The Elderberry Pavlovas are tooling up and making plans to bust out of this joint! Evacuation by helicopter by end of September, no berry left behind!

[barkingtreefrog]

The smallprint –
Berries have a strict entrance criteria (TTC #1, over 30, TTC for 12+ months, NO instadiffers, must have a special pot and definitely no mention of baby dust or baby dancing).
Those not abiding by the rules may be escorted from the premises.

nolly sounds like we are in exactly the same position. We've got a year and 4 months to wait until we qualify for ivf so nothing doing until then really. Have an appt in Sept but not expecting any further tests/treatment. Did you ask them about your heavy periods and whether a laparoscopy would be appropriate to rule out endo? I had one and no endo but was glad to get the all clear.

rain a big squeeze from me mate. Sounds like the shit is never ending this week. How horrible to have to deal with that. Hope you can hang in there until holiday time, not long now!

lumen how does one heal ones soul?! Still, I quite like it that a doctor can be a little bit spiritual, if a little random!

beaky no herbs from my acu lady and she has a been helping people have babies for 20 years including a good friend of mine with pcos. I think don't stress yourself out with the extra expense and see how you get on to start with just needles.

Aw love right back at ya feather and featherlet. Hope you're doing ok.

Afm I'm looking forward to a few days away up on the Yorkshire coast. Seafood, a regatta and some nice walks are on the agenda. Happy days!

Hello from Limboland.... I'm frustrated as since last week I've heard nothing from the hospital about the hysteroscopy, no more calls, no letter about an appointment and no conclusion about when IVF will start. As they seemed to think I'd be downregging first I guess it can't/won't be August, so maybe September? But I think the rules for hysteroscopy are no unprotected sex, so another month will go by without TTC. Even though it's never worked, it still feel frustrating not to try!
I had my acu consultation which was good, but won't start needles till day 2 of my next cycle, but part of me wonders what the point is if I can't dtd next cycle in case of the op......

feather, beaky I go through phases of being terrible about taking all of my supplements, I suppose when you've been taking them for flipping years it rather loses its appeal. At my acu consultation she told me they might recommend some different ones too.

lumen, beaky I so know what you mean about casting judgement on the fairness of other people getting pg when they don't appear to look after themselves at all. I think I give anybody with a bump the once over in much the same way my boss does when he sees a woman in a dress....

lady Fingers and toes crossed for you, keep us updated.

gill glad to hear that the downregging is going well, the beginning of the end of this, I hope! I agree with you about the dose, I don't imagine it will matter much. I remember making a similar mistake in my final year project using those dial up pipettes but using 100 times more that I was supposed to

nolly good luck with MiL, I can say without hesitation that I wouldn't be able to do it!

Hello everybody else!

Boo to all this limbo Kuma, it's so frustrating. I felt like this in Feb when I was trying to get a date for my op. Is there anyone you can chase? I feel slightly shamed in getting the dose wrong given my science PhD. Although to be fair, it's been over 13 years since I was last in the lab. The FC said to take 0.5ml but the syringes are in units. 0.5ml = 50units

It's less hassle than having to mix all the drugs up like last time though.

Evening all. How frustrating Kuma that you've encountered even more hold ups. I second what Gil said, try to do some nagging. You can borrow my DP if you like. When the NHS were dragging their feet with us he was on the 'phone complaining for over an hour. He ended up speaking to the hospital manager . Got us an appointment about a month earlier than we would have had so that's something I suppose!!
Nolly hope the house hunting goes well. I love my MIL to bits but don't think I could live with her!!
Rain boo to insensitive bosses. Hope you're doing ok

Have to say I've ditched the supplements altogether. Just on the plain folic acid now. Think I got bored of everything else especially the luminous wee
Well I'm off to bed. FC appointment, final dress fitting and meeting with the videographer have finished me off today! Night all.

Oh rain I'm sorry your idiot of a director put you through that - typical of a man to forget. I'm really impressed that you managed to pull yourself together for long enough to tell him your thoughts, well done. On the positive side, he clearly respects your opinion. How are you getting on with the evil JM DVD? I am back on it again as well but taking it slightly easier (am 7w now). Am BM at a wedding next week and have to wear a strapless dress which I am not happy about so emergency JM it is!

nolly Crap that you have to wait so long. Would IUI not give you better odds than trying naturally given your PCOS?

