Pregnancy after Long Term TTC #6 - 2009

[airline]

Hello girls, some of you have already read my intro to the forum 'can I join in?' and thank you for your warm welcome...it's scary leaving your comfortable old forum

I do have a question as naturally I'm a little nervous at this early stage but trying to stay positive and not focus on the ifs and maybes.

My first BT hcg was 86 (15 days after EPU), I got another done for peace of mind at GP 48 hours later and it was 170. DH and I were happy with that (the old 48hour doubling rule of thumb) but GP didn't seem so happy so I've had another - results this arvo.

He showed me this from the lab:
week 4 lower=40 median=350 upper=2000
week 5 l=400 m=1800 u=10000

and said it's a shame you're not up in the 1000s. Would that be a more realistic figure...I'm just worried that the same thing that happened last time will happen again(slow rise hcg...then drop)

advice and experience appreciated.

[Loveinamist]

Hello all!

just checking in as I have been very slack lately......no excuse really apart from being pregnant and having family issues...more on that later...

Murph- Glad Jasmine is finally in your arms! Really feel for you with the traumatic birth...trying to find the words to explain what I mean so I hope it doesn't come out all upside down and wrong but it was especially such a bugger for you because I know you had had to do some emotional prep to come round to the idea of a c-section and then they go and make it somewhat near what would have been your worst case scenario. I hope that made sense I haven't been there yet but I guess what the other ladies who have had traumatic births are saying must be of some comfort and that the most important thing is she is here!!!!

Airline- Welcome! As for HCG results I don't know much about them and I see that you had a problem with it last time. Over here in the UK they don't seem to do BTs after transfer and you just get scanned to see a heartbeat etc. So I never knew my HCG and it seems in hindsight that was good because it does seem very stressful that the doctors seem to make a big deal of what figures are correct etc. Everyone is different and as long as it is going up surely that is the most important thing? He is probably just wanting to see high numbers as that would leave him in no doubt that what happened last time won't happen again. But I believe they do too much analysing of figures and statistics. Sticky vibes and I hope to see you in this forum for a long time yet!

Greenslw - What a dilemma! I would leave your decision for a while. If they want you now they are likely to want you later as well. You have no idea how you will feel once your baby is here and perhaps three hours will seem like a lovely 'me' time or perhaps feel like the worst possible torture! I have been advised that it takes a few weeks to get back to 'earth' after a baby is born and a week afterwards seems to soon for me. However I must confess I have no idea about the way you cope with change and stress etc. My friend who now has a 6 week old baby after LTTC advised me not to try and make any decisions or think about future plans for ages as she said she has only just now started to feel 'human' again! However that could just be her! In my own case I have left my career but we have taken some pretty drastic financial knocks as a consequence! I also was never happy in my career. I plan to get back onto a new career about a year after the baby is born. But then again I have no idea if that will still suit me once bubs is here. Another friend of mine who was very career minded and ambitious said her attitude changed when she had her first baby and she said she described her new attitude as going from 'career progression to career maintenance'
Once again though we are all different but those are just some examples that I have that might help your decision. It is a humdinger though! Good luck with whatever you decide!

Everyone else I am slack, hopeless and a terrible contributor to this forum and I am sorry! However please know I love reading your updates and send all the best sticky vibes!

[Loveinamist]

I just realised that I haven't even told you about the family crap I am going through! Shows what a crap contributor I am if I can't even write about myself!!! Anyway just the usual stuff....wicked stepmothers...feeling like noone gives a crap about me and my baby and the usual....I might explain more when it doesn't make me sooo angry!!! Getting a lot off my chest though IRL to the right people so perhaps things may get better!!

[lilmisshavachat]

Hi Airline..
I'm sorry that this can't just be your straight forward, run around madly moment and that you have to keep waiting for test results to get excited... I don't have any personal experience with low HCG levels but I look forward to seeing some great test results this afternoon from you... If this is just a GP telling you this rather than an FS then I tend to disregard a few more things from GP's as they don't deal with this stuff enough IMO... Goodluck for a H&H 9 months Hun..

