IVF Pregnancy Club- spring/summer 2026

[pastelheart]

Wanted to start a thread for anyone expecting after IVF and due next spring/summer

I am finding it quite daunting after infertility for 4 years and then a round of IVF to now be FINALLY expecting in June 2026, can hopefully chat with anyone else in the same boat

@backtotheicsi🩷

Yep 12w scan could be then

My 20w scan was at 19w3days

Low papp A Normally means extra nhs growth scans.
For some its a potential risk factor - but its not a diagnosis

I have my nhs 28w non routine growth scan dec 22

Yes I think they mentioned I’d have more scans, which is great, but it would be better if DH could come in with DC. But they don’t allow children in so he can’t come in ☹️ unless I arranged childcare of course.

I'm feeling a bit low now. I ran across my friend who I did my last round of IVF with, last year. It's a bit of a crap time of year anyway, because I keep remember this time last year I was super excited we'd got 4 blastocysts and I honestly thought (naively) that we'd have at least one euploid and we'd be away. It's horrible seeing him because he was so angry when it didn't work, but seeing him also makes me feel a bit miserable I'm doing this on my own now, when we'd both got excited about being a little family together. Ugh. Sorry to splurge that out but I think people who've not done IVF don't quite get why it's a rollercoaster (or why I really did feel I needed to carry on on my own).

Ahh thanks for all the concern ladies I’m all good just back on the constant toilet trips to check for bleeding like the early days. Hopefully it will pass in time!
sounds like lots of scans coming up for you ladies, over 5 weeks for us now until anomaly scan fingers crossed we get there 🤞 trying to keep off TikTok I seem to be on loss TikTok and it’s terrifying. Xxx

Ugh, sympathy! I do hate how the algorithms latch onto the tiniest things. I had to stop looking at instagram a while ago because it was all getting into more and more snake-oil type 'just pay us 5 grand for these supplements and you too will have a baby' posts. Along with an unpleasant sprinkling of very weird right-wing American 'a woman's duty is having a baby, look at me pregnant with my ninth at 29' posts. I did not enjoy it.

(Have made DD do her thing clicking hearts, and we're now back to an uninterrupted stream of cat-related videos, which is far nicer.)

@Backtotheicsi I hope things settle down quickly for you. I was just on a walk in the dark on the beach and felt something that worried me and had to quickly check no dog walkers were about before checking myself in the great outdoors! Thankfully just cyclogest, but just to say, totally get the constant checking. Mine has quietened down now but it doesn’t stop you being hyper aware. I can only hope of a fellow woman saw me she’d somehow know why.

@SarahAndQuack urgh i hate those kinds of bumping intos that you really don’t want and that linger with you like a bad dream. I can’t imagine how tricky that must feel, so complicated I bet. And isn’t it weird reflecting of the naivety and innocence of a few years ago before you knew about ivf and (in my case) infertility. Just la la la la la. I get a lot out of supporting other women on here going through any of the shit I’ve gone through. Like at least there’s a use for it all.

I wasn't even all that naive about infertility/IVF TBH - I've been TTC on and off since 2011; I've had four miscarriages; I've done IUI, etc. It was more I was stupidly hopeful because I wanted it to work so much and I honestly thought if it didn't, it'd be sad but we'd be gentle with each other and it'd be ok. What I was naive about was people!

But you are right: the positive side of it is that you do get to see the resilience and the kindness of people. This thread feels like a lovely safe space to be excited or worried or whatever else we might feel, without anyone judging. I do so much appreciate that.

@SarahAndQuack I'm sorry you're feeling down at the moment. I think it's really hard when so, so many feelings can coexist. Like the sadness that you didn't get the family you'd envisaged with your friend as well as the knowledge that he might not have been able to give the support and empathy that you needed. It's like the excitement of this whole process coexisting with the dread and accumulative stress of this process. I'm probably being somewhat unclear here; just know I'm thinking of you. Xxx

Thanks @Sara237, you're very kind. I do know rationally that I'll be a good single mum; I do pretty well with DD. But I still feel guilty because I felt really good about a baby getting to have a dad as well as a mum (or two dads/dad-type figures as well as a mum!), and a little bit of me is worried about this baby growing up and feeling they missed out.

And yes, it was nice thinking about having other people around to share it all with, though I do know rationally it would not have been as easy as I would like to imagine!

