BFPs following IVF to take symptoms & scans

[Justawannabemam]

Hi everyone.

I've started this group for us to chat about our symptoms, scans and any other pregancy related issues after getting a BFP following IVF/IUI/ICSI.

It is by no means to leave anyone out of the previous groups we have been in, where we all offer advice and help during an IVF cycle.

We all know hearing people's positive pregancy news can be heart breaking. I just found on the group that we are talking scans, symptoms, signs and positive tests I'm very conscious that those currently mid cycle may get upset.

We can all still give advice but maybe we could use this group as our pregnancies progress.

I've tagged who I remember from the last group, please feel free to add others as they join us on this next phase of our journey or if I have missed anyone.

@W1ngingit
@Millymillymillymillymilly
@womaninkent
@xreadytoglow
@Bluehawaii29
@Bryterlayter1

@bajanbump Thanks for sharing your experiences. It must have been such a challenge finding out you were donor conceived as an adult, and not having the choice about information related to the donor / siblings. Has TCC and pregnancy made you think more about it?

@Overlyanxious Oh my goodness, did some steal the petrol when the car was parked by your home!? I hope you've managed to get the H&B money back.

@Bluehawaii29 Sounds like you had an awful Friday. I sit on a yoga ball in some of my meetings, but don't really know if that would be a possibility in your work environment. I hope you managed to do something nice over the weekend to relax after a stressful day. My friend lent me her Byre U shaped pregnancy pillow - it is absolutely MASSIVE and definitely not conducive to any physical contact with your partner in bed! It is however really comfortable. I've not used it much as I big spoon my partner to sleep which is just not possible with the U shapped pregnancy pillow, but odd times when shes away I use it, or if I'm feeling sore in the night I sometimes drag it into bed. So far I've found just using a cushion between my legs reduces the bit of lower back pain I've been getting during the night. If I was buying one for myself, after trying the giant U shaped monstrosity, I'd opt for a pregnancy wedge as they look far less like they'd take up the entire bed and prevent intimacy! My screening results were: Edwards and Patau's 1 in 100,000. Downs 1 in 6089. PAPP-A 0.74. My NT measurement was 1.7 and I'm 32 with a normal bmi.

@xreadytoglow How frustrating people not giving you information about the car and carpets! Hope this week is a better week :)

@SUMMERTIME02 Tentative congratulations! Try not to worry about things (easier said than done) until you get to your viability scan which will hopefully give some reassurance x

@2mumlife heyy thankfully today went a lot better with the new rota adjustments that I told them to make. Don’t mind it if it’s like this, they also gave me some options for back support in chair so that will be handy. Took my own cushion today which did help. The pregnancy pillow should be arriving by 23rd, excited to try it. Have ordered the U shape pillow as well but my partner is used to me hogging the bed so it’s fine. Will do anything that makes me more comfortable. Thanks for sharing your figures. Yeah was reassured all good with the results and nothing to worry about so am gonna call it a day now with any further tests. Got appt with obstetrician next weds as they offer it for high risk pregnancies like ivf and then seeing midwife for 16 week appt on 8th June. Managed to book a holiday to Isle of Wight for when I’m 27 weeks in august so that should be nice but mother in law already panicking if it’ll be safe for me. Imagine if we were actually going abroad!
Hope everyone is having a better week x

@xreadytoglow I’m sorry to hear you had a rubbish week last week as well. I hope this week is a lot better.

@SUMMERTIME02 those first few weeks can be full of many worries. Keeping my fingers crossed your first scan goes well.

@2mumlife yes the car was parked on our drive - which was the worst bit as it meant there were people just outside our flat. We’ve bought a locking petrol cap now - so hopefully that will work. Our car is quite old so I think petrol is the only thing thieves would be interested in. I’ve got some money back but waiting for the rest. I just need to keep chasing. That’s interesting to know about the pillow - I may try a wedge one as well. Although I can totally see my wife stealing it from me when I’m no longer pregnant.

@Bluehawaii29 I’m glad to hear work was a lot better today. You’ll have to let us know how you get on with the pillow. That’s exciting you have a holiday booked. I really like the Isle of Wight. I got told I would have a consultant appointment around 16 weeks due to IVF but not had anything through yet. I have my 16 week midwife next week, 20 week scan on the 24th June and then consultant appointment for my Rhesus negative in July. It’s getting busy with all these appointments.

