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!

@ThePeachGoose Oh bless you that sounds rough! But great they have been so attentive and good with you. Hope it clears up quickly!
Really interesting about the pelvic floor stuff - we go over a lot of it in my Pilates class I go to (in fact most lessons are about exercises for it) and I was definitely not doing it as well as I could have been. And I still struggle with the longer holds of it - I’m trying to practice these but I can’t really hold them for too long still! The joys of being a woman - men don’t have to think about any of this stuff (and probably for good reason as they definitely wouldn’t bother! 🤣). Glad you’ve had a helping hand with it anyway.

I’ve just been for my Covid vaccine and they’ve booked me for my RSV on 4th November so that’s one thing to tick off my ever growing to do list.

The guys fitting the coving didn’t manage to get to the nursery yet as our room is quite big and has alcoves for windows and fireplace so it was quite complicated. It looks soooo nice though! I was wanting to paint it this weekend but have to leave it 5 days to dry, so having a weekend of prepping for it and buying paint and things, and might start painting our ceiling up to the new coving as we don’t have another full weekend free until the end of the month. But I can start painting the nursery in the next couple of weeks as my partner is out and I’ll be at home anyway so may as well crack on. I actually ended up going with a green colour for the nursery rather than the Sulking Room pink - it just looked more brick coloured and darker than I’d like. Miraculously me and my partner both liked the green over the pink which rarely happens! Anyway, I feel like this month is going to fly by! I start my antenatal classes soon too, and we have our John Lewis appointment this month too so hopefully we’ll be buying some bigger bits then!
Hope everyone is ok and having a good weekend so far ☺️

Hi everyone!
it’s so nice to read all about the nurseries and things you have all bought already.

I’m currently 17 weeks + 5 days and have my next scan at the end of October at approx. 21 weeks.

First time mommas, when did you feel your babies move for the first time? How did it feel? :) I haven’t felt anything yet 😬

@summerchild92 Hello! Hope you’ve been ok ☺️ I didn’t feel anything until 19 weeks (anterior placenta). The first was like a small tap from the inside and I swore I’d imagined it. Then it felt like a little goldfish was swimming in my tummy, and then it felt like a bigger fish. And then it was definite kicks after that and has kind of stayed that way. Sure it won’t be too long till you feel something!

Another questions for everyone - those who have felt movement, have any of you felt like a vibrating movement? Doesn’t last long like a few seconds and is definitely baby but it’s like a weird buzzing? Very weird!!

I had a scan at 6+2 today, embryo measuring right on track with good heartbeat! No sign of where the spotting has been coming from. Such a special moment, and a relief! Counting down the days now until 8w scan

@ThePeachGoose exciting you are feeling movements now 😀
I keep forgetting to do kegals 🤦🏻‍♀️ I'll remember for a few days and then forget, not good considering I'm a physio (and always going on at patients about doing their exercises). I'd like to think I'm doing them correctly when I am doing them though so there's that.

@summerchild92 I started feeling little vibrations around 17 weeks (anterior placenta too). If I wasn't looking for it, I probably wouldn't have noticed. They were very sporadic too, like every 3-4 days. By 19 weeks it was more swooshing and rolling movements. Kicks started around 20-21 weeks. And then 22 weeks for feeling them outside and the another week actually seeing them. It's soo surreal! Fingers crossed it won't be too long for you. Do you know where your placenta is?

@HopefulllHolly sounds like you've got your nursery decorating schedule planned! Excited to see how yours turns out!!!
As for your question on the vibrations. I may have had this on the odd occasion. I've put it down to trapped gas because of where I'm feeling it (tends to be higher up). Baby is also kicking under my ribs/stomach now so I wonder if that's all connected?

We are painting the nursery this weekend!! Then will hopefully order the furniture in the week. My spare room is an absolute tip as everything that's for the nursery has been dumped in there. Need to get the nursery sorted so that it can all be moved back as need the spare bed for early November as have my mum staying to help then evening before my baby shower.

Thanks @HopefulllHolly and @DippyDuck19 it must be magical feeling it for the first time 🥰

I have a posterior placenta. I hope I will feel the baby soon as I think this will calm my nerves a little bit more too. 🥰🥰

We have also started to “decorate” the nursery and my plan is to paint one wall beige (we’re having a boy, but we don’t want to go for blue) :) I have yet to choose the right colour as I don’t want it to be too dark …

@Sierra26 great news on your scan!