@SarahAndQuack Completely. It's a tough one to go it alone. A friend of mine is in same situation and she didn't have family either. It's why she didn't want C section. I think this is another positive for bigger age gap. Xx

I hope everyone’s had a lovely weekend! We have just told the in-laws who paid for the ivf. We hadn’t told them until now as they live a couple of hours away and we really wanted to tell them face to face!
who is excited for Christmas? I’m so excited for bump to hopefully be bumping and be wrapped in my excited bubble!

@Backtotheicsi Yay! That is so nice. Loving the excited bubble. I am anxious for my anomaly scan but that is 17th so hopefully all will be OK and then we can enjoy Christmas. Unfortunately I am sleeping terribly due to pelvic pain atm which is making me irritable and sensitive all day so I really hope that improves as I find Christmas fun but tiring and overwhelming enough when not pregnant…!

Hi everyone! Sorry I have been so quiet, work has been crazy the last week so that has been taking up a lot of brain space!

welcome @MrsB2025 and congratulations

@Nosejug I think 12 week scan can be anywhere between 11-14 weeks 🩷

@SarahAndQuack I am still so mad at your ex friend for you. Did you speak to them when you saw them? I hope you are okay though and just think… next Christmas you will have your little baby 🩷

@Backtotheicsi yay for telling the in-laws, what was there reaction?. My in-laws (well mother in-law) is causing me irrational stress. And it’s eating me up and I don’t know why. She is a lovely lady, but my partner is an only child and this will be her first grandad and I just know how overbearing she is going to be and I can feel it starting already and I don’t know if it’s because of how hard the journey has been to get here but I am so overprotective of this baby already. We have said no one can tell anyone until after our gender scan and when we announce on socials and all she cares about is when she can tell her friends (I know it’s because she’s excited) and in my head all I am thinking is… I wish that was all I had cared/wprried about for the last 4 years. Completely unreasonable I know. And she keeps calling the baby ‘our baby’ and it makes me want to rip my hair out. Okay sorry… I just fully vented to everyone for no reason… but like I said I feel stressed by it already 😂

we had our combined screening results back this week and everything is low risk so that was a relief and we also have our gender scan on Thursday and I’m soooo excited! Can’t wait to see the baby again and see my partners reaction to seeing the baby again! Xx

@magpie234 ahh that’s rubbish I was struggling and got a pregnancy pillow which seems to have helped in the long run although took me a week or so to get used to that lol

@pastelheart i know this feeling very well! It’s super hard because they can at times mean well and I actually love it when friends or my sisters say our baby it makes me feel they’re so loved but I can totally relate to not feeling that way when the in-laws do, I think it has to do with boundaries and when people don’t always respect them we feel protective of our space. So I’m sure it’s irritating and you’ll definitely need to have strong boundaries from the get go about everything!
the in laws were emotional it was nice our relationship has grown a lot since I had my daughter it’s not perfect but they’ve finally learnt that I don’t bend on certain things and learnt to embrace it I think (they’re Indian and I think I’m the first spirited woman they’ve come up against) anyways they’ve always been super generous etc just always tried to be very pushy but they’re much improved since them days I was genuinely excited to tell them and so grateful to them for funding this or it would have never happened. They don’t know yet but baby girls middle name is going to be Bal (his mums names Balbir) in thanks to them for this beautiful bundle! I’m lucky they won’t hold paying for it against me they didn’t last time to be fair.
exciting about the scan and you’ve made me realise I still haven’t had my results back after 3 weeks. I’ll have to chase this if my midwife doesn’t have a copy when I see her Tuesday. Amazing news about the low risk! Xxx

Morning all!

@Backtotheicsi - how lovely to get to tell your in-laws! I bet they're really excited. I love your name choice. That's very sweet. And YY, it's so nice to be cosying up for Christmas and thinking about the next one! I loved DD's first Christmas - I just remember her chuckling and chuckling at the fairy lights.

@pastelheart - so glad about your screening results! That's tricky about your inlaws. TBH, it would wind me up a treat too. I am a bit jaded TBH. When DD was born my MIL had spent the whole time in absolute rigid embarrassment because DP was 'far too old' (at 35!), and we actually worried she wouldn't be very interested in the baby. Then when DD was born she suddenly decided she was the most important person in the baby's life - she didn't like it that DP breastfed because she wanted to bottle feed. When DD was very tiny I was taking her to DP for a feed and MIL just grabbed her and wouldn't give her back. Not my favourite moment!

TBF she has calmed down massively and is a very devoted (if still absolutely batshit crazy!) grandmother. But I do think negotiating around grandchildren always requires enormous reserves of patience. Hopefully they will bring some of that as well as expecting if of you!

@magpie234 - hope you start sleeping better soon!