Hey feather Sorry you have an arse of a colleague as well, it never ceases to amaze me just how inconsiderate some people can be. Am feeling OK thanks, but seem to be coming down with my second cold in the space of a week. It's August FFS! Those TCM herbs you were given sound horrible! Mine were a granulate that I had to mix up with cold then hot water. They were totally vile, but easy to prepare at least.

Sounds like you have a nice break coming up tiger. Seafood and coastal walks sound like bliss!

kuma I can imagine how frustrated you must be losing another month. It might be worth having the acu anyway, as I think it can take a few cycles to get things on the right track and I think there is also a certain amount of seeing how your body responds to the needles and adapting each session accordingly.

happy Good luck with all of the final wedding preparations! I'm really excited for you and secretly wishing I could have my wedding day all over again!

Hello ladies, I've just had a lovely catch up on the thread. Love that you've been so chatty and can I say for the record that self indulgent whines re pregnant people and judging them are totally ok and here is the place to do it ( well probably not totally ok but v welcome!!). I did a bit of a one on the chopper thread as I've been thinking of what changes I'd make if I got pg again so as to reduce risk of miscarriage. I basically going to be a nun if I avoided all the things and then like rain and chloe think of overweight people and stupid people like rain's friend who got shit faced in early pg and think whyyyyyy???! Snot fair Totally get what lumen was saying re assessing people when they announce their pg!!!

Oooh lady if you get duffed then sales of fertility crystals will go up ten fold did lol at your crystals but then considered buying if you are up duffed!!

Love the holiday talk-rain and lumen you are going to have amazing times!!

Enjoyed our little hol away, was v good to have a break from it all and we are getting better. Still lots of feelings floating about. I phoned my-mile- a -minute brother earlier to ask what he was doing for his birthday and he asked me how I was. I just said ok ( he doesn't know) and really wanted to say actually I'm shit and dh is shit and if you slowed down to actually talk to me instead of racing through to get me of the line you'd know that.

Bleeding seems to be slowing. Will be nice when stopped and actually do want to get back to dtd because I want to. It was weird for me and dh to go on holiday and not. Kinda felt like we were an old married couple!

Hey bushy Glad to hear that you are doing ok and that you had a nice time away with DH. I'm so impressed with the way you've handled this, you're being so brave and it's clear that you have a really strong relationship that will help get you through this.

I am really convinced that there is nothing you could have done to stop this happening, please try to believe that. I know it's hard though, as for those of us with fertility issues, there's always that feeling that you should be doing something differently to improve your chances. For those who go through the trauma of mc the "what ifs" just get magnified a thousand times more.

It's so hugely unfair when there are other people to whom these issues don't even occur. My SIL never wanted children, instadiffed twice, and spent her pregnancies drinking plenty of wine and coffee and going skiing. She has 2 perfect, intelligent sons to show for it and it pisses me right off At the end of the day I think you just have to trust that you are an intelligent person who can make informed choices about things. Let's be honest, there is no standard universally accepted advice during pregnancy, so who knows what is right? I can't believe that Italian women stop drinking coffee entirely or that French women start eating their steaks well done. I just read some German pregnancy advice that going to the sauna is fine as long as you don't have circulatory issues, yet in the UK they make you feel bad for getting in a goddamn hot tub!

All in all, there is no right or wrong answer. Like you said, if you gave up everything that is banned somewhere you would end up living like a nun or a neurotic lunatic. The bottom line is that these things just happen and I'm really gutted that it happened to you because you deserve so much more.

Hello everyone, I'm a newbie on here but reckon I fit the criteria to join this berry band (if you'll have me). I'm 37 38, been ttc for almost two years (though prior to that was v lax on contraception, and with a very varied cycle length probably should have got pregnant by accident).

If it helps in joining the party, please know I have actually gone back and read every single one of the posts!! Yes, all 36 pages, it has taken me forever, but so worth it as I feel as if I know you all ( ok woops that probably sounds weirdly stalker ish). I'm inserting crinone progesterone twice daily atm, and although the instructions don't say I need to, I'm using this as an excuse to lie down for an hour and a half each time, and have recently spent that time catching up on this entire thread! (Originally it was Plants vs Zombies but I finally zapped the suckers and returned to googling everything ttc related, and stumbled upon here).

I've had various tests, hormones appear to be fine, I appear to ovulate, (though they tried me on clomid for a couple of months anyway coz 'it can't hurt') but classed as unexplained. Dr wonders if I might have endometriosis but nothing seen on the internal US and I wasn't keen on a laporoscopy. (My hicosy experience was awful). However, the news is that I am now in a 2ww following our first attempt at IVF.

