IVF Pregnancies (thread 2)

[Holskey]

@LemonyT
@strawberrysummer19
@Etonmess20
@IamnotwhouthinkIam
@strawberrysummer19
@paintfairy
@2mumlife
@Starbeach
@TheSnufflet
@Novavee
@Donimo
@Monday55
@Cakecakecheese
@Porridgeislife
@JAR1981
@Hufflepuff1
@2022babyhope
@becarefuloutthere
@notsofertilemyrtle
@RiverRiot

I've definitely missed people, but hoping I've got everyone who's been active recently. Apologies if not!

@LemonyT I’ve got the same issue. We were on holidays in the US last week and I started dreading meals as they’re huge anyway and I was full after the starter

I went out to dinner in the West End earlier this week and ordered gnocchi thinking it would be a typical London portion of 8-10 pastas, I nearly cried when they wheeled out a plateful that could serve 3!

We reach the 24 week mark on Monday. She started kicking about 3 weeks ago and will occasionally really give me a good thump. I think she is transverse on her back as she really only kicks around my right hip. She’s also starting to kick back if I rub my tummy which is very cute.

My bump has absolutely exploded over the last fortnight & seems huge for a first pregnancy. A few people have been surprised at me only being 23 weeks. Like many of us we have extra monitoring so it will be a question for the midwives next time.

Oh is anyone else still struggling to brush their teeth in the second trimester?

My gag reflex is out of control. I brought up my breakfast on Monday morning when brushing, so I brushed my teeth first thing yesterday & brought up bile instead. Using an electric toothbrush with a small head.

I’m overdue for hygiene & dentist but I really can’t see how they could do it at the minute.

It's so lovely to read posts from those of you 20+ weeks feeling your babies kick. I'm 8.5 weeks and feel time is going very slowly. I'm being scanned next week at approx 9.5 weeks and have the "scanxiety" already. Still knackered and nauseous all the time.

@2mumlife I can't even imagine now just going from pregnancy test to 12 week scan without seeing anyone! I had my booking in appointment yesterday (very kindly they arranged it as soon as they could so my 12 week scan is bang on) and the midwife was talking about parenting classes at 28 weeks and not to use 2nd hand cot mattresses for baby. I'm still at the stage of willing my baby's heart to keep beating, so it was too much for me to have to think about things like that.

@CurbsideProphet I think it gets easier but not by much. I had to really grit my teeth & force myself to book in NCT classes after our 12w scan as they book up early in our area, and we are only starting to buy things after 24w, it was much too difficult to contemplate before then x

Thank you @LemonyT and @womaninkent, fingers crossed the waxing and waning symptoms are normal. I’m on another online group and a few other women have had the same and had MMC. It’s very difficult for me to separate my rational midwife brain from my own fears and expectations from prior losses.

@CurbsideProphet, the “scanxiety” Is awful. My next scan for the NT is another three weeks away and I’m contemplating a private scan before. Im just so nervous that something has gone wrong but don’t feel I can trust any intuition.

@Begoniagal7 it can feel such a burden knowing too much about what can go wrong. I say to myself multiple times per day that at this moment the signs are that everything is fine. I'm also following an Instagram page called Your Pregnancy Haven as I find her posts comforting and not "toxic positivity".

Talking of 12 week scans, did you all refer yourselves to the nhs to request? My ivf clinic already wrote to my gp surgery with the 7w scan results (2 weeks ago) so I thought this meant it would happen automatically, but I’ve heard nothing yet…

@Mountaingoat31 in my area women have to self refer via an online form before 7 weeks. Have you checked the website of your NHS Trust to see what the process is?

@Mountaingoat31: I’m also self-referral. I completed the online form at 7 weeks and had my booking in two weeks later.

@Porridgeislife I hear you- feels like a gastric band like on those US TV shows. Where they say you will be physically stuffed but mentally hungry! I never feel quite satisfied now after a meal. We went to a buffet and I didn’t get to try 90% of the stuff I had my eye on. First world problems.
Re the dentist - I went a couple months back - I had cracked a tooth and she said she could fix it now or after I had the baby! I didn’t think I could wait another 6 months so got it done. I think as long as it’s not major like root canal you should be ok- especially if it’s just check-up / clean.

Sorry to hear about scanxiety for all you ladies at the earlier stages. It’s completely normal, especially for ivfers. My nurse told me most of her patients who go through ivf hold their breath right until baby is safely in their arms. But I have to say feeling baby kick daily is a huge relief and I don’t feel like booking private scans every three weeks anymore. So it does eventually get better. Symptoms also ease off end of T1 - at least they did for me - I’ll be back in T3 I’m sure morning about new things. Can’t quite believe I’m almost end of T2. It he felt so slow at times and yet has gone super quick somehow!!

@Porridgeislife I've really struggled with brushing my teeth! I bought a children's tooth brush in the end, did help a little!

Also had a check up this week, just explained that brushing has been really tricky and the just mostly had a look using their little mirror and checked my gums ect. Not so bad at all 😊

I wouldn't of been able to cope with a polish and clean though so booked it in for after the babies are born!

