TTC and Beyond!

[wavescrash]

Nikki - how exciting! After internal exams I would spot for up to 24 hours on and off. Even when she did my sweep, it took 2 days for anything to seriously happen. Good luck!

 

[TTCaWee1]

Oh Amelia - I hope that your little bean is just taking its time to produce hcg. The good news is that your level did increase. It does seem sort of low but every pregnancy is different and all of our levels were different. Look at Julie's pee stick from her bfp with twins! It was super faint with two babes, mine was super dark - both of us same dpo. Don't count yourself out yet. I'm a pessimist so I totally get it but I can still encourage positivity right?

Nikki - can you still have sex once you start to dilate? Just curious lol

 

[VivianJean]

I wouldn't be so pessimistic if this was a dpo thing because that's based on implantation - but this isn't.

I started at 15, then went to 36 then went to 420 (we celebrated finally) then 814 (should have been 840- 1000 because they re-tested after 3 days instead of the standard 2... ooooook no big deal i guess) then today we got 1454... it should have been at least 1600 if not closer to 2500-3000 because it has been 4 days since we tested.

It's a low start, normal rise, slow rise pattern indicative of a miscarriage. If we don't see something on the US on Wed bigger than what we saw last Fri then that's the way it'll be heading.

And to think TTC almost had me throwing myself in front of a bus... this is worse. Way worse. I'm completely non-functioning right now.

By far the BEST bit is going to be the wait for the heartbeat - if we don't get one on Wed (and with low levels we are unlikely to get anything) then we're going to have to wait for about 2 more weeks... right on Christmas... so I guess I'm not sending the parents those amazing hand-made "Grandma/Grandpa Est. Aug 2014" key chains I had made up last week for their awesome fucking Christmas surprise.

 

[clynn11]

Sending lots of love your way Amelia! Your bean may just be a bit lazy/slow starter. I've seen lots of non-doubling pregnancies end up fine, and unfortunately some that do end in m/c. I am keeping absolutely everything crossed for you!!!

 

[clynn11]

Happy 6 weeks Mirolee and Amelia

Happy 19 weeks Julie!!! Almost half way there!!!

 

[morganwhite7]

Amelia I don't wanna start blabbing on about wht happened to me again, but my numbers did NOT double in 24 hrs. Not even in 96 hours, and they told me the same- "demise/MC was imminent". It sucks so, so bad I know.. Just try to hang in there love because it is very possible that you've just got a "late bloomer" bean like me.

 

[jury3]

Thanks girls...I'm thinking maybe some type of medical/insurance type job might be good. I just need something that takes less of my time and is less stress.

Cassidy-Sorry you puked, but also Yay! lol mmm fudge pops...

Mirolee-You are way too hard on yourself...I was a size 14, so you've got nothing on me! lol I can't wait to see your bump get huge!

Nikki-That's a good idea to stalk registries! Glad little girl is doing good! Can't wait to see her

Ashlee-I felt my first something at about 10 weeks. It was closest to a goldfish in my stomach...felt that a few more times over the course of a few weeks. Around 14 weeks I started feeling one of them ball up or something causing a slight lump. From then on I've been able to feel them move. Not distinguishable kicks necessarily, but I can tell when they are moving. It's hard to explain. I think they are starting to kick more now, but the movements are still so tiny it's hard to tell. I think they like to flip and stretch a lot though...feels so weird.

Amelia-I agree with the other girls, as long as it's well ventilated and you aren't doing it everyday I think coloring your hair is ok. I've had it done twice since being pregnant and have an apt next weekend. I have several grays popping up!

 

[jury3]

Oh and Amelia, I agree with the other girls...don't let the numbers worry you. They say not to base everything on your numbers. I had twins, mine should have been tripling, but it doubled like normal. Try to relax until the next u/s, that will tell you more accurate info than the numbers.

For the registry stuff, you can also google registry lists. I've gotten a few from different places that make lists based on what you actually need and are meant for first time moms.

 

[VivianJean]

I'm hanging on - but I'm so miserable. I've never felt like this before.

Boobs have stopped hurting now.

My mother - she's an awful person sometimes, once when she was going through IVF (when I was 5 years old) came screaming out of her room and yelled at me that I was making too much noise and I made her lose the baby and that it was all my fault that I didn't have a baby brother or sister.

I've never forgotten the horror I felt and I feel it now pumping through my body.

 

[Cowgirl07]

I can't believe your own mother said that. I am sorry Amelia!

 

[VivianJean]

Neither can I. Even at that age I remember thinking... wait, mothers aren't supposed to say that.

She of course doesn't remember saying it. It's burned in my brain.

 

[jury3]

Amelia that's so horrible! I can't imagine how horrible that must've made you feel

 

[wavescrash]

Nikki - can you still have sex once you start to dilate? Just curious lol

Yep you can. It can help bring on labor actually. I went into labor with my first immediately after having sex. Some doctors will even tell you the best way to get the baby out is the same way baby got in there (obviously sex lol.) Orgasm makes the uterus contract & semen works on the cervix to ripen it and all that fun stuff.