@HopefulllHolly I'm doing much better thanks! So pleased you've reached the next milestone. I'm counting down the next 4 weeks too. How has this weekend felt? It's so normal to be emotional, there's a lot going on in there! On the movement front, I've felt a weird sensation that almost feels like a bit tight and I guess with a little vibration and I can only imagine that might be baby turning?!

@Edf glad to hear you are well and the talking therapy has been helpful 💛

@AnnieStar12 glad to hear you got some reassurance! Have you felt any little movements since?

@DippyDuck19 glad to hear your last midwife appointment went well. Sounds like you've got a strong baby boy there! 🩵

@ThePeachGoose im with you on the pelvic floor exercises. I need to make sure im doing them more regularly and im also worried im not quite doing it right! Not long until your scan!

For me I'm 20 + 3 now and waiting for my scan on Tuesday along with my obstetrician appointment🤞
@summerchild92 I felt my first flutter 2 weeks ago, and then slowly over the last week they've felt stronger and I've got an anterior placenta. The first few times felt so subtle I thought I was making it up! Can't wait for DH to start feeling the movement too!

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

I am now officially 5 weeks pregnant! I still can’t believe it!

Has anyone been on a baby moon during their pregnancy? I really would like to go on one last international trip with my partner before the baby arrives, but as this is my first pregnancy I don’t know how I will feel! It looks like it’s better to go during the second trimester as we are meant to feel better!

@Natty2 baby boy is definitely getting stronger! Omg the kicks the last few days have been uncomfortable! He's definitely found his feet (and arms! - I get punched and kicked at the same time now on both sides of my bump!). I'm sure it won't be long until your DH can feel them too ☺️ good luck for your scan on Tuesday too x

@YellowTack I haven't been on a baby moon but DP and I had several staycations and weekends away (uk based) during my second trimester. I don't think I could have coped with flying although plenty of people do. The burst of energy you get in the second trimester didn't last too long for me! After I stopped vomiting at 14 weeks I think I had 5 weeks of feeling relatively normal. Baby boy then had a growth spurt I think around 19 weeks which zapped all my energy again. Now at 25+5 with a huge bump everything feels like it's in my ribcage and I just struggle if I do too much. You could see how you go once you hit the second trimester and book something last minute? I've loved spending time just DP and me away from the usual routine and would have loved one last holiday abroad but hasn't worked out that way. We are planning a nice holiday once baby here instead (probably once he's around 6-7 months).

@Natty2 good luck for your scan and obs appt today!

@HopefulllHolly I have had the vibrations before too. No idea what it is, but it definitely feels like it’s baby! I think I have read other people have had it too.

@summerchild92 i think you will start feeling very soon! Posterior placenta will mean you should feel bub really clearly in the third trimester when it really counts. I think I felt movement around 16/17 weeks with my posterior placenta, but still not clear until post 20 weeks and not regular/consistent until post 24 weeks. It felt initially like gas bubbles popping in the centre of my uterus below my belly button (or little taps). Sometimes just a tightening feeling as baby rolls.

On my side, I had my 25 week midwife appt yesterday, all fine - measured bump and listened to heart rate. I asked about baby movements between now and when they can put us on the CTG and she reiterated to come in each time they are reduced and that sometimes they will even do a scan if they are worried. It’s really difficult because I think that when I’m busy or walking around, I really don’t notice them in the same way. They’re definitely stronger now, which is great.

@Leaf86 It’s weird isn’t it! It feels like they are farting or something 🤣🤣 I’ve only had it a couple of times. Glad you’re feeling the same weird vibrations too, that’s comforting. Little lady is moving like crazy today, really big outside movements which is lovely - does make it easier to monitor them! I have my 25 week appointment next week - was it a dull appointment or more informative? It feels quite mad we’re only 5 weeks off 30 weeks pregnant - very surreal even now!