I'm living in Sydney (husband is Australian) and have been complaining about the cost of treatment here as it's basically all private, going on about the wonderful, free NHS, but having heard the various waiting list stories I'm beginning to think perhaps it's no bad thing to be attempting this over here.

We got 10 eggs (yay), 7 fertilised (wavering yay) 5 made it to expected 3 day stage (ooer getting bit worried) and only 1 made it to blastocyst (eek). So no frozen ones for another time - really hoping our 1 strong contender sets up home!!!

No symptoms, but chloe kindly said to me on another thread she also didn't get any, and had a lovely bfp, so my fingers are still crossed. Get tested on Weds 13th. Sydney time so probably Tuesday for you (somehow converting times helps make the 2ww feel shorter!!)

Anyway, think that's enough of an introduction from me. I'm writing this on my phone so hope all the formatting works!

Hi smidge Welcome to the thread! Sorry you find yourself here but at least you're in lovely berry company! I don't know whether to be impressed that you've read back 36 pages or to think you're slightly mad!

It's easy to say, but don't get too hung up on the numbers (I totally did!), you only need one. The fact you transferred a blast is also a good sign. I know lots of people will disagree with me (go on gillster say something! ) but I really think that the 4 you lost between days 3 and 5 wouldn't have made it anyway. I don't believe that they're better off being transferred on day 3, I think clinics just do that as they're under pressure to get patients to transfer day.

Like I said on the other thread, the lack of symptoms means nothing! Have everything crossed for you!

Welcome Smidge you are in the right place and well done on getting to the 2ww and I reading the whole of this thread!

Rain hat off to you lady; I don't think I could have been that restrained.

I had a lovely appointment at occ health and the guy was really supportive in a return to work plan in a couple of weeks. Went to se my boss after who was a g1t and has basically told me that he doesn't think that I an cope and will not be using me for any major corporate project work! Unbelievable as that is not what the doc said at all. I feel my time in this post may be up! H well, back to mindfulness and enjoying the sunshine then......

Gosh hb what a jerk. Do you think you could cope with major projects at the mo? I can't quite remember your situation re being signed off etc. I have got my mindfulness book on tiger's recommendation - finding peace in a frantic world- and am sat in the garden in the sunshine ready to have a read!

Thanks chloe. I think shit as they say happens, there isn't a cosmic finger in the sky handing out bfps. Hopefully some good will come of this, perhaps we can use the time given back to us to get ahead with some house jobs. Good lord re your SIL, that would piss me right off too. You'd expect perhaps the boys to be a bit sub normal ( if you know what I mean) but to be intelligent etc is quite amazing- no rhyme or reason. Perhaps the being sooo relaxed you'd do all that actually helps the process, who knows!! I remember years back, way before we'd even thought of kids we went to a BBQ with friends and dh had an out there friend whose wife was a bit of a wild one ( ex junkie) who was 6 mths pregnant, prominent bump etc and she was rolling and smoking spliffs!! There was another couple there who were struggling to conceive and I remember the woman getting really angry about it. As fas I know the kids are alright, she went on to have another too.

Hello smidge or should I say g'day! There's a few ivfers on here who have gone on to have positives or are waiting to try again. As you've read the thread you'll know my story- just trying to pick myself up again and try again post Ivf miscarriage but still bleeding at mo from miscarriage. Good luck, it's an exciting time. I found the nearer the test date got,the more anxious I became, although I was trying to put it to the back of my mind.

Hey bushy i agree, it isn't fair at all, this ttc lottery but I doubt very much that doing things differently would have changed anything. Still, I know that, each month I am not pg I go over everything I did or didn't do, wondering if it made a difference. I spoke to a colleague (and good friend) about ttc the other day after a very uncharacteristic bursting into tears in my office. She thought I put myself under a lot of pressure in general and that ttc was no different. she was also trying to persuade me to try reiki, as she goes and believes in its power to get rid if negative energy. I don't know if I can face spending more money on woo ttc 'fixes' though. I still need to crack on with the mindfulness 8 week programme from the book, but even just reading it, do already feel better able to stay positive and enjoy life now a little more. Hope you enjoy the book, and that you and your dh are doing ok.

hb your boss sounds like a total arse. Perhaps it is time to look elsewhere and have a fresh start.

smidge welcome and hope this is merely a brief visit for you. I had a lap in June and thought it was ok. Was pretty sick for a couple of days but recovered ok - had my first sick days off work for over 8 years!

