24w1d

We celebrated Christmas with the other side of the family yesterday. Baby got more presents! A hooded towel, 2 books (The Christmas Story and Walt Disney's Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes), and one of those Tupperware balls with the 10 shapes to put in the holes. I'm feeling pretty good now, although my feet and ankles were puffy and stiff after 2 airplane flights.

23w6d Merry Christmas

I'm feeling the baby move quite a bit now. S/he seems to be more active after I have eaten or when I am going to bed at night. DH still can't feel him/her from the outside, though. I got a nice denim maternity top for Christmas, and the baby got 2 outfits and a bathtub book.

Maternity Bras

HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT CLOTH DIAPERING SYSTEM!

Born to Love - All Your Baby and Diapering Needs, Naturally!

I've been doing some searching on the web for local Doulas. So far I've emailed 5 in my area, but haven't called any of them yet. What Do Doulas Deliver?

23w

I felt the baby move 3 times yesterday, and twice so far today. This is great!

22w6d

Last night we met with our insurance agent / financial planner and increased our life insurance coverage. We've planned well and worked hard to have very little debt, just the mortgage and the IVF loan, so the insurance would be primarily to pay off the house and cover child care costs, although some "income replacement" is built in also.

Speaking of the IVF loan, we didn't use the Medical Business Solutions that I wrote about back in April, and they finally refunded our membership up fee, after 2 emails (without response) then 4 phone calls, all starting back in June! We have 5 more months of 0% interest on the credit card that we got for the IVF. We'll probably withdraw savings to pay it off then, instead of starting to pay interest.

I had another u/s this morning. The kiddo was laying sort of sideways, so the tech got good pictures and measurements of the head and spine (as requested by the doctor). We got to see lots of other parts, too, arms, legs, fingers, feet, an ear, heart beating, bladder, brain, and a decent picture of the face. The tech even printed several pictures as 5x7's on photo paper for us.

22w5d Contemplating my navel...

While showering I noticed that my belly button feels different. It's still "an innie", but it's kind of puffy around the edges. There is a hard spot inside it that I can feel. It kind of looks like that might be where my umbilical cord fell off years and years ago. It is so amazing that there is a baby growing inside of me!

22w2d

I think I'm coming down with a cold. I feel achy and my throat is starting to tickle, and my ear is bothering me just a bit. I have called by PCP to ask what is okay to take, besides Tylenol. Ugg.

22w 1d

I really need to start paying attention to my body, doing things like eating at the first sign of hunger and resting or going to bed early when I am tired. I stayed home from work today... I intended to go in this afternoon, but I was still exhausted around 11 when I awoke, and I didn't get out of bed until past 1 p.m. Last night I almost fell asleep watching television in the evening, but I stayed up to my normal time instead of going to bed early. Yesterday I ate lunch much later than I should have also. My habits just aren't changing like I think they need to!

22w

I will be having a Glucose screening test in January, between 25 and 26 weeks.

21w6d

I think the baby moving actually woke me up this morning. I felt squeezing almost contraction-like movements. He or She was probably doing somersaults in there.

21w5d

I have been having more problems with Finger pain and numbness lately. I try to be careful of my position when sleeping, and I use ice bags on my wrist and hand sometimes to help with the pain.

I guess it's time to start moisturizing my tummy on a regular basis... I noticed this morning in bed and this afternoon, that I am rather itchy. My DH says that my belly button doesn't go in as far as it used to when I'm laying down, too.

My OB appointment went fine last week. I'll be having another u/s in a couple of weeks so they can try to get a better view of the head. Last time they didn't get good measurements, possibly because the baby was head down, plus my anterior placenta and full bladder and the tech commented on using a new machine. I'll have the glucose tolerance screening next month. Fun fun fun [not!].

20w6d

My hands and feet feel almost normal today. I have also noticed that when I stand up after sitting for a long time I feel a lot of pressure in my pelvis. I think it's directly related to having a fairly full bladder... that and just being stiff from sitting too long at once.

20w5d

My hands and feet felt a bit puffy and stiff this morning. They feel better now, though. It's probably because I don't drink as much water on the weekends as I do at my desk during the week. Since I have a doctor's appointment later this week, I'll pay closer attention and bring it up if it happens again this week.

20w1d

I lost lunch again today, just like Monday, about 30 minutes to an hour after eating it went right through. I don't remember what I ate on Monday, but today was a very nice Fettuccini Alfredo with grilled chicken. It must have been the Alfredo sauce.

The weather is quite cold. I've dug out a couple of baggy sweaters. They fit okay over my belly, but I get too warm several times during the day at work, so I lock myself in the bathroom and take my top off to cool down.

Half way!

How do you keep pants with a drawsting waist at the right level of tightness if the string is short? If I tie a knot in the string, then it is impossible to go to bathroom quickly. If I don't, then even a small amount of walking loosens the drawstring and my pants start to sag.

Anterior Placenta Location

Another email friend wrote: I have also heard, and hope this isn't true, that if you have an anterior placenta you are more likely to have a baby that faces anterior, and thus more likely to have back labor. Babies are supposed to face your back when they are ready to be born, so their head can fit through the pelvis more easily. However, I don't know if there is any good evidence behind this old wives' tale.

I guess I should do a little more research.

19w6d

I'm feeling pretty good today. We bought a humdifier for our bedroom yesterday, and I could still breath through my nose when I woke up this morning. My throat was a bit dry, but not as bad as yesterday. It's cold here, fall has finally arrived, and I appreciate my "little space heater".

I asked my pg email friends about the u/s tech saying my placenta was in the front. Here is one of the replies: You have an anterior placenta, same as me. Typically placenta's are posterior, towards the back. Has nothing to do with delivery at all.

No consequences at all -- you might feel your baby kick later than sooner, because when he or she kicks it will have the placenta in and around.

Babies who have anterior placentas have less chances of chord injuries as well. That's a plus:)

I had a bad episode of diarrhea about 30 minutes after lunch today. I wish I knew which food triggered it, or if it was something from yesterday that finally worked it's way through. Now I'm worn out, and almost hungry again, but apprehensive about eating.

19w5d

I'm sure glad that my manager at work lets me have the flexibility in arrival time that I need. My stomach was really bothering be this morning, so I stayed in bed too long. I got to work about an hour late.

I woke up before 6 again this morning. It doesn't seem to matter what time I go to bed, sometime between 4 and 6 I wake up. The only way I am able to go back to sleep is after emptying my bladder. It even happened last weekend when we were out of town for the holiday.

Why Labor is Good for Babies

19w

I just got my flu shot. It was a piece of cake. I expect that my arm may be a bit sore tomorrow. Compared to all of the other IM shots I've had in the past year, this one was nothing!

18w6d

The u/s went fine this morning. I didn't drink as much water as was recommended, but that's good because the u/s tech had me partially empty my bladder before we got very far. As we were doing the exam, my bladder got fuller again (probably because I spread out the drinking instead of doing it all at the same time 1.5 hours before the appointment). I just couldn't drink 50 oz of water quickly first thing in the morning.

We saw the baby's head, abdomen, spine, arms and legs. The head was almost as big as the abdomen! We saw the heart beating and the tech pointed out both my bladder and the baby's. I have some pictures, but as my DH said, "it's like looking at clouds". The skull is pretty easy to identify, but everything else is just white marks (bones) and dark areas (fluid).

18w5d

My earache is gone, but of course I'm still taking the antibiotic for another week. My bloodwork from a week ago came back saying I'm anemic. That's not really surprising since I have been turned away from giving blood several times for low iron. Now that my blood volume is increased, the relative percentage would go down. So I'm taking an iron tablet in addition to my prenatal vitamin each day.

I've been feeling much better the past couple of days. My appetite is increasing and my energy level is closer to normal. I even had the urge to do some yard work last weekend, but I succeeded in letting the urge pass. :-)

18w2d

I have a mean earache today. I'm sure it is an ear infection, possibly a sinus infection, too. I called my PCP to let him know and to see if there was anything I could do for it. To my surprise he prescribed an antibiotic. I'm glad, because at least it shouldn't get any worse!

I was planning to get a flu shot today, but with this ear pain, I am going to wait. Hopefully I'll feel better soon and will get the shot Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

You Know You Are Pregnant When ... - Crosswalk.com Women's Channel

18w

We will be flying to my in-laws for Christmas, so I have been doing a bit of reading about travelling while pregnant.
Don't put your wanderlust on hold
Eight smart strategies for pregnant travelers
Emergency checklist for traveling while pregnant
Getting there by plane
I will be 24 weeks along, still in my second trimester, but this article, Is it safe to fly during my third trimester?, has some good tips anyway.
We will be flying on Delta which has no restrictions.