@DippyDuck19 Well I did have the nursery planned but they didn’t finish the coving last week and now say they can’t come back until the 18th which I’m very annoyed about - so we won’t be painting the nursery until the end of October. It’s fine but I really don’t like my plans being changed at the moment - it makes me very stressed 😂 So we’re just going to get our room repainted and put back to normal as the house is an absolute bomb site (also not helping my stress levels).
Haha oh so the vibrating thing IS common - ok! That’s reassuring! I definitely think it’s baby though. Mine was like vibrating/movement after and was down kind of where my ovaries are. What I am finding weird is my digestive feelings and sounds all coming from up near my boobs 🤣🤣 it’s really strange!

@Natty2 Good luck today hope it was ok!

@YellowTack Take the trip! I wish we had gotten away but we have too many outgoings on the house and car. Would have loved some pictures of our last holiday as a twosome and me with my bump - I don’t have any pictures of me pregnant which is sad! Take the trip and soak up the special time of you two together 😍🥰

No updates from me - baby is kicking a lot and really visibly now. She is very very active in the night - it’s kept me awake a few times now. You can definitely feel her size now as I’m feeling kicks on opposite ends of my giant stomach or very high and down low at the same time. Feel like maybe she’s having a real growth spurt this week as my bump looks like a bowling ball. Weird to think baby is the size of a cantaloupe - that is pretty big! 🤣

Hi all, hope everyone is well!

Update from me that scan went well and baby boy is doing really well 🩵 he was not playing ball and made the sonographers job very difficult 😅
Head and abdomen are measuring way above average.. so that will be fun for me 😂 I've surprisingly felt really strong movements last couple of days and even DH felt his first kick this morning!

Obstetrician appointment also went well this afternoon. I will stay under her care and they will probably look at delivering no later than 39 weeks and likely c-section. My mum has quite a traumatic birth history so they're giving me extra care and extra growth scans so feels good to feel reassured by them!

I may have a bonus scan next week as they might want to get a student to scan me, which I'm happy to do, to see baby again!

@Leaf86 thanks for the reassurance! I’m 18weeks + 1 day today. 🥰 Hope baby kicks are not too far away now. 🥰

@Natty2 awww that's fab news!! I'm so glad your scan & OB appointment went well.
Haha these little babies are already cheeky monkeys! None of them seem to play ball for their scans 😂🙈
Ohhh exciting! I hope you do get an extra scan next week - that would be so lovely.
Glad his little kicks are getting stronger & your DH felt them too 😍 so special.

@summerchild92 I didn't feel any kicks until 22/23 weeks. Now they are all the time and my partner can feel them and my tummy moves if she kicks hard 😅 a tad strange to see at first (I'm 26 + 4 now).
I have a posterior placenta but my baby keeps turning to face my back and on those days I can't feel many kicks, if any.
Maybe your baby is just facing your back too, those kicks will deffo be starting soon for you 🥰

Let me catch up with all the posts

@HopefulllHolly well done on your covid vaccine! No one has offered it to me yet, so I’m pleased I got mine done in August. For the whooping cough one, they just told me to go to the walk-in maternity vaccination site when I'm done with my 20 week scan, so I imagine that they would have had the Covid vax available there too, who knows, but the midwife told me to space them all out

We sampled the sulking pink shade in our living room last year too and we were surprised how much darker it appeared in our home compared to the photos. If you're going for the popular vert de terre green, that one is gorgeous! We ended up with it in our living room and everyone compliments it. It's so calming and lovely.

It sounds like you have a busy month coming up with all the nursery prep, antenatal classes and JL consultation! The thought of a cantaloupe baby almost sounds scary but also pleasing that the baby is growing at a healthy pace. Your due date doesn't feel that far! Do you feel prepared with all of the gear needed for day 1, or are you hoping to make more purchases after the consultation? Or maybe during Black Friday?

@summerchild92 I felt the baby kicks at 18 weeks, but it took me a second to work out that what i thought were muscle spasms from a growing bump were actually the baby. I only noticed them when I was lying in bed with my hands on my belly listening to a podcast for an hour. There were muscle spasms, gentle taps and thumps, and they were in different places of the belly. I didn’t really feel flutters or vibrations, though I did feel a bubble popping at 17 weeks and an effervescent feeling towards 19 weeks. Now at almost 20 weeks they're a bit stronger and more noticeable, so they evolve fast as someone else mentioned too. Hopefully you’ll feel them soon, but this early I think that you need to look for them, they’re not that noticeable.

