Pregnancy after LT TTC #11

I stay away for 24 hours (if that!!) and look what happens, this is too much for my late pregnancy brain to cope with ;)

Okay - SATC2 review: I'll start off by stating although I watched the TV series, I don't have it on DVD and I didn't like the first movie. I found this one much better, though still a bit OTT in places I thought it was much more real to the TV series. Be mindful though ladies it does go for almost 3 hours so choose your time carefully. I saw it at 9pm, which is almost bed time for me anyway so I was rather tired. And the whole way though I was conscious that the Chicklet seemed to be doing somersaults (no idea how, he's very squashed in there - maybe he was letting me know his thoughts on taking him to a chick flick???) the ENTIRE way through the movie, plus the seat was uncomfortable, though I think that's just me these days anyway, and I really needed to pee for most of the movie. So I guess what i'm saying is avoid the movies later on in the piece and see everything you can in the second trimester when you're feeling great :)

Wantbaby - hope you're feeling a bit better and the pain has gone away. I have a permanent pain under my left boob, kind of feels like I have gravel rash or something there but I can't see anything. I wish it would go away!

Juniper - I was totally exhausted the first trimester and had a nap as soon as I got home from work every day. I tried to walk during lunch to get some endorphins into my body and stay awake - is this something you could do? I did find however that by 9 weeks I was okay, so hopefully it's short lasting.

LondonMiss - you SO need to ignore your neighbour and get your rest. I've started turning my phone onto silent when i'm napping (can't quite bring myself to turn it off completely, tragic I know) so I can have a good rest without interruptions.

Brunette - enjoy your jail break - nice to have something to look forward to during the week!

Maggie - glad your numbers are looking good and the bleeding has stopped. Make sure you take care of yourself and don't get too run down, it's hard enough being pregnant without being sick.

S'rose - I worked part-time for most of my first trimester so I got to finish work about 3pm and go home for a nap. I found it really helped and I was able to get through the day knowing that i'd be leaving early.

Renee - sorry you're experiencing MS. I know there are some kind of bracelets you can wear, and yet again i'm going to push the benefits of acupuncture...!

Chrissy - hope you had a lovely birthday and got thoroughly spoilt! And don't wish you had MS, I think we should count ourselves very lucky...

Leabie - glad the scan went well and the chickpea is growing nicely!'

Big hello to everyone else, sorry if i've missed anyone, i'll just blame it on the chicklet :D

Not much happening for me ATM, just hanging around waiting for this baby to come, even though he's not due for several weeks. It's a bit dangerous actually being on mat leave for so long - I keep buying expensive products I really don't need but tell myself I do...

Hi Chrissie, happy belated birthday for yesterday, firstly! Sorry to hear you're coming down with a cold. I got one a few weeks ago which developed into a secondary sinus infection (prob because I'm on prednisone and therefore not much resistance to germs) so had to get a script of amoxil from the docs, and while I was there I got the flu jab, too - all free for PG women, which was good. I too am scared senseless about my nuchal scan. I had to book mine through a place on Wickham Street; it's not at my FS's clinic. But it's not until week 12 and 5 days! With the change in you EDD, it sounds like yours next Tuesday will be around about the same time - a little earlier, 12 weeks and 2 days? I am a little older than you, and once you hit that damn 35-year-age mark you become a virtual dinosaur in the fertility game, with increased risk of Downs etc. This time my FET embryos came from July last year, so I was then only 36. Still, I can't help worrying about whether everything is going to be okay, and if not whether to do the CVS or amniocentesis. Hard to believe tomorrow is week 11. I see my FS on Monday and I have a zillion questions to ask. I was thinking about going back to work week 12, but was only going to go back for two days and I figured that would be a little silly if I was upset about bad results with the nuchal scan. So I might take one more week off work and then start going back gradually from week 13. I haven't heard about this 4D thing related to the nuchal scan. Whereabouts are you going for yours? BTW, I pee about 20 times during the night - ridiculous! Think it eases up in the 2nd to get worse again in the 3rd!

Leabie, I can't see from this screen how far along you are, but you say your FS told you your bub's heartbeat. Wow! How exciting! What is an early "GTT"?

Renee, not long now - hopefully - till your MS is over? Must be very difficult when you feel nautious and you have to work through it. I haven't had the pizza yet; Dad's birthday is the Queen's holiday Monday week, but I think I'll probably play it safe and sniff everyone else's pizza :)

Maggie, that's great news about your Hcg level and the fact the bleeding has stopped.

Juniper, are you on any hormonal support ie prog pess which might be making you extra tired?