I think I felt the baby move last Friday 17w2d, but I'm not sure. I was sitting in the recliner and felt what I can only describe as 3 taps low in my abdomen toward the left side a bit. It didn't feel like gas or butterflies, and I know it was much lower than my stomach. I haven't felt anything like it since then, but I don't sit still and just relax very much, either.

17w6d

I went shopping for maternity pants today. It's next to impossible to find XL or XXL maternity clothes. I went to all of the second-hand baby/maternity stores in town that I know about (4 of them) and found 1 pair of jeans that may last a month or two. At least the clerk at Motherhood recommended their website for larger sizes. (I haven't checked it out yet.)

Besides getting one pair of pants, I bought two books. The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy and Denise Austin's Ultimate Pregnancy Book. I'm on chapter 5 of The Girlfriends' Guide already and appreciate the humor and candor. The other one focuses on staying fit (ha!) and healthy during and after pregnancy. From first glance, I'd say it includes exercises safe during pregnancy, recipes, and other generally good info.

Oh, I went to the dentist today, too. I have one small cavity. He said I could check with my OB and get it filled (since I'm in the 2nd trimester) or wait until "after term". I'll wait and see if it gives me any problems.

17w2d

My Dr. appointment yesterday went fine. I had gained a couple of pounds since last time, so my Dr. isn't worried about that anymore. When using the Doppler to listen to the baby's heartbeat, he had to move it around several times because the baby was moving a lot. He said I will probably feel the baby moving soon, and that's it's possible that I already have but didn't realize what it was.

I had another friend put her hand on my belly yesterday evening. I let her know that I didn't appreciate it. She told me that lots of people will do it, and I told her that that doesn't mean that I have to like it or to let them do it more than once. I plan to let anyone who touches me (or "the baby") without asking know that I consider it inappropriate. Just because people can see that I am growing a baby doesn't make my abdomen public property! Why do people do that? < / off soap box>

The Pregnancy Institute has some fascinating information about umbilical cords and the problems that sometimes happen. This is particularly interesting to me because when my niece was born via emergency c-section, the doctor announced that her cord was wrapped around her body 3 times. (She had not been descending and her heartrate had been decelerating during contractions.) I also have a cousin who's umbilical cord wrapped tightly around his arm and caused that arm and hand to be smaller than the other.

I'm Not Too Old For Motherhood! - Pregnancy and Birth at 40

I went shopping for maternity clothes during my lunch hour today. I got a nice pair of second-hand pants for $11. I went to a retail store and saw similar pants from $25-$50! I hope I can find more nice things for not much money.

16w5d

The past couple of mornings I had sinus/nasal drainage down the back of my throat and gagged several times. It sure makes me glad that I haven't been vomitting with my morning sickness.

16w

Depending on how they count months, some people would say that I am now 4 months pg. Wow! For those who count that way, pg lasts 10 months! I think I'll stick with 9 and be 3 1/2 months along. :-)

The nausea and fatigue are much better. Although I don't feel really energetic, at least I'm not constantly exhausted as I was for a while. I have noticed the mood swings, also known as "crys at the drop of a hat for unknown reasons" recently. Okay, it's not really that bad, but I do get teary watching TV sometimes, and I have cried several times while reading the book Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul that I borrowed from my sister. There have been several stories in there that really make me miss my mom.

15w2d

At my doctor's appointment yesterday we discovered that I have lost 3 more pounds, making 5 since the beginning. I go back in 2 weeks instead of 4 because my Dr. doesn't want me to lose any more weight. It figures that when it is coming off easily, without me trying, I'm not supposed to lose weight. Otherwise everything is going well. He was about to order the standard OB blood workup, but I asked him what tests they would be doing. After getting the answer, I told him that I had just had all of those done 3-4 months ago, before the IVF. He dug through the papers that my RE had sent and found most of the needed results, so I avoided getting stuck and I avoided the extra cost (to my insurance company).

14w5d

I have had 3 people tell me today that I am starting to look pregnant, or that I look "cute". Wearing a loose shirt, untucked certainly doesn't hide anything. One coworker had a goofy grin every time I saw him today. I think he knows, and I even asked him "what's up?" but he didn't say anything about it.

14w3d

A friend of mine died today. She lived a wonderful and long life, and I will miss her tremendously! She was like a grandmother to me. I found out last Sunday that she was going downhill pretty fast (last stages of cancer), but I was busy for a couple of days then came down with a nasty cold. I stayed away because I felt so rotten (not being able to take drugs during pregnancy has it's down side). Last night I was planning to visit her today, even with my cold, because at that stage a few cold germs weren't going to do her any harm. But this morning I got a call that she had died peacefully in her sleep. Goodbye, Avis, I love you.

14w

Hey, I'm officially in my second trimester now! I really need to start doing some clothes shopping. I still haven't gained weight, but I am changing shape and even more importantly I don't like much pressure on my waistline.

Can prayer help you get pregnant?

13w6d

My DH and I are starting to seriously discuss child care and work plans for next year. By the end of this month I need to (1) decide on my health insurance company (the primary difference being which hospital -- the one with the free standing birth center, or the one we have used for years where DH works which has a newly renovated birth floor), (2) decide how much money to have withheld pre-tax for health expenses, (3) decide whether to have money withheld pre-tax for child care, and (4) how much our church pledge will be.

All of these things (except #1) hinge on plans for child care. We are considering many things, including the fact that I plan to take the full 12 weeks that the FMLA guarantees my job, even though about 8 weeks of it will be without pay. Another option is that DH will take 8-12 weeks FMLA leave also, after I go back to work, much of it without pay. Another option is that he will quit work completely and stay home, eliminating even more income. My sister works part-time (5 days every 2 weeks) and has offered to trade child care if I wanted and could arrange half-time work. That sounds like a good option, too, but it would be a tough sell to my boss.

No matter what we decide, it is starting to sink in that life is going to change completely!

13w5d

Time marches on. My niece turns 1 today. It is absolutely amazing seeing how much she has changed from a year ago when I saw her being born.

Many people and web sites have told me that "the second trimester is better." I'm looking forward to no nausea and lots of energy, but I would settle for less fatigue at this point. I don't go home and fall asleep on the coach before dinner like I did or felt like doing during weeks 7-10, but I'm still tired most of the time.

13w

I sure have been a grump lately. I definitely need to get more sleep. My first trimester is almost over... I have gained no weight, but my complexion is awful and I am changing shape a bit. I'm looking forward to the "feeling great" time of the second trimester that I have heard and read so much about.

12w5d

My friend is doing pretty well. Physically she is fine, just tired, and emotionally she is getting better but will probably never forget last Tuesday. My DH didn't see her like I thought he might have; she went to a different hospital than where he works.

If I don't get enough sleep my morning nausea is worse and is more likely to last all day (like it did today). I'm going to bed early tonight [she types at almost 10:30 -- ha!]

12w2d

I just found out that a friend of mine (who is 2 weeks behind me) had what was thought to be a miscarriage earlier this week, but when the hospital staff did an u/s they saw the baby still inside! She was bleeding a lot at home and passed a mass of tissue. The ambulance staff checked her and then took her (and the tissue) to the hospital. After an exam she was given information about grieving, but they wanted to do an u/s to make sure that she didn't need a d&c for the placenta or other material. That's when they saw the baby and heartbeat doing fine. She's on bedrest now. Very scary!

I think my DH might have seen her in the Emergency Room. He works at a local hospital doing computer support so he gets around all over the hospital. One night after work (I wish I could remember which night) he told me about seeing a very upset woman (with a sweater around her waist) in the ER and overhearing questions about "how far along" and "bleeding". He was visibly shaken, even telling me about it hours later.

Here are a couple of chapters in an online book about
Prenatal and
Infant reactions to music!

12w1d

No entries lately because nothing new is going on. I'm still tired a lot and I still have to make sure that my stomach doesn't get too empty.

11w2d

I just got back from my first official OB appointment. It was fun except for when the speculum wouldn't stay open and pinched. (They got another one.) I didn't have to have a pap or even a breast exam since I've had them both within the past 6 months. My PCP asked me all the history questions, most of which he already knew the answers to. He asked about my last menstrual period, so we chatted about that and the actual conception date and the due date (based on the matching conception date and CRL from my last u/s). He checked the uterus size and position (I guess), and found the heartbeat with the Doppler -- good and strong at 170 beats per minute!

We talked about guidelines / recommendations for exercise, eating, etc. Primarily they are common sense, avoid extremes. He said that in some ways he wants to treat me with kid gloves, particularly for avoiding medicines unless necessary, but in most ways he wants to treat me like any other pregnant patient. We sure found a good one 10 years ago when we picked him out of the phone book!

My next appointment is in a month, and I learned when checking out that I get to give a urine specimen every time. I asked what they check for, and the clerk thought they check for sugars and protein and probably other things.

Is This Safe?

