Hi all,
A bit of background, I am in a same sex relationship. We decided my partner will carry first.
We started down the IVF route and soon realised that it wasn't for us. For numerous reasons, it was super clinical, not intimate, the process was grueling and intrusive and it cost so much money of which could be spent on a baby.
She was tested and they said she had a very good egg reserve, some knew there was no problems in that department. We were just missing the key ingredient!
So to cut to the chase, we found ourselves a donor, tracked ovulation and before you knew it, it was our time to try.
She has been amazing, not a drop of alcohol, no caffeine, no nicotine and has taken multivitamin, folic acid, zinc, selenium each day for around 14 days prior to trying.
Last period was 28th-31st October.
Peak ovulation was 14th October as per tracker app, however ovulation tests indicated 13th to be peak.
We inseminated on 13th and 14th, we were going to try again on 15th but decided it was too far out the 24hr 'fertile window' given the ovulation test result.
The first time, I can't explain. It was, different. It felt right. It felt like 'the one' and even when inseminating the second time, we agreed that there was such a good feeling surrounding the first attempt.
My partner over the next few days was absolutely convinced she was pregnant. We spent a lot of time reading through the forums, seeing when we could test. Symptoms at 1DPO, 2DPO, 3DPO etc and making comparisons.
She was absolutely adamant she felt symptoms the day after and gradually felt more, the symptoms she described were:
Cramping
This "wasn't like normal period cramps" she described this as "pulling inside".
Fatigued
She can be a little nappy but she would be well rested and yet feel like she needed to sit/lie down a lot.
Back Ache
She can have an occasional sore back but noticed it was continual.
Acute Sickness
She was never sick during this time but did say she felt "gippy" on a few occasions.
Frequently Urination
This was probably the most noticeable, it was one or two times hourly which is a lot more than usual for her.
CM
Maybe TMI but 4DPO she wiped and it was super thick and white. Not sticky, almost like hand cream. Very unusual for her.
Sore Breasts/Nipples
Mainly 5DPO and 6DPO shementioned her breasts being really tender and some shooting pains in her nipples.
Anyway, EVERYWHERE we read that it's far too early to be experiencing these symptoms. I was thinking that she had read herself in to oblivion and told her to stop reading incase she was convincing herself and to avoid potential upset.
Anyway, that night she said all her symptoms had settled as we were cleaning up but once she sat down she felt shooting pains. (This was 5DPO)
We sat and wondered if this was in fact 'implantation' she was feeling and again, got carried away.
Later, we decided to do a test (at 10pm, dont ask, we couldn't resist). Despite reading everywhere it was far too early for this and as we feared, no line. Perhaps too early? We went to sleep, disheartened and grumpy.
I was so restless and couldn't sleep as the urge to know was eating me up and we both oddly woke at 4.30AM, fell asleep for another few hours then woke.
When we woke, she was staring at the test we did the night before and the negative had now the faintest of faint lines. (See image 1)
Again, We divulged in to a rabbit hole of the Internet and I was convinced it was a evaporation line as it only showed over night. But, the more I looked the more I saw it.
I told her to relax and to do another (Now, 6PO), this was about 10AM and within minutes, we got a visibile, undesputsble, BFP (see image 2). Words can't express my/our delight.
I couldn't believe it, 2 positive, clear blue tests in 12 hours, the second much stronger than the first.
So, we tried one of the digital versions and it read "not pregnant"... you can imagine the confusion, we have read they are not as accurate early on, however?
So, we moved to ignore it and assume, that we are and it is just too soon for the digital.
There is still a big part of me wondering how we have got so lucky, first ever try, using 'at home method', 2 shots and a BFP before most pages are even saying its possible? I think we read it is super-rare via Ava Women (Click for link)
"Implantation is when pregnancy begins. According to a 1999 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, implantation can occur as early as 6 DPO, but this was very rare—less than 0.5% of women. For 84% of women, implantation occurred between 8 – 10 DPO."
Obviously for us, as we are same-sex, we had to be super precise considering we was using a donor, which striaght couples dont have to do, they just have to try daily around the time of (not that they don't), so is it because we know exactly when it happened, that we have a better understanding?
Is there a chance the tests are both wrong?
I have read high levels early is a sign of multiples?
Talk to us, conception world, what do you think? Hopefully this will help others on their journey, too and of course, we will test again and keep everyone updated.
🤞Fingers crossed.