IVF Pregnancy Club- Part Two

[pastelheart]

Hey girls!

thread number two for us, thank you again for all being so lovely and supportive. I still can’t believe, after all those years and all the upset… are babies are on their way ♥️

IVF pregnancy club Due Dates/Birth Dates

AmberRose- 3rd July (baby girl) 🩷
Sara237- 24th June (could be a week earlier)
Zirafica- 21st August, c-section could be 14th August
Magpie234- 1st May, could be 24th April (baby girl) 🩷
Nosejug- 27th June, may be earlier though
Fancygoose- 28th March- c-section could be 24th March
SarahAndQuack- 19th June
MintOwl- 14th May, (baby girl) 🩷
CloudyIvy55- 15th May
SamVan- 7th April (baby boy) 🩵
Pastelheart- 4th June (baby boy) 🩵

Dubkitten- baby girl born 8th January 2026 🩷

Hey everyone, sorry I have been quiet not been feeling great this weekend… I have been in bed all day I just don’t feel right I was contemplating going to triage but I have checked my temp, blood pressure etc and that’s all okay and baby is moving loads as normal. I think I may just be exhausted due to not sleeping and everything just being so much harder work now ☹️ going to see how I am tomorrow I think. I have just sent my partner off to get me some food as I have hardly eaten today.

sorry you are feeling rubbish too @CloudyIvy55@magpie234

@magpie234 we got the maxi cosi aurora, it can be a proper next to me so attached to the bed or just a crib next to the bed, also when I saw it in the shop it it quite big so maybe worth looking at? X

Sorry I spelt it wrong completely, my brain is very fuzzy. Maxi cosi iora air x

Oh sorry some of you are feeling so rough :(
i imagine im only ok so far because I’m further behind, but just sleeping issues for me and I’ve had a few goodish sleeps and it’s warm enough not to have the heating on before going to bed which is helping with my itchy skin.

im being given the next to me crib next week though I don’t know the brand, I do have a bed frame that juts out below the mattress. Surely the manufacturers make these cots universal to an extent? My nurse cousin (also ivf) said she just slept with the baby next to her but I’d be terrified of harming the baby with my sleep activity!

we have an nhs run antenatal class tomorrow night. At my gestational diabetes test I was a good 10-15yrs older than the average I think, so I expect much the same but would be so cool to meet someone at least in their early/mid 30s to be friends with! And to learn how to hold a newborn lol.

and @Sara237 sorry I’m late in replying! Not really with night time activity, though sometimes I do feel their kicks or rolls in the night. I’d say they’re doing a lot more rolling or big sweepy movements as time goes on as opposed to kicks.

we had a growth measurement and it looks like baby’s around the 30th %le, I’d love a clean sheet 50% like @SarahAndQuack ! The doc said “we can’t all be 6 foot”. Hah (i.e it’s nothing to worry about)

@Nosejug I know what you mean about age but I wouldn't worry too much about it; motherhood is a great leveler. I'm also hoping to meet some new mums when I start my anti natal classes. If I turn up and there's only 2 other couples who don't want to make eye contact, I'll be devastated! With my son, I had the best group and we met up all the time. Then they all had 2nd babies really quickly and we drifted apart. Especially as I've worked out it's basically £50 per session...I want quality company 😂
Like your cousin, we co-slept after a while. We had two bed protectors, and it was just me and him as my husband was in the spare room at this stage. He was a chunk though! That's great you've been gifted one. Hope your class goes well and you meet some lovely people. Enjoy!

We reached a new milestone today - laughing! Such a great sound

@dubkitten That's gorgeous, ah, you're in for a beautiful Easter with your little giggler! Yes to lovely milestones like this. 💕
So, I spoke too soon about antenatal classes. Today received cancellation email as only one other couple had booked... 😭 I mean I'm not a first time mum and was only going because I really need mum friends but I'm gutted. There's nothing else near me so I'll be hitting those baby groups hard and hopefully meeting people that way. Urgh.

Oh, that's so lovely @dubkitten!

Sorry, I have lost track of this thread - I really appreciate and value it so I am giving myself a stern talking-to.

@Sara237, that's a real shame! Though, my brother and his wife met some of the people they got on with best at baby groups, so I know it can be done. I wish we were nearer - it'd be lovely to meet up and chat. I don't know many people who've done IVF and I don't know many older mothers - the few I know are people who had third/fourth babies in their forties as a pleasant surprise, and it's just really different. They are lovely, don't get me wrong, but there's quite a sense of 'goodness, it just happens doesn't it?' which is obviously not the same.