Associates in Women's Health, PA - All About Eating for Two

11w

My nausea has been quite a bit better the past few days, and I think the fatigue may be letting up a bit, too... either that or I'm actually getting almost enough rest (not likely).

I found out today that I have a credit at my RE's office. If the insurance pays for what we expect (pregnancy related services), then we'll get back almost $1000! That's particularly nice since I just donated to them (for another non-insured patient) about $400 worth of stimulation drugs.

10w6d

I made a prenatal appointment with my PCP yesterday, an "initial OB" appointment as they called it. The scheduling clerk asked when my last menstrual period was. I told her I didn't remember but that I knew I was 10 1/2 weeks along. She kind of freaked... well actually, I could tell she was trying not to get too excited, but I did hear her ask the nurse whom I had just spoken with how soon she needed to get me in. (They normally schedule the 1st appointment between 6-8 weeks.) I have an appointment for this Friday. :-)

Since we used IVF, I honestly don't know when my "last" period was (would that be last "natural", or the brief one after I stopped BCP?), but I have checked the calendar, and for simplicity sake I will tell health professionals "July 11" in the future.

This morning a coworker gave me a list of toll-free phone numbers and web sites for companies that offer freebies or coupons to expecting and/or new parents. I should start signing up for things now, so when April gets closer I have one less thing to try to remember to do.

10w2d

Someone actually reached out and touched my belly yesterday. I was shocked, primarily because I look the same as I have for the past year or so, overweight but not pregnant-looking. This gal talks about personal stuff much more than I am confortable with, considering that we have only known each other a couple of years and aren't particularly "close" from my perspective. Too much information! (That may seem wierd coming from someone whose blog is very personal, but this is different, you read Blog to a Baby if and only if it interests you, I don't email it unsolicited to all of my friends and acquaintances.)

10w1d

It's been a lousy week. My aunt, with whom I was very close, died very early Sunday morning. I had been planning on going for a visit Sunday afternoon, but after receiving a phone call Saturday that said she wasn't expected to make it through the weekend, we drove 4 hours and saw her on Saturday. We stayed overnight, my cousin woke me around 3:30 a.m. to let me know my aunt had died. Later Sunday we drove 4 hours home. I stayed home from work Monday (which was supposed to be a vacation day for the visit) sick, then we drove back Tuesday for the prayer service, the funeral was Wednesday, then we drove back home yesterday.

All of the car travel made it more difficult than usual for me to keep the nausea and exhaustion under control. There was plenty of food available, with friends of the family bringing food to the house, but I didn't eat very much at a time and probably didn't choose as well as I could have. I still feel pretty lousy and am very tired, but I did manage to drag myself to work today, and I am actually getting quite a bit of work done, too.

9w

My stomach was churning all day yesterday, and I don't think it had much to do with my hormones. I live in the midwest, so I'm safe, but I have a cousin who lives on Manhattan Island, in SoHo, about a mile from where the World Trade Center used to be. She works in Manhattan, too, but further north. I can't stop thinking about her. When I went on vacation to New York in May with my sister, aunt, nieces & cousins, we visited the cousin who lives there, and we ate at Top of the World, a very fancy restaurant on the 95th floor that no longer exists.

---

Monday I had another u/s to see how the baby is doing. My DH went with me that time, and he got a little weak in the knees when he first saw it. There were little arm and leg buds, and I think I saw the brain inside the skull. We heard the heartbeat again, and have a couple of pictures, but the ones they printed weren't the best for oohing and ahhing over. CRL measurement was right on target, too!

8w2d Not much new going on with me.

Between the nausea and fatigue, and trying to keep up with work and other committments, I have been neglecting my blog. I guess part of the reason also is that it seems like nothing new is happening. I know the baby is growing -- there are probably fingers and toes and eyelids by now -- but since I feel the same every day (nauseated & very tired), I haven't felt like writing.

I have my 2nd u/s with my RE on Monday. My DH will be going to that with me, for which I am very glad. He has been pampering me and fixing food for me when I don't feel like doing anything but know I need to eat. I feel like a bum sometimes, because all I want to do is sit in the recliner and rest. Yesterday I stayed home from work because I was so exhausted and nauseated in the morning. After eating a little breakfast I went back to bed and slept until 2pm! I have been falling asleep within a minute or two of hitting the pillow lately.

7w6d Why do they call it morning sickness?

All week I have been having more nausea. It's not severe, but it is persistent. Any time my stomach gets close to being empty, I feel uncomfortable. I'm getting pretty tired of crackers already, too. I read somewhere that ginger helps relieve nausea, so I'm trying ginger snaps now instead of crackers all of the time. I'm not sure if they help any more than crackers, but they do taste better.

On a more cheerful note, we celebrated our 10th anniversary this weekend! We had a party with family and some friends and told the ones who didn't know yet. We also shared the good news at church. Before I told at church, I had the thought, "Get ready to become public property." I doubt that that sentiment will be true most of the time, but I can think of a few people who will want to know more than I will want to tell. There were only two people who made comments relating to us being childless for so long, one was very polite. She said, "I had just assumed that you two didn't want kids." My husband replied that that was not the case. Another wasn't quite as tactful, and neither was my response. It was more along the lines of "deciding 'now or never' after 10 years of marriage", and I replied "no, that's not true, sometimes God just takes a long time."

7w2d I'm having quite a bit more nausea today.

Wednesday evening I had to work very late (well into Thursday morning), so my eating and sleeping pattern (what little pattern that I have) was disrupted. I think I'm about back to "normal" on sleep, but my eating is still irregular. I'm having more trouble with nausea today, and crackers just aren't cutting it. I think I'll try some fruit since applesauce helped last night.

BabyCenter | Water Works!

Homebirth or hospital birth: Making the decision

When my brother dropped me off at home this evening, he said, "Take care of yourself, and the baby." And the baby! That still sounds so foreign. It's a good think that human gestation averages 40 weeks, because I think it may take close to that long for this all to seem real.

Babyblog. From a geek and expecting father. -- I nice blog, by an expectant dad, and I like the name. :-)

6w6d I am so tired today!

I stayed up too late last night, then got up around 4:30 to go to the bathroom (which is becoming a regular habit), and had a really hard time getting out of bed this morning. I need to do some nighttime work this week (they don't like it when I take the computers down during the day), and it's probably going to end up being tomorrow night because I don't think I could do it tonight.

Yesterday was my last POI shot, but I will still be on progesterone for a couple of more weeks. I'm done with the estrogen pills, too. I notified my PCP that I'm pregnant, and I have another OB u/s with my RE in 2 weeks.

I'm moving the IVF calendar to today's entry permanently, instead of leaving it floating on my template, but I will put a link on the main blog page to it. It just doesn't seen appropriate now. (For some reason there is a huge gap before the table, keep scrolling.)

