BFPs after IVF - navigating pregnancy - pt 2!

[xreadytoglow]

@Bluehawaii29
@Overlyanxious
@bajanbump
@2mumlife
@Bryterlayter1
@Justawannabemam

Thread two! We reached 1k comments! 🤍

@Bluehawaii29 The course sounds like it will be really good for helping you find ways to manage anxiety. Hopefully in the nexty few weeks you'll feel more comfortable about returning to some of your usual daily activities x

@bajanbump Looking great! :)

@Bluehawaii29 that's great news that your cervix length has increased and your course sounds good. I think it's understandable that you've lost your confidence in doing stuff. Also great bump pic.

@bajanbump those are lovely pics. Glad to hear babies are both doing well.

@2mumlife @Overlyanxious thank you both, I’m feeling a lot better but still haven’t left the house except went to my parents a few roads away by car on sat for dinner and my husband drove us to park down the road and got out and sat on bench straight away but was just nice to see the kids playing in the park and was a breezy evening. Today was first day back at remote working which was nice, so good to have the time go fast again and keep my mind busy, can’t tell you how slow the last 2 weeks have gone. 24 weeks on Sunday! Big milestone which Will be nice to reach x

@bajanbump aww look at your babies! Great pictures & glad to hear all is well.

@Bluehawaii29 such great news about your cervix. I hope your anxiety settles soon so that you can get out of the house more.

@Bluehawaii29 Hopefully once you hit the 24 week mark you'll be able to relax a bit. Congratulations on hitting that milestone! Have you been feeling bubs moving yet? I found once the movements became regular they were a good thing to concentrate on to know everythings ok :) I still find seeing my bump move such an off combination of reassuring when weird lol

I can't wait for August to be here and to be in the final month! Tired of working now but only 4 more weeks after this week. I've finally started crocheting some bits for bubs as well

@2mumlife aww that sounds really nice with the crocheting idea, august is nearly here yay! Yes felt her move since 16 weeks but was strong since 21 weeks, nearly hrly I feel her kick now which is nice. Has been nice to work though and take my mind off it all, just enjoying a nap now, so tired after this morning x

@Bluehawaii29 that's great you have such strong movements. Mine can be quite sporadic and aren't always that strong - but noticed baby moves more when I'm relaxed at home and late night/early movement. It is causing me some worry but the midwife didn't seem concerned - only if it changes or I feel like something isn't right.

@2mumlife the crotchet sounds lovely. I've been attempting crotchet but cannot get the hang of it.

I had my midwife appointment this morning at 25 weeks - got to hear baby's heartbeat which was lovely. I also found out baby's blood type is likely to be positive so will need the Rhesus d injection in 3 weeks time.

@Overlyanxious yah it’s quite scary how intense it can be at times. Yesterday I actually ended up going to maternity triage because my stomach was turning all afternoon and non stop kicking from her, felt crampy and ended up having loose stools because of it so got pretty worried, but they checked me over and just said she’s a very active baby. It doesn’t help that I have a high posterior placenta so feel so much more. Novelty of feeling the kicks has long worn off for me. Today is bit better as back at work and she seems to find my voice soothing as I make the telephone calls to patients. Whenever I’m free and go quiet she kicks off again!
ahh glad your 25 week check went well and you have a plan for the injections x

@Bluehawaii29 That's great baby's a regular wee mover and that everything checked out ok yesterday :) the only pattern mine has is no pattern lol but I've got used to that now and just going with the flow, particularly as I found post 30 weeks the movements are different in intensity due to things getting pretty squished in there. I still find it weird watching my bump move

@Overlyanxious I find crochet easier than knitting tbh, so I've left the knitting to my mum! There are lots of tutorials on youtube for simple baby bits. I only started doing it last year when my sister was pregnant, and started with a little pair of booties and crocheting the edge of a knitted pram blanket my mum had knitted for nephew

@2mumlife haha yeah I can imagine must be so weird watching your whole tummy move, was kind of doing that yesterday as she was turning but will be interesting when it’s more obvious and I can catch it on camera :)

Anyone else know for sure how they are planning to give birth? I’ve decided on elective c section now, I won’t be able to face going through labour and all the uncertainties with my anxiety how it is. The pregnancy has really drained me after all the ups and downs so far and don’t think I will be mentally strong enough to get through labour. Will be good to know what others are doing x

@Overlyanxious glad your midwife appointment went well & at least you know now what's going on with your anti-D. Do you have any other scans coming up? We booked a 4d one for in 2 weeks time. I didn't think I'd ever have one of those but now I really want to see more of his little face 😍

@Bluehawaii29 glad to hear the movements are very active! That's always reassuring. I still tend to have a quiet day here and there. That's understandable about the c-section. You have to make a decision that's right for you & it sounds like that will put you at ease later on down the line. I'm going to go down the hospital route and hopefully go into spontaneous labour! But I don't really have a birth plan as such.. I'm just going to go with the flow.