@Overlyanxious heyy yeah definitely feels like it’s getting appt busy again. I think my appts are all like 1.5 weeks from you, so my 20 week scan is 4th July. When I first got that letter in post I was thinking wow that’s ages away but these other appts break up the time a bit at least. We got this type of pillow. I’ll let you know what it’s like

kneepillow.co.uk/products/the-total-body-support-pillow?cpc=smartcss&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwg_iTBhDrARIsAD3Ib5jrno4RZF5YFGKQLFi0u9SFYyX0dXUGbump_eRT2YhLQCXBp7-Zz2oaAgpREALw_wcB

also is anyone getting a pregnancy ball to practice on at home. I hear it’s good for exercises and getting used to before labour. Was watching childbirth classes on YouTube as our antenatal classes are ages away and just wanted to get an idea of what is ahead. I think knowing what to expect definitely helps the anxiety

@Bluehawaii29 Enjoy the pillow when it arrvies! I still remember climbing into the one I have for the first time and thinking "oh yes, this is good" lol. That's great you have your next appointments lined up. We already had a yoga ball so I've been sitting on that during meetings (I wfh) and keep meaning to do some more excercises on it. At the moment I'm still doing hiking and body pump class in the gym, so I imagine I'll probably move more to the ball when I can't do as much. Go and enjoy your holiday! I think as long as you're not flying after 28 weeks you should be totally fine. My DP family lives in Ireland and we were hoping to see them, but its going to mean travelling after 28 weeks for me and apparently need a 'fit to fly' letter for that, so going to chat to midwife when I see them next week and see what the process would be.

@Overlyanxious That is quite scary. We live rurally so have oil heating and an oil tank, so we're conscious about oil theft, but never really thought anyone would find it worth stealing petrol from a car. A different friend of mine uses a wedge and says it good :)

We're hitting 24 weeks this week, which is the point where if fetus came we'd have a ~60% chance of survival. What a crazy milestone. Make me feel its more likely this pregnancy will actually end in a baby! Also, to add to the list of body-changes, I'm definitely leaking a small amount of fluid (presumably colostrum) from one of my nipples 😳

@2mumlife I was just reading about that today that in third trimester you can get leaking colostrum. That’s so cool your at 24 weeks, yeah my brother was 3 months premature and survived without any disabilities. I’m sure you will go all the way though! Try and keep positive. That’s really good you’re very active. I just do my walks really and that’s about it in terms of activity. Hopefully I won’t be too unfit by the end of this x

Hi everyone

I'm so sorry I've disappeared.

The last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind. I'm not even sure what I updated you on. So briefly, I was back and forth for appointments and the two we had together weren't developing as much as the singleton on there own (i think I told you all this). So I went on the Wednesday and we lost one, the other was there with a very faint heartbeat. 💔 I had to go back two days later and their predictions were correct and this one had slipped away too. Very stressful and upsetting time for us. The consultants were brilliant, they explained that this was a hight risk of happening and whilst it is far from a perfect outcome it is better to have happened now than later down the line. Where all 3 could have been born or delivered with severe problems. Her words really stuck with us and she said "trust me I have seen it before many times and people walk away with nothing " and given what we have been through to get here we have to tske the comfort knowing we have one baby growing. So we came home that Friday night and promised to give ourselves the weekend to gather our thoughts nd then w could tell people.

And on the Sunday we did . Everyone is so happy for us. We are getting excited now

I had an appointment yesterday at 16 w and 3 days and all looks good. I'm starting to get a bump now too. My nieces who are between 11 and 15 are so excited were going out shopping next weekend and they are saving to buy things. ❤️.
Weve not told anyone about our IVF and a few people at work have asked questions to other colleagues about if we have or haven't. Also about my age. I'm 40, but ya know what I dont give a f about that.! I'm healthy I'm fit and don't see any problem with how old I am. Is there ever a right time.?!

I can see you are all progressing well. Some nice weather coming up this weekend let's embrace it before it gets too hot. X

Take care my lovelies.