My IVF Schedule in 2001		Color scheme Past	Color scheme Future - date set	Color scheme Future - medicine or date may change	May 25 Cycle start	26
27	28	29	30	31 AM - Begin taking BCP	June 1 AM - 1 BCP	2 AM - 1 BCP
3 AM - 1 BCP	4 AM - 1 BCP	5 AM - 1 BCP	6 AM - 1 BCP	7 AM - 1 BCP	8 AM - 1 BCP	9 AM - 1 BCP
10 AM - 1 BCP	11 AM - 1 BCP	12 AM - 1 BCP	13 AM - 1 BCP	14 AM - 1 BCP	15 AM - 1 BCP	16 AM - 1 BCP
17 AM - 1 BCP	18 AM - 1 BCP	19 AM - 1 BCP	20 AM - 1 BCP	21 AM - 1 BCP	22 AM - 1 BCP	23 AM - 1 BCP
24 AM - 1 BCP	25 AM - 1 BCP	26 AM - 1 BCP	27 AM - 1 BCP	28 AM - 1 BCP	29 AM - 1 BCP	30 AM - 1 BCP
July 1 AM - 1 BCP	2 AM - 1 BCP	3 AM - 1 BCP	4 Calendar 1 (Down Regulation) AM - 1 BCP AM - .1ml lupron subq PM - .1ml lupron subq	5 AM - 1 BCP AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron	6 AM - 1 BCP AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron	7 AM - 1 BCP AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron
8 AM - last BCP AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron	9 AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron	10 AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron * - down payment due to RE	11 AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron	12 AM - .1ml lupron PM - .1ml lupron	13 AM - .1ml lupron 8:30 AM - U/S & estradiol test AM - call RE to check results & instructions	14 Calendar 2 (Stimulation) AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim subq PM - 150iu repronex im - deltoid AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)
15 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	16 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	17 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	18 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	19 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	20 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim 8:20 AM - U/S & estradiol test PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	21 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)
22 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim 8:20 AM - U/S & estradiol test PM - 150iu repronex AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	23 AM - 5iu lupron AM - 150iu follistim 9:20 AM - U/S & estradiol test 9:00 PM 10,000iu hcg AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	24 Calendar 3 (Retrieval & Transfer) AM - doxycycline PM - doxycycline AM+PM - doxycycline (DH)	25 8:00 - retrieval check-in 9:00 - retrieval AM - doxycycline (after retrieval) PM - 16 mg methylprednisolone PM - doxycycline	26 AM - doxycycline 2:00 PM - call RE to check fertilization results PM - 16 mg methylprednisolone PM - doxycycline	27 AM - doxycycline PM - 16 mg methylprednisolone PM - doxycycline	28 AM - doxycycline 1:00 PM - 600mg ibuprofin 2:00 PM - transfer PM - 16 mg methylprednisolone PM - doxycycline PM - 1 cc progesterone
29 PM - 1 cc progesterone	30 PM - 1 cc progesterone	31 PM - 1 cc progesterone	August 1 PM - 1 cc progesterone	2 PM - 1 cc progesterone	3 PM - 1 cc progesterone	4 PM - 1 cc progesterone
5 PM - 1 cc progesterone	6 PM - 1 cc progesterone	7 PM - 1 cc progesterone	8 8:30 - quantitative PG test PM - 1 cc progesterone	9 PM - 1 cc progesterone	10 8:30 - quantitative PG test #2 PM - 1 cc progesterone	11 AM - apply Estrogen patch PM - 1 cc progesterone
12 PM - 1 cc progesterone	13 9:30 - quantitative PG test #3 PM - 1 cc progesterone	14 PM - 1 cc progesterone	15 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - remove Estrogen patch	16 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol pill	17 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	18 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol
19 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	20 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	21 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	22 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	23 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	24 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	25 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol
26 PM - 1 cc progesterone PM - 2 mg estradiol	27 1:45 - "OB" U/S	28 vaginal progesterone	29 vaginal progesterone	30 vaginal progesterone	31 vaginal progesterone	September 1 vaginal progesterone
2 vaginal progesterone	3 vaginal progesterone	4 vaginal progesterone	5 vaginal progesterone	6 vaginal progesterone	7 vaginal progesterone	8 vaginal progesterone
9 vaginal progesterone	10 3:15 - "OB" U/S

Wow! I heard and saw the heart beat.

I had my u/s today, to confirm that it is an intrauterine pregnancy and to check for heartbeat. I have 3 pictures from the u/s, all showing the amniotic sac, the yolk sac, and the embryo. The crown to rump length (CRL) is 7.8 mm, which is just under 1/3 of an inch. I had blood drawn to check estradiol and progesterone to see if I can stop the POI shots and E2 pills yet. And I have another appointment in 2 weeks.

I didn't realize how incredibly cool it would be to see on the u/s screen, or I would have insisted that my DH come to the appointment, too. I don't think I'll have trouble talking him into coming to the next one.

I'm home from vacation! As much as I enjoy going on vacation, particularly a relaxing and rejuvenating one (as opposed to a touristy one), it sure is good to be home.

While on vacation, I did two hikes (on the same day). One was a flat 1/2 mile loop around a lake. That one was nice. The other was 1.2 miles (round trip), at a higher elevation, with a small altitude gain. I had to rest a lot on the way up, and I probaby overdid it, because I was still exhausted the next day.

I have discovered that drinking more than a few sips of water before food in the morning makes me feel "sloshy" and a bit nauseated. If I get up and go to the bathroom, then eat a couple of crackers with a bit of water before walking around much, my stomach is okay until breakfast. (Bacon and eggs actually sit better than cereal and milk, too.) Even though I felt a little uneasy several times during the past week, I still don't feel like I "have morning sickness".

One last note about vacation... tonight is my last POI shot! Yippee! (I am confident that the nurse and/or doctor will find a heartbeat tomorrow and that they will tell me to stop the shots!)

Still on vacation and losing track of what day it is! (That's a good thing.)

I've been sleeping a lot, but not very well. I am sleeping pretty light, so every time I roll over I wake up, and I am tossing and turning more than usual because of my sore hips and the fact that I'm used to a water bed (so this bed is much firmer than I like). I have been napping a couple of times a day to make up for the bad sleep, but I'm starting to wonder if I should tough it out so perhaps tonight I will be so tired I sleep well even though the bed is very firm.

I had a little nausea today, only the third or fourth time that I can recall. It was either caused by the banana at breakfast, or the banana was just the flavor that was the most prominent. Some bread and butter, and toast and peanut butter crackers, plus a nap took care of it. I'm six weeks along today, and so far no serious nausea or morning sickness. Yeah!

2nd day of Vacation!
Aside from my hips being sore and pretty tender now from 22 days of POI shots, I'm feeling fine. We are vacationing at a much higher altitude than where I live, so I am being particularly watchful of altitude sickness by drinking lots of water (been doing that anyway), and resting a lot (been doing that, too). There is a hottub and a pool where we are staying. I know pregnant women are supposed to stay out of hottubs, but I couldn't resist because my hips are so sore. I was in the hottub for only 2 or 3 minutes, just long enough for my muscles to say "thanks". I did not let my overall body temp rise, I am sure, because my face didn't even feel as warm as when I get a hot flash. So after just a couple of minutes in the hottub, I switched to the heated pool. It was still pretty cool, considering how cool the evening mountain air is. It was just the right touch to finish a very nice day.

This article, Pregnancy: Fatigue in early pregnancy, sure is appropriate for me today. I just took a 30 minute nap at the end of my lunch break.

This article, Pregnancy: Your first trimester, is more general, with information about what is happening during the first trimester (first third of the pregnancy, generally 3 months, or 14 weeks).

I was kind of nauseated again this morning. I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle it. Today I ate several peanut butter crackers and sipped on some water before getting out of bed. That kept things pretty settled for a while. Then I ate a breakfast burrito from Burger King. (It's a local item, scrambled egg, cut up sausage and some melted cheddar cheese wrapped up in a tortilla.) The only other thing that is related to my pregnancy (that phrase is still amazing! -- my pregnancy) is that my hips itch where I have been getting the progesterone shots. The spots from the estrogen patches are doing much better, though.

We had a big discussion at dinner about my future caregiver. I would like to use a midwife, and my DH is more comfortable with a doctor. We are both trying to keep open minds, and I am trying to educate / convince him of the safety of using a midwife. Since I've never been pregnant before, I'm just going with my gut feelings and what I have read about midwife vs. OB care. From my perspective, the difference is primarily attitude... that as long as nothing is recognized as "going wrong" there is no need for a doctor. I think if our PCP, a family practice doc whom we have both been seeing for 10 years, still did prenatal care and "delivered" babies, then we could easily agree that I would keep seeing him during my pregnancy and labor and the baby's birth. However, I have a vague recollection that he stopped doing prenatal & labor care a couple of years ago. Tomorrow I will call his office; I probably should make sure the he knows I'm pregnant, even if I end up seeing someone else for the next 8 months (although my RE should have notified him, I think).

So far, I am only aware of one Certfied Nurse Midwife practicing in the area, so that does limit my choices. I would definitely consider a lay midwife and home birth, if I were the only person who's opinions mattered, but I know my DH would against that completely, and I am willing to honor his preference on that matter. I am well aware that even if I start with a midwife, I may need to go to an OB or transfer from a birthcenter to a hospital, if something goes wrong. Puberty, getting pregnant, growing a baby, giving birth, and menopause are all natural stages or events for women. Just because something "went wrong" and we needed medical and technological help with the getting pregnant part, does not mean that we will need medical and technological help with the baby's development or birth.

Since we're getting ready to go on vacation (travelling by car), these 2 short articles are timely.Road Tripping During Pregnancy and Traveling by Car

I'm switching to an oral estrogen! The nurse called me back and said to take the patch off and switch to the oral prescription. The spot where the patch has been for the last 17 hours is almost as red as the original spot. Fortunately it doesn't itch much, and the orginal spot is itching less, too.

I'm feeling better since I had a good (but not big) lunch. I do get tired climbing just one flight of stair or walking for more than 5 minutes. I probably won't be doing much hiking on vacation next week. :-(

I felt a bit nauseated early this morning, so all I had to eat was a piece of bread with butter. I have been drinking water this morning and now am getting quite hungry. I'm going to eat lunch early today so I don't get light headed.

Last night I peeled off the estrogen patch and moved it to another spot. My skin is pretty sensitive to adhesives, so I'm not surprised at how irritated the area has become. It was starting to itch after only 2 days. By the third day the area under the patch was quite red (the patch is clear), and by last night (the end of the 4th day), I couldn't take it any longer. I called the RE's office today and asked to be switched to an oral medication instead of the patch.