I've just got back from my 12 week scan. I am sure sometime I will stop assuming there'll be no heartbeat, but today was not the day! Baby was jumping around like crazy (I did not admit my 'pint of water' had been a lovely Costa chai latte ). Isn't that feeling of relief amazing?! I'm a tiny bit teary now!

Lovely @SarahAndQuack!! Such a lovely feeling!

Quick question... does anyone know if they tell you that everything's OK/there's an issue at the 20 week scan? Or do you have to wait for results?

Mine is NYE so I'm hoping I can enjoy the evening knowing everything is OK and not waiting for results.

@CloudyIvy55 I think they tell you on the day like with the 12-week one. I hope so anyway as mine is just before Christmas so I relate! I guess the only potential issue is baby not playing ball and having to come back another day for them to check anything they struggled to see.

@SarahAndQuack Great news on your scan! Relief is the best emotion and I will die on that hill.

@magpie234 Sorry to hear about the pelvic pain wrecking your sleep. I had it with my son. I remember the physio showing me some exercises and then saying, but basically you need to give birth! I had a support belt in the day that helped a bit. Hope it eases.
@pastelheart Ah, the inlaws...my MIL constantly told me I should be bottle feeding. Her and her sister who would call me regularly to patronise me when on reflection neither of them breastfed or had an ounce of knowledge. Never a shred of empathy. They just made me feel shit as a first time mum. Boundaries definitely needed!
@SarahAndQuack So pleased to hear about your scan. Are you second trimester now? Woo hoo! 🙌

@Backtotheicsi100% protective of our space. I am trying really really hard to change my mindset as they are lovely lovely people and I am really close to them, but I think being pregnant and everything that’s happened to get here is bringing out some neggy emotions! I am glad you and your in-laws are in a good place now though. Do you use Badgers notes for your mat records? Mine was updated on there about a week before I got the letter so maybe check there too if you have them.

@SarahAndQuackerrrrhhhggg why are they so annoying and 35 is not old! I am glad she’s calmed down now. Yes my partner has told me to be patient as she will be annoying so even he knows, he is very close to his parents though (only child) so I have to keep very demure with my reactions! I am so glad your scan went well 🩷 I bet baby had grown loads?

@CloudyIvy55 from what I remember (many moons ago, 12 years ago lol) we got results from 20 week scan straight away

@Sara237thats awful, I am planning on breast feeding because obvs it’s best but also… so I don’t have to discuss sleepovers for a while 😂😂 because that will be a massive thing and I just can’t deal with it

guys I am SOOOOOO excited, two sleep til gender scan

i had a dream last night that baby is a girl, this is the third dream I have had where baby is a girl and my friends have also had the same dream too! I can’t wait to find out and I am going to laugh so much if it’s a boy as I have been convinced it’s a girl xx

We got told @ 20w scan that everything = ok

Nearly 27w now

Apparently baby girl = 90th percentile

Was tested for gestational diabetes - apparently i dont have it

Morning everyone.

@worldwidetravel2017, that must be such a relief about the GD. Are you and your partner tall, then? (I've no idea whether or not that really has anything to do with baby's centiles! ).

@pastelheart - I'm more or less over it now with ex-MIL ... it was the best part of a decade ago! That's the advantage of such a big gap, I suppose. But it is tricky. You just have to remember ... their hearts are usually in the right place ... however annoying ...

YY, scan was lovely. The woman doing it was very kind and talked me through what she was seeing, so she showed me the baby's thumbs and so on, and it was really reassuring. I know things can still go wrong, but it does help!

It's so interesting about gender. I have absolutely no idea. I know there's a slight correlation between blastocyst grade and gender, but mine was 4AB which is absolutely neutral as far as I know! And I've had no revealing dreams. I did have a sudden feeling driving back from the embryo transfer that it might be a boy, but who knows?

@Sara237 - oof, your MIL! It's amazing how much rubbish you hear as a first-time mum, and everyone has an opinion. It is very nice to be doing it second time around and feeling so much less inclined to give a shit about what anyone says!

I'll be at the start of week 14 on Saturday ... blimey! It seems to have gone fast. And you're into second trimester next week too, aren't you?! Hoping the sickness is beginning to subside.

Does anyone else still struggle to feel it's real? I seem to switch between being excited and quite happy, and just feeling as if it must all be a trick. I don't have a lot of symptoms, so although I know I'm pregnant and I can tell if I think about my body, it doesn't feel as if I am properly pregnant, if you see what I mean?!

My dads,v tall

My BMI was 30 @ ivf - that maybe linked

.both my sisters,babies were 6lbs