S'rose, he keeps mentioning it and it's really starting to turn me off. I know what others mean, though, about the transvaginal scan being shoved up there and turned all around (and it's not exactly on the small side) and yet then the FS says "no sex" but I'm thinking maybe it's also about orgasms as well (sorry if TMI; it's like when you're totally anonymous you can almost say anything; sorry if offending) that might be a bit of a worry when bubs are still attaching? I am so glad your DH will be at your next scan. Can I also be nosy here and ask whether you are on any prog pess support? I am whacked on so many drugs but still struggle to sleep - well definitely through the night but then struggle to have a nap. Can't turn my brain off, but then again I'm at home and not at work either.

Re movies, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was one of the best movies I have seen this year, but parts of it were quite disturbing. I think it's still on at some cinemas. I also loved Precious, but again parts were pretty full on. I was thinking about seeing Robin Hood at some stage.

Lise, thanks for review of SATC2? Think I'll also wait (FX) till 2nd tri to see it, as it does go for soooo long. Not long for you to go now, hey? Watch out to your DH :)

Hi and belly rubs to all I've missed.

lise glad to hear you enjoyed Sex & the City 2 however, 3 hours long!! OMG!! That is a very long time to sit without a toilet break. My session tomorrow night is at 7.30pm so not too late but still! Should have just waited for the dvd. Tickets have been bought now so too late:doh:
wantbaby#2 glad to hear your DH got some info out of the antenatal class. Hope my DH does too. I have been reading lots but he hasnt. He just believes he will be a natural at everything. As for the snacks, real bonus. Didnt think they would have anything.
Juniper hope your feeling better today. Tiredness was the only symptom i had during the first trimester (and only the first trimester, left me at 13 weeks or so). Every afternoon after lunch at work without fail i would struggle to keep my eyes open. Try get as much rest as you can at night and hopefully you will be right.
loula great to hear from you. Must stalk the other thread and read up on how you are doing.
Smithy thanks so much for popping in and checking in on us all xx
LondonMiss im with Smithy. Lock the doors up and pretend your not home. As for movies. Have heard great reviews from friends about Back Up Plan and not so good ones from Wog Boy 2. Havent seen either personally though.
Brunette my obs doesnt have a scan machine in his rooms that i know of so dont think ill be getting a scan just yet but im sure if he has a feel around of my belly he will get some sort of indication on how things are progressing. They are usually pretty good like that.
Maggie fantastic news!! :dance:
Renee so cute that the kids draw you pics to wish you feel better. Thats so sweet. What year do you teach? Hope the sickness leaves you for good as soon as you hit the 12 weeks.
Chrissy Happy Birthday for yesterday! Hope you start to feel better soon.
leabie that is fantastic news that all seems to be pregressing really well with bub:dance:

Have been feeling lots more movement again today. Belly has been moving around in waves. So have one very active little girl in here!! Looking forward to next week so lets hope tomorrow goes by real quick.

Is it wrong that I'm totally p*ssed off about having to drive myself to and from this meeting tomorrow afternoon? The other person going has decided she is going to work from home in the morning and meet me there to "save unnecessary travel". Geez, my repeat beta had better be perfect tomorrow or they'll have to find someone else to go at short notice...

Leabie, I'm glad the appointment went well.

Lise, I hadn't thought of walking. I could do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Brunette, yes, I'm on 3x 200mg progesterone pessaries daily. My progesterone was through the roof at last week's beta (620). The nurse suggested I'd probably be stopping those after tomorrow's repeat beta, which I feel a bit nervous about. I thought it was normal to continue them at least until the placenta had formed.

I've done well all week, but now I'm getting nervous about tomorrow...

Lise - Thanks for the movie review. I expect it to be a little OTT so sounds like it will be quite fun.

Juniper - I have walked at lunch time the past couple of days, and it seems to help me get that little bit further through the day without crashing. Although being winter, I anticipate this being a short term option :)
I agree that its really hard to let go of the things we believe are holding our bubs in place... But if your body has responded this far so well it can do this on its own. And they are always there to go back on if things get rocky. Hang in there apple seed!!

Leabie - Great news that things have picked up and you have a little more confidence. Glad you are comfy with your OB too. I'm sorry about the GTT - I've only heard horrible things about having those so :hug:

Brunette - I think of it like the transvaginal ultrasound is more gentle, it's not like something beating on the cervix which could maybe open it up and risk the bub. No expert but that would be my worry more than anything. And if they're already concerned, who needs to add more worry. I would be so cross if I were you honestly, if my DH was so disrespectful he would get a very serious conversation!! Sorry, serious soapbox. It takes us so long to get here, how can they not get that!
My cycle was a natural FET, the only thing I took was Letrozole. But I was also seeing a Natural Fertility Management Naturopath for about 4 mths before this cycle which I fully believed enabled this pregnancy. My FS came to the party and understood my body does not take well to being seriously messed about. I think this is also why I have been feeling so well thus far. My body was as well supported as it could be for this cycle. I was so lucky Wendy came back to my town to work!
I'm struggling to sleep too, so tired, but I seem to only sleep in short blocks through the night. Not very helpful but I guess the brain has so much to process it's hard to stop.

