BFP after IVF - the journey continues (part 2)

[HopefulllHolly]

SENSITIVE CONTENT

Continuation of previous thread for anyone with a BFP following IVF to support with anxieties and other worries that come along with pregnancy after infertility.

@AnnieStar12
@DippyDuck19
@DogMummy87
@Edf
@Fluffyted
@Leaf86
@LouP87
@Natty2
@SETTC87
@ThePeachGoose
@jas1996
@lemonyfox
@oliviagrace2307
@summerchild92

Please tag anyone else I’ve missed accidentally!

@Edf I'm sorry to hear this and it's 100% ok to not be ok! We've all had our own struggles to get to where we are and I've personally had some very dark times over the years with this infertility struggle.
I'm sorry about your personal circumstances and glad that you reached out for help. Please don't worry about being negative on here because we can all relate in some way and all here for each other
There will be brighter days ahead 💛

@Edf I’m so sorry to hear you’re feeling down - of course it’s ok to be feeling that way and share it on here. As @Natty2 says, I’m sure we’ve all had incredibly dark days. I definitely have both before and during IVF. I’m really pleased you were brave enough to seek the help you need. There’s no shame in feeling bad at all, hormones won’t be helping either! Let us know if you need someone to speak to or anything, I’m sure we’ll all be happy to help how we can. Definitely can be easier than saying it out loud to friends and family I think on here. Plus we all know how horrible infertility can be. I know you mentioned previously you were having issues with friends - so shout if you need a virtual hug or a hand hold. We’re rooting for you! Xxx

@Edf sorry you're feeling so down and it's ok to feel like this. Of course it's ok to share on here. I hope we can help in some way. Like @HopefulllHolly says, it's sometimes easier to share with strangers on the internet than close friends and family (I know I certainly do). Am glad you've been referred for some extra support. I'm sure we've all had our dark days, infertility is an awful journey to be on and it certainly doesn't stop once we get our bfp's!!!

Sending a big virtual hug! 🫂 we're here for you x

@Natty2 @HopefulllHolly @DippyDuck19 you are all so lovely, thank you for making it all feel a little bit more normal and less isolating 🩷🩷

I‘m a maniac and went for a scan 😂 Mainly as I can’t go next week at 16 weeks. I will probably go again at 17/18 weeks because I can’t control myself.
Anyway - she was moving and doing lots of kicking. Which was lovely to see as I was worried she was always asleep or not moving.
Bit disappointed in the fact I have an anterior placenta as I was really excited about feeling her move soon. Trying hard not to feel sad about it because it doesn’t matter as long as it’s doing its job and helping her! Has anyone had one before? When did you feel movement?

Picture of her (didn’t get many good ones because she was constantly kicking and flipping around!)

Hows everyone else? It’s very quiet on here atm!

@HopefulllHolly lovely scan photo! My friend has an anterior placenta and started to feel movement around 21-22 weeks

Aww lovely photo @HopefulllHolly !! I had one with my first- felt odd random movements from 16 but nothing identifying proper kicks until about 21/ 22 weeks,

@HopefulllHolly what a lovely clear scan photo! I have an anterior placenta too and was also disappointed! Midwife and sonography have both said I should start feeling movement around the 20 week mark.

I have my scan tomorrow evening and although I'm anxious, I'm not as anxious as previous scans! I will then hold off til my 20 week scan. Not sure what I'll do for scans after that. Tempted to get a 4d scan around 30 weeks.

My bump has popped this weekend and everyone in work is now commenting. Apparently my boobs are also bigger but I can't tell 😂

@Natty2 Ah ok that’s not too long I guess. How are you doing lovely?

@Edf I really can’t wait for proper kicks!! The thought makes me so giddy. How are you doing? Hope you’re ok!

@DippyDuck19 Awww it’ll be lovely having your scan! The private ones are much clearer than the NHS ones I think! So exciting you’re only 4 weeks off 20 weeks now and you have a little bump! Mine grows by the day now. We told my partners family this last weekend and they all guessed before we said because of my tummy. 🤣🤣 And my partner says my boobs are bigger - they don’t seem it massively to me but my nipples are like more pointy?!? And my boobs do look more full I think, but nothing crazy! One of the perks because my boobs are usually a B or small C 🤣🤣 How are you feeling now? My sickness is really bad today - I was sick 3 times in the night and it’s made me dehydrated so I also have a banging headache too. But I’ll take it now i know little girl is happy in there!

