BFPs after IVF in September

[teampacey]

Hi all!

Thought I would start a new thread for the next stage of our journey.

@Daniki @Lucymorris @Natasha90 @PurpleRayne89 @xMrsxHx87x @YellowTack

If I've missed anyone I'm really sorry and please join us!

I’ve been told that I will be induced at 40 weeks too. In my area all IVF pregnancies are automatically classed as high risk due to potential issues with the placenta. It is worrying me, but I am trying to keep in mind that placenta issues are still relatively low risk even with IVF.

FINALLY had my 20 week scan today (at 20+3). Such a relief to see all was well. The baby looked so big compared to the dating scan. And we resisted the urge to find out, though DH adamant it's a girl; I have zero inclination either way!

Aw sounds great @xMrsxHx87x . Are you waiting until they arrive before finding out then? I always thought I wouldn’t find out but I’m loving knowing now! It’s like I have a little pal with me at all times.

@PinaColadaJ interesting, sounds like this is the norm then. Although I’m more worried about the induction than my placenta failing, I don’t know why. I think I’m going to try finish up from work a week earlier than planned originally to try bring on the relaxation hormones and labour!

@PinaColadaJ With my last IVF pregnancy I was induced at 40 weeks for the reasons you state. All iVf pregnancies are classified at high risk due to placental concerns. I was offered either a C Sec or induction. I went with the induction which took 3 days from beginning to end. Do whatever feels more comfortable to you and best wishes ❤️

I forgot to ask about this yesterday, but for those of you who've been told you will need to be induced because of IVF (@Sierra26 and @PinaColadaJ), was this conversation held at your scan or with a midwife? I was given absolutely no specific information at my scan at all. I was just told that the baby was measuring fine for my gestation, given some photos and sent on my way. I have no idea what the specific measurements are, nothing about percentiles or anything. I didn't think anything of it at the time but now I'm questioning it as I've seen other people's posts on here who seem to have a lot more specific information about their pregnancy than I've been given.

@xMrsxHx87x I’m the exact same as you. I wasn’t given anymore information or told anything about having to be induced, the only thing I was told is that I have a low lying placenta at the moment and they’re hoping it will move up as I grow. If not I might have no choice but to have a section.
It was mentioned at my first appt with my midwife that I was high risk but I’ve no idea what for or why.
Since my scan, and learning about the low lying placenta I’ve looked into it a little and that also seems to be a thing with ivf. I’m hoping to learn more at my next appt.
@Sierra26 thanks so much for letting us know and bringing it to our attention :)

@xMrsxHx87x this was at my 22 week appt with an obstetrician. Which I believe is only booked if there is a risk factor (ivf). The induction was the only thing discussed, and I had the usual urine test, bp check snd got to listen to baby’s heartbeat again (the latter felt a bit ‘token’ though).

I had no idea what the appt was for beforehand, and the info could have been shared at another appt and saved me a 3hr round trip. 🤣

I think it’s just process to book an obstetrician appt at this stage where there is a risk factor and they discuss whatever is relevant to that.

There was no info shared at my 20wk scan, nothing about growth or what the sizing meant. I did ask about that the other day and the obstetrician said they start measuring bump and monitoring growth from 28 week midwife appt.

@PurpleRayne89 thanks for sharing, good to hear from someone with experience of the induction process!

I had a telephone appointment with a consultant at about 17 weeks. He explained about the placenta risks / induction then. I also have another face to face appointment booked with him at 28 weeks. From what I’ve heard from others/seen online I don’t think every NHS trust classifies IVF as high risk automatically, so there may be differences in the approach depending on where you live.