Scan is now 3 sleeps away - 5.30pm Monday, which means it will be way later than that but DH will be nervously holding my hand which makes me feel better. I have anxious dreams which are making it hard to relax and stay calm. DH has caught the cold, only his is a bit more cough like which seems to be worse. Poor fella has been working so hard and still is trying to take care of me when he needs to be taken care of. Don't think he quite understands me in bed at 8.30pm though, but he'll just go with it thankfully.
As for working less... I've found the lunch time walk helps, and while I am not falling asleep at the desk, I will see how far along I can get. My boss is fantastic, and if I need to reduce she won't even blink which is sensational. I just know how much we need to get done so am going to try and get through for as long as possible.

Had my repeat beta this morning and just got the result - 3,622! They wanted to see it increase 10 times (from 278 -> 2,780), so she said I did well. :dance: Progesterone had dropped to 461. I have to wean off the pessaries over the next few days, so hopefully I'll start getting some more sleep. Hello early bedtime!! I feel a bit less nervous about stopping them after the FS said that each pessary only contributes 10 to that level.

We're booked in for our first scan in 2 weeks from today. DH's mother has been asking questions, so hopefully we can work out how to keep her in the dark until then, but to be honest I think she'll guess. If the scan goes well we'll hopefully be able to get a photo (even if it means using the phone to take a photo of the screen) so we can email it to my parents (who just left on a 2 month trip on Tuesday) and show it to DH's parents.

ETA: Does anyone know where to get some non-alcoholic champagne?

Fantastic news Juniper, so very glad you feel more at ease about coming off the pessaries. And such a great number is wonderful news.

Hi Juniper,

Congrats on the Beta! I've just noticed that we have the same due date. I'm booked in for my first scan next week and I really can't wait to hear if everything is going well at this point.
Were you on a natural FET with this cycle? If it's a natural one I think they can stop the progesterone early because your corpus luteum will be producing it. I was on an HRT cycle so my body isn't making any of its own and I'll have to take 400mg 2x day for most of the first trimester.

Ladies, thanks for your encouragement. No bleeding since. One thing it did help with though was to put thinks into perspective for me. I'd been stressing about all these things in my life and the bleed showed me that none of that is as important as what's happening with the bubs. I'm a lot more zen now.

Maggie

Juniper - that's fantastic news about your numbers! And glad that you're OK about weaning off the pessaries. I was told progesterone over 100 was good, so you'll be fine sweetie. You should get a printout of the ultrasound when you have it, I think most of those machines have that capability. And as for the champagne - I bought some from Woolies, called Edenvale, it tasted sort of like the real stuff too!

S'rose - hope your 3 sleeps fly by! KWYM about the anxiety, I was so nervous until I had mine, had nightmares the night before it.

Paula - how exciting that your feeling lots of movement, she does sound active! Hope time is passing quickly for you, and the weekend flies by.

Brunette - hope you enjoyed your jailbreak today! Did you get to the movies? A GTT is a Glucose Tolerance Test, and they're a bit yuck :doh: Its testing for blood sugar abnormalities / diabetes, you have to fast, then drink this super-sweet lemonade, then they test your body's reaction to it over 2 hours. Fun fun fun. I've had a couple before, as I have insulin resistance linked to PCOS. I think every pregnant woman has to have one at some stage, to test for gestational diabetes?

AFM - been struggling with MS the last few days. Have been wearing my acupressure bands, helps a lot. Also had acupuncture today and she targetted my nausea points, boy it makes a difference, you're right, Lise!

Hi :hello: and :bellyrubs: to everyone I've missed, have a great weekend! Or if you're in Sydney like me, hope you stay afloat...

Maggie - sorry, didn't see your post - glad you're feeling more zen, and the bleeding has stopped. GL and enjoy your scan next week, hope time passes quickly for you, too.

Maggie, this was a fresh IVF cycle. We never get many embies, so we have had to keep doing fresh cycles... Are you due 2 Feb too? DH is a little miffed about the EDD because it's his older brother's and younger sister's birthday. ;) His brother's daughter was also born a few days after that, so it's a busy birthday time in his family.

