IVF graduates due Summer 2021

[SpyroC]

A place for those of us finally moving on from the infertility boards to share feelings, questions, tmi and to generally support each other.

@TheGlitterFairy I'm glad your 16w check went well. My heartbeat in full was only brief too-she said it'll be the baby in a difficult position. I can see why they say not to use dopplers at home! She picked up my heart beat at one point and a fainter sound which was the babies vessel. I'd of thought both were babies heart if I was doing it! I worry about the 20w more than I did the 12, I think it's because of the scans at 7 & 10 so this seems like a long wait. My nausea has eased however, remember my contaminated urine sample? Well the GP failed to send the repeat back to the lab and the consultant decided the contamination was an infection and sent me antibiotics 🙄. I wasn't going to take them but my midwife said best to stay on the safe side though she did agree there was a chance it was pointless! Anyway every time I take one of those I feel sick for a few hours 😬 just as it was clearing up. Only 1 day left now though. I see the same midwife too which I think is fab. I'm not too bothered about seeing the sane consultant after that appointment! But we'll see.

Glad the scan went well @BonTon. 🤞🏻 the bloods are good too. I think I'm the only one to have something off so far so most must go through fine. X

How's the move go @ChicaXS

Nothing much happening here. I've found a nice midwife lead pregnancy yoga class to join so hopefully I'll start that on Thursday. Getting some work in the house done before I hit the third trimester. Anyone else got the urge to buy stuff? 🙈🙈🙈 I think now my energy is returning I'm getting excited again! Hope you're all ok xx

Hey @SpyroC @TheGlitterFairy I am glad your both doing well!

I have finally moved in! Albeit I am sleeping on a air mattress for a week until we get our actual wardrobe and bed can finally be made! It’s been eventful and I think my hormones are playing up as my first night here I cried and said I hated the place amd want to go home (home being my previous flat!) 🤪🤣

Mentally again I’m so paranoid, been full of anxiety as unfortunately I don’t have a 16 week appt for a midwife just a 20 week scan. A midwife wants to see me on March 1st which I’ll be over 17 weeks but it’s just to book me in the new hospital at Kingston!

I don’t feel like I am pregnant anymore?! I still feel slightly nauseous but nowhere near as bad and I haven’t vomited since 14 weeks! It’s a great thing I know but I can’t help feel there’s something wrong which again is my paranoia. My bump hasn’t grown either! I am 16 weeks on Thursday so we decided to do another scan for peace of mind as I couldn’t wait another month! I pray everything will be ok but not feeling to great but I’m hoping it’s evil paranoia!

Xx

Hi ladies, can I join the club? It was our second IVF after years of trying and two major operations to get rid of my endometriosis. Thank to all things holy it was a success. I’m now almost 18 weeks... anomaly scan is in March. I still can’t quite believe baby is coming, and still haven’t told anyone but immediate family about the news.

Congrats to everyone xx

Welcome and congratulations @ekam 🙌🏻🥳. I am 17 weeks and @TheGlitterFairy is too so we have similar dates. Funnily enough we both have endometriosis too!

@ChicaXS im sorry to hear you're feeling anxious. I think you are super 💪🏻 to manage moving at the same time as pregnancy as both have the potential to cause anxiety. Hopefully when you settle in to the new place and have your scan you will start to feel a bit better. Though I don't think the anxiety will ever fully go for any of us. Last time I said to DH I was feeling less pregnant within a few hours my body decided to remind me that I definitely am with a morning sickness flash back for 2 days 🙈 definitely jinxed myself! Let us know how the scan goes. Will you find out gender? Exciting!

Xx

@SpyroC @TheGlitterFairy hiiii fellow endo survivors. Did you have treatment? The first time I did IVF was on the NHS and they did not spot my endo at all - even though my case was very severe. I've been told I have adenomyosis too and I read a few things about it so now I'm anxious that if it'd affect the pregnancy.

Hope everyone else is enjoying Friday and have a lovely weekend.

