Over 40s TTC & success stories.

[Grizzer]

Starting a new thread for support & advice ladies. Not quite ready to graduate yet!

I had my scan this evening and the consultant says everything looked normal, I'm so relieved. Weirdly my period started on Monday exactly as it should. I was still spotting old blood right up to that moment which I thought was very odd.

I'm very glad I've had it done, it's taken a weight off my mind. I think if we'd never conceived again I'd be wondering if it was because there was something wrong.

So we should be able to start trying around the 26/27 Dec. I'll start using the opk's from about the 23rd. I'm both excited and nervous about trying again.

yes, Chewy,they say 30 min daylight is a must, Perso I fond it far too little - 90 minutes starts to look more like mood-lifting. Get proper clothes for the rain, and out:-)))

i am rather ntnp and accepting it is probably over.

Good luck for all, ababs, good to hear everything is clean!

I am glad the news was good ababsurdum (as much as it can be in the circumstances obviously). I hope that you get pregnant again soon and have a uneventful pregnancy

I read that article from the Telegraph and think her self-consciousness is a real shame. I had my DS at 45 and no-one battered an eye (well that I noticed anyway maybe I am clueless!) - not my GP when I told her I was TTC nor any of the doctors who looked after me (although I did get quite a lot of attention due to my age and BP). I wondered if people would think my baby was a grand child etc.. but now he is here I couldn't care less what (if anything) people think. TBH compared to my antenatal class who range from 24 to 47 I can honestly say that those of us at the top end seem to be having an easier ride of it all so far. Maybe the benefit of perspective and experience? Some of the ladies stress about absolutely EVERYTHING and don't appear to be enjoying the experience at all. I do worry that we won't be around when he grown up but apart from keeping fit and healthy not a lot we can do about that

So i am all set to start our frozen embryo cycle in the new year (gulp). I start down regging on 26th December and all things being equal (and my body responds like it did last time) I will be looking for a embryo transfer (if they thaw ok) end of Jan. We decided to have both put back and go for it - the last pregnancy was twin but we lost one so want to maximise our chances.

Is everyone ready for Christmas? [santa][santa][santa]

How are you doing slinki? Hope you are ok?

Thanks greenlizzard.

How did you find the down regulation last time? I found it made me incredibly thirsty, I would wake in the night desperate for a drink. In fact that was the start of my last 3 years of lack of sleep - IVF, pregnancy then baby. Ds sleeps fairly well most of the time now, thank goodness, but is an early riser so 6-6:30am is a lie in for us .

None of the midwives or consultants I've seen in the last few months have said anything negative about my age. They have all been very kind and wishing me luck for the future. Hopefully opinion is turning a bit or at least bedside manners are improving!

Re. Christmas, I've bought all my gifts but still have the wrapping and food shopping to do. Still dh has finished work so it should be relatively easy. How about you?

Hi all. Sorry I've been avoiding MN for a bit fearing the worst. Thanks for thinking of me. Glad af turned up and things look all clear now abab. I'm 7 weeks today. Still getting brownish cm and although a little concerned, it doesn't seem to have come to anything, yet!
I have a midwife app on Monday, it's been my goal just to get to the booking appointment. I might see if they will send me for an early scan for a bit of pre Christmas reassurance but want to leave it as late as possible. There's nithing worse than getting your hopes up with an early scan only to mc later. Also, last time it was transvaginal and I mc the next day. My rational mind knows it didn't cause it but since when has rationality figured in this! Needless to say, no sex till at least 14 weeks if I can get there.
Boobs seem to be remaing sore and even had some queasiness. My dilema is whether I tell the in law's on Christmas day?... we'll be driving there so I could use that as an excuse but I think they would be suspicious if I drank nothing. I don't want to get their hopes up, they were devastated after my mmc.
I'm so grateful for it being Christmas as it's an excellent distraction. I just have the food shop to do but quite a lot rests on the midwife appointment. Just a day and a half to get through.
Hopefully I'll post again soon but I'll take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a pregnant new year. Xxx

Slinki good to hear from you. Excellent news that things seem to be going well so far. I hope the midwife is able to book a scan for you if you'd like one. I understand the false hope an early scan can potentially give, I'm not sure what I'd do if I was pregnant again. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it (being positive!).

Hard too with the in laws. Unless they are the sort to mention the fact that you're not drinking and make a big deal of it then I'd just say I was driving and leave it at that. Let them speculate privately if they like. We didn't tell either sets of parents early though my in laws don't drink so it's no problem with them really. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas

I'm on CD8 here. I had quite a heavy period this month. Heavy bleeding for 5 days when usually it's only 2. I'll start checking with opk's on Wednesday.