@Sierra26 congratulations!!!! Such good news with your scan and heartbeat. The week 8 scan will be even more lovely with the embryo a tad further along. They develop fast at that stage

@DippyDuck19 as a physio I have no doubt that you know how to do the kegels correctly, but it makes me feel better that you don’t keep up with them either lol

@Natty2 i waffled around on that kegels post for a bit, but the biggest lesson was not to contract the ab muscles, just the pelvic ones. This is where other friends were going wrong too by the sound of it. I’m so pleased your scan and obstetrician appointment went well, and so nice to see that they’re taking great care of you, checking in more often. Above average head and shoulders sounds scary indeed 😆 good thing you’re planning for a c-section

@YellowTack I’m planning a babymoon to LA in Nov (well it was already booked but we're turning it into one) and I see it as the last relaxing trip we’ll take just the two of us for a while, with no work, chores or distractions around us, just the two of us. I looked into this quite a bit and the advice is usually to go on the second trimester as you’re at your most comfortable state, and the royal college of obstetricians states that the second trimester also has the lowest rate of emergencies. The important part is to double check with your midwife / obstetrician in case you have any particular factors where you wouldn’t be recommended to fly (like I had to cancel a trip in September due to my haematoma), make sure you have travel / medical insurance and take all precautions to avoid DVT (compression socks, move around during the flight). Also check pregnancy advice at your destination as they’ll differ from the UK (e.g. in the US they don't advise eating runny eggs because their food standards aren't as high as in the UK, and they don't recommend eating anything at deli's that hasn't been cooked). Probably good to have the covid and flu vaccines done by then too.

@Leaf86 so pleased your 25 week appt went well! I struggle with the level of "reduced" you’re supposed to go in for: is it when they missed their evening session? Or when you didn’t feel them kicking the whole day? Right now i have the same thing that i can miss them if i’m busy, plus i think the baby is more likely to sleep if you’re active? Hard to know but i think we’ll just know once we get past 24-26 weeks 🤷🏻‍♀️ and it sounds like most maternities are quite understanding about this

Hi everyone,
Two updates here - 22week scan finally gave us some photos! All looking good except mild dilation of one kidney - apparently not unusual in boys and hopefully will rectify itself but being monitored over the growth scans.

Also saw a nursery today that we really liked and finally one that will let you use the free hours from 9 months just as free hours, term time only, without extra costs. Hallelujah!

@RunningOnHope congratulations on your scan & photos! Glad it went well. Beautiful little baby!
Aww, i hope his little kidney does rectify itself 🤞🏼 although it's probably nothing to worry about it must still be quite scary!

Wow, you found a nursery already!! You're very organised .. that's fab news though. At least that's now one less thing for you to think about when maternity leave is over 😅

@Fluffyted yeah I know it seems crazy! It will be for January 2026, she said they are filling up for that term now as so any people are making use of the funding.

Yeah we are the same, name down to start nursery 2026- never been so organised!

Morning everyone ☺️
Nice to see some lovely updates!
@Natty2 Glad to hear baby boy is doing well! Mine has got slightly bigger head and tummy too, but her dad is that shape 😂 That’s good you get a freebie scan! I miss having all my scans and seeing her grow!

@ThePeachGoose Yeah we have the sulking room pink as our front door colour but the bedroom is north facing and it just looked dull and too dark. I was debating trying Calamine instead but that felt too light so we’re going with Pigeon (although I love verre de terre). Pigeon is a really pretty colour and looks right with the colour of the cot that’s like a light taupe. Hopefully I like it on the walls!
Yeah we have a stupidly busy month this month and now with all the antenatal classes (also doing the nhs ones lol) I feel like we’re very busy! I thought pregnant people were meant to be allowed to rest?!? 🤣 I haven’t actually bought anything big yet - we’re buying it all on Black Friday. But I know what I want to get to be honest anyway and have settled on it now after all my crazy person research. Excited to get it all and assemble it all and have some time to nest. Feels like a long way off though!
How are you feeling? Everything ok?

@RunningOnHope Beautiful little scan picture, he looks nice and cosy in there! I feel like I’ve seen a few posts about enlarged kidneys on here and they seem to all work out - I’m sure it will be the same for your little man.
Can’t believe you have a nursery planned already! Gosh that feels scary. I already know I’ll be a wreck crying sending her off even for just the one day we’ll send her for 🤣🤣 Well done you for being so organised!