Hi all, sorry I've been absent for a while - I think because this thread isn't on the pregnancy board I keep forgetting to check in when I do actually get time to browse through MN!
Welcome and congrats @ekam 😊
@SpyroC and @TheGlitterFairy and @BonTon so glad to hear that everything is going well with you all. Congrats on the good scans!
@ChicaXS I hope you're OK, you sound very stressed but I'm sure it's just the evil paranoia as to say - when is the scan you've booked? I'm sure everything is going to be just fine. I do know how you feel though because my 20 week anomaly scan is on Monday and I've completely convinced myself that there's going to be something awful wrong. It doesn't help that a week ago one of my 21mo twins jumped on my bump and caused a lot of really nasty pain. The MW sent me to A&E to get checked out where they did bloods and listened to the HB etc, but I've had a placental abruption before, and have a friend who lost her twins at 19 weeks after something similar so I've been very worried and anxiously checking for spotting/bleeding for the past week 😢 I'm so worried about the scan on Monday that I've told none when it is except you guys (and DH obvs)!

Hi ladies, quick update from me, my nausea is hugely better (probably jinxing it now!) haven't took my sickness tablets for a week and a half, and the last few days I haven't worn the wristbands! I'm really struggling to make it to my private gender scan in 2 weeks though! I've generally had a scan every 2 weeks so far so would generally be getting one today/this weekend. I know I'm being unrealistic and that I don't need one, and I keep telling myself what I can spend the money one instead of another scan

@SpyroC must have been so magical to hear the heartbeat! And the pre warning that it might take a bit of time was good so that you didn't worry. I've bought a couple of small things (a few baby grows and muslins that kind of thing), and going to hold off on the bigger things mainly because I want to see them before I buy them!

@TheGlitterFairy also lovely that you've heard the heartbeat 🥰

@ChicaXS glad the move is all done now, I'm sure you'll have everything sorted soon. Did you ask about the gender at your scan?

Welcome @ekam and congratulations 🎉

Hi ladies thank you for checking in!

Welcome @ekam !

@ivfjourney5 @SamoyedFan123 @TheGlitterFairy @SpyroC thank you lovelies for your reassuring words! I do feel much better as I had the scan yesterday and all was amazingly well! We don’t know the gender (they did offer) but we’re gonna wait until 20 weeks scan which is in a month exactly! @samoyedfan123 I’m sorry your baby caused you stress but I’m sure all is ok! If you don’t have a bleed then that’s really reassuring. Usually the pains from pet and baby jumps comes from our overstretched muscles and not the womb itself so don’t panic. The baby is very secure in there!

@spyroc I am not telling work either until 21 weeks. I was promoted in dec and now have a huge responsibility for 2021 in my role so I want to make it through Q1 with great results before the dawn of judgement! My job is secure regardless but I don’t want to give my maternity notice until after the first quarter plus wait on my anomaly scan being all good. I’m extremely nervous telling work though! My maternity leave is 4 months full pay then it’s 50% for a further two months then unpaid. How about you ladies? Have you thought about when to go back? I’m thinking of just taking the four months and go back part time for 1 month then back full time in January 2022!
@ivfjourney05 I’m so glad your feeling better! Week 15 was a magic number for most of us having nausea! It really is debilitating! All moved in and sleeping on the mattress on the floor still haha!
thanks so much for the support!

@ekam I had a laparoscopy in 2019 where it was diagnosed and treated(I had suspected endo) .We hoped that would solve the problem but sadly not. My endo is likely what caused my low ovarian reserve and egg quality issues but I still don't know exactly why it took ivf to get pregnant. Endometriosis really is a horrible disease. I had an ectopic from my second round in August and the scans at the epu mentioned possible adenomyosis. Never been mentioned before. I mentioned it to my fertility consultant and he said something along the lines of "you probably have got it as it often comes with endo but it won't change anything" so far so good!

I'm sorry you've had that worry @SamoyedFan123 my cat freaked out and jumped in my tummy a couple of weeks back but thankfully nothing came if it. It is a worry though. I'm sure that everything will fr fine. Not long to wait now! Eek!

Glad your feeling better @ivfjourney5 it is so hard to resist extra scans! I have brought literally 1 baby grow (valentines gift for DH 💕) and a couple of other things. A good friend was selling her next to me so I've had that too. I'm hoping to decide on a pushchair so I can keep my eye on deals post 20w scan.

Great news on the scan @ChicaXS I'm glad you can now relax!

@ChicaXS that's great maternity pay. People keep saying mine is good but it rubbish compared to yours. Mine is 8 wks full, 10 half. 33smp paid alongside the half. I will return in July just before the summer holiday so I can get paid for the summer hold.

I'm intrigued to hear what everyone else gets! X

Glad you've moved @ChicaXS and hope you're off the air mattress soon! Also pleased to hear your scan went well 😊 your maternity leave plans sound good and that's great you get full pay for 4 months!