@HopefulllHolly my uniform has covered my bump until now lol and my boobs are on the big size anyways so to me they're still big lol.

Am feeling almost normal now, no nausea or vomiting. Energy levels are much better too! Just get short of breath climbing more than 1 flight of stairs. Went to see a patient at home today and had 8 flights of stairs to climb. By the time I got to the top she let me in her flat and I was like can't talk, give me a few mins!! 😂 irony is all my patients are respiratory (asthma, emphysema) so are all really breathless but she had to wait for me to catch my breath 😂

That's pants your feeling sick - don't think this heat is helping!!! I'm meant to be on call tomorrow which is my busiest day of the week, hoping not too many patients call in because I think I'll struggle with the heat.

@HopefulllHolly im ok thanks
for asking- glad I have got some help lined up and now focussing on 16 week appt on wed and gender scan a week after 😊 I’m soooo excited for the kicks too!

I’ve been a bit quiet on here as I’ve had work events for the past week, but I’m back now and absolutely exhausted. Being so busy was nice in a way, as I didn’t have time to think about worst case scenarios, though I realised yesterday that I’m having a 9 week scan with my IVF clinic tomorrow and my nervousness has come back. Especially as my extreme hunger and occasional nausea haven’t been as prominent in the past few days, plus I’ve had a lot of energy, but I suppose that symptoms come and go.

If you remember, I’ve been freaking out about crowds and covid with these work events, and was considering getting a covid vaccine before the events, which I didn’t get in the end as I got cold feet and I’m now planning to do it in the second trimester hoping that I get there. Well the crowd situation was exactly as expected. Someone joined us 5 days after a positive Covid test (as NHS says it’s okay), someone else 7 days after a positive Covid test, and today we have had another 2 new positive tests in the group sigh

For one event I hadn’t masked up, but for the next ones I masked all the way, opened windows and tried to remove myself from situations with the positive individuals, so hopefully that will be enough to avoid it. But my husband wasn’t able to do all that as he was involved in some presentations and seminars, so this week I’m staying a bit further away from him and sleeping in different rooms.

Otherwise, I have the 9 week scan with my IVF clinic tomorrow and hopefully all is well and they’ll discharge me + give me a prescription for more progesterone. Then my first midwife appointment is on Sunday, and my first obstetrician appointment on 22nd August. At some point after the 10 week mark I'll also get the NIPT as you ladies have made a very good case here.

Any recommendations on what to bring or ask in my first midwife appointment?

I'm catching up with some messages here:

@DippyDuck19 @Fluffyted I've also been consistently hungry in the past few weeks, but I'm way behind you at only 9 weeks. I have to walk around with pretzels on me, as the hunger comes fast, it comes with the shakes and then the nausea arrives too. But I feel lucky that I can just nibble on some pretzels and it all goes away. My husband jokes that I have breakfast nr. 1, breakfast nr. 2, lunch nr. 1, lunch nr. 2 and dinner haha that's my meal plan!

@jas1996 lucky you with zero nausea!

@Edf oh I’m so sorry to read that you’re struggling. but I’m so pleased that you reached out for help. Many people try to brave it on their own, but I think that talking about it openly, not holding it in and more importantly talking to a professional will help you get to calmer waters sooner. A big virtual hug!

@HopefulllHolly what a gorgeous little girl, can’t believe how much detail you can see so early! I also lol'ed on the breasts posts but I can relate, the pointy-ness has become part of my life now too haha

@HopefulllHolly did they tell you about your anterior placenta at the most recent scan? Or did they pick up up earlier? Just wondering when it’s noticed!

@Edf sometimes the hardest part is reaching out for help, so glad that you have done and I really hope it helps you with everything. You’re not alone!