Greenslw - Wow.. What a conundrum... It sounds really tempting from a financial point of view and I don't envy you the decision... 3 hours isn't a lot if you have good support for that time but it really is a quick turn around.. Maybe talk to them and see if you could make the start date a week or 2 later so you have time to find your feet.. Good luck in the decision making..

Hi to everyone else..

[grub17]

hi girls,

airline - CONGRATS!!! and welcome lovely.... i have no great expertise in hcg but your numbers look fine to me. especially given you are not very far along. try not to let the doc worry you - so long as it's going up, that's all that matters. Also the 'doubling' thing is not an exact science and depends on when they are actually testing. If i have one piece of advice, it's to just put your worries aside (hard i know! lol) and just enjoy your moment. You can't control what will be, but you can control how you will be - and personally, i'd rather be happy and at peace than stressing like a crrraaaazzzeee woman. not sure if any of that helps but wishing you a happy, healthy and stress-free nine months

greenslw - personally, i think you are expecting way way too much of yourself and your body and it will end in tears (read as tears as in cry cry; not tears as in rip, rip lol).

Personally, I think it would be unfair on your employer to take the work because you just don't know how you'll feel and you might still be in hospy with the bub. I understand the need for work/money but I think you need to cut yourself some slack and give your body and your baby a bit of time to heal and bond.

Those dates leave no room for error or complication - lol - and we all know that these babies don't go by dates! Tell them to move it back a month, as that would really suit you lol. And like poppy said, you just don't know how you'll feel. I wouldn't make any decisions til a few weeks after bub arrives so you have a better idea of where you are emotionally and physically. But at the end of the day you must decide what's best for you

and you know greenslw - i don't want to lecture you BUT you are taking care of yourself aren't you??? been out in the garden for some relaxation lately??? ...good luck and i hope you get some unworried sleep (that's an order for lady grub lol)

as for the single bed, I'd leave it there! surely a visitor would have to be pretty rude to volunteer themself to sleep there! it's your home remember! Our spare room has also become bub's room, and i've told all visitors (paretns and IL in particular) they'll have to hotel it cos we don't have the room. We can accommodate one person on a mattress on the floor and that's it!

hi poppy -hope the family issues aren't giving you too much grief. we all know from BDT's terrible time with her misbehaving relatives what an impact that kind of stress can have on you. What's the weather like over in the 'mother land' lol??

BOC - where you at gurlfriend?

LIse - love how are you going??? is everthing okay?

Saph - you dirty little bargain hunter you! good one!

Where's Seph? how you trundling dear?

Ella's mum - 10 weeks! where has the time gone? I feel like it's gone so fast but is going so slow iykwim? I can't believe we'll be 36 weeks on sunday! how the smeg did that happen! lol. HOpe you are well love.

hi melbel!!!

and beautiful Bella - i know that is like saying beautiful beautiful but i'm pregnant, leave me alone. lol.

lilmisshavachat - you promised to come back to us!!!! where are you? what you doing? are you well?

Mift and SammieJam - drop in girls and let us know how you are going.

and special allo to High Pants lol. I've decided i'm not going to call you smithy anymore. just High Pants, maybe HP, like the sauce heehehee.... okay been home alone too long, does it show?

and seeing she's not in this forum anymore - don't you reckon this long post is like 10 times better than any of murph's long posts lol. ahhh, nothing like taking pot shots from behind people's backs

AFM - doing well. feeling quite quite lonely but that's okay. poor dh is missing home and me so much. but is going well on his course, of course! Have a deluxe facial booked for this arvo and on thurs a doc appnt and then my sis arrives yay. We are past the half way mark of DH being away! by monday it'll only be 3 weeks til he's home! yay!!! not that i'm counting lol.

been feeling really crampy lately and got some ligament pain while laying down yesterday. I think bub has positioned himself more in the centre too rather than sitting on the right (there was some sort of extremity poking out of my left side this morn lol). So i wonder if that mean's he's good for launch? Not sure if he's droped yet, don't think so. But i'm watching like a hawk for any signs of labour now so i can call DH asap (he informed me before he left, that I should give him at least 8 hrs notice before having the baby... lol... righto dear, will do!)

oh my goodness, better let someone else have a go! Hope you are well. sorry about blabbering on, the perils of loneliness me thinks! oxoxox

[Loveinamist]

Grub - Wow countdown is on for both DH's return and Bub's arrival! Exciting stuff! Thinking of you!