Welcome @ekam 👋 so sorry to hear of your tough journey to get here but glad you're on the pregnancy path now!

@SpyroC so glad you're feeling better 😊

@SamoyedFan123 that sounds sore and understandably anxiety provoking. Glad everything seems to be okay though.

@ivfjourney5 why don't you treat yourself to something nice with the money you would have used for the scan? Might help as a distraction! Even a nice piece of maternity clothing or something?

I'm also feeling much better, still not 100% myself but a million times improved from the hideous first few months! I have my 16 week midwife appt next week which I'm looking forward to.

I was planning to take 6 months maternity leave (NHS so 8 weeks fully pay and 18 half pay then SMP) and my husband was then going to take 3 months. However, being honest, the last year working flat out through Covid with barely any time off has nearly finished me off so I think I am going to take 9 months and then he will take 3 after that if he can. In some ways I think I just need the headspace away from work, baby or no baby! So i'm glad of maternity leave to give me the opportunity. We are going to save hard the next few months to create a bit more of a buffer but we should be okay.

We haven't bought anything yet. I looked briefly at some car seats online and lost the will to live with all the options so think I'll leave it all until later! We have booked NCT classes though which start in June. 20 week scan is end of March and we're going to find out the sex - can't wait!

@ChicaXS wonderful to hear the scan went well! Your maternity pay is pretty good, I literally get SMP so 90% for the first 6 weeks then £150ish a week from week 7 urggghh. Despite the pay I'm wanting to take the full year off, my thinking is that it was a hard journey to get pregnant so I want to spend as long as possible with baby. But I have no judgements at all about people going back earlier, I was very fortunate to get NHS treatment so understand the financial aspects for others

@SpyroC prams are a minefield aren't they! So so many and no idea where to start 😂

@MGee123 thanks for so for suggesting I buy something nice with the money, I've had my eye on something for a while which is about the same price as a scan as I might just go ahead and order it over the weekend!

@ivfjourney5 enjoy treating yourself! The next couple of weeks to your next scan will fly past 😊 Glad that you and @MGee123 are feeling better now - it's so nice to be (more or less) free of the constant nausea. I had a random day of violent sickness on Monday, just after 19 weeks, but have been feeling lots better since. Its annoying how quickly the MS is replaced by reflux instead though 😭
@ChicaXS lovely news on your scan xxx

Hello all! Thanks for all the well wishes on the scan. Didn’t hear anything re the bloods and was told no news is good news so just waiting for the letter now which will hopefully confirm low risk.

Told all my friends on Thursday eve at 13+1, no sooner had I put my phone down that I went to the loo and the bowl was full of bright red blood. Called 111 and they told me to go straight to a&E, who took my blood pressure which was fine but don’t scan overnight so sent me home. Sleepless night followed with constant pant / toilet checking and had a scan yday morning... baby is fine but I’ve got a haematoma which they think caused the bleeding so have been told to continue progesterone for 2 more weeks. Was such a shock but feel better now we know what it is... think others on here may have had the same thing? Bleeding has stopped 🤞🏻

@TheGlitterFairy after this week’s scare I’m going to wait a bit longer! Although I’m being worked quite hard atm, I’m a lawyer at a bank and it’s really busy - hoping that 12 hour days aren’t going to make me too tired / stressed. I see the logic for you waiting until 20 weeks too... if they raise any eyebrows I think it’s an easy explanation for you that it was a difficult road to get there?

Hello @ekam ☺️ ... congratulations. Can you feel baby wriggling in there now you’re 18 weeks?

Lots of luck on Monday @SamoyedFan123 ... have you had any pain or bleeding since? Hopefully everything is fine if not but that does sound stressful.

Completely get it on the scan @ivfjourney5... very hard to wean yourself off. I’m sure at this stage (think you’re over 14 weeks now right as you’re a few days ahead of me?) no news is good news though so everything is fine xx

@ChicaXS glad your scan went well! Amazing willpower to turn down knowing the gender as well 😂 my mat leave policy is pretty good so I’m going to take the year I think but who knows how I’ll feel when I leave work.