Welcome back bushy (a big fat screw-you-MN-rules hug). I'm glad you enjoyed your break with DH and I hope the bleeding stops soon so you can start getting back to yourself. I echo what the others said about it being a lottery - I berated myself over every 'bad' thing I did while pg and still entertain thoughts of a monastic life for when I get diffed again. Can't be helped, but as long as you're acknowledging that it wasn't your fault and you can't control these things, it's no harm.

tiger sorry to hear you're having a tough time at work, glad your colleague is looking out for you. Seems there's a woo cure for everything!

hb same to you, what is it with bosses being dicks this week? Did yours think he was trying to be helpful when he said that or is he just a douche canoe?
Thanks for the geeing up everyone, and yes - chin up, tits out! (feather still about what your colleague said to you! What a cock womble)

chloe 7 weeks! Time is going so quickly. JM is kicking my ASS. I Literally cannot lift my arms at the moment without whimpering! Going to a body pump class next week too - anyone ever tried that before?

nolly some big decisions to be made there. I'd be very tempted to pursue my own options given the timescales. We hummed and Ahmed for ages about whether to have a private bash during our wait (6 months) but we've decided against it - too much going on this autumn plus I'm really scared of IVF

happy how was your appt yesterday? Not long to go till your wedding, I really miss those days - it genuinely was one of the happiest times of my life.

kuma sorry you've hit another bump in the road. I get all weird and choked up when dealing with bloody ttc stuff so nagging is no go for me, but DH is alright at it so if yours is up for the task set him on it!

Welcome smidge! I reckon you'll be on that chopper before you know it! Massive kudos to you for trawling through all our crazy ramblings posts. I sometimes consider keeping a notebook with everyone's details in it, find it so hard to keep track of everything!

On that note, sorry if I missed anyone! Hope everyone's looking forward to the weekend - I've got a fun trip to IKEA planned, deep joy!!

Hello all Berries.

nolly I like your explanation of why some people say crass, ignorant things about how you don't know about life and love unless you are a parent. Whenever someone says that becoming a parent made them more mature, I want to ask them if they were terrible immature beforehand and have now almost caught up with the rest of the human race. Feckers.

It's been an interesting week here. We went to see the consultant at an FC which I would probably like to go with.

DH voiced some objections the night before and said that we hadn't been trying hard enough and we should be doing it twice a day during the fertile period ! (Ambitious). He said we should be treating it like job, he expected to have my cycle and best dates highlighted to him in advance, possibly in a chart stuck to the fridge. He also asked if I'd been checking my BBT and for egg white CM!!

I was impressed that he knew so much. I'm thinking of hiring him out to give TTC advice to other couples.

Anyhow, we saw the consultant and he was very interested in my thyroid results, they were high on the copy of test results I showed him. I've since had my thyroxine dose increased and they have dropped back down but I didn't have those results with me. He wants me to get tested for thyroid antibodies, which I'm hoping the GP will do for me.

He was very interested to hear that there is a history of auto immune disease in my family. And he said to discuss immune testing before any IVF.

I will have to catch up with you all another time as I have cooking to do ahead of weekend guests.

Lol at your DH Marmalade! Impressive!

Wow mrmarmalade! You'd better watch him, he'll have a spreadsheet soon!

rain thanks for the hug! Love the ' monastic diffed life'- yup that'll be me. So far I have worried re the miscarriage was it: yoga, getting out of breath at staff v kids rounders match, drinking glass of prosecco with meal, drinking sips of other alcoholic drinks, caffeine, diet drinks- sweetners and stress. Oh forgot to say sex too. Crap in a box!! I'm vacillating from giving everything up and being a nun if I get diffed to being relaxed. Who am I kidding, I don't think if I get pg again I'll ever be properly relaxed. I think I'd be happy to not drink booze at all and quit caffeine to get those out of the equation.

Went to yoga today and going to Zumba on Sunday- gonna sort this body out!!

rain I know you crossed it out, but don't be scared of IVF. I've actually found it way more relaxing than trying to conceive naturally - I think partly because you can lay all the responsibilities on the doctors(!) and partly because you have something very specific to do each day to help the process along. I don't understand the long vs short protocol stuff, they are terms I've not heard before (along with downregging, which seems to be related). For me I just had a blood test on day 1 of my period (being first heavy day, not the spotting in the run up) then they got me in to start the injections the next day, FSH each day then after about 4 days of that, I also started to inject an antagonist. The injections aren't too bad and on the days I went in for blood tests/US I got the nurses to do it anyway, so we only had to do half of them ourselves. And the needle is so very fine, and putting it into fat is nothing like the same as having blood taken. The egg collection is fine too as you're pretty much under - I was completely unaware of what was happening. Then after that it has been these progesterone pessaries. Again I love the fact I have something very specific to do each day (even if it results in traces of what looks like papier mâché when I wipe!) The eg transfer wasn't pleasant but is over in 5mins and to be honest the worst bit was having a full bladder and them pressing so hard on it for a good view with the U/S machine! First time ever I'd say I preferred the dildocam!!!

