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

Hey guys, for those of you who have had early scans, are they always transvaginal/ do you have to do it with full bladder or empty. Did you have any spotting after it etc. just getting a bit scared of the thought of a probe going up there at the mo. Mine is when I’m 8 weeks+3 x

@Justawannabemam good luck for your scan tomorrow!! Can't wait to hear how your three are getting on. 👶🏻👶🏻👶🏻

@2mumlife good to hear that you had a good appointment and got to see baby! I'm sure it'll be a bit of a pain going in so much but like you say, at least you know you're being checked over and that everything is okay or can be planned for.

I'm having a celebratory McDonald's. No sickness for me yet! Sorry girls 😂

@Bluehawaii29 mine was internal. They can't really visualise everything abdominally at this stage. Bladder was empty. I've had no pain or spotting so far 🤞🏼

I figure if there was any risk to them, they wouldn't offer an early scan for women with history of loss. If anything, they'd advise to avoid them. So I think they're perfectly safe. Just mention to the sonographer that you're nervous and to be more gentle? That might make you feel better about it.

Hi, thanks for tagging me in this group. Only just realised it exists. I don't know if it's my incompetence or using the app.

@Justawannabemam good luck for the scan tomorrow.

@xreadytoglow congrats again

@2mumlife glad to hear all is going well. I also get panicked when in the Mumsnet rabbit hole and hearing terrible stories of what's happened to people.

@Bryterlayter1 My sister had a previous LLETZ too and a totally normally pregnancy. I think its really an individual thing.

@Justawannabemam I got evening rather than morning sickness. Small dinners, and eating something between lunch and dinner helped. I made lunch more of my main meal for the day. I found with dinner its better if someone else cooks and as soon as you're done trying to eat just leaving the table.

@Bluehawaii29 My early scans at clinic were transvaginal - you're looking for something TINY so its the best way of getting the clearest image of whats going on and being able to find a flicker in a miniscule heart. I don't remember there being advise about having a full or empty bladder. Its just like having your scans for follicule checks etc and the actual scan is nothing to be scared of x

@Overlyanxious Its terrifying. I've spent a lot of time googling misscarriage rates at each stage. I must say I do finally feel a bit more reassured / optimistic now I know there is still a heartbeat at 16 weeks. Ordered myself some maternity dungarees when I got home yesterday which I'd been holding off doing in case scan didn't go well

@xreadytoglow @2mumlife thanks for explaining about the scan. I woke up in middle of night and boobs felt softer and less pain so I freaked out something wrong but thankfully they are painful again now. I’m just getting so much anxiety at the moment. I’m literally wishing my days away so I can be further along and have some answers from scans etc. I was thinking about counselling but not sure which free organisations might help me. I’ve not found IaPT useful in the past and I’ve used up the 3 sessions that the hospital gave free. If anyone has any ideas I’ll be glad to know x
@Justawannabemam good luck with your scan today x

@2mumlife I’m glad you are feeling more optimistic now and your scan was reassuring yesterday. Definitely enjoy it and the dungaree choice is so cute, I always imagined wearing them when I’m pregnant. Wish I am at your stage one day x

@Overlyanxious heyy welcome to the group. I think you and me are quite similar when it comes to anxiety. How are you managing at the mo, any useful coping strategies x

@2mumlife I'm hoping to get some dungarees as well.

@Bluehawaii29 I don't really have any coping skills. I'm also wishing time away. I have good days where I manage to avoid looking at all the worse case scenarios. I think what doesn't help is that I don't feel great - so tired, no energy and low level nausea for most the day so I don't feel like doing things that could keep me busy. I do keep trying to say to myself not to worry and I can't control the outcome so I should make the most of being pregnant at the moment as this is the furthest I've been.

@Overlyanxious wow that sounds just like me. I have low level nausea and tiredness all day. I normally love park walks in the sun and wanted to go after work yesterday but I was ready to fall asleep so my husband told me not to go. I find a lot of peace being outside in nature so I think I’m going to push myself a bit now. Was chatting to my friend yesterday who said she had no nausea throughout her whole pregnancy. She was actually on holiday in Oman when she was 5-6 weeks pregnant and trekking/ doing desert safari at the time! Amazing how different everyone is!