Hey Juniper, out of interest, you changed FS and had success - who did you change from/to?

Chrissy, we used to be with Dr Kilvert. He was lovely, but refused to investigate whether I had endo (said it wouldn't alter his treatment protocol and I later found out he could only diagnose endo, not remove it). We switched to Dr Molloy who is a bit of an endo guru and the first thing he did was a lap to diagnose and remove endo in March. This was our first IVF after that lap.

I find it so amazing how much/little info we get given from different FSs. I am referring to the talk about progesterone levels. I did a HRT FET this cycle. The only time I found out my progesterone level from a BT was when I was almost 6 weeks. My prog level was 160. Since then, my FS was not really interested and never requested any more blood work; just did the transvaginal scans.

Juniper, good news that your prog level is so high and you can be weaned off them feeling confident. If you're too tired to drive, that is a health & safety issue which I think you should raise with your boss - but then I suppose you have to tell him/her .... Hmmmm ..... Sick day?

Leabie, I am reassured that you have heard a prog level over 100 is good! Glad that the acupuncture is helping with your MS. I saw SATC2 and had lunch - had a great day, thanks for asking.

AFM, I'm seeing my FS on Monday and we are discussing weaning me off drugs I think from week 12, which scares the pants off of me. I have a zillion and one questions for him. He's off on hols soon so I need to be extra prepared with my questions. Poor man.

Hi to all the other lovely ladies out there!

Leabie, I was actually told that they just wanted to see progesterone over 50. I wonder why they differ? I'll check Woolies for that Edenvale too, thanks!

Brunette, fortunately I wasn't as tired yesterday, so the drive wasn't too bad. Of course, then I was worried about the fact I was less tired. :rolleyes: I'm trying to hold off telling work until after we tell our parents (which is after the scan). I may have to tell them earlier if this nausea gets too much worse though.

So, no morning pessary today, which meant I slept in until 9am!! It's now 2.30pm and I'm completely ready for a nap! Yep, that sounds like a good idea. :shhh:

Afternoon ladies, hope you're all having a lovely weekend. It's a gorgeous sunny day here today so i'm sitting at my dining table in the sunshine, so nice.

Brunette - glad the jail break was good. So what happens after this week, is it back to business as usual or building up to normal?

Paula - the chicklet is very busy inside also, and I thought they were supposed to slow down towards the end. I guess it's a sign for me that i'm not close enough yet...

S'rose - it's good that your work is supportive. At this early stage, I still say if you need to rest then rest up - nothing is as important as keeping yourself well during your pregnancy.

Juniper - congrats on your levels, you must be relieved! As for the pessaries, I have absolutely no idea as I stopped taking the crinone as soon as I got my BFP. Glad you're able to get some more sleep now you don't have to wake up at certain times during the night :)

Maggie - glad you're feeling a bit more zen - you might have to spread some around to the rest of us!!

Leabie - glad the acupuncture was of some help in relieving your MS, hope it continues to stay away for you!

AFM - have had cramps and a sore back for the last couple of days which of course i've googling like mad in the hope that it's a sign that labour is imminent, and although it can mean that they're also just symptoms of late pregnancy, so i'm not getting my hopes up. Well I am getting my hopes up but trying not to or it's going to be a very long 3 weeks, especially if the chicklet is late..!!!

Hello and belly rubs to everyone else xx

Brunette, good luck with the FS this morning, hopefully you'll get lots of reassurance that weaning off will be fine. Thinking of you.

Juniper - Glad you survived, and that you are now getting sleep in's is wonderful. How are you feeling now that some of the prog support has been eased up?

lise - oh the waiting just never gets better does it. I am hoping you don't go overdue and that you can meet the little chicklet very very soon. Hope you are not too uncomfortable, and I am very jealous about the sunshine... it's been yuck here all weekend.

AFM - WOOT, my scan is tonight. I cannot wait, I am so anxious. I've been feeling a lot more tired over the weekend, and with DH now sick, fear that I am about to suffer again with his sharing, this lowered immune system is a serial pest this time of year!! My pt has agreed to make my tuesday night session half an hour, with an hour on the Saturday. I finally went back to exercising on sat and spent the rest of the day flat out resting!! It was very sad. But I felt better for having done something. Our house was very quiet this weekend.

Juniper fantastic rise in your levels. Well done!
Maggie glad to hear you are doing well.
Leabie lucky that the bands and acupuncture are helping you. Hope you continue to keep your MS under control.
CK77 YAY on reaching the 12 week mark. How are you feeling?
Brunette good luck with your appointment today. Hopefully you get all your q's answered.
lise three weeks to go!! Although i would love to be in your position and know that there are ONLY 3 weeks to go, i bet it still feels like a lifetime away for you! Hope that something starts to happen soon.
Sonya best of luck with your scan tonight. Scans are always soooo exciting. Looking forward to hearing all about it.