Anyway, the biggest problem I now have with IVF is the stress of the fact I've mentally considered this the fall back plan. Ie if all else fails we'll just go for IVF and get pregnant that way.... I don't think I'd quite mentally prepared myself properly for the statistics of this actually working. It wasn't until we only ended up with the 1 blast that it dawned on us both that this might not work either :-(

Aaargghh! The first few days after transfer I was eagerly counting down the days thinking when could I poas, but now it's getting close I want time to drag as at least at the moment I am pupo! As soon as I take a test I'll know whether or not that's true and I can't face that yet. I'd rather stick with the hope! That's why I want some early symptoms to give me the courage to test coz at the momet I feel that if I do it will be a bfn.

Not trying to fish for encouragement the other way, just saying how I'm feeling at the moment. (Suspect it will change hourly daily)

Smidge everything. You said sums up exactly how I felt during my cycle. I felt it really nice to have some control during the cycle and after the initial wobble of injecting myself coped really well with the jabs. The worst not thing about the pessaries was the constipation!

Marmalade, I love your husbands comments. I have to say that twice a day for dtd is overly optimistic!

Morning all and welcome Smidge. Sorry you find yourself here but sounds like you've been getting the right help. Fx for your OTD. Well done on reading the whole thread btw! I lose track of what's going on half the time and I've been here 2 fucking long painful years.
Marmalade high 5 to your DH. He sounds like a man on a mission
Bushy great to see you back. Glad you had a lovely break and I have to say I think you're coping amazingly well with this. Keep looking after yourself
HB sorry you've had boss issues too. Hope you're doing ok
Rain the appointment went well thanks. We start short protocol ICSI on day 21 of my next cycle which, given that AF is due any second should be about 3 weeks today! Egg collection has been pencilled in for the week commencing September 22nd eek! Given that I have to get hitched and go on honeymoon before then I'm thinking the time will fly by!
Think this is the first day since I finished school that I have completely to myself yey!! Looking forward to chilling and getting some wedding stuff done. Hope everyone has a great Friday!!

That all seems really positive Happy and your date will be round soon enough especially with the wedding! How exciting.

I got about 30mins sleep last night so am bloody shattered today and still seething but going to get some independent advice so hopefully I should be able to come up with a plan.

Happy Friday all

Marmalade your DH sounds amazing, has he secretly got the FF app on his phone? I think there is an option to put am+pm in the intercourse box but I don't think I've ever used it!
Bushy as you said here (or was it on the copter thread?), the most likely cause would be genetic and you can't blame yourself in anyway, but it's completely understandable. I still blame my chemical on DH making the hottest curry I've ever eaten, even though I know it's completely irrational! You seem to be coping amazingly well at present but if your fertility clinic offers free counselling maybe it would be worth booking a session?
HB your boss sounds dreadful and I'm sorry to hear that your IVF also didn't work out.
Happy so if your IVF works you're going to look like a wedding instadiffer to people not in the know!
Welcome, Smidge, I also actually enjoyed most of the IVF process, the hardest parts were waiting for it to start (I was long protocol and I also have long cycles) and, obviously, the BFN but I hope you don't get that, enjoy being PUPO!
I was in Dubrovnik recently and there was a restaurant called Pupo, my DH pointed it out, I guess some of this TTC stuff has seeped into his brain as well! I would really recommend Dubrovnik btw, a lovely place with plenty to see and do, plus it doesn't seem to be a place for people with children to go to, apart from the people from the cruise ships.
Still getting positives and they're getting darker slowly but not calling it a BFP yet, AF due this weekend. Feeling really tired due to waking up at 04:00 every day, which happened with the chemical as well. Otherwise symptom free. Had a nose bleed at 3dpo which has never happened but seemed a bit early to call it a symptom. Stopped the alcohol and reduced caffeine , quite happy to have a break from sex for a while and I've never done yoga, didn't even know it could be a potential problem!

