Over 40 TTC - lots of baby dust for us...3!

[SparrowSG]

New thread for us 40+'s

Hi everyone, I was here a couple of weeks ago and just came back to read everyone's updates. Wow, congratulations to Critter! And to everyone with the tentative good news also. Keeping fingers crossed or you!

I got my AF today unfortunately, so that's 4 months down trying for first baby. Am sad, but still trying to stay calm and mindful and focus on things I have to feel grateful for, and the opportunity to enjoy child-free married life with new DH. Onwards and upwards.

Atm... due to ov in next few days.. always at the full moon.. but this month not too many symptoms and not loads of cm... slightly concerned but hey when had fabbo symptoms it hasn't lead to a bfp so maybe I should chill a little... you do just symptom what don't you.. 🤦‍♀️

Good luck to all trying and congratulations on the recent BFPs.
Happy to hear your babies arrived safely Critter. Sorry it wasn't the easiest experience- it really sounds frightening. Enjoy new motherhood! So pleased for you.

Cleo - google Femara. It’s used like Clomid only less side effects apparently. This cycle is going well! Amazingly no hot flashes, and I’m pretty sure I’ve got ewcm and v mild ovulation pains on CD15! Full moon too Chat 😆 we dtd on Wed evening and hoping to get one in tomorrow morning. So strange to go from a completely f*** up cycle to a healthy normal one. The only things I can think of that totally messed me up are either stress or DHEA. I took it over Xmas and into January then had one bleed then the super long 93 day cycle. So I’m wondering if my hormones are just too fragile for it. It was pretty strong stuff. I got loads of spots, my hair fell out (& is now quite thin as a result but the actual shedding stopped when I stopped taking it) and I felt quite short tempered on it. Never again. Grow back quickly hair!!

Booseys - so good to see you here. We never want you to leave for good😍 hope you’re ok.

Petra - hope the pregnancy is going well?

Bea - I’m sorry AF arrived but I have to say 4 months is no time at all. Please don’t lose heart after such a short space of time. I appreciate you feel the pressure of time due to your age but really you’ve got it all going for you.

Sparrow - thanks for commenting on Femara. I’m tempted by it but now I’m ovulating by myself again who knows. How are things with you?

Btw, could anyone help with this question... I’m planning to start progesterone cream this cycle (it’s only 20mg dose per day, so fairly small dose) after ovulation but when exactly do I start? I don’t temp or do opks but am pretty sure when I ovulate (as in I can pinpoint fertile days and also when they end). I don’t want to start too soon or too late so do we think about 2/3dpo?? So say 2-3 days after ewcm dries up? And also how do you know when to stop? Presume after a negative hpt? I’m not expecting any miracles at all but I’m hoping it just helps to balance my hormones generally. I’ll post the link to the website that inspired me to get it on a post re hormones in your 40s.

Hi ladies, thank you so much for all your best wishes and lovely messages 😊 for those that requested pictures, see attached. Finley has the extra wire attached as he's a little behind his sister in terms of his lung development, and Erin is the one with just the feeding tube. Both are doing great and better each day!

I'm on the mend but in a lot of pain and unfortunately suffering some PTSD type issues related to what happened before my surgery in Tuesday morning. The hospital are doing their best to look after me though and I'm hoping to go home this weekend!

Congrats to all those with new BFPs, and good luck to those currently pregnant (I hope you have an easier time of it than me!) and those still trying for their BFP xxx

Ooh my goodness sooooooo scrummy @CritterTamer sending lots of love.. xxx

Beautiful pics @CritterTamer. Take all the help offered and then ask for more!! Gorgeous babies xxx

AF arrived on Friday. No surprise and I think cycle has settled down to 28 days. I'd like to start trying again now but I'm not sure DHs heart is in it anymore. We need to have a good honest chat.

He's 50 next year and is terrified of going through our experience again. Maybe we should accept that we were only ever meant to have one. She's so brilliant I shouldn't be so greedy!!!

Oh critter, they're gorgeous, you must be so made up. I bet you just can't believe it!

(For what it's worth I had a traumatic birth with my first, didnt meet baby for hours after deliver as straight into theatre for me, but you do heal and you do move on...)