I’ve been quiet but tried to keep up with everyone’s new on here over the weeks. I’m at the point where I don’t feel pregnant at all so patiently waiting for the 20 week scan (Aug 23) or hopefully some kind of movement to prove there is a little baby in there!

everything else is good so far, low risk screening results which was a relief, waiting to find out the gender at the 20 week, but we both have a feeling it’s a girl anyway

@HopefulllHolly that's an incredibly clear scan! I had an anterior placenta with my last pregnancy, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t until 24 weeks that I was confident I felt the movements, I know it’s frustrating, but like you say as long as it’s doing its job then try not too worry. After an ivf pregnancy, we’re all experts is waiting and waiting!!
At my 12 week scan they said mine was over to the left, but at this stage I wonder if it might move. I haven’t decided when to get my next scan. Thinking maybe middle of August at around 15/16 weeks.

I’m now massive, just brought myself some maternity bits in H&M sale as it was very discounted. Still haven’t told my work, I need to go to the office next week which will be tricky but then I’m on leave till late August and will have to tell people then as I’ll be HUGE by that point. Can’t believe how quickly I’m growing in this pregnancy.

I know it’s impossible and can’t be true, but I swear a few times this week I’ve felt a little movement, like I’m being tickled from the inside which I can remember describing early movements in previous pregnancies. But baby is only 5/6cm so too small to feel I guess 🤷‍♀️

@DippyDuck19 Good luck at work today! Make sure you stay hydrated ☺️ it’s boiling today already! Glad your sickness and things have gone - this last week has been the worst so far for me, it’s really miserable feeling crap constantly. And my diets been shocking too.

@Edf I’m glad you’re doing ok and have someone to talk to lined up. I’m a big advocate of counselling - it really does help having someone there to listen to you. 16 week scan tomorrow!! Awwww so exciting! I bet it’s going to be lovely. Do you have any guesses what you’re having?

@ThePeachGoose Gosh your work events sound busy and stressful! Bet you’re glad to be home now 😊 Good luck with the scan today, hope it’s perfect for you! No real tips on the first midwife appointment - it’s very dull and they just ask you a million questions really! Im sure things will pop up as they ask you that you’ll want to ask. I think I told them about NIPT and asked if they’d still do the nhs tests with us getting that done and she said no. Can’t really remember much else we asked! Glad you have boobs Madonna would be proud of too 🤣🤣🤣 they really look unsexy when they are covered in blue veins 🤣

@LouP87 Yeah the sonographer told me yesterday when I had the scan - they didn’t mention it at the nhs one at all. I think it’s usually something they’d tell you at the 20 week one though, from my reading yesterday when I was sulking about it. Not too long until your 20 week really now! We’ll call it 3 weeks ☺️ I bet you can’t wait! Bedsides my nausea this last week I feel ok but I have had tummy ache quite a bit which is uncomfortable but I guess it’s just because I’m growing quite quickly now.

@AnnieStar12 Awww so lovely you’re growing - it’s nice to have something to prove you’re pregnant I think! I think you show earlier and earlier with every pregnancy so maybe that’s why you’re so big already? I’m debating when to buy maternity trousers - I miss wearing jeans (not in this heat!). I feel like a frump in everything I wear at the moment! I don’t think it’s impossible you might be feeling baby - I’ve read a load of threads with people on their second baby feeling it much earlier (I’m guessing because they know what to look for?!) so who knows!!

@LouP87 Pleased to hear all is going well and totally understand that nervousness when symptoms go away. You must have nerves of steel if you're planning to wait until 23rd August! Though outside of our IVF circle it's such a normal thing to do. Women just wait and get on with their lives. Fingers crossed you feel a kick soon and it's a girl for you!

@HopefulllHolly thanks for that! So far so good, negative tests all round.

The scan went well today and the baby is developing great. Strong heartbeat and we've even seen some movement of limb buds! How crazy as it's only 9 weeks and a half. The doctor said it's a mark of the nervous system developing. Otherwise my haematoma has shrunk quite a bit, which would explain my sudden stopping of brown discharge, but it's not gone yet. And he gave me a private prescription of Cyclogest for weeks 12-16 just in case NHS gets difficult. Thanks for the details on your midwife appointment. Good to know that if I do a NIPT test the NHS won't bother with the trisomy.

