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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided - all welcome!

999 replies

Kwick709 · 07/03/2016 17:17

This thread is for anyone trying to conceive... or thinking about doing so through donor IUI or donor IVF. Nothing TMI - feel free to join, we are a lovely group here to support and help keep the cray-cray away!

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Cloudburn · 22/03/2016 09:51

Kwick OMG! OMG! OMG!!! YAAAAAY! That's such wonderful news! (And those tests look properly positive!!) Well done you!

How on earth did you keep that quiet?!?! No wonder there's been cray cray!! You held it together well. How are you feeling now lady?

Shoes you crack me up! All fingers, toes, arms, legs, and yes, eyes, are still crossed for you lady!

TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided - all welcome!
INeedNewShoes · 22/03/2016 10:23
Grin

Sorry about the delay. I've had a ridiculous palaver with my FMU (shouldn't have put it in the fridge really, should I?)

TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided - all welcome!
taydex · 22/03/2016 10:30

WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP Shoes! That's amazing news. Sounds like we have a full house here then, am I right or have I been terrible and forgotten someone who was testing?

Well, that all escalated quickly. Smile

Congratulations ladies, all of you, you're doing just super! xx

Cloudburn · 22/03/2016 11:07

Holycr#p!! Ladies!! This is amazing!!! Shoes congratulations!! I'm so happy for you!! I'm so happy for all of us!!

All we need now is to hear from Boo and see how she is getting on.

But this is really wonderful news! You guys are PREGNANT!!! Grin

How are we all feeling??

TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided - all welcome!
pickle162 · 22/03/2016 11:21

Yay you two!! I'm so happy for you all you've made my day x

taydex · 22/03/2016 11:35

It's all very exciting. Must be a very fertile time of the year or something. Anyway, who cares, the important thing is that it's starting to work for us all! Smile YAY!

Can I ask everyone's due dates based on this most recent news? I'm losing track a bit, I guess you're early/mid December ish? www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/due-date-calculator

Cloud, if I remember rightly, you're about 6 weeks behind me and Kwik & Shoes you must be about 7 weeks behind...? I'm due 28 October.

So, what fun do you ladies have to look forward to? Well, my of my knowledge has come from either books or how I've felt. I'll be honest, I didn't really feel much different. The first thing I noticed around about AF due time/BFP was that when I took my bra off at the end of the day my boobs felt a little sore/tingly, but it only lasted a few minutes (kind of in the same way mine do just before AF comes). They've also grown a little. As one with only small boobs (34B) I can't say as they've changed a massive amount (maybe up to 34C now). I think bigger boobs to start with may see a bigger difference.

The second thing I noticed is that from about 6 weeks to now (but I think it might be lessening or I might just be getting used to it) is that I often feel quite hungry. I think it's that feeling you get when you're not sure if you're feeling hungry or sicky. It's probably morning sickness, but I am taking it to be hungry and that seems to be working OK. I have been mostly eating biscuits (rich tea or ginger) and ready salted crisps to stave off the hunger. I am eating more than before and I know my body does not need the extra calories but I find it makes me feel better so I'm still doing it (although taking mental note to not eat too much crap so I don't become a big fatty). I figure at this moment in time anything that goes in and stays in is good (within reason, and apart from more snacking I'm eating pretty healthily). Your body is a clever old thing and knows what it is deficient in for the bub to grow, and therefore this is where you get cravings from (like my desire for ready salted crisps). My advice would be do whatever works for you. I tend to eat 1 biscuit (ginger) before I even get out of bed in the morning and that settles me till brekkie time. Other than that my tastes haven't really changed, although sometimes I don't fancy what I was planning for dinner and instead decide to have something else - like marmite on toast which is all I fancied the other day Smile. I'd also advise to try and not get to feeling too hungry as this doesn't help. Even if you can just have a quick biccy or slice of toast to stave off hunger till dinner is ready I think that helps.

Final thing I've noticed is bloating. This is most likely due to the progesterone (Crinone) gel front bottom (womble!) suppositories that I've been using. Could also be paired with all those extra biscuits and crisps. Most of my clothes still fit me fine, but I do have a couple of pairs of jeans that are quite snug. To be fair, I don't think that's necessarily baby related. In my desire to eat all the good things that I should be eating (nuts, yogurt, extra milk, etc) both leading up to and during pregnancy, I've found that I've been having these in addition to my normal food, so have been stacking in extra calories.

Right, that's it from me for now. Congratulations ladies, you should be very proud of yourselves. Star How awesome is the human body?! Any questions, please do ask. Does anyone know what the next steps are for them re early scans/appointments at clinics/GP?