Had a hard night trying to sleep last night. Only being able to sleep on left side or on your back is doing my head in as i actually feel most comfortable on the right side but in the back of my mind i keep worrying that im cutting circulation off to the baby and i freak out. Last night bub was all on my left side so when i was trying to sleep she kept kicking me as i was probably squashing her. Must speak to Obs tomorrow and get his opinion on the no sleeping on your right side rule. Ante natal classes start on Thursday!! YAY!!

Sonya, not long to go now till your scan! How exciting. Let us know how everything goes.
Paula, I read it's best to sleep on your left side because of some vena something or other - something that helps with circulation - but is it a definite no-no to sleep on the right? Even though I'm only early days, I have been putting pillows on both sides of me and alternating between the left and the right, albeit still trying to sleep on the left more than the right. I felt guilty when I slept on my back but if that's okay then great! Be interested to hear what your ob says.
Hey Lise, I saw SATC2 for my Friday jailbreak - have I said this already? Swear I've already got PG brain - at least that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it. Anyway, had a good laugh and thought it wasn't too bad at all, though some of my friends are absolutely panning it. Three weeks to go ... I imagine you're all ready with bags packed and nursery set up etc. It's funny, I did what LondonMiss said not to do ie read all the things that can go wrong in PG (obviously due to my very worrying start) but the one thing I haven't been able to bring myself to read is anything to do with labour! Ha! Scares the pants off of me. Still I can understand your being over being uncomfortable and so totally wanting to meet bub.
AFM, asked my zillion questions of my FS this morning. I am having one more week off work (next week) and then gradually going back for 2 days and working up to three days, maybe 4 days - all depending on how I go. He's also starting to wean me off the drugs, and from today I need only be on 3 prog pess which means no setting the alarm for 1 or 2 in the morning and then not getting back to sleep. Yay! Also, he said I can drive. OMG, it's the small things in life that you so appreciate when they're taken away. So now I can duck down and get some fish for dinner instead of having to wait for DH to get home late from work and ask. Maybe I should change my name to "Miss Independence" but I do hate asking all the time instead of just doing it myself. More good news is that the blood clot looks to be very small now. Both twins are growing well. I have a bit of a tum already :) FS is still saying they could be identical, even though they have their own sacs and placentas so I suppose we'll have to test the placentas after birth to be positive - if they're both the same sex that is. Only downer is he is saying my best time will be from about week 14 to week 25, and then he would recommend giving up work! Plus he recommends a ceasar. Oh well, spose we just wait and see how things go.

I want to just say thanks to everyone for being hear to listen and for your advice etc. Not many other people understand unless they've been through a similar thing - so THANKS!

Hi and belly rubs to all.

Paula~ Every thing i have read says you CANT sleep on your back.You can sleep on your left and right sides (left is better) but definately not your back.The weight of the uterus pushes on the main arteries when you are on your back.My radiographer even said it to me again to day. Enjoy your classes this Thursday and be sure to get stuck into the bikkies and fruit salad.

Everyone else..belly rubs.Hope all is well.
Just a quickie for me to let you all know that my growth scan today went well.....huge sigh. She is in the 57th percentile so right on track. She weighs approx 4 pounds 4 ounces (1.9 kgs) give or take 200 grams.Still have to see ob on Thursday as he miight want another done in 2 or 3 weeks to compare but at this stage little Peanut is growing as she should!! Im sooooo relieved!
Lise~ Not long now for you.How exciting!!
Cant wait to see pics of your little man on fb.
Londonmiss~ Hoping your doing well.x

Just poping in to wish Sonya all the best for today! cant wait to hear the news - ooooh and could it be two?

Hi everyone.....after giving myself a week to get over the initial shock I thought I would let myself pop in here and say hi! :-)
I can't actually believe that I am in here and I don't know how many of you remember me from the other forums but I finally got my BFP!!! After 4 IVF/ICSI attempts, it is just so surreal.
We had it confirmed last Monday but they didn't tell me what my levels were and in my shock I didn't ask, but I had another BT today and my HCG is 9600. I was just wondering how this compares? I know that everyone is different but I am just curious. She said that it was high but I just wondered how high? I get my 1st scan next Friday the 18th and I am just on cloud 9.....I am still nervous that something will go wrong or that they will say they have made a mistake or something...lol. But quietly hopeful and so excited to have even got this far.
Hope you ladies are all well :-) xx

bj*81 - congratulations and welcome!!! Wishing you a very happy and healthy pregnancy :)

wantbaby - so happy that your scan went well, you must be feeling so relieved. Doesn't mean you can stop eating all those chocolates though, hehehe...!