So marmalade have you put your dates on the fridge yet? Perhaps Mr marm might like a laminated system which he can tick off too with dry wipe pen

Good luck hb. Not what you need at all at the moment but wishing you berry power.

happy when are you getting married? It's all kicking off for you. Very positive

smidge ahhhh the heady days of bum bullets! I had almost forgotten! Yup I def felt more relaxed doing Ivf. It felt nice for someone else to be in control and we could relax and stop worrying. It also felt really pro active. That's not to say rain that I didn't brick myself before hand or that before it I wasn't overwhelmed but the process wasn't too bad. I found the testing and uncertainty after tests the worst as my test result wasn't definitive.

My mum text me last night telling me my cousin had gone into labour. Got another text this morning saying she'd had the baby. Found it really hard replying to it, think I said that's good but she must be knackered. Mum replied with yes but v happy and that she'd phoned her mum in the wee small hours and my auntie could hear the baby making a noise. That text made me well up and I haven't replied. I haven't told my mum yet, not the kind of thing I can put in a text message. Think I will get a phone call filling me in on all of it so will just stop her and say. I don't think I can cope with baby talk. This makes me worry in advance about going back to work where we have 1 heavily pg lady and one coming back off maternity. I wonder whether saying I've had a miscarriage would help stop the baby talk but then I think that seems a bit selfish, after all they should be able to talk about it if they want. Maybe I'll just leave the staff room if it gets too much. I have a colleague who never gets down to the staff room so maybe I will eat my lunch in her room if gets bad! Also I don't necessarily want everyone at work knowing my business or gossiping about me?Any advice?

Well it's v wishy washy with whether yoga is a problem lady. As you can see in this article ( which I've just googled- yes am still at the googling phase www.babycentre.co.uk/a1033238/pregnancy-yoga-for-beginners
I'm really confused as I knew it wasn't recommended post transfer til test date so I avoided it and went a bit further by avoiding it until I got my scan date, thinking I was being extra safe. The article says that a lot of yoga teachers prefer you to start after first trimester if you haven't done it before but I am a regular yoga goer. But ,at the same time says there's no evidence to say it causes problems. The bit in the article says about some teachers say if you've had Ivf to wait until after 20 weeks- now that's new to me. I think, as with all pregnancy related things, it's a really grey area. For me as I've worried about it, I think if I got pg again I would avoid it and wait til my scan and then sign up for pregnancy yoga. I think it would be better to eliminate the risk and worry factor for me but as I'm not pg at the moment I'm just going to really enjoy it while can and when up the duff switch to swimming and walking.

OMG hb The dickhead bosses really are a recurring theme on here at the moment. Sorry you have to put up with that on top of everything else.

tiger The putting yourself under pressure comment really struck a chord, I'm the same. Sometimes it's hard to see it yourself though. I was convinced I was fine through the whole IVF thing and coping really well. But then when I came round after the EC, I immediately asked how many they'd got and then burst into floods of tears for no apparent reason. Sounds like you're in a healthy and positive place though all things considered.

rain I used to go to body pump loads when I had free gym membership at my old firm and loved it. I've not been for years since changing jobs tho as I'm too stingy to pay for gym membership myself now. My tip for the first time would be to keep the weights quite low - ask the instructor or a friend if you're not sure as it can be a bit confusing the first time round.

Also there's no need to be afraid of IVF. Like the others have said, it actually gives yo a feeling of cntrol in that you're finally doing something which has a good chance of success. Take it one step at a time though - I found it was best to learn about it all in stages, as there is so much to take in. At first I mainly concentrated on the success rates, risks, overall timescales etc. You can worry about the detail of each individual step nearer the time. I honestly found the whole thing not such a big deal (subject to the wobble mentioned above!)

Your post really made me laugh wfm! I think a spreadsheet on the fridge for all to see is definitely the way forward, along with DH inspecting your CM every morning. It's nice that he's taking such an interest though!

happy Sounds like your ICSI will be starting before you know it with the wedding and honeymoon first. Exciting times!

That's great news lady Can we be cautiously optimistic for you please?

Cross posts bushy It's a tough one. I'm a really private person so would be minded not to say anything. Hopefully the heavily pg lady will disappear soon? With the one back off maternity leave, I would just wander off or change the subject - hearing nonstop new mum chat is tedious at the best of times and I'm sure plenty of others will want to avoid it as well. While the weather is OK can you go and eat your lunch outside somewhere? Or work out what times those 2 usually go and strategically avoid them?

Whilst it's nice news for your cousin, I really feel for you that the news has come at this time. It must be really hard. Sorry you have to go through that on top of everything else. I never rains but it pours eh?