@MGee123, I also booked NCT the other day following @SpyroC’s advice... one of my friends described it jokingly as buying mates 😂but everyone I know who has done it seems to have made some really good friends. Glad you’re doing well.

xxx

I'm glad you are also feeling better @MGee123 I have so much respect for you working so hard right now 💪🏻👏🏻. Defo take the time off if you can. This year has frazzled me and I've been wfh since Jan so I can only imagine! We can afford to take a lot of mat leave however, the prospect of having to fund 3 more cycles of ivf if we want another makes things much more complicated. I think I'll technically be on mat leave for 11 months.

@ivfjourney5 @MGee123 as if car seats are a minefield too! I thought prams were bad enough! 😂 I have to research everything to death....even an iron or something 🙈🙈🙈

Oh @BonTon that sounds so scary! I'm so glad they found the cause and that the bleeding has stopped. I have been lucky with the bleeding but I'm sure others will soon be along with reassuring stories. I think most people have had some sort of bleeding and are fine now.

🤣🤣 at buying friends @BonTon @MGee123 I need to pay for mine today actually as I changed the course. One of the options is now fully booked though so glad it's sorted. I'm really looking forward to it! Probably need to lower my expectations 😂

So my news. I had some ovary pain yesterday which freaked me out! Midwife reassured me it was nothing to worry about though. Phew! Then last night I think I felt baby move 🥰. Not 100% sure but it felt like gentle bubbles popping. Different to digestive grumbling. Was not expecting that yet! I'm 17+4 which seems early for a 1st pregnancy but Google says it certainly does happen. Obviously can't say for certain but I'm fairly sure. X

@bonton that must have been terrifying for you! I had bleeding yes, but it was early on - weeks 3 to 6 on and off every couple of days. It was a haematoma and I was told that most of them just reabsorb and sort themselves out which was certainly the case for mine so hopefully yours will too 🤞
@SpyroC that's so lush that you felt movements 😊 I was 22 weeks before i felt my twins, and 20 weeks tomorrow this time with another anterior placeta so looks like it's going to be the same this time 😔
I made some good friends from my NCT course last time - buying friends is a good description 🤣 not sure how it would be more if the classes are virtual though?

Hi everyone looks like everyone has been progressing well and scans are coming along.. Sorry for the low profile. Have been too busy with work. Got snowed under with covid stuff. Eventually due to the high risk nature of the work, had to come right out with my manager and colleague and move to different area but still very busy.. Am just emergeing first trimester fugue into second trimester and amazed that I feel so much better. What a start to the year. Have told a few close friens and family members. Figured everyone at work seems to be in the know already

20 week anomaly scan this morning is over and done with thank goodness and all is looking well so far 😊 weirdly after having been put back 1 day at the dating scan from 13+2 to 13+1, he's now shot ahead and is measuring 21 weeks exactly at 20+1 today so hopefully that explains why I've been feeling so rubbish and have had so much discomfort these past few weeks!

Great news @SamoyedFan123 ! 💙 it must feel so good to get past that milestone. Did they change your due date by a whole week or are they just saying he's big at the moment? I'm excited for mine but also scared! How long did it take? My NCT course is scheduled to be face to face and with the announcement the other day it could well be. My pregnancy yoga class can go to being face to face as of 12/4! But not sure I'll be brave enough to attend, i guess it depends on the virus.

Glad to hear you are ok and are safer at work @tikha

Hi everyone, has anyone started shopping for baby bits yet? Or maybe it is just me who is obsessively searching fb marketplace?😂 I'm only 14 weeks and I know lots of people will wait until after 20 week scan. I think I will for new stuff, but interested in picking up any bargains I can find! do you have an idea of when you will start, and what will be top of your list? x

@BonTon wow that must have been scary. ... I'm so glad the bleeding has stopped and scan went well. I've felt the baby since 16 weeks, wasn't sure what it was at first also because the internet said you don't normally feel it that early the first time, but it was definitely the baby now that they are moving abit more. They hid a little yesterday and stayed really quiet which freaked me out but luckily movement was back in the evening.

@ChicaXS wow that's amazing maternity pay. Mine is SMP I think which is very disappointing, but I'm keen on taking time off as much as I can.

@MGee123 have you had your scan this week yet? Hope all is going well. I haven't bought anything either, didn't read on car seat but pram and similar to you pretty much gave up hahah. I reckon we have some time to go so not too stressed about it.

@SpyroC yay such a big thing feeling the baby move. Congrats. I felt mine from 16 weeks couldn't believe it because Google said it'll be later for first time mums and also I have anterior placenta, but baby was definitely moving and hasn't stopped.