Brunette - yay that you're allowed out the house now, what a great feeling! And so nice to know the twins are both going well, good for you.

Paula - i'm with wantbaby on this one, everything i've read says NOT to sleep on your back but to sleep on your sides, with the left being the preferred side. So go right ahead and sleep on your right side, you'll feel much better.

AFM - nothing new to report. Went to acupuncture today so she started working on all the pressure points she hasn't been able to touch until now but although I BEGGED her to get this baby out ASAP she just laughed and no... I know i've still got three weeks to go (and potentially up to 5) but like everyone else who's gone before me I really hope I don't have to wait that long. DH and I went for a bumpy drive yesterday, acupuncture was today and I was planning on seducing DH tonight, though he's still at work and i'm cross at him for that (he got there at 7:45 this morning!!!) so as much as I want this baby out i'm not going near him. Ahhh, don't you just love pregnancy hormones?! I know it's a bit irrational, but I worry that a) he's going to work long hours once the chicklet is here and never be around to help or develop a relationship with his baby, and b) I get mad that he WILL be here once the chicklet is here and therefore thinks the chicklet is more worthy of coming home early whereas if it's just me, well doesn't matter. I know I can't have it both ways but damn it, i'm tired and emotional and over it...!!!

Anyway my lovelies, hope you're all having a lovely evening - sending belly rubs to all. I'll leave you after that little rant. No need to try to make me see sense, I do know i'm talking rubbish!


S'rose - how was your scan??? I felt sick and nervous before each of mine but they're just so magical, love them!

bj*81- Congratulations!!! Your levels sound good. 9600 is high but I'm not sure what day after transfer that was. My level 16 days past egg pickup was 334. 9600 sounds like it could be twins????

lise - My DH works huge huge huge hours, and I have had that same worry as you the whole time. But I wonder if maybe all this work now is to make up for the time he will then spend with his family once the baby is born?! I like to think of it that way anyway.

Congrats bj*81 - welcome to the land of miracles.

Scan - was an hour late, I was the last one and *vent* I felt so rushed that I barely could comprehend the moment. We heard the heartbeat for literally 2 seconds, saw the heartbeat for about 5 secs and then got our print out, referred to OB, and out the door. I'm a little angry and upset about the whole process, and I am never strong enough to stand up to the FS unless I really prepare. So very frustrated.
And I still can't really comprehend that the little monkey is inside me. It still feels surreal - is this normal??
All is well, and there is only one in there *phew*, as much as two would be lovely, I really am happy just going the singleton first time round. Measured at 7w3d and 12.1mm. Stupid FS wouldn't measure the heartbeat rate grrrrr.
Good fluid sac and no blood around it so apparently that's all good.

BJ, woo hoo, congratulations! How many days past EPU are you?

S'rose, I'm glad everything looked good, but sorry to hear you were rushed and didn't get to enjoy seeing your little monkey (how cute is that name!) for the first time.

Afm, 6 weeks tomorrow and I'm already having trouble eating anything substantial before lunchtime. But I've got a stash of crackers in my desk at work (and another 4 boxes at home), so I'm making sure I eat something in the morning.

I'm dealing with a bit of food safety paranoia at the moment though. A lady on another forum posted a story about how she lost her first pg at 38 wks due to listeria and it freaked me out a little because DH & I usually eat a lot of takeaway and have so little control over how our food is prepared. So, DH & I cooked some spaghetti and meatballs last night, which was delicious. But my question for you is, how do you feel about leftovers? I'm thinking as long as they're thoroughly heated they should be okay the next day? Does that sound right to you guys? We barely ate half of what we cooked last night, so there's plenty left for tonight.

Hello lovely pregnant ladies!
Hope you are all enjoying the journey and not feeling too sick or facing too many hurdles on the way

Srose- glad your scan went well! (sorry it was rushed though)

Welcome and congrats, BJ. In answer to your question, I think you'll only really know if you've got twins or not once you have your first scan. But I'm carrying twins and if it's anything to go by, my first Hcg level at 14 days post a 5-day FET transfer was 3,163, and then one week later it was 23,659.

Juniper, sorry to hear that MS has you in its grips! Ginger and crackers, and I think I've heard ginger ale too is supposed to help ... Re your question about listeria, the midwife at my clinic said that leftovers had to be consumed within 12 hours, and I think you're right about the food needing to be really hot. If you go back over this thread, there was some discussion about listeria a little while ago.

