any mums nearing 45 thinking of prgncy again?

[toomuchsand]

i have 2 dc and would really like another- I had the 2 late, and one over 40 anyway, didn't meet dh til late. Are there any mums out there who have a baby or had one this late? how did you feel and would you do it again? I have had 2 cs already and would need another (massive babies...)

Well Cairn - you just don't know what the future holds, esp' if you took a while to recover from birth/b-fing DS. But sometimes I feel it's the hope that's a killer. I'm thinking of fostering if there's no BFP joy this year. A way to involve little people in DS' life and have a happy houseful, even if it could get v tough at times. It seems like a consolation to the end of fertility. Annoyingly, I feel like I've still got another pg/baby in me, but not sure we will have any joy if DP is not v fertile. Ah well. Good luck and like you say, keep sane. xxx

I know what you mean, Beangrower, I feel like there is another one 'calling' me, perhaps I am becoming resigned because I have been trying so long. I have a friend who fosters, she is a year younger than me and her story is like ours. It has been successful, sometimes the children have had a hard time or very little security and consistency, so bit tough at times, but she finds it rewarding. They can be with her for years, and there is a shortage of foster parents. Friend of hers who fostered ended up adopting a couple of her foster children.

Hello all - lovely sunny day here in Norfolk but bloody cold :)

I had my AMH test done last week and the results have come back this morning. According to the letter the result of

Hi Lexie
My AMH was lower than that, and I have been led to believe that yes, you get larger doses of ovarian stimulation drugs, I was told injections, so not sure if that is clomid.
I was also told that FSH levels are an indicator of how well you will respond to the drugs.
If you're still ovulating there is still a chance

Google is scary!

I get confused about AMH because there are two measures. Mine was 9.5 (also pmo/L, I think). So are you sure this wasn't ng/mL?! That would put you in the same bracket as me, low fertility. 15pmo/L is the start of 'normal' fertility.

AMH is a bit misleading as you're really looking for good quality eggs and they can't measure this...

If you're FSH is under control you are in with a better chance.

Thanks for fostering anecdote Cairn - it does sound rewarding. And I think if I so desperately want another child why not help out some kids in need of love, albeit in a temporary way...

Good luck to anyone considering IVF etc.

Mines definitely pmol, I've got a copy of the results.
I'm a bit disheartened right now, just been through all my cycles for the last 3 years, and there's only a couple of months that we haven't had sex at the right time. SA fine, my tubes fine. Its not going to happen without help.

Well good luck. It's hard to know what the future will bring but I really hope you get a BFP.

I was a bit worried about AMH of 9.5 but I guess I should see this as not so terrible for now. If we can improve DP's SA then things might look up.

If not, then there's fostering for us to look forward to!

congratulations malibu:) and so sorry to you ladies who have mc, so distressing. we haven't had any tests or checked my eggs, tbh i hadn't really thought about it as i got pgnt with dc1 v fast and dc2 about 1 month after stopping bf. after the last cs totally off another and avoided bed all the time, so not surprised not pgnt tbh, the odds are almost non existent. however, am planning to raise the odds this month:)

am going to look at egg checking on the internet. trouble is, i think i would rather not know as i tried to avoid another for a year or more.
my ex was a 5th baby - his mom had him at 56! she thought she had gone thru mp and his nearest sibling is over 20 years older.. but i think this must be a one off.

i meant to get a ovulation thing at boots today but forgot so its on the list.

Erm, well thought I should pop back having been moaning on here only a week ago... absolutely no counting chickens as my history and age are all against it, but am 4+5 today, with strong lines (which have got stronger).

So thought I should share a BFP success story regardless of what happens in the coming weeks. As we say on the TTC after MC threads "for today I am pregnant"...

Wow Jollster that is so FLIPPIN fantastic. So hope this one sticks and really good luck. Keep is in the picture.

Aww thanks beangrower you whippersnapper you, will do. :)

And the very best wishes to everyone TTC at 40+. x

Oh Jollster that's great, very excited for you.
lots and lots of luck. x

JOLLSTER!!!!That's fantastic! So pleased for you. "For today YOU ARE pregnant". That's made my day.

The conversation about AMH is interesting. I've had mine tested and it is "extremely low", which basically means I don't have very many eggs left apparently. However it can't tell you about the quality of your eggs (though I'm thinking mine can't be all that good after two miscarriages). From what I've read, it's still a very new test, and isn't without its faults. My doctor says that the test hasn't been around very long, and we don't know what the AMH levels were like for all the women who have had babies in their 40's and 50's in the past.

And according to Traditional Chinese medicine, you can make a difference to the quality of your eggs through acupuncture, herbs and diet and lifestyle. Randine Lewis' book, the Infertility Cure, has all the details. I've read that book cover to cover several times.

Sometimes I think it is really great to have as much knowledge about our bodies as possible, so we can make changes and take action if possible. But on the other hand I sometimes wish I was blissfully unaware of the fact that my docs think menopause is near.

I'm still having very regular periods.And seem to ovulate, though waiting on a progesterone test result to see if I "really" did ovulate.

Jolls- have you been doing acupuncture? Did you do anything in particular this time?

Enjoy your two lines. I just love those two lines!