[airline]

Oh ladies thanks for responding so quickly!

grub - you're absolutely right about not being crazeeee and just enjoying the moment. After it taking this long to get here, I'm definately trying to hold onto that. I slept really well for the first time in ages last night, and that made me feel better and more positive. Due to the early nights now (just can't stay awake past 9) I'm awake with the birds, so enjoying quiet walks with my furbaby labby.
I love the way you need to give DH 8 hours notice!...let's hope your little one doesn't want to make a quick entrance into the world...although that'd certainly be better for you and your pain threshold

lilmiss - Hi I recognise you....must've been in my old forum. I also agree with what you say re. GPs experience. As DH said to me, girls who've little experience with assisted conception just get told they're pregnant and know nothing about their levels. It's a case of a little knowledge is dangerous!! - can apply to me I guess. I'm gonna call my FS today and see when he wants to see me.

poppyfairy - thank you for your thoughts and I think you're right, GP just wants an absolutely astounding no. so he can reassure me. Being a pommie I remember being surprised when I came here and discovered how many scans and bts my friends all got during their pregnancies. St. Guys, good hospital by all accounts

So now I've got a sick furbaby - cat with urinary tract infection, poor mite, so off to vet with him, then doc to get results and will phone FS/OBGYN and see what's next. 6 week scan I'm guessing. I'm reading 'the stress free pregnancy guide' from the library, written by an OBGYN, and it's very interesting, and I'm still in a good place

[BOC]

!

Greenslw: I had this wonderful piece of wise advice worked out to say to you, but SOMEBODY beat me to it *shoots a look at Grub*. I agree with her 100%. How can we make any plans when we have no idea how these little creatures are going to affect us? And ditto for not allowing room for error or complication. Just take your time & do what's best for you hun

Poppyfairy: What are you talking about woman? You are a fantastic contributor and don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Sorry to hear you are having family dramas. I hear ya, although in our case I am the wicked stepmother LOL. Hope it all eases up soon, but most of all take care of you first.

Airline: Well this is a tough one... from what I have heard, as long as your hcg is roughly doubling and the prog is not getting too low then I think it's ok. But don't take that as gospel. I think, as with everything to do with pregnancy & conception, that every case is individual. As hard as it is to say I think you just have to wait & see, and as impossible as it is, try not to stress about it. we're all and for you that all is good. Do you have a first scan booked in at 6-7 weeks? And while you wait, take solace in the comfort of the furbabies. I found my Jaz to be invaluable whenI was struggling. Since day 1 she barely leaves my side now.

Smithy: I second Grub... from here on in you will be referred to as HHP and we expect to see some pics as such when you next update your piczo! (Yes, I've been stalking you too!)

Grub: My dear girl... so happy you are over the halfway mark til DH gets home! And glad your sis arrives this week! How long is she staying again? You know what, I think your DH and my DH have been speaking. I got the lecture yesterday that when I go into labour it should be at 3am as he will already be up and won't be disturbed and that he can just call work and start his Pat leave straight away, then he can drop me off at the hospital and go home for a couple more hours sleep and come back when I'm ready to push. (Why yes of course dear, I will make sure the timing is just right so it suits your convenience!) And they wonder why we go insane! Oh and I never did ask, I am seeing Jillian Spilsbury. Who are you going to?

to everyone else, wherever you're at!