I'm killing time here at work before I can go home. I had to stay late just in case something went wrong, but nothing has gone wrong and I'm finished with what I was working on today. I've been doing a little surfing and have found a few interesting links. What I would really like to find is a "Baby Planner" book or checklist, similar to the "Wedding Planner" books and lists that are available. We're starting to think about all of the things that need to be done in the next 8 months, and we barely know where to start.

Associates in Women's Health, PA - All About Eating for Two
Here is an article about a somewhat controversial perspective on Gestational diabetes
Since I have chronic hypertension, this article was quite interesting to me.
Chronic hypertension: Does it mean I'll get preeclampsia?

I'm just a tad queasy this morning. It's probably because I slept late and haven't tried to eat much yet. I have to work late this evening, but that means I get to come in late. I should have gotten up at my normal time (especially since I woke up when my alarm would have gone off), but since I didn't, my whole routine is out of whack. I'm sure I'll feel fine soon.

Since my hcg level is going up so nicely, I don't need to go in for another beta test, just the u/s when I get back from vacation!

Still going strong

My hcg level was 537 this morning, over triple Friday's level 3 days ago! It doubled about 1 and 3/4 times. From what I have read multiples do not cause the hcg to increase faster, it still doubles every 2-3 days, so I don't really know if this number means anything specific or not.

My next bloodwork is scheduled for next Monday, but since I will be out of town, I have left a message for the nurse asking whether I should come in on Friday, have a test while out of town, or wait until I return.

Well, either the estrogen patch is working or my body decided on it's own to stop bleeding. The spotting is down to almost nothing. I'm guessing that the blood work results tomorrow may determine how much longer I should wear the patch. It almost came off twice yesterday. I guess I didn't pick a great spot for it, or maybe my sweating from the heat had something to do with it. I know pregnant women aren't supposed to get overheated (I'll really miss the hot tub on my vacation next week), and I've tried to stay cool as much as possible, but with the high temperature reaching in the 100s, just walking from buildings to my car and being in the car waiting for it to cool down, I get pretty warm.

Last night after I got the estrogen patch "system" I just about freaked out when I read the patient material. In big bold capital letters, the box and the pamphlet said to NOT take it if you are pregnant. It said that although the risk is slight, it may cause birth defects, and that estrogen does not prevent miscarriage. After fretting about it for a while, I decided to wait until this morning, call the nurse for an explanation, and then apply the first patch if her answer satisfied me. She asked why I had been prescribed the estrogen (she wasn't the nurse I saw on Friday) and said that all synthetic hormones have to have that warning, but that they consider this drug safe. They even used to prescribe it for all women having FETs. This is at least the 2nd, if not the 3rd, medicine that I have taken as part of the IVF treatment that specifically says to not use in pregnancy. It's too bad that the labeling doesn't include the common exception of hormone use in infertility treatment as part of the information.

I'm becoming a little less nervous as today progresses. With my good hcg level and my bleeding getting lighter, I am starting to relax a little, compared to yesterday and this morning.

My hcg level is 157 today, a little more than double 2 days ago (actually, it is a 125% increase). Since I'm still bleeding, I am going to get an estrogen patch. Hmmm I wonder what that will be like.

I think all of the people who knew we were doing an IVF now know it was successful, plus some family members who didn't know about the IVF already, know about the positive results. Oh, I just remembered one couple whom we haven't called (our pastor and her husband). Oops. I guess I'll be calling them tomorrow.

Nutrition:
Nutritional Guidelines for Pregnant and Nursing Moms
What should I eat?
Nutrition for you, Nutrition for two
Pregnancy: Dr. Brewer's pregnancy diet
Health Care Providers:
StorkNet Pregnancy & Parenting Articles - Finding Your Health Care Provider
Baby Development:
The Visible Embryo
Pregnancy Week-by-Week Guide from StorkNet, your online pregnancy resource!

It's Official, I'm 4 weeks pregnant!

My beta hcg level was 69.8 yesterday. I go in tomorrow morning to have it checked again. It should be somewhere between 110 and 140 if things are going well. The hcg number doubles every 2-3 days in early pregnancy, even with multiples. (It's just higher to start with when there are multiples.) Based on the averages that I've seen on the web, I think I just have one embryo that implanted, but we'll know in a week or three.

Baby Place Pregnancy FAQs
FertilityPlus: Table of Contents

T minus 0 days (but still waiting, for a few more hours)

I just got back from my blood draw for my beta pregnancy test. I'm feeling pretty optimistic this morning. The nurses and receptionist at my RE's office know me by name, they all wished me luck (the 3 or 4 that I saw), and so did the lab technician. The nurse asked how I would like to find out, so it sounds like I could have had her call me directly, but I chose the message system. I still haven't decided when I am going to check for the results. Right now I am leaning toward right after lunch, but last night I was considering waiting until almost 5, or even until after both my DH and I got home from work.

I'm still in a really grumpy mood, and if I weren't taking medicine that is supposed to postpone my period (the progesterone), I would be sure that it is starting today or tonight. Maybe it is, but I keep reminding myself that "breakthrough bleeding" at the time her period is due is common when a woman is pregnant. I even know two women who had a "normal" period and ended up being pregnant, so I am still hopeful.

Trying to keep my sanity for another 22 hours.

T minus 1 day and still waiting

I have continued to resist taking a test, but since I am continuing to have spotting, I am having a hard time staying optimistic. It's been a lousy morning at work... well not really lousy, but I am trying to solve 2 problems that shouldn't be mine to solve. Normally I like detective work, troubleshooting, and problem solving. But today I would just rather be doing "my" work instead of trying to figure out someone else's problems. Actually, I'd rather be at home sleeping.

T minus 2 days and waiting

I'm starting to think about taking a home pregnancy test. I previously had thought that I could and would resist, but that was when I would have had to buy one. I found one in the cabinet at home, so now it is much more tempting. I checked this web page, HPT Levels, which says the one I have detects 50 mIU.

One of the emails on my AdvancedHope list was asking about stuffy nose / congestion being a sign on pregnancy. That got me thinking about all of the "symptoms" I have now... they could be early pregnancy signs, or they could be other things: fatigue, small appetite, spotting 10 days past ovulation/retrieval, sinus congestion, smells intensified, acne.

My DH and I decided that we aren't telling anyone the results of the pregnancy test on Wednesday. Wednesday evening will be just for us! No matter what the results of the test, we want to be with each other only to deal with our reaction and plans for the future. We'll tell my family and the few friends who know about our IVF on Thursday or Friday. If it's positive, we'll tell his parents in person in a couple of weeks when we see them, then we'll decide when to tell our other friends.

T minus 3 days and waiting

Oops, I missed a day. Yesterday evening I noticed a small amount of brownish blood on the toilet paper once, and a small amount of reddish blood once, too. It could be from implantation bleeding, or it could be the common "small amount of spotting or bleeding" that my IVF handbook says may occur before the pregnancy test's scheduled date. Since many women have spotting or even a light period when they are first pregnant, it is not a bad sign. But since my body would be preparing for menstruation if I were not on progesterone and not pregnant, it is not necessarily a good sign either. It's one of those things that "often happens" during an IVF cycle, and really doesn't indicate anything one way or the other.

From Oh you just glow!
Acne -- Thought it was gone for good? Think again, while many women actually find that the hormones of pregnancy relieve their acne and leave them with that "glowing" skin of pregnancy, many women find their skin more oily and susceptible to acne break outs. Here's where the high school remedies come into play... Actually ensure you are drinking plenty of water, wash your face, avoid things that cause you to break out. Basically do what works, but it doesn't have to be fancy.

Rosacea

T minus 5 days and waiting

My face and neck are breaking out. I'm surfing the web trying to find out if it's from the progesterone shots, other hormone shots, or from being pregnant.

This isn't quite as "on topic" as other links that I post, but pregnant women pee a lot (or so I'm told). A Woman’s Guide on How to Pee Standing

T minus 6 days and waiting

Mark 11:24 [Jesus said,] "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - New International Version of the Holy Bible

I am claiming Jesus' promise, therefore, I am 3 weeks pregnant!

Pregnancy dating usually goes by the woman's last menstrual period, because in non-ART pregnancies, the exact date of conception is not known. The gestation period for humans is actually 38 weeks, so assuming a 28 day cycle, going back to the beginning of the last cycle results in the common 40 weeks. And since there are 52 weeks in a year, that results in 3/4 of a year, or the common 9 months. Ta daa.

Here are a few articles about pregnancy dating.
Calculating Due Date after IVF
Pregnancy & Calculation of Length
Pregnancy - Facts to Know
Lunar months: Calculating your due date

Infertility Treatment. What is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)? is one of the FAQs answered in this e-book Frequently Asked Questions on Women's Health. It has a bug in the javascript, so it did not work with Netscape, but an error window pops up with Internet Explorer, allowing you to continue.