I was told by my midwife at my booking appointment that because I was IVF, I was being treated as a high risk pregnancy, but nothing more has been mentioned about it since that first appointment. To be honest my experience of antenatal care has been quite poor so far. Mistakes were made by my midwife both when arranging and during the booking appointment. Both she and the hospital failed to fill in the paperwork correctly for my combined test so I had to return to have it redone (and almost missed the window to have it). Not to mention I shat myself when I got a call 2 days later from the hospital who left me a voicemail asking me to call back about my test - I obviously assumed the call was because the results were high risk. It also took me until 17 weeks and after making repeated calls to both my midwife and GP to get my prescription exemption certificate, despite the midwife insisting at two appointments that she'd filled in the paperwork. She honestly seemed to have no idea how to do anything, but at my 16 week appointment she disclosed that she would be hospital based from January so I'll be seeing someone else from now on.

As a side note, I did post about all of this on the pregnancy forum a while ago asking if it would be unreasonable to complain about it/request another midwife, and I got absolutely blasted for it by the Mumsnet crew, who basically told me I need to lower my expectations of the NHS/nicer about my hardworking midwife/get a grip/how will I cope being a mother if I need my hand held through pregnancy etc etc! So since then I've just kept my mouth shut and accepted that maybe this level of disorganisation is just normal for the NHS, which I understand is very stretched. However I'm under the care of Leeds trust and last week there was a report on BBC news stating they have the worst neonatal mortality rates in the country (75% higher than national average), so maybe I'm not wrong to think that actually things are pretty poor around here compared to other areas?

I’m really sorry that you’ve had such a bad experience. Personally, I think you should complain if you are not happy with the care you are receiving. As with all things NHS I think it can be mixed & you have to advocate for yourself. Hope things improve with your next midwife.

@PinaColadaJ Sorry to hear of your experience. Community midwives are uninformed and lazy by the most part. Speak to any pregnant woman and they’ll tell you the same. At least in my experience anyway. When you have another appointment, bring this up to them and I’m sure they’ll put things in motion and the right direction.

Hi everyone how are you all doing? I'm 25 weeks tomorrow and can't believe how fast it is going! I'm still very tired but my iron count and ferritin are low so that explains it. I knew they were low before but skipped my iron tablets as I had trouble tolerating them. That's bitten me on the bum so now forcing them down!
My little boy is incredibly active and I am loving every moment of it.
Have sorted my maternity leave at work and we are going baby shopping tomorrow to look at prams etc! We've also been to look at nurseries as I think with the funding in September coming in places will go quickly.

Great to hear you are doing well @teampacey , but hope the iron tablets help relieve some of your tiredness! I’m 24 weeks today & so relieved to get to “viability”! My little boy has also upped the wiggling in the last week or so, which has been really nice. We’ve started looking in shops & have an appointment booked with John Lewis in a few weeks which is exciting! I haven’t started looking at nurseries yet though, how far in advance do you think spaces will fill? We’ll be looking to start June/July 2026.

Thanks @PinaColadaJ me too! I'd quite like to stop going to bed after tea every night!

24 weeks is such a milestone isn't it! I felt the same last week. My friend started her stims for her first cycle for number 2 last night and it brought back to me how far we have come since those days!

That will be fab at John Lewis. We have booked a session at mamas and papas tomorrow to get some ideas but I might book one at JL too. I got the joie 360 car seat from Tesco today- reduced from £149 to £75 with club card. I need to do so research to see if we will keep but thought I would grab it whilst I could and then return if we find one we like better.

Nursery wise we are planning for an April start, personally I don't think you can start looking too early. I am concerned that once September comes it will be harder to get places. The one we like said they don't currently having a waiting list but are anticipating that they will soon have one once people start planning for the funding uplift. The one we like is £50 to register with and I'm booking the max days and then will reduce if I decide to go back to work for less hours (also depends on whether we will try for another baby shortly afterwards!)

That’s a great bargain!

Goos to know about nursery timing…I better start looking!

Starting the shopping is exciting! We haven’t actually bought anything yet but getting closer to pram decision. We’ve been given a few bits and seeing the first tiny baby grow hanging up to dry really got us 🥺

I’m 27 weeks and finally feeling properly pregnant as my bump has popped. Baby is very active over here too! Got 28 week appt next week for GD test, RSV vaccine, and RH- antiD shot.