S'rose, can totally understand how frustrating that must have been for you to feel rushed. It's taken me a long time to not get rushed out of my FS rooms. I have a list of written questions for each visit. No doubt he thinks, oh,no, here comes the pain in the butt again but too bad. When I first saw him, I was like yes, no, and no, I have no questions. My partner was the one who said "Well I have some questions!" - thankfully. So you don't see your FS again now? When do you see your OB? My DH is like yours, a CEO too, and he too works really long hours. Not only that, he has children from a previous marriage so because I've been stuck at home alone while he's been working these hours, it's like the only time I see him is when he takes time off work to pick up his kids and then he spends his time with them! It's vent time here by the looks of it. I totally hear your concerns (and Lise's) about whether they're going to be there after bubs are born. I've wanted - we've wanted - a child for a long time and have been trying for a long time, but I am realising how much everything is going to change - and me and change don't mix all that well. But your DH sounds wonderful and very supportive, and I am sure he will be there for you 100% when you need him.

Brunette... Hearing you, I have a DSD so that was exactly how it felt for me quite often. It's a lot better now, but I had the world's biggest dummy spit because I felt like we were always on completely different pages. He understands now, that at least once a week is dedicated to me/us that we can talk and hug and be normal, with no phone answering because he would forget everything we had just said. I am really lucky now, that he gets my worries, and knows that he actually has to actively reassure me that he's around, and for the rest of the time, I have to accept that it's his passion and it gets to rule his world. We've worked really hard to get to the point where we understand each other. It's helped. And he's very reserved about excitement, so I can never tell if he's pleased and he has to say it because he wears the CEO mask so well.

Thanks for the support everyone though, it's really helping ease the frustration. I am just praying the OB is nowhere near the same. If he is, I am soooooo changing my OB early on.

Hi lovely ladies!

Hope you're all doing well.

bj*81 - welcome! :dance: Great to see you in here, certainly do remember you from the other thread, and rejoiced at your news! I know what its like to feel hesitant to make the cross-over, took me a week or more to post in here! Didn't want to jinx myself. Your beta numbers are HUGE - mine was 96 on 11DP5DT, and 313 on 14DP5DT! Sounds a bit twinny if you ask me ;)

Brunette - so excited for you that you can drive again! Woohoo! It must feel wonderful to gain some of your independence back. Great to hear that the twins are growing well, and that you can start weaning off the pessaries too - I would've gone postal if I had to do a 1am one. You are amazing to put up with everything you have!

Paula - I'm with the others sweetie, have heard that sleeping on your back puts pressure on your vena cava - a major vein, which is towards your back, slightly towards the right (which is why they say left side is best), but right side is OK too. WTEWYE says don't panic if you wake up on your back though, just roll over! Not long til your antenatal classes, have a great time!

Wantbaby - such great news about your little girl, bet you breathed a big sigh of relief. She's just dainty like her mum, after all!

Lise - sorry to hear the acupuncturist wouldn't play ball with trying to get the baby out. Again, I can recommend reflexology - it seemed to have worked for 2 of my friends. Must be frustrating that DH is working such long hours :(

S'rose - how very annoying of your FS to treat you like that. They should be making a song and dance, after all, its your last appointment with them, and this the goal you've both been trying to reach! If its any consolation, my first scan at 7w1d (with FS) wasn't very long, they didn't measure the heartbeat either, just made sure they could see it. My recommendation is to get in to see your OB as soon as you can (especially if they've got their own ultrasound machine in their rooms) - my OB took a bit more time with the 2nd scan, did 3 CRL measurements to check the dates were right, and measured the heartrate. Plus its nice to feel that you're not out in the wilderness - we've been poked and prodded and monitored so much, its nice to still feel supported, and reassured that everything is still OK. (Well, I do, anyhoo!). Your little one sounds like a good size! And great there was good sac and no blood.

Juniper76 - I reckon you're right on track with the food safety stuff, eat leftovers the next day, and make sure its reheated to steaming hot. I've frozen leftovers too, and put it in the freezer while its still hot / warm - don't let it cool down on the bench first. Same goes with refrigerating stuff, apparently. As for takeaway, I'm still eating it, but nuke it in the microwave so its steaming hot, if its not already. As for MS, I'm loving vegemite on crackers! Apparently vitamin B is good for nausea, I read somewhere?

Glenny_c, CK77, KitKat - hi! :hello: Hope you're all doing well. Sorry if I've missed anyone!