Hi all, new to mn and wanted to share my story and meet ppl in the same situation. I've been ttc for 6 months, seriously (bbt, ov tests etc) for 4 mnths, and got the BFP last Weds- I'm 5 weeks, due 21 Aug all being well, will be 40 by then though 39 now (don't kick me off ) and DP 40. I'd say no real symptoms except skin peeling off my fingers (weird) though DP would definitely say erratic moods!! Great to meet you all.

Should add- funnily enough I was convinced it was a BFNo and it was actually a fertility scan that got me thinking- I had the usual pre-period mega red spot so was convinced and the radiologist said well body does all sorts and commented my endometrium looked thick and advised me to test. Period was due around then but isn't clockwork. So kinda ironic I sort of found out cos I was trying to find out if I was actually fertile!!

Congrats SlinkiMalinky! I think there's definitely something in not really trying. I had recently stopped daily doing BBT and even using OPK and decided to wait for the appt and see what the fertility scan showed... Would love to share news wide (have no DC - yet) but holding out for more certainty as lacking confidence at my age so it's lovely to share it with you all!

Hello LeoLemur and congratulations! There's an over 40's pregnancy thread on the pregnancy board but feel free to continue to post here too if you like

Hello Leo, good luck with your pregnancy. I had my scan today. I should be 7+3 today. Imagine my surprise to find one measuring 7+1 and another measuring 7 weeks! It was agood job I was lying down. 2 heartbeats! Long road ahead and still in shock. Lavish sprinklings of baby dust for you all. Xxxx

Whoa Slinki - for a moment I thought you wrote that you're pregnant with twins! Hang on a minute, yes you actually did!! Naturally conceived twins and you see the heartbeats for the first time just a couple of days before Christmas, it doesn't get much better than that does it? Well done you - and take care.

Now you just have the issue of deciding whether to tell your in-laws!

FWIW, personally DP and I have decided, should we ever be in the massively fortunate position of being pregnant again, that we'd say nothing until 12-14 weeks, as for us it would just feel like an added pressure that we don't need. So I'd tend to agree with Ababs who suggested saying that you're driving and leave it at that. The whole "I'm on antibiotics" type of excuse might seem a bit old to anyone who's wrapped up in TTC (like us), but I doubt it would register any alarm bells with anyone else (like your in laws). You could always change it up with something like "I pulled my back at the gym and I'm on mega-strong painkillers" (e.g. opioid type - dihydrocodeine, tramadol etc) which'll neatly excuse you from helping with any heavy lifting type activities (Peter Kay's Christmas chairs?) that you don't much fancy.

Congrats too LeoLemur on your BFP, another ! Here's to a healthy, boring and uneventful pregnancy. Don't worry AT ALL about your age - you are a veritable baby round here! It was extra lovely to read that you'd been trying for a little while (I know 6 months isn't that long, but still) and also that you'd no idea that you were pregnant.
At risk of sounding la la loopy, I just knew I was pregnant with DD about 2 days after I conceived. I know you don't produce any HCG for 6-10 days until after implantation, but I think you produce an immunosuppressive protein called Early Pregnancy Factor within about 24 hours - something had to be responsible for my pretty much immediate dizziness/nausea and a laundry list of other symptoms.

Which means that every month when I don't experience something similar within a couple of days of the 'fertile window' I start to write it off - whereas sometimes it would be so nice to maintain the delusion for just a little while longer that maybe, this month ...

I'll be back later when I've tackled some last minute Christmas cards!

Oh my goodness Slinki CONGRATULATIONS!!! That's fantastic news. Do you know yet if they're identical or non identical? (Do the difft dates mean non identical?). What a Christmas gift

Thanks Ababs I'll go look for that thread.

Woah Slinki that's amazing!!! Double congratulations!

Thanks for all your well wishes and yes Chewy definitely hoping for a boring dull pregnancy... I was very much trying and read everything possible about the subject! Just tried to keep DP out of the dates talking of dates we're definitely aiming to wait at least 12-14 weeks before announcing.

On alcohol- my DP is partial to several whiskies and with the season, has had a few heavy nights with work which got me worried, didn't stop the BFP, remains to be seen if they're other effects... I did read in my obsession that sperm takes several weeks I think to be formed.

Good luck with next month and to you all- Christmas baby dust all round.

Hi ladies, I am new here I am 40 (41 in March) and Iam just staring my fourth miscarriage this year.
My miscarriage journey started last December when I went for my 12 week scan and the baby had died at 8 weeks 5 days since then I can't seam to keep hold of my babies past 6/7 weeks.
I had blood taken on Monday after my latest scan at the EPU showed something but was inconclusive my hcg levels were 329 and my progesterone 2.4. I started bleeding this morning and I have t o go back tomorrow to have more blood taken.
I have a little boy who is 2.
What advise do you ladies have that I can do? I have been referred to be tested for reoccuring miscarriages and they can't find anything wrong so I am wondering if I might need some progesterone help when I am pregnant.
I would really appreciate any help and advice. Xx

Welcome Marcia. I'm so, so sorry for the losses that you have suffered, it must be very hard. I hope that your current bleeding is not a miscarriage and settles down soon.