TD x

Cloudburn · 22/03/2016 13:25

Gosh, I forgot it's only been a week! feels like a month! I'm due end Nov/early Dec, all going well (that still hasn't sunk in...). I finally just booked in my 7 weeks scan for the 6th April. Similar to you Taydex I suspect it (hopefully) will become more real then. Seeing a GP next Wednesday (was the earliest I could get)

Well my first week being pregnant (or week 5 as it is technically known as apparently) wasn't much to write home about. I've been a little crampy, but nothing serious, and my boobs are a bit sore as well, bit like pre-AF but not as bad. I suspect that's the progesterone! I seem to find that I've actually lost my appetite somewhat. I try to make sure I still eat regularly and drink plenty of water but it's sometimes hard to get the motivation to cook or even just make food, especially when it's just for me. My body will still tell me when it's hungry tho, so I've bought crackers and cheese and I'm trying to force myself to eat at least one piece of fruit a day (which is about 100 times more than I usually eat!!).

My sleep is pretty rubbish though. Not sure if it's the various medication I'm on or the worry or just being pregnant or something else altogether but I've been awake until about 2am/3am many nights this week (apart from Sunday night when I went to bed early cos I was so tired but then WOKE UP at 3am and wasn't able to get back to sleep. Joy). Fortunately I don't have to get up early in the morning so that helps

Still feeling tired and moody tho. Wondering if that will ever end....?

taydex · 22/03/2016 13:41

I keep waking up really early then feeling tired later in the day. At about week 6 or 7 I started occasionally falling asleep on the sofa in front of the TV in the evenings. Only on occasion midweek when I guess I was tired from work.

Been a bit emotional occasionally too (like on the day of my scan when I got a bit stroppy at my wife and sister in law for stressing me out).

INeedNewShoes · 22/03/2016 14:15

Most of the due date calculators use the first day of your last period to estimate the due date but I've found this one where you can put in the date of conception, which of course we all know more or less.

www.perinatology.com/calculators/Due-Date.htm

This gives me a due date of the 28th of November (where as calculating from the first day of my last period gives the 23rd which I know isn't right because I ovulated so late this cycle).

INeedNewShoes · 22/03/2016 14:18

Completely forgot my manners!

Thank you for the congratulations :-)

I still feel very cautious, but I expect we all do. Though it's good to hear Taydex that this feeling might ease up a bit in the coming weeks.

taydex · 22/03/2016 14:19

Oooh, that's really good, thanks for that Shoes. I find that really helpful, especially as my cycles are normally a little shorter at about 25 days. I couldn't find anything online to do this (can't say as I spent too long looking!). This agrees on 28th October for me so I'm happy. My clinic measured bean as 7 weeks and 2 days when I went for my 7 week scan. Seeing as we knew that IUI was 5 weeks to the day before that (and 1st day of last period 2 weeks to the day before that), I didn't agree with their timings (I know, they do it on measurement and it's hard to measure something that's only 10.7 mm long and blurry). Thank you.

taydex · 22/03/2016 14:22

Ooh, today's gestational age is 8 week(s), 4 day(s) or 1.97 month(s) months. Gosh, almost 2 months already, how time does fly! Only just over 7 months to go, eep! Smile

INeedNewShoes · 22/03/2016 14:22

My clinic don't do an early scan as a matter of course, and it would be daft for me to go to Denmark for it anyway.

Assuming I'm still getting positive pregnancy tests in a couple of weeks time do you think it would be worthwhile me booking myself in for an early scan at 7 or 8 weeks? I've found a local clinic that does them for £75 which I think is very reasonable whatever the scan shows - worth it for reassurance if everything is fine, but also worth knowing sooner rather than later if it isn't ok.

What are people's thoughts?

taydex · 22/03/2016 14:30

Shoes - There are several milestones to pass, each of which bring some comfort and reduce worry/risk. I'd say these are:

  • Once you get BFP and miss first AF (4 weeks - increased risk of m/c every time AF is/was due)
  • ~7 week scan when you get to see baby (well, blurry oval shape with heartbeat!)
  • Once you get to 8 weeks (increased risk of m/c when AF is/was due)
  • Once you get to 12 weeks (again, increased risk of m/c around AF due time) plus you get the 12 week scan to see bub again and check all is well
As time passes in general and all seems to be going well then there's some comfort from that too. I still feel quite cautious about what I do and say. I'm also a bit superstitious about buying stuff etc. (that said I do have a couple of bits). I'm hoping once we get to/past 12 weeks and have the scan that last level of worry will go. Of course there is always some level of worry during pregnancy but generally that decreases as time passes (probably to be replaced with other worries such as "how the hell am I going to squeeze something that big out of there", and "will I have a clue what I'm doing/will I be any good at being a Mum?"). Anyway, today is a day of celebrations and not worrying. Well done all for getting this far. xx
taydex · 22/03/2016 14:36

Shoes - For your own piece of mind I would highly recommend it. My clinic also does them at a cost (they do the 7 week one as standard for free, then any other additional ones you want they charge about £90 for). I know it really helped me to see it and know that it really was real and that everything was OK/in the right place/progressing as they would like (and to see a healthy heartbeat - suddenly makes it all very real). I don't want to tempt fate here for anyone, but the location thing was pretty important for me. One of my friends had an ectopic pregnancy that burst her fallopian tube and had her in A&E / intensive care and pretty poorly. The 7 week scan is able to check the embryo's location and make sure it's not attached in a tube. I'd rather know sooner rather than later if that was the case so they could avoid it getting to that serious stage. I don't mean to be negative here. I'm just letting you know the reasons why I would highly recommend one. Doesn't seem that the cost is massive for the piece of mind it gave me.