@SarahAndQuack Thanks, I was actually thinking this today that I'll gravitate towards the right people...I had a tough time with my son at first so I just know I don't want to be isolated. There should actually be ivf antenatal groups! People who get it. I might set this up! 🤔
How are you getting on? I think you're a week or 2 ahead of me? I'm 26 weeks tomorrow. Xx

Sorry to hear some of you are also feeling rough - I'm still struggling. I'm just so irritable and grouchy which isn't normally like me. I'm finding nearly everything and everyone annoying 🤦‍♀️😂 I've got a few nights away next week for my Mums birthday and I'm not sure how I will cope with three full days of being away together, I'm annoyed at myself that I've agreed to go 😂

We've got a tutti bambini next to me, haven't got round to setting it up yet. We've got a divan bed so not sure how it will work with attaching it to the bed 🤔

Shame your class got cancelled @Sara237really hope you meet some people at the baby classes. An IVF group would be good - I find I can only really connect to those who have been through it. Although your post did make me laugh because we are definitely the couple avoiding all eye contact with others at our hypnobirthing classes 😂

Ahhh sorry your class got cancelled @Sara237 had mine the other day, there were some funny (good funny) people there and I probably gave off “be my friend” stink lines hehe. You book them randomly so I probably won’t see anyone again. My partner got up to change the nappy and give the “baby” a bath ♥️ nice that there’s something for him finally as I’ve had a billion scans and lots of attention.

Hello everyone!

how are we all?

this week I have sorted the babies clothes and his wardrobe and it made me so so so happy! Sorting out your babies things when you have waited so long to do so just hits differently I think

I have also decided to move my maternity start date forward by about a month, so I am going to start maternity leave on the 1st May instead of the end of May. I am also going to use 1 day annual leave a week so I am only working 4 days a week. I have a meeting booked with my manager tomorrow to discuss (tell lol) which I know won’t go very well as they really don’t want me to start Mat leave at all
let alone earlier 🙃 but I have to put myself first and I want to be rested as much as possible when the baby arrives.

I am 30 weeks today, can’t believe it. I hope everyone’s week is going well. What appointments do we have coming up? I have my 31 week midwife appt next Wednesday xox

I’m in hospital! I think all is well but had very light bleeding and they’ve admitted me to monitor in case baby was thinking about coming, but all seems peaceful on monitors and scans. Playing my hospital management game in my hospital bed—I’ve lost a lot of patients…

that’s lovely @pastelheart sorting out babies clothes 😻 must feel just so…brilliant. I love that things are becoming more real for us all. Happy 30 weeks :D

That sounds like a perfect plan @pastelheart let them be unhappy about it, like you said, you've got to come first! It's my last day at work tomorrow and I'm very happy about it!!

Sorry to hear your in hospital @Nosejug although you sound very calm about it, glad to hear all is good on the monitors and scans. Hopefully you get a good night's sleep and your back home soon.

@Nosejug oh no! I’m so sorry you are in hospital. So glad everything looks good on scans and the monitor though. Have they said how long they think you will be in for? Also… what’s the name of that game… it sounds fun!

honestly so brilliant… it kept me entertained for hours! Ordered some cute storage boxes to put on top of the drawers which will be here tomorrow so can finish it then 🩷 can’t wait! I am also planning on putting together our next to me as I am worried about not being able to do it the bigger I get lol (I don’t trust my partner to do it… he isn’t very practical like that)

@CloudyIvy55 omg so exciting to be finishing!! How are you feeling? Xx

@pastelheartI'm feeling better than I did at the weekend. I think the baby had got themselves in a bad position but they must have moved again since as I'm more comfortable. Still pretty emotional though...had a frustrated cry this morning which isn't normally something I'd do 😂

Aww @CloudyIvy55 just enjoy a bit of throwback emo, I tried to sing my favourite Christmas carol (sorry!) to baby yesterday morning as the music is so vast and moving and ended up cry-singing haha, I’m not a weepy person. Hope the baby being in a better position bodes better for your three days away! glad to hear you’re at least more comfy :)

and yeah, I feel calm becuase I’m determined nothing will happen till 28 weeks min, and I’ve only a week and a day to go till then (but let me have 32). And I heard the heart beat on a fancier monitor and it was like a galloping horse so I like that baby is well at least. And no contractions even on the monitor. Aaand a cervical scan which showed still very short but no real change. They almost tried to move me to a tertiary hospital (with higher nicu ward) at 10pm, but they were just being overly overly cautious.

