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🩷

Hi everyone,

Can I join, too? Been lurking for a while but been too scared to join but recognise lots of names from the IVF board which is amazing to see!

I am 25 weeks pregnant tomorrow after 4 egg collections, 4 transfers and 2 miscarriages and still find it hard to believe that maybe this is finally our time. I've had a tricky pregnancy with bleeding in early pregnancy, followed by the IVF viability scan telling us the heart rate was really low and we were almost certainly going to lose it. And then at the 20 week scan they identified a single umbilical artery cord which gives high risk of fetal growth restriction and pre eclampsia and they were also concerned about the heart's position. I was referred for some specialist scans, including a cardiac one and they confirmed the heart is central, rather than left as it should be, but couldn't find any other anomalies so think it's likely a benign variation. 🙏 so it's been a bit of a rollercoaster and my anxiety has been sky high!

So nice to see all the happy news on this thread though and to also see people who share the feelings of excitement mixed with terror. I genuinely think I have been a bit traumatised from infertility and loss.

Hi @FancyGoose. What happened to you sounds incredibly scary - no wonder you feel traumatised! It must be great to be at 25 weeks, though? Hopefully now it will be smooth sailing!

@magpie234 eeeeeek to half way! That’s so exciting! And amazing that you are feeling baby. I keep saying to my partner ooooh I just felt baby move and he runs over to put his hand on my tummy…. But obvs can’t feel from the outside yet and I do keep telling him that lol. Good luck for your scan next Wednesday, I have had mine through for 15th Jan so exactly 20 weeks! Glad your symptoms are getting better, I am going to try the pillow to sleep tonight as my hips are a bit achey

@MintOwlyay 18 weeks! And a bell pepper! I think we are an apple this week 🩷

@waitingforourmiracle welcome and congratulations 🩷I hope your scan goes well next week x

@AmberRose26 congrats on baby girl too, so exciting!

@CloudyIvy55ahhh so sorry about the spotting, how is it today? And yay for the bump!

@FancyGoose of course you can! Welcome and congratulations 🩷 sounds like such a tough journey and I hope the rest of your pregnancy is stress free and chill

I hope everyone else is all okay? What does everyone have planned for the weekend? I don’t think I have anything planned apart from gym and clean the house, very boring but I feel like I have my little mate with me all the time as I just chitchat away to my bump 😂 people must think I am mad but that’s nothing new lol xx

Hey @pastelheart love that your chatting away to your bump!

I'm just planning to go on a decent walk today. Before IVF I use to strength train 3/4 times a week and do a HiTT circuit class at the weekend but I was advised to take exerice steady by the clinic.... for me that meant I cut it out completely and then was too worried to do any exercise in the first 12 weeks. But I definitely miss it and I'm definitely alot less fit, so my aim is to at least up the walking 😂

@CloudyIvy55i was exactly the same, I didn’t train at all through ivf I just did steps, and then when I got OHSS after my positive test the clinic said no training, so I waited until the viability scan. I have found it hard getting back into the gym and I’m only training about twice a week atm… and my gym leggings are very tight but I refuse to buy mat ones yet! I feel like everyone just stares at my bump too (which they are but like why’s it a problem lol!) and I am struggling and worrying lifting the weights onto the machine! I might go to the gym where my partner works and trains as he will be there too and I used to hate that (as he told me I was doing stuff wrong or would put the weight up lol) but at least he will be around to help if I need help xx

@pastelheart Just remember with the pillow to put it between your ankles as well as your knees as I have found that key. Just between knees not enough as the alignment is still wrong

@magpie234 do you just use a normal pillow (like the pillow on a bed to sleep on?) sorry if you have already explained.. my hips weren’t hurting then so I didn’t take it in lol 😂 xx

@pastelheart No I have a pregnancy pillow - a BabyBub. Is a bit longer than a normal pillow. But maybe a normal one would work too if you pushed it down enough?

@pastelheart my partner is still yet to feel the baby move even though they are strong from the outside now. But every time he puts his hand on my stomach, thr little bugger stops 🤣

Nothing much this weekend, did some last xmas shopping bits and made the get ahead gravy ready for the big day! Meeting some friends today which will be nice.

I am impressed you're still getting to the gym. I did loads of running/swimming/cycling before but stopped after transfer at the clinic's advice and then haven't ever really picked it back up 🤣 been on my bike twice i think haha. I have two dogs though so do walk most days (apart from when I leave it to my partner!)

I have woken up with a scratchy throat this morning despite only going to the supermarket in the last 3 days. Not a fan of pregnancy immunity! Second cold in a fortnight. Hopefully it will be a mild one 🙄

@magpie234 the normal pillow worked! Deffo helped 🩷 oh rubbish you are feeling poorly, I hope it doesn’t get any worse and you feel better asap

@FancyGoose I haven’t been loads I will be honest, only about twice a week! And thinks are deff getting harder as my bump is just in the way, my gym leggings don’t stay up and my boobs won’t stay in my sports bra so all round really really good fun lol 😂 my partner is a bodybuilder and fitness coach so it’s a big part of his life and mine but less so lol (I would 100% rather nap then go to the gym) I hope you had a good day with your friends! Walking is so good anyway, I deffo need to up my steps.

we are going to a park with loads of Xmas lights tonight (I’m not sure what they are called, illuminate trails maybe?) and we are going to film our social media announcement and post tomorrow so that’s exciting! X

Christmas lights outing sounds fun! I’ve also had a quiet weekend, doing some Christmas shopping (mainly online), flat sorting / decorating (we currently have Mon-Fri / occasional lodgers so need to work out logistics for when the baby arrives!) and went for my second (v slow) run since August. Also impressed by the gym visits. I stopped doing exercise other than a bit of walking and yoga post transfer. My partner also kept worrying the baby would fall out! But now feel quite unfit so keen to do a bit more before I get too big.