CautionHormone · 22/03/2016 15:32

Yaaaaayyy Shoes!!! That's absolutely fantastic news, I'm so so pleased for you! What IUI number was this?! So so over the moon for both you & Kwick - this is the best news ever to hear on a dull Tuesday afternoon!!

Not quite a full house yet Taydex... Wink I'm yet to do my IUI(s) yet haha! Grin

taydex · 22/03/2016 16:32

Yes, true. And Pickle and some others too. What I meant was full house on those who are currently doing IUI.

Kwick709 · 22/03/2016 18:14

shoes CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!! I am so so pleased!!!!! Star
LOL on fridge escapade - why??????

So I had a blood test to confirm - they took hours to call with results and when they did - sod's law I was in an intense meeting with one of my 3 bosses... She was not impressed that I took the call! They confirmed BFP but my progesterone levels are low again... So I have to do crinone 3 times a day and also cyclogest (anyone heard of this?). I think they scan in 2 weeks but to be honest today is a bit of a blur... Will find out more tomorrow.
I am filled with worry - that I will jinx something or that I will MC... Deep breaths!

THANK YOU ALL FOR AMAZEBALLS SUPPORT!!!!!

Thanks taydex for all tips... Will re-read when brain is working again!

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pickle162 · 22/03/2016 20:36

Yep still me to go too but haven't started yet but you lovely ladies has given me hope that it can work :)
Found out that I'm getting an extra £1300 (remortgaged/paying off loan etc) so that'll pay for my sofa outright then £3k to clear off over draft then can start baby saving ready for next year wahooo (and pay for surgery every few months) but yayyyyy and yayyy for all you yummy mummy's!!!!x

Kwick709 · 22/03/2016 20:50

shoes I think you should get the scan done - it will give you piece of mind - which lets face it is priceless!

pickle so glad you are getting nearer to starting :). I think between us we could write a guide on how to do this the best way!

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Cloudburn · 22/03/2016 23:09

Shoes for what it's worth, if my clinic didn't do the scan as part of the course I would definitely pay to get one done. Peace of mind is worth every penny in my opinion.

So, here's what the website says:
Estimated Due Date is 11/23/2016
Gestational Age Today is 4 week(s), 6 day(s) or 1.12 month(s) months.

Cloudburn · 22/03/2016 23:15

Kwick I'm on Cyclogest, 400mg twice a day. It's a suppository but can be used in either 'location'. It's seems fine for me, though it's does make a bit of a mess in the underwear department so I use liners for that. I can get really tired on it, kinda a 'drugged' tired, but it seems to get better over time, and I suspect most progesterone is like that. At least it's not another needle! (You poor thing!)

INeedNewShoes · 23/03/2016 07:13

Thanks all for your thoughts on the scan. I'll book one for 7 weeks (when my mum happens to be visiting so I'll have some moral support).

Caution this is only my 2nd unmedicated IUI. If this pregnancy sticks I've been very very lucky! It shows it can work.

Kwick it's great that your clinic are monitoring you so well and adjusting your meds.

How often are you all doing pregnancy tests for reassurance? I'm guessing I'll probably do today and tomorrow then maybe every 2/3 days after that until 7-week scan. It's hard to know what's sensible and what's obsessive!

INeedNewShoes · 23/03/2016 07:15

By the way Kwick that due date calculator I linked also has an option to calculate from day of transfer if you want to play with it!

Cloudburn · 23/03/2016 11:36

Morning all.

Shoes - after my rather stressful "one minute" test incident, I've decided not to test that often. I may do once a week or even less. My theory is, now that I've got past the first AF okay, if I'm not bleeding then I'm still pregnant. And for now, I'd rather not stress myself out with a potential mis-read or negative test.

Having said that, I was quite concerned I might be having a m/c this morning. Woke up to pains in the womble area, reminiscent of bad period pain where it feels like your uterus is filled with lava rather than blood. I got up briefly and heated a wheat pack and went back to bed, but I will admit I also put a towel in the bed in case I started bleeding.

The pain lasted a good half hour, but I just lay still, with the hot wheat pack, and did some focused breathing exercises to relax. It seemed to work and the pain gradually subsided. Have been in bed resting since, still a little twingie but nothing like it was, but will probably get up soon - hungry!

So not the best start to the day but fingers crossed there's nothing more too it! Will keep you posted.