@2mumlife you'll have to show us your crocheting! Sounds adorable. Can't believe how fast it's all going.. do you have your hospital bag ready? 😬

@Bluehawaii29 Its quite weird when it moves from sharper jabs, to more like all over your bump rolls lol. Though my sister said her bump never did that so I think it depends on a bit on position, your weight etc. Speaking of weight after mine having been stable for weeks and weeks I've suddenly put on another couple of lbs 😕 My ideal situation is to have as little intervention as possible - so I'm requesting no sweeps, no artificially breaking waters, no induction and to give birth on the midwifery alongside unit (so no epidural). I've made it very clear in my birth plan I also don't want internal exams to check cervix dilation during labour. I basically just want to be left alone to let my body do its thing, as that would be the least stressful thing for me, but have the reassurance of medical assistance there. Hoping to use birthing pool and have an active labour. But I'm also very realistic that it might all need to go out the window if needed, so we'll see. Partner has been prepped that her job is to remind me during labour that labour is a temporary thing and it will end eventually 😂

@xreadytoglow I've not bothered with a 4D but only because I'm having these growth scans. I definitely don't think I would have managed not going for a private scan if I wasn't being scanned after 20 weeks! I started doing hospital bag a few weeks ago, and once I'd put most bits I've kind of stopped lol. So its semi-done. I still need to buy nursing bras, add underwear to the hospital bag and snacks, and things like my toothbrush, phone charger etc will just need added when its time to go. I have a bit of a mental block I think about being completely 'ready', like once all the jobs are done then we need to go have a baby and its still doesn't feel quite real to be honest.

@Bluehawaii29 I know I want a hospital birth and ideally with few interventions - however I'm open to a c section if it's advised. I still need to work out my feelings on being induced (especially as they've already said they will want to close to my due date). One of my friends highly recommends c sections 

@xreadytoglow I have 30 week and 36 growth scans as well as a 32 week check on my placenta all with the NHS. A 4d scan will be brilliant - I hope you get lovely pictures.

@2mumlife that's annoying about putting on extra weight- soon enough it will all be gone. I just find it so exciting how close you are to meeting your baby.

My baby movements seem to have increased a lot more today. It totally freaked me out earlier (after breakfast I had an hour of big kicks), and after ringing every number in my maternity notes book I finally spoke to a midwife who said she wasn't concerned and that it's normal as baby is now bigger. I don't know if a lack of sleep last night hasn't helped. I'm still a bit worried and wondering whether to go in to triage or pay for a private scan. Being tired is not helping my rational brain.

@Overlyanxious I think it’s only ever cause for concern if you have reduced movements. If you had a more sugary breakfast, just been quieter today or anything might make you be feeling bubs more. My sister rest helpfully told me today she only got stretch marks in the last 3 weeks and that I’ll be massive by the end 😂

@xreadytoglow Forgot to do picture earlier, this is the blanket in progress. It’s teal because it’s my
favourite colour 😊

@Overlyanxious omg this is exactly what happened to me on weds and I ended up in triage, in hindsight I think I panicked but she’s been calmer today and yesterday, I’m sure yours will ease too but I totally know how scary it feels!

Thanks for all sharing your birth plans, really good to know, I think I’m still sticking to my guns on c section but will need to get approval by consultant next week. Hopefully she will understand my reasons
@2mumlife aww that blanket is so cute!

@2mumlife @Bluehawaii29 thanks for your responses. I'm feeling a bit more chilled now. I'm trying to concentrate on doing some cleaning.

Teal is a lovely colour @2mumlife. It's going to look so good. So nice of your sister to tell you that 😂

@Bluehawaii29 I'm sure your consultant will understand your reasons - especially after all the recent stress you've had.

Hey guys so happy we reached 24 weeks today! 🥳✨ next milestone is 28 weeks 🤞

@Bluehawaii29 congratulations 🥳

@2mumlife love the colour! It's going to be lovely.