@ivfjourney5 did you treat yourself to something nice?

@SamoyedFan123 congratulations! massive milestone! He's looking gorgeous. Can you feel the movements more now that he's bigger?

@tikha glad work situ is getting better and you're feeling better too.

@sazzt no i have not bought a single thing. I might wait till the third trimester ... I'm keen on buying bargains too, most things in our house are from gumtree or marketplace hahah.

No real news from me - it's been an easy pregnancy so far, no symptomp, no sickness, no cravings, sometimes I'm wondering if I'm actually pregnant. I haven't gotten much bigger either, no bigger than a bad bloat really and I'm still a size 6/8 😂. Luckily I can feel the baby moving every now and then since w16 and that made it alot more reassuring. Haven't told anyone either apart from my parents and MIL (and 1 friend because she helped looking after the dogs when we were doing our IVF in Poland). Has everyone announced the news? I might do after anamoly scan (in 2 weeks), or I might wait until after 24 weeks when baby has a chance to survive whatever happens. I'm still terrified something might go wrong.

Is everyone getting the flu and whooping cough vaccine? I've been told I should but since we're out of flu season, I'm wondering if it's needed, or if it'll give protection for the baby until next winter...

@SpyroC when is your scan? Must be soon now! Interesting you should ask how long it took - I felt that it was significantly less thorough than the anomaly scans I had last time - those were 30 minutes per twin, but this one only lasted about 15 minutes and when I looked at the report later it said something about scan being conducted in line with covid 19 protocols so I guess they are doing them more quickly at the moment. No change in due date - I guess it's just a growth spurt and will even out eventually. I hope so anyway or I might have to give birth to a toddler 😳😂

@ekam how lovely that you could feel movements at 16 weeks. Still nothing here and I'm 21 weeks this weekend. Was nearly 22 weeks last time so I'm going out all be soon now 🤞 so glad you're having an easy pregnancy - enjoy the second trimester while it lasts! Please do get your whooping cough vaccine - it will protect your baby until they get their own vaccination for it at 2 months old, and they can catch it at any time of the year. The flu vaccine is for you not baby, flu can be very nasty if you catch it whilst pregnant, but as you say we're coming out of the season for it now and with social distracting the risk of catching it is much lower so upto you whether you want it or not. It won't do any harm to your baby though - I have it every year because I'm asthmatic and have had it early in both my pregnancies.

@sazzt I had the same urge after my dating scan but I've mostly resisted. I have 3 items and my good friend was selling her cot so I said I'd have that. I think I'll start buying bits and bibs after the next scan but still not go mad.

@ekam I haven't felt anything since movement wise though I'm not worried as I e read that's normal this early. I did have some bubbles yesterday but I'm pretty sure it was digestive! It's good you've had no symptoms. I'm loving feeling better though I'm still randomly sick first thing some days 🤷🏻‍♀️. Pretty much everyone knows my news. I'm quite open and if something bad happened I'd need the support anyway. I had the flu jan at about 10w I think. Shortly after I got sent to wfh so pretty pointless really! I'm having the whooping cough jab at my next scan.

It's on 9/3 @SamoyedFan123 😬. I heard they are supposed to be much longer. The 15 minute makes sense with covid as when I'm at work if I've been within 2m of a positive case for 15mins I have to self-isolate. But then I'm sure they are more like 1m away and in that case it's 1 minute! (PHE guidelines). Grr I hate Covid! I bet it's one of those things that vary by area. My DH is still banned. I can be in a class with hundreds of kids all week yet he can't attend an important scan for his unborn baby...🤔. I understand I suppose but still!

Hi ladies - so I'm supposed to have my anamoly scan next Friday - strangely enough some doctor texted me on my mobile number telling me that my appointment date has been changed. It came from a private mobile number and not NHS or the hospital, nor I received any email/letter about it. On MaternityNotes app my appointment stays unchanged. I have texted back to see what's what but haven't heard anything. Is it normal for the doctor to text us directly? I find it quite strange ....

@ekam that sounds odd - can you call the hospital ultrasound department directly and ask them?

@SpyroC that sucks that your DH can't attend your anomaly scan - I thought the government had told hospitals they must allow partners in for 12 and 20 week scans (for emotional support reasons in case of bad news). My DH was allowed to attend but had to sit behind a screen. The monitor picture was actually behind the screen with him so he ended up having a better view than me 😂