This table, Table 2 : Risk factors associated with OHSS ( 4 ), also would indicate that I am low risk. Unfortunately I haven't be able to access the article the table goes with.

This "slide presentation" is from ReproMED in Bristol, UK. Ovarian Hyperstimulation

T minus 7 days and waiting

The nurse didn't call me yesterday with the CBC blood results like she said she would, so I'm assuming that everything looked relatively normal. I felt pretty rotten by evening; very "full" and uncomfortable feeling, almost any movement felt bad, and my chest felt heavy. My weight was up 3 more pounds when I was getting ready for bed, and I didn't sleep well. This morning my weight was back to the same as yesterday morning, so that made me feel a little better. I would have been worried if it had stayed up those 3, which would have been 8 lbs in 3 days.

I decided to stay home from work today, then slept (sporadically) in the recliner until noon. My abdomen doesn't feel as firm as it did yesterday, especially the upper part. Last night the area between my navel and breasts was very distended and pretty firm. I was starting to get concerned. But today I feel better and my abdomen is still bloated but more squishy, like normal.

One other thing, yesterday I started using one of my husband's old belts because the loosest notch on mine was way too tight. The difference from my next to the last belt notch (that I was using before retrieval) to the one I am using now is 3", and in the evening yesterday I was using one notch longer at 4" difference. (Not that I need a belt to hold my pants up, my belly is doing that pretty well on its own right now.) Maybe this is foreshadowing my next 9 months! If so, I can get used to it. :-)

T minus 8 days and waiting

My weight was up 3 more lbs this morning (actually during day yesterday), so I called my RE's office. I'm going in to have some blood drawn and have the nurse see me to see if she thinks I'm dehydrated. I don't think I am, but I did notice that yesterday's liquid output quantity didn't seem like what it should have considering my liquid intake. Several weeks ago an email girlfriend mentioned drinking Gatorade instead of just water to help prevent dehydration, so I started doing that last night.

T minus 9 days and waiting

One of the things that I'm supposed to be doing now is weighing myself every day to keep an eye out for Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). In it's mild form, it is fairly common since we hyperstimulated the ovaries on purpose. And in it's severe and dangerous form is it fairly rare. One sign is rapid weight gain (4-5 lbs in a day) due to fluid in the abdomen. I was up 2 lbs this morning, but I think that's because I ate a lot yesterday and didn't drink as much water. (That normal fluctuation is why weight loss programs do not recommend weighing yourself daily.) I was surprised to see in the u/s during the transfer that my ovaries are still really big and look like they have many follicles or cysts. I do feel full or bloated most of the time, and my pants are tight in the belly.

After my transfer, I stayed laying down on the bed/table for 30 minutes. Now I am free to do any activities I want (except sex / orgasm for 3 days, and horseback riding). Some RE's order bedrest, but my nurse said just to not do anything for the next two weeks that would cause me to berate myself and ask "what if I hadn't done thus and such?" if we end up not being pregnant. I think that's pretty reasonable advice.

T minus 10 days and waiting

Things will probably be pretty boring here for a while. I'm now officially in what my email girlfriends call "the two week wait" (2WW). Usually ovulation occurs 14 days before the start of a woman's period, so the 2 weeks after ovulation, or after IUI, or in my case, after retrieval, when we wait impatiently to find out if we are pregnant, are called the 2WW. Fortunately for IVF patients, the 2WW starts on retrieval day, since retrieval and IVF take the place of ovulation and "natural" fertilization. So by the time I had my transfer yesterday and got my 3 embryos, my 2WW is 1/4 over already. Yippee! Only 10 days to go.

Transfer Day

I had my transfer this afternoon. After some discussion with the RE, we decided on transferring 3 instead of just 2. We really don't want triplets, but decided to go with the standard protocol for my age, which is the biggest factor at this point, which is 3.

We transferred 3 grade A 8 cell embryos, and froze 7 ranging from 8 cell grade b and 6 cell grade a and b to 4 cell grade a and b.

I just had my first progesterone in oil shot, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected, but my DH did comment several times about how thick it was.

Grow, Embryos, Grow! Day before Transfer.

It's just a waiting game today. No shots, only 3 pills (well, 6 if you count the prenatal vitamin I have been taking for months and months and my 2 blood pressure pills).

I'm feeling much better today. I still feel some twinges in my lower abdomen when I stand up or twist, but I haven't taken any tylenol at all today. The past 2 nights I have woken up very sweaty around 5 am. I guess that is my body's version of hot flashes from the hcg shot and other high hormone levels.

My DH and I have been discussing whether to only transfer 2 embryos instead of 3 tomorrow. We really don't want triplets. The odds of having triplets are slim, and we trust God to get us through whatever the outcome is, whether it's 1 (preferred), 2 (scary but okay), 3 (almost terrifying) or even 0 kids. We probably won't make a decision until talking with our RE right before the procedure tomorrow.

Fertilization Report Day

Of the 17 eggs retrieved, 14 were successfully injected with sperm (ICSI), 10 of those fertilized, 3 did not fertilize, and 1 is polyploid.

The nurse didn't say what polyploid was, except that they do not transfer them. So, being the industrious internet surfer that I am, I did a search on Google and found the word in The Dictionary of Difficult Words. I also found more information in The Hutchinson Family Encyclopedia. Basically, it means many (poly) chromosomes (ploid). Diploid is normal for humans - 2 sets of chromosomes. Haploid is what each egg and sperm has - 1 set each. And polyploid is more than 2 sets, which is not good and probably would not develop into a pregnancy anyway.

So 10 is good! I have been hoping for half making it from one step to the next, so we're doing far better than that. Transfer is Saturday at 2pm.

Retrieval Day

17 eggs were retrieved this morning by my doctor. We'll find out tomorrow how many of them fertilized and when to expect the transfer. I'm feeling pretty good now... after I got home I slept for about 3 hours. I may post more details of the morning when I feel like sitting at the computer for a longer time. Our pastor came to pray with us before the procedure started... that was very nice!

Oh, one other thing, Pidge has linked my blog on hers. Take a peek at Slobby Bloggy

My plan for this evening and tomorrow:
1. Enjoy not having a shot this evening.
2. Make sure to eat something fairly late so I won't be famished tomorrow.
3. Go to bed sometime before midnight.
4. Eat and drink nothing after midnight.
5. Get up around 6:30 or 7, so my DH can eat something before we leave around 7:30.
6. Check-in at the surgery center by 8:00 am.
7. Retrieval is scheduled for 9.
8. I should be out of there by noon. We can leave as soon as I can walk down the hall, eat something, and urinate.
9. Get some food on the way home.
10. Have by DH wait on me hand and foot for the rest of the day. :-)

Good news... my protocol has been changed so my progesterone shots don't start until transfer day instead of retrieval day. That means 4 days with no shots! Yippee!

No shots today! Day 60 of IVF Prep, "Day before retrieval", Cycle day 14.

My hcg shot last night felt about the same as the other IM shots, but we gave it in the gluteal muscles instead of the deltoid. It took quite a bit longer for the medicine powder to disolve than the other meds did. That's not surprising, considering that it was 10,000iu instead of 75iu. It did finally all disolve and the liquid was clear, so I leaned on the edge of the sink to take my weight off the muscle and my DH gave me the shot.

Retrieval is scheduled for 9:00 Wednesday!

I take my hcg shot tonight, then no shots tomorrow! I can't believe this is actually happening!

Stimulation day 10, Day 59 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 13.

Today's scan was pretty much as expected. Follicles are growing nicely. The nurse thinks we will stop today, have my hcg trigger shot tonight, and do the retrieval on Wednesday. I'll know this afternoon.

Left: 21, 20, 18, 17, 17, 16, 16, 16, 15, 15, 14
Right: 20, 20, 19, 19, 19, 19, 18, 17, 17, 17, 17, 16
Endometrium: 15

I'm hungry... I've noticed the past few days that when eating a meal I get full much more quickly than usual. But I get hungry sooner, too. I guess it's because there isn't as much space in my abdomen for my stomach to expand as there used to be, with each ovary being about the size of a dozen marbles stuck together. It's a very strange sensation to feel full but still be hungry.

I'm very tired, too... I even took a 2 hour nap this afternoon. So, those are my side effects, minor bloating that causes me to eat less at one sitting, and fatigue. Not too bad, if you ask me!

Stimulation day 9, Day 58 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 12.

Still going...