@pastelheart i cannot wait for babies room to be more ready so I can do these things. We’re getting power put in to the newly claimed wall which is as close to nesting as I can get right now haha. Very satisfied for my future self. And the game is on switch, called two point hospital, based on the 2000s original Theme Hospital. I have to limit myself as I get very absorbed 🫣

Thinking of you, @Nosejug. I'm so glad you're being well looked after, but it sounds hard on you.

@Sara237 - YY, IVF groups would be good! I find the casual 'and will you have any more' conversations quite awkward - I never know how much to explain.

I am bang on 28 weeks today. It was DD's ninth birthday yesterday and we had a lovely evening, but it goes so fast.

@CloudyIvy55 glad you are feeling a bit more comfortable. And nothing wrong with crying if it’s needed! I am normally quite an emotional person but even my partner said the other day that I have been crying less since being pregnant (yeah no shit, because for the 4 years previous 9/10 I was crying because I wasn’t pregnant!) happy last day of work!

@Nosejughow long u til babies room is ready?! Omg I used to love theme hospital… I don’t have a switch though ☹️☹️ I wonder if I can get it on my sons Xbox or ps5?! I will go look, I can’t get used to the controllers though, we played zoo tycoon together on his ps5 and he laughed at me everytime I went a million miles off the screen because I can’t control it lol 😂 xx

I remember when I first put Callie’s clothes into the wardrobe, made it feel so real! This week I had to remove all her newborn clothes and most of her 0-3 clothes as she has outgrown them already!

Oh, that's such an exciting milestone! I absolutely love tiny baby clothes. I'm washing and re-discovering all of my older daughter's at the moment - they are just so cute.

How are you getting on in general? She must be such a delight by now. I hope she is letting you snatch a little sleep?

Oh no! Hopefully it’s not a long stay. Have they given you a plan to get to the weeks you want or is it just a case of taking each week as it comes?

We are doing good, she is such a calm baby. She usually has a bottle around 9/10 and the goes down until about 4/5 and then back up at 7/8 so a good rest.

She is going for a sleepover in my parents tomorrow (they called and asked could that have her). It is the first time since she was born I won’t be in the same house as her overnight. The previous two nights I didn’t have her in with me I was still in the same house just in a different room. I’m looking forward to a full nights sleep and she will get spoiled by my folks.

This sounds absolutely perfect! How lovely.

Hello everyone, happy weekend!

Just been catching up on all the news, massive congratulations @FancyGoose! how're you getting on now? Sending you both all the best for the next few weeks and hope you're recovering well.

So lovely to hear your updates from the other side too @dubkitten, enjoy your sleep tonight!

Sorry to hear about the hospital stay @Nosejug , wishing you all the best too. Good to hear the scans are all looking good.

I'm 33 plus 2 today. Feels great to be advancing through the weeks and we had a growth scan on Tuesday where everything was looking well. Thankfully back pain has subsided a little though I've definitely joined the insomnia club. Have at least a couple of nights a week where I'm up from about 2-5am which is making work a bit of a struggle.

Congrats on starting your mat leave @CloudyIvy55! How's the hypnobirthing stuff going? We have been very slack at practicing it but hoping to do so more in the coming weeks.

How did the chat with your manager go @pastelheart ? I'm planning to stop on 1st May too.

Coming to the end of our antenatal course. This week was all about baby first aid (dealing with choking, seizures etc.) which was mildly terrifying! We also had our NCT course cancelled last minute due to lack of numbers but managed to get a last spot on a Happy Parents Happy Baby course, which has been pretty good. Agree with others that'd it'd be quite nice to be on one with other IVF babies though in fairness I don't know everyone's story on ours. Slightly conscious that most people are circa 10-15 years younger!

Thanks everyone, back home and taking it even easier than I was. My wee mum carried my shopping for me for friday night tea hehehe.

@dubkitten yeah just week by week, I mean that’s how I’ve been living/monitored since 16 weeks so it’s nice to have reached a much safer albeit not safe 27 (today!)

@pastelheart well still no plaster on the wall but we have secured all the workers for each of the bits and now just have to jigsaw puzzle their time together in the right order. Can’t wait to not have strange men in the house with me!!

i lovvved roller coaster tycoon (was a pc game for me as a teen) I think they’re all the same-ish thing. It says it’s available on Xbox One if you have that. I learned to play my partners ps5 with the most scary zombie game ever during lockdown (the last of us). I can so relate with being bad at the controls haha! Also would throw the controller away when the fear became overwhelming. Tried playing alien but I just hid in a cupboard the whole time. Management games are far more appropriate for me right now!