AFM: What a lovely day it is today. I went to aquarobics again this morning. I had been driving 25mins away to an indoor pool but just found out that the pool 5mins down the road does it after all, and at 8:30am which is a much better time for me. And I'm friends with the instructor to boot! I love getting in the water but man it is the weirdest sensation LOL

This has to be the longest post time-wise that I've ever written. Right in the middle of it I suddenly got this overwhelming urge to clean my shower! And I'm not talking wiping it down, I'm talking hands-and-knees-scrubbing-the-grout-with-an-old-toothbrush kind of clean! But I'm so happy now as it is totally sparkling & so clean I could eat off the floor Oh and how embarrassing, just as I finish I see out the window that my sleazy neighbour is mowing his lawn and he strikes up a conversation. As I turn away I realise that one of my boobs has fallen out of my top no wonder the dirty perv was trying to keep me talking!

Anyway I'd better get off here, I have some work that I've been putting off for, oh about 3 months now, and crunch time has come and I have to get it in so ho hum, just trying to find the motivation!

Hope you all have a great day and look forward to hearing from you soon!

[bella55]

Wow what a busy morning on here!!!!!

Airline - your numbers look pretty good to me. I got obsessed about the numbers and in the end mine wern't looking so good and look at me now i'm about to have twins!!!!!! Like someone else said it's not an exact science - you have no signs that anything bad is happening atm so try try try to relax and the most definate answer your going to get is an ultrasound at about 7weeks. I hope that helps take care hun xxxxxx

Grub - you are to funny - god time seems to be kinda flying only 3 weeks til DH is back - pity my pregnancy doesn't seem to be flying quite so fast ha ha! Facial sounds devine - i'm jel!

BOC The dreaded fallen out boob!!!!!!! I was hanging the clothes on the line this morning and looked down and mine had escaped as well - lucky for me though it was only the dog who caught a glimpse!!!!!

Greenslew - i am going to be blunt - NO WAY! Like someone else said maybe ask for another 4 weeks? It's not the 3hours that is the issue but from what i know from friends and what i have read that first 4-6weeks especially the first 2 is a blur of no sleep, hormone changes, healing - physically and mentally, adjustment but most importantly it's about getting to know your little one and all those new experiences - don't put the pressure on yourself it's a once in a lifetime time. My bestfriend went back to work 1 night a week from 9weeks and she coped very well and even enjoyed a bit of "adult time" but said there is no way she could have done it any earlier and even at 9 weeks it wasn't a piece of cake.

Hello and belly rubs Smithy, lilmiss, poppyfairy, saph, ella'smum and anyone else lurking or who i have rudly forgotten to mention!

AFM - well after my little outburst and mental breakdown on Friday i am much better and positive! I spent 6hours at hosp yest having my BP monitored and CTG monitoring of the bubs - BP is still up but not bad enough to warrant medication as yet. Bubs seemed happy - i was even having the odd contraction whilst being monitored! Plan is to monitor my own bp at home til Friday then go back and do it all again and have an appt at clinic - so no real changes but i am reassured!
Wow potentially only roughly 10 more sleeps!!!!!!!!!!!! Bubs have def dropped further and is sitting on a nerve so i get groin pain and shooting spasms down my leg whan i go from sitting to standing - oh the joys!!!!
Well it's hot hot hot down here so trying to stay cool cool cool - preggie brain

Take care everyone!

xxBella

[grub17]

bella and boc - put a bra on you two! hhahhaaah. But i find mine make a break for freedom when i'm lounging around.

and boc - dr spilsbury is lovely... she did our growth scans etc. but we are one floor down - with dr nesbitt She actually did our embryo transfer as our HIVF doc (hedges) had another commitment that morning... it was the only one that ever stuck! so we took that she was good luck and stuck with her lol. She told us later that in the 24 hrs she did our transfer she delivered 11 babies - of which all were girls except 1 little boy!

bella - so glad you are feeling better love! omg that has gone so quickly!!! have you got names chosen? (sorry if you've already said this).

airline - i'm glad you are looking at it positively. and yep, go with what your FS says not your GP. Good luck with your scan. I hate having the scan or doppler applied even now cos there's always a fleeting moment where you think: "they can't find a heartbeat''. But in saying that, take some tissues with you - you WILL cry when you see your little bubbee squirming around on the screen and the heart beating away! (and you won't believe it in the least lol).