Oh @CritterTamer - they are so gorgeous!
I hope you are ok - glad they are looking after you well & hope you can recover soon. I can well imagine that it's hard to get out your head - sounds like a terrifying thing to go through. A relatively straightforward birth can be quite a shock imo - I took a few weeks to process fully what happened when my DS was born, and in the scale of things it was pretty standard. I found talking it through with my DH a number of times helped - I didn't remember some stuff madly, and was helpful for him to fill in the blanks!
Given that, I can totally see how an experience like yours is something you will take some time to recover from. I hope you are getting the chance to ask any questions you want to. The 'what ifs' are so terrifying, but thankfully that is all they are: 'ifs'... you are all here and those gorgeous babies are doing well and you will be soon too. Lots of love x

Aw Critter they are gorgeous. So perfect. I’m sorry you’re feeling fragile. Giving birth is so weird emotionally at the best of times but when something goes wrong and causes trauma it’s very hard to process. I had similar with my first. But you do slowly heal and the emotional scars fade with time. Just take as much help as you can and get as much rest as possible. Lots of love 💕

Gorgeous photos critter!
So pleased for you!

Afm I'm 10/11 dpo af due tomorrow but not getting sore boobs like normal. Still getting cranky cramps feeling though

critter your babies are absolutely beautiful. Hope your recovery goes quickly and you are feeling back to full strength soon x

Congratulations critter they are gorgeous!

Still no ovulation this cycle. Starting to worry it’s stopping. I’ve tested this month and on day 6 peak. I don’t know why.

Not peak...high. Geez I need a nap.

LittleMimosa- thank you for asking. I didn't want to go on about it too much here but I had a scan today at 10 and a half weeks and it was spot on my estimated date with a heartbeat. After a MMC, the next pregnancy's scans are terrifying and even after the good news I still feel unsettled but I'm feeling very lucky. Next step is the result of the NIPT test then the 12 week scan.

Critter- what lovely babies. Thank you for sharing the photos.

I’m in the same position. First time posting here - looking for some support!

Really feel like time is running out 🙁

@CritterTamer they are beautiful! Many congratulations!!

Afm I'm starting to get the beginning of spotting again at almost the exact time as the previous loss I'll wait and see what happens over the next few days...

Hope everyone is good xx

@karryk I hope things turn out ok for you

@turquoiseturtle thank you just waiting to see how it pans out... If it goes rubbishly then I might speak to the gp about trying progesterone and aspirin next time...not that it helped me with a previous loss so it all seems a bit random.

Hope you're well xx

Thanks @karryk! I’m having a little brown spotting too. I hope it turns out to be nothing. It’s nerve-wracking, and it all seems quite random as you say! If this doesn’t work out I will be asking the GP for tests. Hope you are doing well

@turquoiseturtle the first weeks before you can have a scan are so nerve wracking. I am constantly knicker checking! I'm trying to be relaxed as there is literally nothing anyone can do at this point, but it is very hard! x

@littlemimosa.. Thanks for saying that

@mellongoose.. We're resigned to the same now and just need to accept and move on. DS is all the more precious for it and he never expresses any interest in having a sibling. I still can't quite leave the thread tho!

Sorry to those who have AF.

@CritterTamer.. Congratulations! Your twins are adorable. They look a lovely healthy colour! Thanks for posting photos. Fantastic to see them x

Gorgeous photos Critter, I hope you are getting as much rest as you can. Labor can be pretty traumatic at the best of times so it is understandable that you are feeling the effects of going through a very serious situation.

Good luck to those with BFP's, hoping they all continue well xx

I am ok littlemimosa thanks for asking. Just had my first AF since the MC and so will be getting back on track with the TTC train. Have started acupuncture and going full steam with supplements and will start DHEA tomorrow as my levels came back low when I had it tested last month. Have also tried to improve my diet but I am struggling with this as DS is not sleeping great and when I am tired all I want to eat is crap food! Need to try to reduce the carb and chocolate intake and get some more sleep.
Will be going full on TTC for the next few months and hopefully if we can find the money, do one more IVF round in Athens in Sept. That's the current plan in my head anyway . Trying to stay positive and think that I did manage to get pregnant naturally last Dec and so I just need to do the same again with a good egg this time.
Good news that you seem to be ovulating again, hope it continues that way for you.

Good luck Petra with your NIPT tests and scans.