@Overlyanxious I'd be quite reassured by a very active baby! I love those days. It's the quieter days that make me nervy. That's good about the scans, at least you have some peeks along the way for the reassurance. I'll share the 4d photos when I have them in a couple of weeks.

@Bluehawaii29 yaaayy congrats 😄

I can feel baby properly moving now instead of just jabs. Moving limbs etc sometimes or whatever it is he does in there! So cool 🤍

Ladies, I get 0 notifications so just catching up with everything!

@Bluehawaii29 congratulations on the 24 weeks!! So happy for you!

Just hit 20 weeks on Thursday and the babies movements have gone from bubbles to bubbles + spasms. It's weird because I did not imagine it would feel this way. Last week I felt one of them I think turn and it felt like I could recognize her limbs..but now is mostly bubbles, spams and something I think it's starting to resemble kicks? LOL I even searched if spams were normal, and it is indeed one of the ways baby movements can be felt. I normally feel them more towards the cervix but they don't feel like contractions at all, just like my muscles spasming. I need to investigate if it has something to do with where my placentas are like you were mentioning @Bluehawaii29

I feel now I can start predicting a bit more when they move, like for example, when I'm hungry (I guess now that they can hear sounds inside my body they are a bit wth is happening when my stomach starts growling lol) or after I've been driving for a while and I get out of the car it feels like they stretch with me lol

@Bluehawaii29 after the 20w scan I started to think about birth and if possible I am going for vaginal, but I totally get wanting to have everything planned. That is very appealing to me as well. In my case, I just can't imagine having to recover from a c-section with 2 newborns, that scares me..and since I'm gonna have to get an epidural no matter what, in case there are complications and they need to do a c-section, I might as well try vaginal. That is if both babies stay cephalic like now lol.

I wish I could have almost no intervention like you are saying guys @2mumlife @Overlyanxious but I feel with twins I'm less in control. They are probably going to set a date to induce me on the 38th week if the girls don't decide to show up before the 37w (which is also scary)

I don't know if I mentioned this before but I am going to give birth in Barcelona, and a positive thing is that I can choose what hospital I want. I chose one that is known but having respectful births but also for twin and premies birth..so I hope I can balance being safe (which is the priority) with also having a birth that is as natural as possible birth.

@2mumlife I am also a bit obsessed with my weight gain. I feel that after being so sick the first 4 months of the last month I've been very relaxed with food and my pounds are pilling up. The doctor here in Barbados says I'm perfectly fine but I know when I get to Spain they are going to be far more strict and I am already scared LOL. Between what week and what week you did not put weight? I feel my bump is just getting bigger and bigger every day

@Bluehawaii29 Your birth your choice all the way :)

@bajanbump Congrats on making it to 20 weeks! I've heard others say they feel like spasms. I've not felt them, but fetus gets hiccups a lot which feels like a pulse, which is weird. Twins is a different situation, as I think they quite often end up not in the correct position / needing to come out early. Hopefully they behave and you can have the birth you would want, especially as your hospital choice sounds like it will maximise that for you :) I lost weight the first 12 weeks and had pretty slow weight gain throughout second trimester. I'm not tracking that much (I weigh myself roughly once a week or so), but I stayed steady from from roughly 28-34 weeks. My partner says I just lost muscle mass instead! 😮 I'm up 19lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. Was a normal bmi before pregnancy (few extra lbs, bit of a belly). Different sources have different weight gain estimates, but I'm generally towards the lower end of the normal weight gain estimates. I've just been keeping an eye on it as both of my parents are overweight and I have been overweight in the past, so I know how easy it is for me to put on weight and what a slog it is to lose it.

We got in some practice this weekend as went to see a friends 5 week old to see how they were getting on with parenthood. Kept thinking as I was holding him that there is no way there is something that size inside of me! How do they possible fit!? 😮

Thanks guys :) @2mumlife @xreadytoglow @Overlyanxious @bajanbump congrats on 20 weeks, yeah the kicks got stronger for me from that week onwards, can’t imagine two babies turning in there let alone one. She’s kicking me as I type this!
@2mumlife yeah it’s crazy to think that they fit in us and also just can’t imagine pushing it out, hence probs why I chose c section, also feel like with my sedentary lifestyle now I wouldn’t last in labour, I’ve heard you gotta be pretty fit

@Bluehawaii29 I'm still doing my Les Mills Bodypump class - allbeit with a lot of adaptions now. Anytime I miss a class now my gym instructor at the next class is like "I thought you might be done" lol I'm trying to keep going for a couple more weeks