IVF pregnancies - Spring 2024

[thislittlebird]

Anyone here in a similar position? I'm feeling a bit of an odd one out on forums now where I don't feel pregnant pregnant and I don't feel infertile infertile, and thought I'd see if others were in the same, tentative situation. I don't feel like I'm ready to join the main May 2024 gang until I'm more confident this will continue.

I'm only 4 weeks 5 days :/

@PollywithaP welcome!

sorry ladies I been off the radar finally being brave doing my pregnancy announcement. Had to tell the husbands other kids first. (they are adults) His ex from 20 YEARS AGO still thinks she can have an opinon. Sighhh.
anyway announcing to normal people has gone well and I’m very overwhelmed with all the well wishes. Just got that niggle in the back of my mind, but what if it doesn’t work out. It’s a relief not having to hide anything now tho so that’s good.

@thislittlebird I had swollen legs and leg pains from estrogen and the progesterone bloated me up a treat! Also had really bad migraines. Which was nice.

@Misty84 i hear you about the scan! I haven’t got one til 20 weeks now. I’m already thinking omg this is it if there’s something wrong they will find it at that scan. I wonder if that feeling ever goes away…

@IVFAlone can you speak to early pregnancy unit tomorrow or your gp if you have no symptoms and you’re worried? It’s not good for you to be worrying. My symptoms have come and gone all the way through so far so I think it’s normal to not have them all the time but if it’s troubling you I would contact your gp or hospital unit just for peace of mind? People must do it all the time. It’s normal to be worried.

sorry too tired to look through everyone’s comments. Hope everyone is doing ok! Xxx

@Doughnut89 I didnt have the bloating, but OMG the burping is grim! I wake up burping already and then it doesnt stop!!! LOL And I have a penchant for fizzy drinks, which definitely doesnt help either!

Yesterday I bought my first babygrow. My baby is due around Easter, and my mom keeps calling it the Easter Bunny. So I thought this was very appropriate (and cute!). It was also half price, so how could I resist???

Well, today has been dreadful. My one piece of salami last night turned into two slices of ham because I asked my husband to get me ROAST ham in a packet. He got dry cured ham, but I did not read the packet and assumed he'd followed the instructions. Then I freaked out again because my lamb for dinner (frozen for months beforehand) was more pink than I'd expected, and I had to keep recooking it. Anyway, I've either contracted toxoplasmosis or I'm vegetarian now. The thing that's upsetting me about this is that you don't usually get symptoms of it, so it's not like I'd even know if I had it. I'm sort of hoping I already have antibodies because I did have cats when I was a kid. I'm going to speak to the midwife about it on Wednesday, but I feel like I've messed it all up. Between this and the no symptoms I'm losing the plot today.

@Doughnut89 I wish I had your willpower, so far I'm terrible at avoiding cured meats. I really like chorizo and will have to cook it to eat it.

@CazzyM1983 how far along are you at the point of announcing?

@ASGIRC very cute!

@thislittlebird I eat ham every day. Not roasted. Just normal ham. I have decided it is a risk I am comfortable with. As again.. Not had it in 40 years.

It is tested for, here in Portugal, though. I tested before I got pregnant, and in my 1st trimester bloods, and still nothing. The chances are exceedingly small that you will get it.

And cats... are not really how you get it. The cats need to be outdoor ones, you need to be dealing with their poop (which, as a child, I doubt you did), and even that, it is only contagious after 24h, so a regularly cleaned litter tray poses no risk anyway.

I think the most likely way to catch it is if you garden a lot, as it is mostly found in dirt.

And it does have symptoms. They are flu like. Obviously, flu like symptoms can be loads of things. But again, dont stress about it too much. The food hygiene standards of supermarkets is really high! I would be more concerned (and then, not a lot), if it was at some sort of farmers market, some homemade ham, which will not have gone through the same checks.

@ASGIRC Do they keep testing you? I've heard it's tested elsewhere, makes me wonder whether I should get tested or maybe it's too late. The internet says it wouldn't show up for 3 weeks, but I wish I'd been screened beforehand.

I got the cats thing from a study where they listed things that can increase your risk. I tick the having outdoor cats and dogs box, and I was unlikely to be cleaning up after them or feeding them raw meat. Cooked, maybe. I don't garden a lot, my husband does most of that. It can have symptoms but also doesn't always have symptoms so impossible to know if you get none.

I am worried about the salami last night because it looked like some sort of deli platter and the family might be the sort of people to use a local butcher, but I'm too scared to ask. Feel like an idiot, I'd be more comfortable if I hadn't managed to do this three times in one day.

@thislittlebird yeah, it is part of the normal trimester checks, so you get tested every 3 months. I also gpt tested beforehand, as part of the clinics protocol.

