The ongoing search for BFPs now leads the BESH to the barren polar wastes, in the footsteps of Scott, Shackleton and Franklin.

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

Pack those reindeer sleeping bags, huskies and skis - we're off to the Antarctic to look for our BFPs. Unlike Scott, we'll eat the poniez if necessary (topical joke). Let's huddle together through the Antarctic night and we'll try not to kidnap one of the emperor penguin toddlers for our very own. Bring on blizzards, pack ice, shipwreck, attacking leopard seals, voyages across the Southern Ocean in rowing boats and hazardous traverses of South Georgia in search of rescue - just like the Shackleton expedition, NO BESH WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.

(do I win the prize for most random fred ever?)

The head is ok, thanks, considering. Aside from wine with dinner and port after, the evening also included a number of cachaça cocktails, and (embarrassingly) crème de menthe.

We both have to do job applications today. It would be so much nicer if we could just lie on the sofa and eat crisps.

ha ha - I haven't drunk crème de menthe since it was the last booze we had left when I was a student - surprisingly nice in a weird cocktail made with ice cream....

I keep it for making ice cream with - a gorgeous mint flavour, and the alcohol softens the set. But last night was the first time in a while I've drunk it straight...

Morning hags. Quick question for y'all. Have any of you been tested for Vitamin D deficiency? I ask because its something that seems to crop up a lot in stuff im reading on t'internet in women with fertility problems. I've never been offered a test and was wondering if anyone else had.

The main reason I ask is because it has only just occurred to me that I started taking a new supplement a few months ago, after my first OI cycle and before my second, and I wonder if it had an effect regarding the CP. it's a folic acid plus vitamin D supplement.

From what I've read, some Drs advocate women TTC and pregnant to take very high doses of vit D, far higher than the levels in the supplements you can buy. Research has shown that taking up to 10,000iu a day is safe, but most supplements are only about 200iu.

Anyone had any experience with this kind of thing?

frank the dr I saw for the immunes stuff prescribes 25iu D3 as standard, so i've been on that amount for over a year.

Sorry, I'm getting my measurements muddled up. I didn't mean 10,000iu! The supplement I've got is 10iu. Which is 200% of RDA.

You can get 50,000iu pills on prescription for serious issues, but they seem to be a once a week pill.

The specialist I saw told me to take a Vit D supplement. I took it all the way through and continued when I was pregnant.

Nope, I've not been tested for vitamin D either. That and AMH are what I'm planning on asking for at our next appointment.

Just make sure it comes with calcium because that helps with the absorption of the vit D.

a quick google reveals calcium cannot be absorbed without vitamin D, not so much vice versa. Most supplements come as a combo though. I dunno if the milk would help?!

Thanks for the tip re calcium Faithy

DHEA is also supposed to be good for increasing the quality of your eggs. It comes with recommendations from past BESH. I started taking it 3 months before the IVF.

It's a steroid that your body naturally produces & amongst other things, is thought to help increase ovarian egg quality when used in conjunction with gonadotropins ie stimms.

I sounded terribly scientific ^^

I have been taking it for a while on recommendation from former BESH. I can safely say it doesn't help you get pregnant on its own. Jeff is it only in conjunction with stimming drugs that it is supposed to improve the eggs?

Well according to some research I did online most studies mention tests in conjunction with gonadotropins. I think it's because most women with either low AMH or FSH end up taking stimms.

Disclaimer: I am not a scientist!

Yes. Because she has googled, innit?

Have we decided on new fred? Can we take some penguins with us, whatever it is?

Baby penguins will always be with us.

I missed last week's penguins. I just watched Call The Midwife though. Chummy is diffed. Will lay next week.

For some reason I don't mind this programme.

Oh. I'm glad I'm missing it. I am a bit iffy about diffed people on telly at the moment.

I am never iffy about penguins, however.

What about pregnant penguins?