Forty and over trying for a first baby - join us here

[JessieMcJessie]

A year ago today I started this thread

Any 40+ladies out there TTC #1?

and, 1000 posts later, it has filled up with the shared experiences of various fantastic women who find ourselves hoping to start a family after the age of 40. And listen out Daily Mail - not one of us deliberately "delayed motherhood" to concentrate on our careers or frivolous pursuits. By and large we just didn't meet the right person (or decide to go it alone) till we were quite long in the tooth.

Trying for a first at this age has its own special challenges. The old thread contains its fair share of sad tales of early miscarriage and disapointing test results. However it is also a great place for success stories and positive thinking and it has been a lifeline for me over the past year.

Although those who already have a child or children and are trying for more in their forties are welcome to join (and we absolutely understand the real pain of secondary infertility), part of the value of this thread is the opportunity to share experience amongst those of us for whom failure will mean no children at all, rather than a smaller family than we'd like. It's also a place where we all share a sense of total uncharted territory where pregnancy and childbrirth are concerned!

There are a number of stalwarts who have been with me from almost day one and I hope you'll join this new thread too, but we all hope to graduate eventually to the pregnancy boards so new joiners are very important! If your fortieth is looming it's fine to join a bit before.

A newish poster asked last week if people could post their "stats" and I think that's a good idea. So I'll kick it off (feel free to include whatever info you feel like giving):

Jessie McJessie 42, TTC since October 2014 (13 months) having only met my DH at the tender age of 38. 2 chemical pregnancies, one blocked tube, low AMH, one failed IUI, 1 failed IVF and about to start our second IVF. Just moved back to London after 6 years in Hong Kong.

So, off we go. We have a special skill at scouring the media for stories of celebs having babies over 40. And there's no such thing as TMI .

Congratulations Russkispy and good luck Cityzen with the IVF when it goes ahead (so sorry about the chemical that delayed it).

I discovered this week that 2 of my NCT group also had IVF. one tried for a baby for 5 years and the other for 3 but like me they got there eventually so here's hoping the same happens for you.

How's everyone doing on here?!!
I'm 15 weeks today and suffering from random headaches and nosebleeds but ok otherwise.
Just want to wish you a lovely Christmas!! 🎄🎄🎄 and hopefully soon you'll get your BFPs!!!

Hi Russkipsy and everyone. Hope you are having a merry Christmas.

Hope your nosebleeds have gone now Russkipsy. I can't believe you are 15 weeks already. That's gone fast (for me prob not for you!). Hope all is well.

We have an appointment tomorrow at the clinic. Think is just to go over everything again and to check in AF dates for a start in January. Hope we don't get the same nurse as last time as she was quite strict. I'm going to ask whether they can remind me of the injection stuff again!

Good to hear from you Jessie. Hope you are well and you are enjoying life.

How is everyone else?

Hi Cityzen, how was the appointment? What are the next steps? Hope you had a nice Christmas!
How's everyone else doing?

Hi everyone I'm newish lol looked for help a year ago on another topic. Well I'm 42 and looking for a miracle .sorry don't know all the acronyms husband and I decided a month ago to have another try for a baby.Do I fill old after looking at all the advice, literature about trying for a baby over 40. After reading I felt like putting a gun to my head and putting this old supposedly useless body out of its misery lol.
Well short story so far
Decreased caffeine
Upped water and exercise
Changed diet
Started pregnancy care conception vitamins
Bought a clearblue advanced fertility monitor
And booked in for acupuncture.
Is it just wishful thinking to get pregnant at my age?

Good luck to all

Welcome Yaj - I hope it isn't wishful thinking! I'm 42 and also trying for my first so I'm trying to remain positive and hope it will happen for us. All the best to you. I think all those things you are doing are very positive and I hope you are successful!

Russkipsy - thank you for asking about me and I'm sorry for the late reply. My appointment went well although the nurse didn't know I'd had another miscarriage and just asked me whether I'd changed my mind about going ahead with the IVF in November. However when I explained that I'd had a positive but then had an early miscarriage she was very kind. I'm due to start injections on 26th January so fingers crossed! I had to have another baseline scan and it was a lot better than the last one - I had a lot more follicles and wished I was doing the IVF this cycle rather than the next but never mind! Of course I'm hoping for another surprise BFP but I realise that is unlikely!

How are you? Are you feeling well? I really hope so.

Hope everyone else is well.

still here and rooting for you all, lovely ladies
Just got back from my clinic in Riga and also decided for the ultrasound there. My DH was with me and asked my dad to come along (don't have mum anymore). The scan (equivalent to 20w NHS anomaly scan) was so thorough and got so many photos including a 3D image. Suffice to say my little one is developing well! And she was so active and gave us High Five! Loved it! Dad was in such an awe and emotional! Bless him! My 20w with NHS is on the 31st, will still go for it. It's so nice to see her every time there's a scan! Oh and I bought a pram while there, much cheaper! And saved £300 on a pram alone (3-in-1 combination).
At my 12w NHS scan was given extra scans to attend due to my "ancient" age! So will go for 28, 32 and 36 weeks and see a midwife inbetween. Pleased about it.
Think I've started feeling my little one ! Unless it's a hunger rambling noise in my tummy?! Hmmm
Other than that just very pleased and received that everything is going well!

Hello everyone, I just thought I'd post that I'm starting my first cycle today. I had my baseline scan yesterday and I start my first injection tonight. So this is it...
How's everyone else doing?

Hi everyone, looking for some hope or inspiration. I'm 42, 43 this month and currently going through my 4th miscarriage. After the 3rd I had the referral to a recurrent mc clinic where the consultant basically told me it was age and to give up. I do have one son who's 3 in May. Seem to find it fairly easy to conceive but not keep them which is heartbreaking. Had a delay with trying anything last year as I was diagnosed and surgically treated for cervical cancer, it's not been a good 18 months! So looking for hope and some kind of reassurance that my eggs aren't all now hard boiled.

Hello everyone and welcome Devon. I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriages and your treatment for cancer. You have definitely had a rubbish 18 months and I do hope that your luck is about to change. You only have to read through the different stories of the ladies on these threads to know that it is possible to still get pregnant at our age. It's not always as easy but it can definitely happen.
I've just survived my first IVF cycle which was a roller-coaster. On Friday, I was told that only one follicle had grown to the right size and I should think about cancelling it. I was given an estradiol blood test as a way of deciding whether to go ahead. The results showed an elevated level so we decided to go ahead and I had my egg collection on Monday. 1 possible egg became 5 eggs. I found out 2 had fertilised and I had my transfer today. So fingers crossed.
How is everyone else?

Hi all!!

I would love to start this thread again I loved all the stories!!!

I am 44 and starting ICSI next month for our first child, hopefully. Met my partner at almost 41 but he is 10 years youger. We have been trying for almost 2 years and after all the tests it came out his swimmers needed help!!

Anybody out there trying naturally or IVF/ICSI?

Would love to share notes!!!

Star
XXX