Nothing to update here - I had a very very quiet day of movement yesterday so baby has got herself in to a position that’s very tucked away. I felt a few kicks low down and some on my side very late last night but the rest of the time nothing! It really is scary not feeling them isn’t it 😞
I also went for my Pilates class and got some abdominal doming/coning which was bad - I definitely need to be more careful with my movement. I struggle to get out of bed now so it’s good practice for me to practice rolling on to my side to get up not just sitting up. I wouldn’t have noticed it if the instructor hadn’t told me to stop. It was very basic exercise too 🙃 She also said I’d massively popped and I do feel like I look like I’ve got a football up my top. It’s very round and compact!
Other than that just plodding along - 25 week midwife appointment is on Tuesday and I have a crazy busy week at work next week, so in no time I’ll be 30 weeks it feels like!!

Hope everyone is ok and babies are cooking away nicely 🥰

@ThePeachGoose it’s really hard, isn’t it? I think that we just have to listen to our gut - sometimes I feel aware baby is in a different position from “normal” and then it makes sense that I am feeling less. I’m more nervous when baby feels right at the front of my bump and I’m not feeling anything or it’s reduced from normal. Around the time I start thinking I should go in, baby starts kicking again!

@HopefulllHolly honestly a bit of a dull one, unfortunately. Apart from hearing baby’s heartbeat! I think the key ones for me are going to be post my next scan (28 weeks) with the consultant as I will hopefully be able to book in my c section and find out if my placenta has moved / what the plan is. Last time I found the birth choices / conversations happened very late, definitely post 34 weeks (but were all very detailed and helpful - I had a specific call with a specialist birth choices midwife because I couldn’t decide what I wanted, for example).

@RunningOnHope beautiful scan picture and hope you’re not too worried about the kidney. Good that it’s mild and fingers crossed all resolved at the next scan, as @HopefulllHolly says, I feel I have read multiple stories of that happening and it all being ok.

@Natty2 congrats on a good scan too! Nice that you’ll have another opportunity to see baby too. 🥰

@Leaf86 glad your midwife appointment went well.

@Natty2 pleased your scan went well!! It's always nice when the movements are strong enough for our other halves to feel it too!

@RunningOnHope lovely scan pic ☺️ glad everything is looking ok and hopefully the kidney issue resolves itself.
Exciting you have found a nursery too. The nursery I like is slowly starting to get more busy with the new funding. I'm hopefully going to view it in a couple of weeks and put his name down.

@HopefulllHolly it's always worrying when you don't feel kicks for a while, but it's likely positional with the anterior placenta. If you're ever worried though, best to get checked out.
Crazy how we're nearly 3rd trimester!!! Hope your midwife appointment goes well on Tuesday.

Baby boy is definitely getting stronger by the day. Feel him regularly throughout the day now and night time too (never usually feel him overnight).

Bump had definitely popped and am getting braxton hicks which is uncomfortable!

We've spent the whole week finishing the panelling and painting in the nursery. Just started putting some of the accessories on the walls and have the furniture getting delivered next weekend! Can't wait to see it finished!

@DippyDuck19 Awww that’s so cute already! Looks super similar to our colours 😍 we’ve done panelling all the way around though but I do love the feature wall! Very cute! Well done! 👏 Bet you’re so pleased to have it done so you can start organising!

Ive been painting our bedroom all day today. Had to stop as I think I overdid it - I was up the ladder and rollering the walls and tipped the tray of paint all over myself 🤣 literally had it in my hair, all down my legs, in between my toes. Managed to get it all cleaned up and had a long bath. Already tucked up in bed. I’m really not used to having so little battery life. I’m drained!

@HopefulllHolly thank you ☺️ can't wait to see your nursery when done. Well done for doing the painting yourself! I just don't have the energy or it's super uncomfortable with braxton hicks.

Am going to wash all his clothes in the week so I can hang them up in the new wardrobe next weekend. Getting the urge to nest already!!!

When is everyone planning on packing their hospital bag? I'm 27 weeks on Tuesday and this week I've had at least 3 people ask me if I've pack my bag 😬 feels a little early at the mo, but with people asking may I should have done it already 🤷🏻‍♀️ I was planning on packing around 30 weeks.