@CurbsideProphet That seems a bit much being bombarded with that so early. I did my booking in appointment late as I didn't contact midwifes until after my clinic viability scan. I'm 15w and haven't even looked at antenatal classes, but we're just going to do the NHS ones, rather than anything private I think. I've still not actually met my midwife in person, and wont until 22 weeks, so I imagine I'll get told more about antenal classes and things then. I find them booking in my 28 week scan and GTT premature even at this stage. We're planning on using a lot of second hand stuff, so have started getting some bits off local bartering and swap pages, at points when I'm feeling optimistic about things, but we've been putting most of it up in the attic just in case. I've got a bit of the scan-anxiety at the moment, even though next week is just a cervix scan, but I'm really hoping I might be able to get a small peak at fetus to check everything is ok. I'm also preparing myself mentally for cervix being short, since clinic said it was, which is just making me feel really cautious again about things. I'm finding T2 disconcerting to be honest, as all the T1 symptoms are gone (except still being tired) but I'm not putting on weight and not feeling movements yet. DP and I are convinced my lower abdomen is soliding up, but its certainly not a 'bump' yet. Only things I have for reassurance are cramps/stretching on and off, and my boobs continuing to be swollen, and nipples changing.

@Mountaingoat31 You have to self refer. Mine was an email address to contact. Assume that no one read anything you clinic sends - my clinic sent stuff to my GP twice about my short cervix, and I had to keep informing people myself at each appoitnment to get it monitored.

@Porridgeislife I've only just got an appointment for a dentist for next month. Not seen one since lockdown started as we moved house and its taken until now for dentists in Scotland to do routine appointments and to get an NHS place with a local dentist.

Thanks @CurbsideProphet and @Begoniagal7 I’ll fill out a form to be on the safe side then. I hadn’t wanted to rush into it as last time round my MC started same day as my booking in appointment which I still had to go through

@Mountaingoat31 oh that must have been awful. Last year I self referred at 6 weeks and the clinic scan at 7 weeks went very badly. We use an app called Badger Notes here and the midwives didn't close my case properly, so I got email reminders about a booking appointment that wasn't going to take place.

@Porridgeislife

Oh is anyone else still struggling to brush their teeth in the second trimester?

My gag reflex is out of control. I brought up my breakfast on Monday morning when brushing, so I brushed my teeth first thing yesterday & brought up bile instead. Using an electric toothbrush with a small head.

I’m overdue for hygiene & dentist but I really can’t see how they could do it at the minute.

@Porridgeislife

I've not been sick but I have reched while cleaning my teeth. So unpleasant.

@Mountaingoat31 @CurbsideProphet I'm sorry about your previous experiences, would have been tough

@LemonyT other than becoming very active as soon as I go to bed, I haven't noticed a particular pattern. I'd say movements are regular throughout the day now (this happened later in my first pregnancy compared to this) but there's no pattern. But then, I charted my first baby's movements at about 30 weeks and it seemed random to me - regular but no routine.

I also find I'm uncomfortable if I eat a normal amount of food. Which means I'm uncomfortable every evening because I'm a greedo.

Thinking calm and positive thoughts for all of you feeling the anxiety. I've found there's always some disbelief that a baby is coming until they're actually here safely but the anxiety definitely gets easier, gradually from 12 weeks with a big improvement after 20 weeks, for me.

Hi ladies. Happy weekend! I’ve not been on here as much lately as had some cervix drama between 24-27 weeks and it all got a bit much. After 4 scans and a lot of worry it seems the consultants have all concluded my first measurement was incorrect (well done sonographer!). So trying to put it out of my mind. I’m 29 weeks today.

Good to catch up on the thread and see you all hitting those milestones. @LemonyT on the probiotic front I’ve been on Optibac for pregnancy since 12 weeks as recommended by my fertility nutritionist. Hope your UTI has cleared up now.

@Holskey the other thing I found out about 24 weeks is that’s when the little one is officially recognised as a legal ‘person’ which is kind of cool.

@JAR1981 I'm about to start the cervix drama next week Glad everything had turned out ok for you!

I have my consultant app this Thursday for IVF, age (39) and previous overactive thyroid

Can anyone tell me what I'm likely to expect at this appointment?

Thank you x

Is this the 16 week appointment and is it over telephone? If it is mine was just a refresh of my medical and obstetric history. A discussion regarding medications to take and a plan going forward. There wasn't much in the appointment. My daughter whom I had pre covid the appointment was face to face and the only difference being face to face made was my blood pressure and urine was checked and I got to listen to babies heartbeat

Sorry to hear about your cervix drama @JAR1981. Hopefully there's no more drama ahead and you can begin to relax a little. Quite far along now! 😊

@strawberrysummer19 I had my last consultant appt at 13 weeks over the phone (but it was the same as the two routine face-to-face ones I had in my previous pregnancy). Just went over my medical history (including asking me for info that would definitely be in my records), discussed risk factors, prescribed anything that needed prescribing, told me about additional scans, and told me I'd be induced early. Very basic for me, but I guess it depends on what your risk factors are.

@Holskey ah ok just that my friend has been told she needs to take daily injections from 28 weeks to delivery!!

I'm quite happy to be induced! So I'm hoping that can be discussed x

@strawberrysummer19 I have to take injections from 28 weeks. It all depends on your risk factors.