Welcome & congrats @FancyGooseand @waitingforourmiracle:)

@MintOwl, I love your partner worrying about the baby falling out! Bless him.

I am aware I'm not doing as much exercise as I'd like. I used to have a very physical job and long hours, and it was really good for me. I don't do anything like as many hours outdoors now, and I do miss it (though I don't miss the first ten minutes when you're psyching yourself up to getting out there!). I've just been in my own garden for a few hours this weekend and I feel so, so much better for doing some proper work.

Other than work I really only do walking (or jogging to keep up with DD!) as exercise so I suppose I ought to step it up, but it just feels so miserable at this time of year! Does anyone do anything like pregnancy yoga? I wondered about finding a class.

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

@SarahAndQuack i looked into pregnancy yoga and found lots of free videos on YouTube, also some gentle Pilates for pregnancy too which can help strengthen pelvis etc .. you can type in for your trimester.

@pastelheart thats exciting doing your announcement.. hope it goes well. We’re not sure what to do, but we are prob just going to tell close family 1st then maybes not let others know until I am over 16/20 weeks (if I can hide it still at that point😅

I’ve tried out a couple of pregnancy yoga sessions online but haven’t done in person yet. Have seen a weekly class nearby that I might try though. It’s run by someone who also does hypnobirthing courses which is something I’m also planning to read up on 🤔

Need to pop out this evening and not really looking forward to venturing outside.. under a blanket on the sofa at the moment. A few hours in the garden sounds very good for you though!

Good luck getting out! I must admit I didn't enjoy the first bit but things do look better now I've been out there.

I like the idea of online courses but I never have the discipline to keep at them. Plus I think it'd be nice to meet some other people. It's lovely having this group because I know absolutely no one near me who's pregnant or anywhere near the baby stage!

I managed to get another walk in today and also a couple of hours in the garden - feel much better for it.

I'm desperate to start feeling the baby move 😂 I thought I may of felt something earlier but not sure if it was just gas or a rumbling tummy 😅

I'm looking at starting pregnancy yoga classes in Jan and also a hypnobirthing course too!

Ooh, what did you do in the garden, @CloudyIvy55? (And apols to those for whom gardening chat is boring! ).

I keep wanting to feel the baby move - my mum reckoned 14 weeks for her. I don't honestly think I'm feeling anything but twinges from things shifting, though.

Hey
Nice to see you here
Knew you from a previous thread

@FancyGoose I remember you from another thread! Congrats on getting here and sorry it's been a rough ride so far. I've also had a rough time with bleeding and fibroids etc so I totally relate. Still by 25 weeks you must be feeling more confident now as you're at viability :) I hope it's all smooth sailing from here on but it is very hard to worry after a rocky road. I'm currently at 22+5 and feeling much more confident now than before.

Wow very impressed with all the people who are training atm. Annoyingly I had to stop for IVF and then after going back to the gym for a couple of weeks had bleeding which meant I wasn't able to exercise for over two months. Now I've gotten so much heavier just living feels like exercise and I feel like I've missed the boat to be a fit pregnant lady like I had hoped 🙁Some of my friends who are the same stage as me are posting hit videos and handstands meanwhile I'm like a turtle on its back if I get into the wrong position on the couch.

We have an NHS scan tomorrow - - hopefully all will b ok

@worldwidetravel2017 Good luck!

@pastelhearttwice a week seems very impressive to me still! Hope the announcement went well? We still haven't told many people but it is getting hard to hide now so going to have to soon!

@SarahAndQuack I was thinking of joining a pregnancy yoga class in the NY. Mostly as a way to meet people like you but would also be good to get a bit of exercise. I didn't feel baby move until around 17/18 weeks and it was about 19/20 before I was really confident it was definitely baby. It is amazing feeling it but then it brings a new thing to worry about too 🤣

@worldwidetravel2017 nice to see you here too! I remember you from a previous thread, think we had our egg collection and pgta testing at the same time. Good luck for your scan tomorrow - is this a growth scan?

@samvan I remember you too - lovely to see you here. Congratulations to you too! It is getting a little bit easier with every week that passes but I don't think I will relax and believe it's happening until baby is here safely in my arms 🙏 sorry you have had a tricky time of it too but glad you're feeling a bit more secure too.

Has anyone bought anything yet? I have bought a few babygrows over the last couple of weeks which felt like a big step. We are going to look at prams on Saturday but won't buy yet (might do in Jan sales if any good discounts though!)

Hello everyone, is it ok if I join please? I am 14+3 with baby #2, I have a little boy already. I know @pastelheart from the embryo transfer thread but I’ve fallen off the radar a bit due to not getting notifications for some reason 😠
it’s my birthday tomorrow but I’m far more excited for my gender scan on Saturday and hoping that’ll make things feel more “real” as I’ve had next to no symptoms this time (I know, lucky bugger but the anxiety is through the roof!) and not feeling movement yet! I can’t remember when I felt it with my son but feel like it was really early 🥲❤️

Has anyone experienced a chest infection while pregnant? Making a doc appt asap but am awake at 4am having a dreadful night… it really hurts to breathe in and feels like something big and painful is stuck in there. Coughing with my bad tailbone bone is a horror! Razor-blade throat too. Not what I had been hoping for just before Christmas and my anatomy scan on Wednesday morning 😭