@Justawannabemam I think we all empathise that you can't remember what you've said to who with everything you've had to experience with this pregnancy. Its fantastic news to hear your update that all is well with your singleton, and its lovely to hear you've finally been in a place where you know whats happening and you and can tell people and get to live in the joy rather than the uncertainty you were experiencing before. Great to hear you're doing so well (and its nobody elses business how you conceived!)

@Bluehawaii29 How did you get on with the pillow? I may have spoken to early before, last couple of days had a sporadic pain in my left hip :( so think pregnancy has finally caught up with my body a bit

@Justawannabemam great to hear from you and that you are getting on better x that’s cool your bump is showing. I think mine seems to look bigger and smaller depending on times of the day. It’s really annoying because I just wanted a progressive pattern, am 14 weeks tomorrow so maybe it’ll come properly in next couple of weeks
@2mumlife still no pillow sadly. Am struggling to sleep all through the night. I still have to get up twice a night to empty my bladder. I really hope the pillow gives me better sleep as it’s getting hard to work on laptop with burning eyes. Hope you are doing good x

@2mumlife thats exciting you are at 24 weeks. It doesn’t feel like that long ago you were at 18ish. May has definitely gone quicker then April but I just want to get to my 20 week scan now end of June.

@Justawannabemam glad to hear your baby is doing well and you’ve been sharing the good news. I’m so sorry about the other two - you’ve been through so much.

@Bluehawaii29 I’m also struggling at night. Need the toilet multiple times and I keep waking up at 4.30am and not being able to get back to sleep. I then get up about 6am - so am constantly tired. My bump has got bigger - it feels big to me but can probably go unnoticed by other people. I’m seeing some family I haven’t seen for over a month today so will see what they say. It’s just nice not having to feel like I need to hide it.

@Bluehawaii29 That sounds so frustrating :( I get up most nights for a pee, but I'm not uncomfortable so get back off to sleep pretty much straight away. Hopefully the pillow at least helps with being able to return to sleep quickly.

@Overlyanxious It's crazy. I keep feeling like there is ages to go one minute, and the next feeling like we really need to get everything ready! I spent awhile feeling like bump was big to me but not noticeable to others. It then was quite a shock when I started glimpsing my reflection out and about and realising it really is now noticeable to others lol

Talking about bumps, can anyone else feel their own heartbeat on their bump? I'm finding it really odd sensation lol

@2mumlife pillow has arrived today thank god. Will let you know how it goes today. Back in the building today and with the horrible seat. Cushion is making back feel better but now feeling a lot of pressure in my bottom on this seat, feels like the seat is hard so work is getting me dual function cushion for back and bottom. No idea why I don’t have any bum fat to cushion me anymore

Also having terrible congestion now with right nostril keep blocking and blocking in right ear. Have read eustacian tube blockage and nasal congestion is common in second trimester but it’s really annoying having ears blocking every second when talking to patients

@2mumlife heyy I didn’t manage to sleep with the pregnancy pillow yet as couldn’t get used to it but maybe when I’m bigger might be easier to use. I like lying on left side using it while watching tv in bed though, more comfortable than before at lease

@Bluehawaii29 congestion is the worst. I have sinus problems normally and they’ve been worse recently. Sounds nice to have something to cuddle up to when watching tv.

@2mumlife I can’t feel my heartbeat on my bump - or at least I don’t think I can.

@xreadytoglow hope all the house stuff is going well

Heyy everyone. Glad to hear you're all doing well 🤍

It's been non stop here with the house move & renovation, but we're finally in and everything is in its place. Just finishing touches and the outside front & back gardens to do now.
I'm just sat waiting for my 16wk midwife appointment. I think I've felt some movement over the past few days but since I know that my placenta is anterior I'm telling myself it's not? But it definitely feels like it is so who knows..
Private scan this Saturday to find out the sex but we won't find out until the week after when we reveal it with our family & close friends. Feels more meaningful that way instead of being told in the scan room. The waiting is torturous though!

@xreadytoglow Glad you made progress with the house! That’s exciting you find out gender so soon, hope your midwife appt goes well. I got my consultant appt this weds, am 14 week+3 now. Bump is really popping. Have attached It, let me know what you think. bear in mind I was a slim person before this lol

@xreadytoglow thats great news about the house. What does the midwife appointment include? I have mine on Thursday.