@Bluehawaii29 yeah I do think we probably need to push ourselves to do more. I'm planning on going for a walk soon. I was in the office yesterday and so had to get the tube and walk around and it wasn't so bad. I find at home I just want to lie down as much as I can, because I can but I doubt it's that helpful.

@Overlyanxious yeah I’m finishing early today so gonna go for a little walk. Whenever I’m lying down then I just start getting paranoid about this and that twinge. Need to keep distracted

@Bluehawaii29 Please don't be alarmed by symptoms flutuating - its totally normal. I got worried a lot about symptoms coming and going unnecesserily. I felt like you for big chunks about wishing time to go faster to get to the next milestone, but one thing I really recommend is trying to embrace the here and now. This is your pregnancy right now, this minute, today. You've put in SO much to get this pregnancy, so try not to wish the days away and miss it x

@Overlyanxious @Bluehawaii29 I'm still in the "I just look fat" stage of growing a bump, but I can tell you already a waist band isn't comfortable any more, so as well as super cute and I can imagine gardening in the dungarees, I'm also dreaming of a waistbandless bliss. I'm also feeling so much relief from ditching underwired bras - the Molke flexifit bra is great so far (you need a pretty large cup size to begin with though)

@2mumlife yeah definitely right regarding living in the present. I was really to go for a walk but been feeling some twinges and pulls in my abdomen. I did a pessary around 2pm and when I went to pass urine had a tiny streak of brownish/pinkish discharge mixed with the pessary discharge. This freaked me out. Has anyone else had this. I’m not sure if my cervix is being irritated. I’m not getting cramps but think it might be related to pessary so I’m thinking of asking clinic if I can switch to 2 Lubion a day instead of pessaries and 1 lubion

Too scared to go for a walk now

@Bluehawaii29 Spotting is absolutely normal, particularly when you're shoving pessaries up there several times a day. I was on utrogestan and that gave my cramps after each dose too. My suggestion would be go for a walk - its an asbolutely beautiful day here, and a walk will not cause anything bad to happen x

@2mumlife thanks that helps me feel bit better. Was just a shock as I was wiping and checking as I normally do but didn’t expect anything to be there and saw saw different colour. Hard to believe the next times I go will be normal now. It’s just so scary how unpredictable all of this is. I think I will go for a walk. Really need to clear my head x

@Justawannabemam hey , how did your scan go today ! Xxxxx

@Bluehawaii29 I hope you feel a bit better now x

Been for my scan. All three looking good and growing as they should. Got some great pictures. Officially 8 weeks and that's me graduated from the clinic. Got referred to the hospital where we will hve babies and thru are going to see us in the next 2 weeks before 10 weeks Got back and my beautiful partner has cooked us a delicious spag bol . So im gonna put my phone down and watch a film. If I can keep my eyes open 😴 .

@Justawannabemam aww so nice to hear your little ones are doing well, you deserve plenty of rest xx
I’m doing better thanks, I contacted a free counselling helpline during pregnancy which was really surprised how much it helped me as I’ve been very anxious in recent days and couldn’t see anything positive. She really helped me order my thoughts and gave useful suggestions like keeping a journal of my positive feelings at the front and negative feelings at the back. This is the number in case anyone is interested: 0808 802 5433 x

@Bluehawaii29 did you go and have a nice walk? Good idea to ask the nurse about injections instead if it will make you feel better. I'm glad the counselling was good. I'll definitely give that number a call. x

@Justawannabemam so pleased to hear your scan went well. Hope your dinner and film are good x

@Justawannabemam that's great news about your scan 😊 glad your three are still doing great in there. Enjoy your night! X

@Justawannabemam well done you !!! Growing these 3 babies at once ! How amazing ! I’m so happy your scan went well , you must be so happy !! Did the other 2 babies catch up on size ? Xxx

@Overlyanxious heyy I really didn’t feel up to walking in the end. Exhaustion took over me so I just watched a movie instead but feeling a lot better thanks. Finally catching up on apprentice final that couldn’t stay up to watch last night! I did get call from the nurse but she said to keep everything the same as I’ve been on it for weeks now and shouldn’t change things. It’s ok I guess, just have to be careful to insert it gently from now on and take time to lie down properly after it/ space it out well. how are you doing? xx

@ShareLove yeh they are all between 16 and 17 mm. Saw 3 heartbeats. X