Can’t believe we’re almost at the point where we will start counting down rather than up… I’m honestly loving every minute of this, so so grateful to science for getting us here ❤️

Oh and we registered for nurseries at 11 weeks 😂 wait lists are huge where we are!!

Hi everyone, glad to hear things are going well @teampacey @PinaColadaJ and @Sierra26. I'm now 25+4 and got my Mat B1 form this week, so I've also made my mat leave plans. I think I'm being WAY too optimistic though - I've set my final working day for 4 days before my EDD! I've had a pretty easy ride through the pregnancy so far so I think I've been lured into a false sense of security - I have no doubt that the third trimester will come at me with a vengeance now!

We haven't bought anything yet but I have been gifted a couple of newborn outfits and a cot (which we obviously won't need for ages anyway, but good to have a freebie!). We're going to hit up M&P this afternoon though to get the ball rolling and at least do some window shopping so we have an idea of what we need. And we're starting antenatal classes on Monday.

I was having a relax in the bath the other night when I had my first pang of panic thinking "this is actually happening and you've done nothing to prepare, sort it out Mrs H" 😂 It's just been so nice to enjoy the pregnancy though, especially since getting past the 20 week scan knowing everything is developing fine and then seeing the bump properly pop. I didn't think I'd enjoy being pregnant, I assumed I'd find it uncomfortable and that I'd be an emotional wreck, but I love it (so far!).

How is everyone getting on? Not long to go now...!

Hi @xMrsxHx87x !

I’m nearly 37wks, still feeling well but I had a (successful, fortunately) ECV for breech presentation last week which was quite traumatic and, as I’m Rh- I’ve been in and out three times since for blood tests and AntiD as there was evidence of a placental bleed. Baby is fine though, just inconvenient to me! This should mean I’m on track for vaginal birth though. If ECV hadn’t been successful I’d have been on C section list.

how are you?? Xx

Great to hear your ECV worked @Sierra26! My baby is also breech at nearly 34 weeks so potentially still some time to turn but I suspect I’m heading towards ECV, I’m meeting the midwife on Friday.

Hope everyone is doing ok xx

Hey everyone, hope your all doing well.

im 35+5 and I can barley walk 😢 baby boy is head down and was weighing 6.1lbs at 35 weeks.

Hi all! Oh so exciting, we are all getting so close now! I’m 35 weeks today and we are planning a home birth. Had one with my second so hopefully all will go smoothly again but we will see! I’ve got 2 more weeks at work and so ready for maternity leave now.
We had a little baby moon last weekend which was lost lush and now we’re on operation get the house ready!

Hope ye are all doing well! Just updating all my twins are now a week old and arrived at 36weeks by planned c-section. They are doing great I’m absolutely overwhelmed with love. Wanted to pop on and wish ye all the very best of luck ❤️ ye are nearly there and it’ll all have been worth it ❤️

Congratulations @GreyJoker so glad to hear you're all doing well!

I hope your baby turns soon @PinaColadaJ! And I'm glad your ECV worked @Sierra26, though sorry to hear it was a horrible experience for you. Mine is heading in the right direction, head down but diagonal currently and has been for a week or so based on the movements I'm feeling. I'm having to go for a growth scan next week anyway as I'm measuring big (after previously measuring small 5 weeks ago) so hopefully they can give some indication then as to how close to engagement the baby is (I'll be 36.5 weeks by the time of the scan, so pretty much full term!).

@teampacey we got greedy and did two babymoons 😂 One abroad when I could still fly without a note, then a domestic trio a few weeks ago. Like you I'm also in the nesting era now. Hope you're all sorted, or close to being so! I think we're in a position that if the baby arrived tomorrow, we'd have enough stuff set up to manage.

How is everyone doing physically? I'm still mostly enjoying being pregnant, but sleeping is SO uncomfortable now.