Congrats jollster that's great news;)

Oh you are all so brave. 41, had DC3 when I was 40. DH would like more, but I am not so sure... The last pregnancy was difficult (nothing medical, just backache, heartburn etc), labour was long and hard... putting it down to my age? No conception problems though.

Well - you have got 3 somanymiles! Seems pretty good to me, if you don't mind me saying.

At 37/38 I had a very enjoyable pregnancy and homebirth in under 8 hours so am perhaps a bit cocky about the idea of the next one.

Still, got to get pg first.

hopefulgum - totally agree with you about AMH and needs to be considered alongside FSH. The journalist who wrote about having her 5th pg at 48 (Guardian) - I don't imagine her AMH was very high.

And don't forget sperm quality etc. We are having to work on that too with supplements and acupuncture.

Just keep going. Only yesterday I was with a lovely friend who has a 2.5yo DS - her first, born when she was 45! (Acupuncture and great diet.) Makes 40 seem like a walkover really.

Fx crossed for some more BFPs like jollster's on here!

Jollster that is just such wonderful news!
TTC brings us all down from time to time so a bit of a happy ending every now and then gives us all some hope. Any tips?
I remember the Guardian column, she seemed cool about it all as did her other kids.

I am so glad to have found this thread today, it is just what I needed. Like so many others here, I didnt meet DH until late, so also started to TTC late. I was lucky enough to have my first at 41 and am now 43 and trying for our second. I had a MC and ERPC last July and have had no luck since, just dodgy periods. I saw the consultant today as I have been having early periods with lots of clotting (similar to mc) and I am a bit freaked out. As I had an ERPC, he thinks we'd best do an hysteroscopy just to make sure there is no scarring, but his gut instinct seems to be that it is hormonal and probably a change in my base line fertility, ie i'm an old bag :) It's not exactly a shock as I have been thinking that I need to start making my peace with only having one, but it has still flattened me. It definitely feels better when you know other people know exactly what you are going through and we all have our stories. Has anyone had a 'change' in their periods, ie reduction in luetal phase and lots of clots/tissue? Also quite hormonal, have been 100% convinced that I was pregnant, but negative test.

fingers crossed jollster, lots of sticky baby dust and congrats/commiserations to everyone else........ need a really really large drink now.....come to think of it maybe that's my problem, too much wine ;)

Hi latestarter

You are in same boat as me. I am 42 and same happened to me in 2010. Periods crap ever since and have found out in last month that my FSH is so high GP thinks I am post menopausal :( this resulted in us approaching fertility clinic privately and having AMH done (cost £100) and confirms I have very low AMH. We have appointment with consultant in March to go over options.

We are not prepared to give up yet so would suggest it is worth tracking your BBT to get idea whether you are ovulating. It has now been almost 50 days since last period and they were coming about every 3 weeks for almost a year....

It is pants when everybody around you is dropping children but I keep telling myself we are very lucky to have 1 DS when so many struggle to get that.

Keep smiling, enjoy that glass of wine - I am trying to lose wait so only get 1 Gin and slimline occasionally

Yes, would love another but DH says no. Not sure our finances and sanity are up to another. Would love to have a close in age sibling for DD3 though. Am actually thinking of fostering when she's a little bit older. Would love to do long-term fostering.

I feel for you lexie. I haven't had any tests yet, I did have them a couple of years ago and I had better than average for my age, but obviously something has changed. Not sure about having them done again, as if they are bad (which is to be expected), it may only make me feel worse.

I am feeling better about it now, starting to except that it might not happen, but then that makes it hard to also be positive and to keep trying. I am a real all or nothing person. I am ovulating this week and want to be positive, but dont want to be kidding myself like I have been for the last few months.

And god why is everybody else pregnant! There are four of us from antenatal that still hang out, the other three are all about to drop again....the only thing that is worse is that all of them got pregnant during my miscarriage.

Has anyone seen a fertility specialist that they would recommend?

Where do you live late I am in Norfolk but have popped over the border to Cambridge and am at Bourne Hall. Have to be honest that I didn't do any research on the clinic just aware 1st IVF baby was produced there and just willing to take my chances.

How do you know you are ovulating? are you using OPK? I read somewhere that OPK do not actually confirm you are ovulating just that all the hormones are favourable - the faff of BBT providing done correctly is more accurate. I am now on CD54 and my chart is now showing tri-phasic which is a new one on me - apparently you could be pregnant but I am not convinced so although I am so tempted to get HPT I am going to resist the urge :)

Chin up!!!!

just wanted to say as a 43 yr old, good luck to all of you in trying to conceive.

I would love another, but am single so you are way ahead of me there lol!!

thanks piratecat, would you consider going it alone?

Lexie, not 100% I am ovulating, but thus far, everything seems to be following the same, regular patterns around ovulating. I am using OPKs, but not BBT at the moment. It also helps that I have have had a ridiculous number of scans over the last six months and each one has shown either follicles developing and or the corpus luteum, ie after ovulation. The scan I had last week showed quite a lot of follicles with one major one that was at the right size for ovulation today and I got the egg today. What of course is also possible is that the follicles dont actually contain any eggs! Seriously it amazes me sometimes that anybody ever gets pregnant and for those of us who have managed it in our late 30s, early 40s, we are luckier than people of all ages.

Does anyone else have any news? Or is everyone on another page more regularly?

sorry Lexie, I'm in London - the Lister seems to be popular