@ThePeachGoose pleased to hear your scan went well! Good luck with your midwife appointment. I felt mine was really chaotic, I had a trainee in and also they were running so late so rushed through everything and felt a didn't have enough time to go through my questions!

@Edf how was your scan today?

@HopefulllHolly sorry to hear the sickness has returned! Won't help with this heat 🥵
I'm doing ok thanks, I felt like my symptoms have started easing up abit so that's of course making me anxious! 12 week scan next weds so really looking forward to then!

Just a quick update (will catch up with all your messages tomorrow).

Scan went well. Baby boy has nice strong heartbeat and actually heard it for the first time!!! 🥰 confirmed he is definitely a boy!!!

The sonographer gave a sneak peak to a 4d scan too which we weren't expecting.

The person before us unfortunately looked like she had miscarried!! This made me a little anxious while I was waiting (and there was quite a lengthy delay). They let us print extra photos for free to apologise for keeping us waiting and received a little gift too (mam bottle, dummy and some decaf teabags!). Will definitely be going back here for another scan. Such a nice experience compared to my other private scans.

Hi everyone,
Just checking in to see how people's scans went today, great to see good news. We had our 12 week scan today too and all went well, looking perfect. Feeling so relieved!

@DippyDuck19 cute pictures! Congrats on a successful scan. How many weeks are you today? Baby looks so fully formed already!

@RunningOnHope wonderful news, you must be delighted.

@LouP87 I was told at my 12 week scan the position of the placenta. Apparently it can move slightly so some sonographers won't confirm until 20 weeks.

@HopefulllHolly sorry you've been feeling soo rubbish this week considering you haven't been too bad with nausea in the early stages!

@ThePeachGoose and @RunningOnHope glad your scans went well!!!

@AnnieStar12 thank you. I was exactly 16 weeks yesterday. Baby is soo clear and active!!! Got some great videos of the scan. I can't stop looking at the 4d one. DP usually hates 4d scans as he finds them weird/eery but he was amazed how clear it was even though he's tiny! Definitely going back for a 4d around 28-30 weeks.

@ThePeachGoose Awww so pleased your scan went well! It’s such a relief isn’t it. Now the countdown to your 12 week one. I actually found it slightly easier than the wait to the first couple, hopefully you do too!

@Natty2 Ah im glad your symptoms are letting up! I think mine lessened at 10 weeks but now they are back. Annoyingly it’s not just when I’m hungry now but I feel sick constantly. I can’t stop dry heaving which is just horrible, works been unbearable. So exciting you’re 12 weeks next week. I feel like it becomes more real after that for some reason. Although saying that I still feel quite detached and like it’s a dream but I think ivf does that to you.

@DippyDuck19 Wow that 4d scan is amazing! He looks like a proper little human doesn’t he! 😍😍 I bet that makes your partner feel like it’s more real as the normal scans they just look like little aliens I think sometimes! Where was your scan this time? (How horribly sad for the person before you how awful, bet that made you anxious going in)

@RunningOnHope Glad your scan went well and you’re plodding along nicely!

@AnnieStar12 How are you? Hope the anxiety is getting better now!

@HopefulllHolly this scan was at an independent place called BabyVue. I've tried window to the womb and HeyBaby but this one was definitely the best experience.
I did feel really anxious about going in after what had happened with the previous woman. Afterwards my DP said he was nervous too (he never tells me) but just the look on his face with the heart beat and then the 4d was soo cute 🥰 Got some amazing little videos of him moving about too. Feel like I can relax a bit more now. She looked at his brain and organs and said everything is looking just like it's meant to so now just want to get the 20 week scan out the way.

I feel like everyone is plodding along growing their sprogs quite nicely in here now🙊

My 10 week scan is first thing tomorrow so hopefully I’m find out if twin 2 is still clinging on or if sadly there’s just 1 now! Selfishly all I need is 1 healthy baby, 2 is a bonus and some days I convince myself there’s nothing going on in there so tomorrow can’t come quick enough!
I can’t moan though, my ivf clinic have given me 6, 8 and a 10 week scan - Not sure how I’m going to manage going any longer than a fortnight between scans now! 😂