22 follicles were measured, 11 on each ovary. When I asked to see the snapshot of the u/s that had all of the follicle measurements on it, the nurse (a different one than last time) was reluctant. She wanted to make sure that I understood that we won't get an egg from every follicle and that I shouldn't get hung up on the numbers. I assured her that I understood and that I was just curious about the numbers. Here they are:
Left: 20, 19, 17, 17, 16, 16, 15, 14, 15 13, 12
Right: 20, 19, 19, 18, 18, 17, 17, 16, 16, 15, 14

She said that they like to see them 18-20 to be considered "mature". There are at least 7 that ought to produce eggs for sure, and the next 8 may mature enough by the time retrieval comes around. My E2 is 2070, almost double 2 days ago. My instructions are "one more day". This evening I had another dose of repronex, and I'll take both lupron and follistim in the morning, then go in for testing again.

It is getting so close! And I am starting to get a bit nervous / anxious / exited, finally.

Stimulation day 8, Day 57 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 11.

I slept 11 hours last night. I guess I was pretty tired. I usually sleep late on the weekends, but not 11 hours. I conked out while watching tv, not too long after the 10 o'clock news started. I was tired enough to have gone to bed around 7, but not smart enough, I guess.

I went outside barefoot yesterday evening and stepped on something and now have a sticker or splinter-like foreign body in the ball of my foot. Usually that wouldn't faze me, but the first thing I thought (besides "ouch") was that I hope it doesn't get infected. We tried to get it out this morning, but it's broken off below the surface, so I'm trying to keep it protected and somewhat soft so maybe the splinter will work its way out before it gets inflamed.

Everything is going well, my test results are just as expected, but I am neither excited nor nervous. My retrieval is most likely less than a week away. I am nonplussed. Why am I not worried or anxious to excited or something?

Oh, I got my pap results back today. "Normal". That's nice to know.

The follicles are measured in millimeters in 2 dimensions. When doing the u/s the focal point of the picture changes and the follicles move in and out of view. When the oval cross-section in view looks the largest, they mark it on the computer screen. The computer measures the 2 dimensions and averages them to come up with the follicle's "size". So my 5 largest follicles that measure 14 are about the size of a small marble, but a little oblong instead of round.

One of my cycle buddies has an E2 of over 3000. She's on the same day as me, and they are cutting back on her stimulation medicine for the second time. I hope she doesn't end up hyperstimulating and having her IVF cancelled. She started out on 6 amps (450iu) and is now cut back to 1 amp (75iu). It's amazing to me how differently every person responds to the medications.

My Estradiol (E2) is 1097. The nurse said "a whopping 1097" so that must be on the high side, but it sounded good. My medicines will stay the same for today and tomorrow and Sunday morning, then I'll go in for another check Sunday morning and wait for further instructions. One of the gals on AdvancedHope thinks I'll have my hCG trigger shot on Monday and have a Wednesday retrieval. We'll see how accurate she is!

Oh, I've also noticed that I'm producing quite a lot of mucus right now. I don't remember anyone on my email lists mentioning that, so I guess I'll bring it up.

It's working! Stimulation day 7, Day 56 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 10.

I just got back from my u/s and the stimulation drugs are doing their job. I have 14 follicles that the nurse measured, and at least 6 smaller ones. My endometrium (uterus lining) is 11 mm thick.
Left: 14, 12, 12, 12, 11, 11, and 2 at ~10
Right: 14, 14, 14, 14, 13, 12, 12, 11, and 4 at ~ 8
I'll get instructions on medicine dosage and my next u/s and b/w by this afternoon.
Yippee!

I'm feeling pretty "blah" today. I would have expected either excitement or nervousness about tomorrow's tests, but they don't seem like that big of a deal to me. I'm kind of tired, but it's difficult for me to blame that on the possible fatigue side-effect since I stay up much to late at night.

Stimulation Day 6, Day 56 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 9.

Tomorrow is my first check to see how the stimulation drugs are doing. I will have an ultrasound and a blood draw around 8 in the morning, and by noon I'll know what the plan is for the next few days.

Stimulation Day 5, Day 55 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 8.

I'm going to another funeral this morning. That makes 3 this month (in 2 1/2 weeks). The last one was for an older gentleman at my church whom I didn't really know very closely. This one is for a friend I haven't seen in several years, but we were very close for several years 8-12 years ago. I knew he was very ill the past couple of years, but I couldn't bring myself to visit him. That makes me sad. But, I did the best that I could do at the time, so I don't feel guilty about it, just sad.

A piece of wisdom from a woman who has been through IVF treatment before: [The blood draw] "Bruised like crazy. That happens more easily the higher your estradiol levels go for all you first timers." I've also been warned to take tylenol before the u/s checks because they start getting more uncomfortable the bigger your ovaries and follicles get. Thanks for the warnings, ladies!

Stimulation Day 4, Day 54 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 7.

Things are going fine, right on schedule, and fortunately I haven't had most of the side effects that other women experience. They only things I have noticed are my sore arms, but my trick of moving my arm around a lot after the shot last night really helped.

Stimulation Day 3, Day 53 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 6.

A lot of people describe IF treatment as a rollercoaster ride. Usually I think they are referring to the emotional ups and downs of hope and disappointment or the mood swings caused by the hormones, but today the thoughts running through my mind are more like the thoughts when you are approaching the top of the big hill or just about to start the 3 consecutive loops on a rollercoaster: why did I get on this thing? I like rollercoasters a lot; they are exhilarating and scary and exciting all at the same time, maybe that's why I like them. You are glad you are there but also wishing you were safe on the ground where it may be boring but at least you knew what was happening. IF treatment is a rollercoaster ride, in more ways than I had originally thought.

Cool... I got mentioned in someone else's web journal. Look at her July 14 entry in clix.to/khakismum. IF is a lot more common than most people think, and there are no easy answers medically, ethically, or spiritually.

Stimulation Day 2, Day 52 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 5

Yesterday evening I noticed that my right deltoid muscle (where the IM shot was given) was pretty sore. This morning it felt like I had been punched in the arm. By this evening it is only a little sore. Immediately after the second IM shot (in the other arm) this evening, I massaged the area for a couple of minutes then moved my arm around a lot to keep the muscle moving. The left arm (today's) feels about the same as the right arm (yesterday's), so I would recommend lots of movement right after the shot to get the medicine absorbed instead of letting it stay in the injection area.

We told one more person today. I'm still amazed at how supportive everyone is when we tell them. My brother and SIL didn't realize that we are doing IVF until yesterday when we told them exactly what the shots were for. I'm starting to recognize what a good support system we have. There aren't a lot of people that we want to share something this personal with, but they are all being so supportive that it sure feels good to know they are praying for us and will help out however they can.

He did great! My IM shot that my DH did this evening hurt even less than the subq shot that I gave myself this morning. I barely felt the needle break the skin and couldn't even tell when he was pushing the plunger to inject the medicine and when he finished. My SIL was a great encourager and gave us a couple of pointers on finding a good spot on the arm for the shot. We are both relieved that it went so well!

Stimulation Day 1, Day 51 of IVF Prep, Cycle day 4

Yesterday's entry seems pretty harsh toward my RE's office and the pharmacy. I really was annoyed at the changes and prescription mistakes at first. Now I'm not so mad. Both the pharmacy and the RE's office were quick to correct the error or discrepancy, and they were also both very professional about everything. I'm really happy with the service and care that I am receiving. But my moral is still true, take responsibility for your own treatment -- know what medicines you should be getting and what treatment protocols you have been told -- ask questions.

I've had sore muscles in my neck and upper back for the past 2 days. I'm fighting a headache pretty much all of the time, too. I guess I am finally starting to have a few side effects from taking the lupron for 11 days. My first Follistim shot went fine this morning. I've used that medicine before, but in 4 months I had forgotten how hard you have to push the plunger to get 1 cc of medicine to go in (compared to 1/10 cc (10 iu) of lupron). This evening's shot will be the first one IM. We are going over to my brother's house so by DH can have some encouragement / help with the first one.

Article: Transcript from 3 Day vs Blastocycst Transfer

I am definitely more of a diarist than a blogger, but by posting this entry, I cross the blurry line. diarist.net | guide | preflight | journal vs. weblog

Day 50 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 3, lupron day 10.

My uterus lining looked "picture perfect" according to the nurse doing the ultrasound. So barring unexpected blood test results later this morning, I will be starting the stimulation drugs tomorrow morning!

Here's a word of warning to everyone, always question inconsistencies at a doctor's office and pharmacy (even if not related to infertility).

Example 1: My original prescription included "Gonal-F 75 IU or Follistim 75 IU" with the doctor's signature on the "Product Selection Permitted" line. My pharmacy had sent me Follistim in the past, this time, with a quantity of 20, I was sent Gonal-F, which cost $5 more per unit. I called the pharmacy, they checked with the doctor, and sent me the other drug and I sent back the wrong one. I have not seen the $100 credit on my credit card yet, but I won't forget it.