@Bluehawaii29 that looks like a good bump. Mine is similar. The area just under my belly looks like it’s swollen. I hope the consultant appointment goes well.

Bizarrely I got a letter for an appointment for end of October. It feels so far away.

@Overlyanxious end of October? Is that a mistake? 16 week appt I think includes discussion of the results etc and I think they do a Doppler uss of the heart beat as well

@Bluehawaii29 no idea about the October appointment (it’s with the consultant). I’ve received letters for my 20 week scan and consultant for Rhesus negative which are in the next couple of months. I think I’ll ring up to find out what it’s all about.

@Bluehawaii29 aww such a cute bump!! Definitely popped. I keep meaning to get a pic of mine where I'm not in underwear so if I remember I'll post one!

@Overlyanxious So she checked my urine, my blood pressure, asked if I smoked or drank, gave me a leaflet about being rhesus negative, booked me in for the anti-D clinic at 24wks & took blood to find out if the baby is positive or negative. I asked her if they listen to HB at this stage but she said not typically but we can have a listen if you want? Obviously I said yes so I did get to hear it but wouldn't have if I didn't ask.
But if I wasn't rhesus negative then not a lot would've gone on really 😂

So lovely to hear the heartbeat though! She said 'I wonder if it's a girl..' so I asked why? & she said generally girls have a 'horses galloping' sound and boys have a 'whooshing train' sound. Mine was definitely horse hooves thudding. She asked me to tell her once I know to see if she was right or not! Not long now..

I also asked about the movements & anterior placenta and she pulled a face and said of course it's possible for me to still feel it! And said from what I'd described it sounded like baby.

@xreadytoglow aww that’s great you got to hear heart beat, yeah I’ve heard that they do it even at consultant appts so gonna ask for it tomorrow as I’ve resisted checking my own at work this long. I wasn’t aware of the difference in sounds between genders and not sure how true that is because we are always told it’s a galloping horse sound and it’s always been that for every antenatal check I’ve done x

@xreadytoglow looking forward to seeing a pic of your bump!

@Bluehawaii29 Yeah the big U shaped pillows take some time to get used to. Glad its more comfortable lying in bed. Bump is progressing! And you can have some of my bum fat! 😁

@xreadytoglow Glad house is sorted. Will be so nice to see baby again at your private scan :)

@Overlyanxious Seems to be when fetus is pressing up against parts of bump I can then feel my own pulse. Its really weird. I've had my 28 week appointment booked for ages (since around my 12 week scan I think?). How many weeks will you be in October though? Sounds a long way off. That's amazing if you're feeling movements already! I didn't feel anything I was convinced was baby until about 19 weeks and I have a fundal placenta (though I do notice I don't feel movement nearly as much when fetus is hanging out up the top end of uterus)

I've heard a few midwives tales about about quick the heartbeat is being indicative of the sex, but never the pattern! I'd take it all with a large pinch of salt myself. Talking about sex, I was chatting to my mum (who was a midwife) and she said she wouldn't be surprised if medical staff ended up telling us the sex of baby by mistake despite us not wanting to know. I said this to my partner then later on, and she revealed that during the 20 week scan she heard the sonographer refer to fetus using a male pronoun at one point, and is totally convinced it happened (even though my hospital says they don't say the sex even if you want to know). Not sure how to feel about it to be honest - kind of wish DP hadn't said what she heard as I didn't want to know, but also amazed DP hadn't said anything immediately after the scan about it (I didn't notice the sonographer saying anything at all!). Not sure what to think about whether it means we're actually having a boy or not now....

@xreadytoglow thanks. That’s helpful to know. I guess I’ll get the Rhesus Negative info as well. That is so exciting that you’ve felt baby. I had a bubbly feeling this morning which I’ve never had before. I wondered whether it was baby - hoping to feel it again soon.

@2mumlife my October appointment is 9 days before my due date. I rang the hospital and they weren’t that helpful. They just said I would have a scan beforehand and this was an appointment with the consultant. That is annoying about potentially knowing the baby’s sex. Although a bit confusing as it may not be the case. Will you still just wait till you give birth? even if baby was referred to as he, could still be a she. I find people often give a random sex to babies or animals rather then saying they.