They test for all sorts of things, like toxo, CMV, HIV, HepB and C...

You'll be fine!! The salami was fine and you didn't get toxo!

@thislittlebird please remember, drug addicts get pregnant and have healthy babies. I completely understand the worry but I’m sure you will be fine xx

@KG1244 I know, I just can't help thinking how often I've been on the wrong side of the statistics to date with IVF and it feels like I'm always going to be.

@ASGIRC it's good they test, I know it's more common on the continent than here generally. We had all the other tests, but not this one.

I hope so. I think I'll mention it when I meet the midwife on Wednesday.

@ASGIRC that baby grow is so cute 🥰
I haven’t bought any clothes yet, partly because I’ll be inheriting a load from my sister but it will be exciting when I buy the first piece. I’m going to the baby show in London next weekend with my sister so maybe I’ll treat myself then. I have bought a couple of children’s books, mainly ones explaining about different families, about sperm donation and IVF as I thought that would help explain things to them.
Are you still burping? My bloating has gone thank goodness. I didn’t used to drink that many fizzy drinks but since I’ve been pregnant I’m craving them all the time!

@thislittlebird I wasn’t a big meat eater beforehand so tbf I think it’s probably easier for me to avoid it. However I am now freaking out because I do loads of gardening and have a dog whose poo I have to pick up all the time 😳

@Doughnut89 I didn't know there was a baby show, I'll have to look for when they happen in case I get to a later stage. Very good idea to get the kids books about donors

I did browse Next the other day and saw a very cute green star dungaree set I want to buy. We don't have anything, all of our friends and family have had kids a few years ago or more and I've lost contact with so many throughout the ivf process, it's been a long time. Feels like it might be quite lonely if we do get that far, I'm so pre-occupied right now by getting out of the first trimester that the thought of what happens in the new year or the spring hasn't really sunk in.

Tbh I'm not normally a huge meat eater because my husband is veggie. But since the diabetes scare and tingly feet i've tried to eat more protein or I'll go straight for carbs so I've had a pack of salami to snack on in the fridge most weeks, and then this weekend has been a perfect listeria and toxo storm! I think you'll be fine as long as you wash your hands well. This made me feel a little better:

"Aside from the problem of controlled trials discussed above, what is considered risky is ultimately a value judgement. The risk of developing listeria during pregnancy is 20 times higher than at other times, but still extremely rare. In an article for the Wall Street Journal, Emily Oster calculated that most “prohibited” foods carried a listeria risk of about 1 in 8,000 risk. “My best guess was that avoiding sliced ham would lower my risk of listeria from 1 in 8,333 to 1 in 8,255,” she wrote. “I just didn’t think it was worth it.”

For some context, the likelihood of dying in a car crash in the US lifetime is 1 in 114 over the course of a lifetime, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The likelihood of dying in an a fall from a ladder is 1 in 7,707."

@ASGIRC Cute baby grow! I have one at the back of the cupboard in a ducky print with a little jacket. We bought it during our second pregnancy and it's just sat it the cupboard for years since. Fingers crossed I get to see a baby in it finally 😅

@Doughnut89 This was my first purchase, and Im a couple of weeks ahead of you, so i think you are right on track!
Yes, I am STILL burping! And I stopped the pessaries 3 weeks ago!!! The burping has not gone away! I think it is here now, for the duration😫

@thislittlebird Yeap... the risk of listeria is exceedingly rare. A car accident or being run over are much higher risks, and we dont stop driving, or moving around. This is how I look at it.
I have been avoiding some things, like salads and even chorizo that doesnt come from my fridge, but if I do eat some (for instance, salad in a meal I didnt prepare, like a leaf of lettuce in a burger), I will not worry about it too much.

@TheBirdintheCave I am sure this is the time!! That ducky print sounds really cute!!!

@thislittlebird thanks those stats help to put things in perspective 😅

@ASGIRC aww sorry the burping’s not gone yet, that’s annoying ☹️

@TheBirdintheCave that sound so cute. I feel that this is the time for us all. I’m putting positive energy out into the universe for all of us

@ASGIRC I think I'll be careful for a while, or try to be stringent with freezing or coking salami before eating, that sort of thing. It stressed me out all night, didn't help that I had flushed cheeks and an upset stomach in the night and obviously I think it's what I ate. I do regret eating so many banned items in one day! It's a reminder to be conscious of things like salad when eating out too, I suppose. Not that we've done much of that lately.

I'm finding myself getting twitchy about the next scan now and the potential of a mmc, it's next Thursday, and my booking in appointment is this Wednesday.