Example 2: In the IVF training class, we were taught about giving IM shots in the buttocks and the thigh was mentioned as a possible alternative spot. My instructions have "deltoid" hand written above the column with the Humegon/Repronex IM dosage. I asked about that today... I am supposed to take them in the deltoid (upper arm, right below the shoulder) "because we think that you will absorb the medication better". Because that was not mentioned, I bought 1 1/2" needles, a bit too long for the deltoid, so the nurse found some 1" needles and gave them to me. Now I have 15 extra 1 1/2" injection needles. Needles aren't expensive, but it's the principle of the thing -- when the prescription was sent that included the 1 1/2" needles, they knew they wanted me to have the shots in the arm.

Example 3: All of the information and my instruction sheets have included progesterone in oil shots from retrieval day until the pg test day, or possible longer, plus Medrol (methylprednisolone) tablets from retrieval until transfer if doing AZH. My prescription form did not have either of those medicines checked, so my pharmacy didn't send them. I asked about that today, too. Oops. So the RE's nurse faxed a corrected prescription form to my pharmacy. At least now I'll have a use for those 1 1/2" injection needles.

Example 4: which may just be part 2 of the prescription form mistake The needle disposal system (aka Sharps container) was not included either, so I have been putting my used needles in a plastic pop bottle, as I was told was okay about 4 months ago. Today I was told that that is not okay, so we added that to the revised prescription.

Moral: Stay on top of your own treatment!

I just chatted with my chorus director. I told her wanted to not do some things for a month or two to reduce my stress, and instead of letting me off the hook, she came up with a couple of options for things hoping to make them less stressful but still having me participate fully in the chorus. I'll give them a try tonight, but I'm still not going to allow myself to get stressed out about chorus and learning music right now.

Day 49 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 2, lupron day 9.

Yesterday was actually a new "Cycle day 1", as expected within a few days of stopping BCP. I'm still very tired all of the time. I need to make myself go to bed earlier or at least take a brief nap in the early evening. Last night, I could have fallen asleep about 7 pm if I had let myself. I should have!

Day 48 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 21, lupron day 8.

I sure had a hard time getting out of bed this morning. Some possible side effects of lupron are both fatigue and insomnia. I don't have insomnia, but I do have some fatigue. Although it could just be because I stayed up way too late last night... or maybe I do have a touch of insomnia? I noticed that my appetite was lower than normal yesterday. I ate less than usual at both lunch and supper.

IVF Hints

Infertility FAQ for alt.infertility and misc.health.infertility newsgroups

I just got back from melting some plastic. $7480 total "down payment". We also turned in the consent forms and got them notarized: IVF, Cryopreservation, ICSI, and AZH.

Before I left, I told my supervisor that I'm doing an IVF attempt near the end of this month. He wouldn't have known about me taking off work for most of my lab appointments because he'll be on vacation, but I wanted to let him know anyway. He was excited for me and very supportive, which was not surprising because he's a great guy. Now there are 3 people at work who know what I'm doing, and one other that knows I'm TTC.

Day 47 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 20, lupron day 7.

I have a big red itchy welt on the outside of my thigh, about the size of my palm. It just showed up this morning. I've been rereading the online drug information for lupron and did find that 5% of patients get dermatitis. I also found this statement under Some Special Advice: You may experience hot flashes when using Lupron (leuprolide acetate) Injection. During the first few weeks of treatment you may experience increased bone pain, increased difficulty in urinating, and less commonly but most importantly, you may experience the onset or aggravation of nerve symptoms. In any of these events, discuss the symptoms with your doctor. (My emphasis). This is noteworthy because just yesterday I was talking with my PCP about my hands shaking. Hmmmm, I guess I should mention this to my RE's office.

Test-Tube Babies Show No Emotional Problems: Study

Kids Conceived by Sperm Injection Healthy, Normal

Day 46 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 19, lupron day 6.

It's getting so I have a hard time not thinking about ivf all of the time. On my way back from lunch I realized that I forgot to do something on Friday and/or over the weekend. I don't want to have to remember anything right now except taking my meds, being at my Dr. appointments, and showing up at work. I feel like I'm obsessed with reading my email, writing in my blog, reading websites and my RE's handbook, and planning, even though I've read everything several times already and have all my meds and appointments as planned as they can get at this point. And it is so hot outside that I can't even go for a walk to try to settle my mind.

Day 45 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 18, BCP day 38 - all done!, lupron day 5.

I took my last BCP today. It's good to have that out of the way. I didn't really have much trouble, like some gals do, no nausea or anything like that, just some bloating the 2nd and 3rd week or so. Today's shots went fine, and I got a nice long nap this afternoon. I feel pretty well rested right now, which will make getting to bed at a decent hour tonight tough. If it's not one thing, it's another.

Day 44 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 17, BCP day 37 (just 1 left), lupron day 4.

Tip for human pin cushions: after wiping the skin with alcohol, be sure to let it dry completely before giving the injection. The needle prick will sting less.

I'm got a headache today. I'm not sure if it's related to any of my medicines or just because I haven't gotten enough sleep lately. I guess it could be caffine withdrawal, too. I haven't had any today, and even though I have cut back since starting IF treatment, I usually have either 2 small or 1 large diet sodas a day.

I've added more info to my calendar, and I changed the units from ml to iu. Here's a little lesson in metric mesaurements: 1 cubic centimeter (cc) = 1 milliliter (ml) = 100 International Units (iu) if we're talking liquid. So this first series of lupron at .1ml is the same as 10 iu , and I could have written the second series as .05ml, but it's easier to read as 5 iu. And since the follistim and repronex are measured in iu I decided to switch, but they're actually different because the powder is 75 iu, then I add 1 ml sterile water to disolve it, then I put that in with the 2nd 75 iu of powder. It makes slightly over 1ml total for the injections. Okay, that's enough math and chemistry for the day, my brain hurts. :-)

Day 43 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 16, BCP day 36 (2 left), lupron day 3.

I'm not really nervous, yet, but I am starting to realize that it is definitely going to happen... THIS MONTH! I've told a couple of more people (one gal at work and one I sing with) and the "this month" part is what is amazing to me. Back in April when we decided to do this, July seemed so far away. Now I've started the shots and my first u/s check is only 1 week away.

I dropped one more responsibility last night... I'm trying to take good care of myself emotionally and physically and spiritually this month. My biggest problem is all the stress I put on myself about being responsible for things and taking on jobs. Last month I dropped being secretary of a group, and last night I dropped part of the secretary job of another group. Today or tomorrow I've got another thing to drop (at least temporarily). It feels really good to "take a load off".

I just updated my template to include my schedule of medications and tests so far. Scroll down past the blog entries to see it. I'm trying to get some links to work with the different medicines within the calendar, too.

Day 42 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 15, BCP day 35 (only 3 left), Day 2 of lupron.

Yesterday's shots went okay. Tuesday evening we decided to take a road trip. It wasn't exactly a spontaneous trip because I had to take enough medicine and syringes for my shots, but since it probably was our last (or next to the last) chance for a getaway until after the transfer, we decided to take my medicine and go. So I did my morning shot in a hotel, my evening shot at my brother's, and this morning's at home right before leaving for work. This evenings will be away from home also. C'est la vie.

BBC News | Health | Sperm injection treatment 'is safe'

BBC News | Health | Fertility doctors can cut twin pregnancies

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

Day 40 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 13, BCP day 33 (only 5 left), lupron shots start tomorrow!

Fertility technique gets safety boost

MORHOLOGICAL SCORING OF HUMAN EMBRYOS AND ITS RELEVANCE TO BLASTOCYST TRANSFER

The Fertility Center

Day 39 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 12, BCP day 33 (only 6 left), lupron shots start in 2 days.

I went to a funeral for a 4 year old boy yesterday. It was the first funeral I have attended for anyone under 16. He was killed in a car accident. His parents had done everything right, he was in his carseat, it was installed correctly, according to police the carseat did not fail, but the energy of a car going 50mph impacting their stopped car from behind was just too much. He and his 8 year old sister had been adopted from Russia 3 years ago when he was 15 months old (and weighed only 17 pounds). I started wondering if the risk of pain and heartache of having children is worth all of the pain and heartache of trying to have them in the first place. Life is so much simpler without kids, but my heart tells me that it is worth it and to keep trying, for now, at least.

Day 37 of IVF Prep

Cycle day 10, BCP day 31, Lupron shots start in 4 days.

I got my big box of drugs today. Actually they arrived on Thursday, but I didn't pick them up from my Dad until this afternoon. I didn't expect the box to be able to fit in his refrigerator, but it did. It's only 3 inches thick, but about 18 x 24 inches on the sides. It has everything I will need up until the transfer, when I'll probaby get progesterone support (they talked about progesterone in oil shots in the IVF class, but I certainly wouldn't mind the suppositories instead).