticed.

 

[sarah2211]

Atuck, I'm sorry I hope you're doing ok.

Drjo, wow it sounds like you tried everything. Thanks for sharing. I did read about breast growth and that it can be a sign of difficultly. I've never had an issue with the size or shape of my breasts (DD-E cup and round and full). Since I've been pregnant they have grown, I've had comments from people telling me that they're massive now (thanks everyone....) but I still fit my old bras.

Anyway, I had a chat to my DH about my concerns when he got home from work. He said that apart from being aware of the problem, reading and asking for some help now, we can't do much. If you can't feed naturally then we will look at other options. He's said that I can just focus on breastfeeding after the baby is born, no other distractions, he'll take care of everything. So I can't do much more than that at this stage.

 

[krissie328]

That is great your DH is so support Sarah. Sounds like you will have lots of support.

Atuck2- sorry about af.

 

[sarah2211]

Yup he's a pretty amazing husband. He's grown up with lots of sisters and they've done him well haha. He's even knitting a blanket for the baby although he'd die if his army mates onew he could knit and sew haha.

 

[Betty.Rubble]

Your hubby sounds a bit like my OH Sarah

So sorry Atuck

 

[sarah2211]

Haha does he? My DH is quite a smart a$$ too. He's preparing for fatherhood by reading Dad jokes... how are you going with number 2 Betty? I'll have a read of your jornal