I'm afraid I don't know anything about recurrent miscarriage as I have only had one but some other posters may be able to offer some advice. There is also a recurrent miscarriage thread on the pregnancy losses board and there are (sadly) many knowledgeable ladies there who I'm sure will be able to offer you advice. Try and stay strong

Hi all,

Just wanted to say congrats to the pregnant ladies, especially Slinki - wow twins! How fabulous!

Ababs so glad to hear all is well. What a relief!

AF turned up early for me this month - Agnus Castus did not seem to work. I've also gone away for Christmas without lots of my supplements, and can't get them here. Feeling grumpy and frustrated about that.

Also - two close family members have announced pregnancies... I am delighted for them, but it has made me extra sad for me. I should have a big bump by now... and it would have been great to have had babies at the same time.

Sorry - a bit of self-pity going on!

Best of luck to all!

Hi Marcia, sometimes there is just no reason - it just takes ages. I agree, try the recurrent miscarriage thread fir advice.

I've had three, but spread out and with babies in between. The GP would not give me progesterone, but I will try harder to get some if I am lucky enough to get pregnant again.

Best of luck!

Marcia - so sorry to hear about your losses. I 'only' had one MMC (last year) since having my DD and that left me feeling destroyed, so I'll send you for what you've been through.
As pp have already said, there's a recurrent miscarriage thread which seems very knowledgeable/helpful. I think that this is the one - RMC thread - if you haven't found it already.

Twinkly - boo for AF! Big ((hugs)) for coping with the pregnancy announcements as we all know it can be tough. You'll just have to think that when you have your baby slightly later than the others, your extended family will have recovered from the fuss around the earlier ones and can properly focus on making your baby the absolute centre of attention! - it sounds bad when you 'say' that out loud (as it were), but so what!

I meant to say earlier - Ababs - I was really pleased to read everything was perfect with your scan and absolutely no reason for any concern - I feel relieved on your behalf! I hope that removing any worries on that score will help going forwards with project TTC; unnecessary stress is no good is it?

But it occurred to me that it must also mean that the amount/duration of bleeding that you had following your unfortunate MC was within the range of 'normal'. So I've learnt something new there. Its not something that seems 'well publicised' (for want of a better word) in the typical post-MC advice (such as it is) from the EPU. Well not if my own experience was anything to go by at any rate.

Greenlizard - are you still starting down-regging on the 26th? I've no idea what's involved with that but hope its comfortable and doesn't leave you feeling at all unwell. Then transfer of two embryos at end of Jan - isn't it mind-blowing, that you could well have three children under two years old by October time? Fingers crossed!

Well I'm on day 17 and I'm totally finished with DTD - now just two week waiting (yawn). Its probably dreadful that I just cannot be bothered with DTD the rest of the month, but hey, I just can't. TTC has sucked all the joy out of it (absolutely no pun intended).

My thyroid is still unstable (whether due to antibodies, or whatever) as blood tests from early December show that my TSH hasn't gone back down as much as expected (meaning my Thyroid is still a bit under-active) so the consultant has increased my medication yet again.

So I had another couple of fertility ultrasound scans this month to check (as far as they can tell) that there's no ill effects there. I'm still a bit freaked out from when I went totally anovulatory (with really thin, patchy lining and everything) due to Thyroid issues back in the summer. Anyway, the baseline antral follicle count was still OK (well OK for me) and there was a lead follicle growing away on day 10 - it had got to 16mm at that point. Of course, who knows whether the egg turned out any good, or whether it managed to bump into one of DP's little soldiers, but I can but hope ...

Again, it was so great to have had news on here of those BFPs lately - FX for a few more!

Baby girl delivered by elcs at 5.20pm yesterday. She is absolutely gorgeous, my rainbow baby.
Im OK, but of a temp, which is a bummer because it means I probably won't be able to go home tomorrow  but hey ho, better safe than sorry!

I'm just shy of turning 44 in 2 weeks. Hang in there, ladies!

Wow! Just in time for Christmas Cloud, That's wonderful huge Congratulations! xx

Congratulations Leo and Slinky, I wish you both boring and uneventful pregnancies :)

Cloud - many congratulations on the safe arrival of your beautiful baby girl! I hope you get the 'all clear' on your temperature very soon, so you can all be together at home, enjoying the new addition to your family! And wishing you a very happy birthday for 2 weeks time. x

very many congratulations cloud, i am thrilled for you xxx

merry christmas to all of the 40 plussers, hope you have a good one, and that your BFP's are just around the corner, or if you are already there, that your prognancies are stress free xxxx