thanks poppyfairy. glad you've got people to talk to about your frustrations. I really find talking helps... my poor dh! i talk like i post.... long-winded

lilmiss we must have posted at the same time! hello!!! how are you?

just went and enjoyed this lovely weather! did a swim at the local pool (boc you are channelling me i swear) and it was lovely. after my laps i just floated for about 20 mins... felt sooo good to have the weight off my knees, back and ankles! highly recommend it ladies

must go and get some lunch before my beautification this arvo heheheheheh

ox

[BOC]

Hahaha Grub, it was seriously the first time I had gone bra-less since I was about 9 or 10 weeks! And I had to get caught!

How funny, Hedges was my FS too, he was going to be away for my 2nd transfer and I was panicking but then I o'd late and he was back in time and look where we are! I tried to get into Nesbitt for my OB but she wasn't taking anyone at that point so I ended up with Jillian.

Now if you tell me that you, too were at the breakfast up at the clinic on Sunday and I missed you I will be

[airline]

........and I'm back and delighted to say that hCG doubled to 340, progesterone is 310, so really high like last time! Yeh yeh yeh for me
I'm celebrating tonight with some non-alcoholic sparkling grapejuice

[BOC]

Oh YAY Airline that's awesome news!





Make sure you have a glass or two for us too!!!

[saph204]

Green it is a difficult choice. My first thoughts was as a working mum 3 hours a week perfect break for grown up time. Then I saw how close to your due date they want you to start. Bit close. I work for two reasons 1. the money 2. As much as I love Campbell and he is my life, my job is an important part of who I am. I to am a teacher and that is who and what I am. Even if I didnt need the money I would still work. I am worried about having a whole year off and going insane. I went back to work when Campbell was 7 months old because I needed the break from motherhood ( Very refluxy baby and needed a break from being thrown up on.) We have no family support and it is the only time I have away from Campbell which is important. But I must stress here this is what works for me and he was 7 months old. Not a few days.

[saph204]

Airline sorry forgot to make a note to you. My numbers where absolute cr@p. And if anyone remembers it was hell on earth. Our numbers didnt double and then they did and then they didnt. We now have a very tough little man on the way. Our numbers suggested in the beginning that we lost a twin and with only one follicle it was an identical. Try not to stress, easier said than done. My whole school (other staff) were riding the roller coaster with me. Hope this helps.

[airline]

oh guys you're too good...I've been to the vet with one sick furbaby (he's gonna be fine)...popped back for lunch, so of course had to check up on here and now I'm off for results. But you know what I feel really good, I can't explain it, I JUST DO! (is there a smiley that puffs up proudly??!)

Anyway...
Boc...oh you made me chortle reading about you 'nipplegate' incident!! my chocolate labby girl doesn't leave my side either...but that's more to do with the hope that I'm on my way to the kitchen and I might drop a morsel for her!

bella...that's the kinda positive story I like to hear!!!!! twins huh??!!! my g'friend's having twins also and is due March. She started showing quite quickly, and really suffered from ms poor thing.

grub...I can only imagine the way i'll feel when i see the heartbeat, oh plse god. going all gooey just thinking about it! I think you said you're getting a facial today and I thought what a bloody great idea. I think I deserve it after this last few months...hmmm..."DH..oh DH....."

saph...thank you for adding your experience. all these stories make such a difference to how you feel don't they!? Actually last cycle, one lady pmd me after reading my post in LTTC forum and I was in floods of tears, cos it was so sweet.

right...I'm off to the docs. fingers and toes crossed, wish me luck and all that jazz.

[barney]

grub and boc... you pair are to funny you just wait till you see my next pics they will be just for you pair of cheeky things..i luv it
gee you are all chatty today so good to see girls .

and a big hello to airline, so nice to see you made it here hunny and i wish you all the very best and hope you stay in here with us fruit loops for a very long time
love always harry high pants xoxo