For any of you suffering with 🤢, any tips? Mornings and evenings after breakfast and dinner are pretty bleak at the moment. Is there any food you’re finding is staying down?

@KG1244 All I'm doing at the moment is trying to eat little snacks every few hours or so as my nausea is worse when my stomach is empty. Sometimes it works and sometimes I'm still sick before lunch.

@TheBirdintheCave @KG1244 I have hyperemises and am signed off work at the moment. Are you both actually vomiting? If you aren’t and are feeling nauseous then a good antacid can help, the pink gaviscon is OK in pregnancy. I’ve been surviving with that for 4 weeks, one or two spoons after eating and before bed. Propping up with pillows to sleep. The high levels of progesterone relax muscles, including those at the opening to the stomach meaning more acid reflux, leading to the sick feeling.
Unfortunatley last week I began vomiting 3-4 times a day and couldn’t keep water down. Was very worried about throwing up my meds (my estrogen is in pill form and I don’t start weaning off until next week) and I was very weak and dizzy. I managed to get an emergency Drs appt and was prescribed cyclizine, which I have been taking, and I am a little better on it. The nausea is still present but not as bad and i’m not being sick so much. You just need to eat and drink what you can when you can really. All healthy eating will go out the window! My last pregnancy I survived the 1st 17w on plain pasta, cornflakes and ice cold milk and full fat coke. I lost a stone in those 17w. This time I have managed warm milk and rice pudding, which seems to settle my stomach, baked potato with butter and cheese, buttered toast. Basically all the carbs! I have lost 7kg already so much more than this stage of my last pregnancy.
I’m finding smells are really setting me off (the smell of my own car, husband’s deodrant, things I would not usually notice) and make me want to vomit. Also i’ll fancy something to eat, go to eat it but not be able to because it tastes awful.
I really sympathise, it’s no fun, especially when you have been waiting to be pregnant for so long and you feel like you should just suck it up- you don’t have to, no one will think less of you for going yo the Dr because you are ill, and don’t be afraid to go to the Dr either. Better a pregnancy where you can at least eat and drink, than a sick dehydrated mother who has to be admitted to hospital.
Salty foods might be more appealing and also drinking through a straw (especially if you have an awful taste in your mouth all the time). I’d recommend staying away from the classic ‘Morning sickness remedies’ such as ginger tea/ale/biscuits and peppermint as they are often quite acidic and will make you more sick. Good luck, it’s really tough.

@PollywithaP Gosh that sounds so awful :( Mine is just regular all day nausea with little actual vomitting thankfully (mostly triggered by brushing). I'm too scared to take anything for the nausea as it's kind of reassuring to have it (as awful as it feels) so I don't really want it to go away 😅

@PollywithaP sorry to hear you’re having such a terrible time. I’m sometimes vomiting in the morning but pretty much clockwork about an hour after dinner every night. Thank you for your advice. I’m also pretty much living off carbs at the moment and avoiding acidic food as I think it makes me more sick. It is mentally quite hard cause I feel so blessed and grateful to be pregnant and to an extent, I do find the sickness quite reassuring but it’s also exhausting and frustrating!

Ngl, it sucks I’m sure but I’d be reassured by nausea at the moment. It’s just a lot of nothing over here and hard to believe I’m still pregnant :/

@PollywithaP that sounds horrendous! You poor thing!

@thislittlebird Do you have a scan soon? Hopefully that will reassure you. I know what you mean though. I was reassured by it last pregnancy but this time i’m very exhausted. I really hoped for one of those glowy insta style pregnancies this time 😂 @CazzyM1983 isn’t it interesting how the range of symptoms affects us all differently? I’m hoping the sickness will mellow in a few weeks when I wean off my meds 🤞

@PollywithaP gosh if I’d had what you’ve had I don’t think I’d be saying it’s interesting! I think I’d be bloody traumatised! Lol I thought I lucked out when I had bad tiredness dizziness and nausea that turned to projectile vomming but at least none of that was solid with no break and I could keep water down. At what point did people stop saying to you, don’t worry it’s normal for pregnancy because I was ready to punch people that said to me lol

Hey @Doughnut89 my gender scan is on 31st Oct when I’ll be 16+4 all being well!🙏

@CazzyM1983 I’m hoping this feeling goes away once we can feel the baby moving/kicking! Hope so anyway!

Sorry that you’re feeling so worried @thislittlebird, keep telling yourself that the odds are in your favour. This is what I do when I think about miscarrying again- that it’s far less common than having a successful pregnancy.
And while there are no actual physical signs that anything is wrong, we just need to have faith that everything is ok xx

I really think it’s because we’ve gone through so much shit already @thislittlebird that we are far more accustomed to failure than we are to any success, therefore this feels completely alien to us!!