 

[SmallTownGal]

Woke up from a dead sleep to puke my guts out

Aw, that sucks Hope that goes away soon, for you!

----

Mirolee, I think you look great! (just like me, but with a smaller booty) PS: I love your night outfit, esp. the pants. :3

---

Wow, it's getting so close for you, Nikkie! Bags are packed! (I'm the same way with packing - always be prepared, I say.)

And yay for your latest bump pic!

---

Yay for your upcoming scan, Britt! How exciting!

--

Amelia, I'm sending you lots of prayers and hugs and hoping for the best for you! I'm sure you aren't being punished, although I know it feels that way to you! I'm sure you are just on a "desert road" that is leading you somewhere you need to be, even though it's difficult and the exact reasoning behind it is mysterious. The rain falls on the just and the unjust alike, and I'm sure you are offered grace and God is suffering with you in your strife.

I'm so sorry you are having to go through all this without your DH there, and I'm sorry you are having to go through this at all!

FX'd a whole bunch for your scan!

And OMG, I just read what your mother said when she was going through IVF and that's just awful and so not true!!! I can't stress this enough, that it wasn't your fault and she had no right to say that to you! I'm so sorry this situation is making you relieve that horror! I just wish I could be there to hug you in person.

My dad has said some really messed up stuff to me in the past, along those kind of lines, so I know how you feel. For instance, my mom had a m/c before I was born, and my dad once said to me that she only had me out of guilt but didn't really want me, which is a total lie, and it worried me until I told my mom what he said and she refuted it (he said this sometime after they were divorced). My dad is a better person now (although not perfect), but he was seriously messed up in the past.

Like you, even at the time he said it (even though I was worried it might be true), I thought it was pretty messed up that he said it. WTF, parents, wtf.

 

[HWPG]

amelia, what a horrible thing for a mom to say!

 

[goldstns]

Amelia- that is horrible thing for her to say! I hope you know now its TOTALLY not true!

Rachel- yes, sex is still allowed and still good to have to induce labor (like waves said). However, I'd like her to cook a little longer... so I might avoid sex.

 

[morganwhite7]

Amelia- I agree. No wonder you said moving away from them was the best thing you ever did for yourself!

Girls (since Nikki has me all excited!!) can we talk birth for a moment? Ik it's hard to imagine, so far off for some of us, but do you girls have any opinions formed yet?

Would you want to labor naturally/with epidural, CS/vaginal (water, home, hypno-birthing even?), sweeps or induction/natural, etc., etc.? I do know that, at least for myself, my choices won't be able to be set in stone until April when we know how things are progressing, and heck even up until labor, but I'd love to hear some opinions and get into the birthing discussion!

I've always been such a planner and it sucks since after talking to our midwife I learned that not until I GO OVERDUE will we know how the birth plan will go. And even then, it may never work and I might need a RCS. For me, I'd love to have my water break at home early (I get that fantasy idea from my mother, she went into labor weeks early with every one of us, her water breaking on it's own) and to get to labor at home for a while. Until I can't take it anymore (like in the movies) and need rushed to the hospital, contracting in the backseat LOL. I'd love to get the first half out of the way without pain meds.. I've always wanted an epidural but love the idea of *feeling my legs* and being able to use a birthing ball, or be on all fours, to work with gravity to get baby out. Higher success rates for VBAC that way.

I was told they will sweep membranes (in order to try their best to get me to go into labor on my own) at 38 weeks. And again every week until 41 weeks. From there, they WILL induce a VBAC and monitor baby VERY closely.. giving pitocin very slowly, hoping things progress. She said the only way they'll force a RCS on me is if I make NO progress for 8 hours, or if there are signs of the baby being in distress or uterine rupture.

Lots to think about.. at least for a VBAC.. I'd love to hear some input from everyone!

and P.s. Marley must like me talking about getting her out, she's going wild acrobat style as I type! I love it!

 

[asmcsm]

Morgan my plan is to labor naturally. I want to avoid pitocin if possible because it makes contractions strong an more painful/stressful. I want to labor at home for a while, probably in my tub to help with pain. Then I'm planning on doing a water birth with my midwife at the hospital. I don't want an epidural, I don't like the idea of not being able to control my lower body. So if I need pain meds I will probably use IV meds. Of course, not all birthing plans go the way we want so we'll see what happens but that's what I'm hoping for

 

[goldstns]

Well birth has sure been on my mind... My DREAM BIRTH (even though its not often you have a "perfect" birth) is to go into labor on new years day and have Alia on New years day (first off I like the idea of a new years baby and I like that my doc is the doc on call)! I would want vag with epi (if needed, not opposed to it). I DON'T WHAT TO HAVE TO GET CUT DOWN THERE! I hope I don't have to get induced or a C-sec. I want to use the bath tub while laboring, but not have her while in there.

 

[asmcsm]

I too want to avoid an episiotomy, that's why I'm going to do perineal massage to try and prepare down there. Also I've read that the water birth helps reduce need for one. Fingers crossed!