AFM - doing well, have graduated to only 1 acupuncture session a week, down from 2, now I've almost hit the 9 week mark. My acupuncturist is finally getting excited for me! Had my GTT this morning - that lemonade they give you is NOT good for breakfast when you've got a bit of MS, I've discovered... ;)

Hi all, i really need to check in more often!!

BJ - Congrats honey and welcome. Your numbers sound good. Mine were 800 at 16dpo and then rose to 11,000 5 days later. So it is quite normal for you to have a high beta without there being two little bundles of joy. Just means it is nice and strong!

lise - not long now. Hope you don't stay mad at DH for long, you now what they say is the best way to bring on labour!!!! I have tried accupuncture as well as the bads for my MS and unfortunately they haven't made a difference. I just need to deal with it day by day and :pray:it doesn't last much longer.

s'rose - sorry you weren't happy with your scan, that would be frustrating. I hope your OB takes you through the results in a little bit more detail. It is great that everything looked good though, that is about all they tell you at that scan anyway, they can't tell much else, it just looks like a blob!! I can understand how it would make you feel like it isn't important though.

brunette - yeah great to hear you are getting some of your independance back. It must feel great. That is great news about the blood clot and that both of your babies are growing and doing well.

juniper - I can totally sympathise with your MS i have had mine since i was 5 weeks, only you will know what works for you. I have tried every known supposed helpful tool but none have worked. It is good if after lunch you are feeling ok, mine is 24/7. The only thing i find can kind of help is sucking on a eucalypus drop or barley sugar or something along those lines. It tends to lessen the nausea feeling, that and nibbling all through the day. Hope it starts to ease soon.

wantbaby2 - That is great news about your little girl. You must have been relieved.

paula - there is nothing worse than not being able to sleep. I hope you can find a way to be comfortable enough to get some rest. Do you have one of those big pillows?

Leabie - Glad that the bands are working for you. It does start to get more real from now on in. I told everyone at work this week and now it really seems real. That and the fact that i just feel fat all the time instead of pregnant, guess that will last for a few weeks yet.

Londonmiss - thanks for the receipe it is delicious, and your right it tastes even better when i can have it in bed with a nice cup of tea that DH has made!!!! Hope you are doing well.

:hello:CK77, Sonya, glennyc, Kitkat, maggie, miss K and anyone i have missed I hope you are all travelling along well :bellyrubs:to you all.

AFM - not much has been happening. MS situation is still the same i have tried everything including accupuncture and the bands. I am now :pray:that cause i am 11 weeks i will wake up this time next week and it will just miraculously be gone, wishful thinking i know. I still have two week to wait till my scan which means i will be nearly 13 weeks, can't wait to see the bub and all its bits and pieces. I had a panic the other day, being a teacher we have slap cheek going around the class and the school. Doc seems to think because i had it when i was young i should be fine, can't help but worry though. I am off to clean and wash, now that the damn rain has finally stopped and i have a much needed day off.

wantbaby#2 such wonderful news about yout lil girl. Definitely a sigh of relief.
bj CONGRATULATIONS and welcome. So wonderful to see so many ladies coming over to the pregnancy thread.
lise how are you feeling lovely? Any of the "bring on labour" tricks working? Did you manage to seduce DH? LOL
Sonya shame that you had such an awful experience with your scan but great to hear all is well!
juniper leftovers are fine as long as they are heated thoroughly like you said.
Renee hope you are right and the MS disappears soon.

Had my obs appointment yesterday and he is really happy with the way things are progressing. He says i am popping out nicely (relief.. as so many tell me i am HUGE). He has asked me to go and get my GTT done so off to do that on Wednesday. A little worried due to my PCOS but will just have to take it as it comes and worry about it later if i have to. Now on fortnightly visits so its really hitting home that its getting closer. Not close enough though!

Hello Gorgeous Ladies!!! (squeals with excitment to see so many little miracles on their way)

Sorry I have been MIA I have been lurking alot! We had our 18-20w scan Monday and the little bubba was being stubborn as always just stayed lying on the belly the whole time!! I had to do 2 lots of star jumps and it just wouldn't budge!!! Cheeky cheeky little thing it is!! Had our OB appointment yesterday and he said everything is wonderful though he is concerned about my iron levels as they appear to be coming to a dangerous low! And he wants me to eat more red meat (which I have gone off) so I will just hold my nose and hope for the best hehehe!!!

I need to catch up and will come back for personals!!

Hi Everyone

Haven't checked in here in a while...But wanted to start coming back!!

Hope everyone is well...Gosh so many up coming miracles!!! So wonderful to see

It just keeps getting better i now have this god awful metallic taste in my mouth after i have eaten anything!!!! Any suggestions????

Hey Leabie and S'rose - I think I might disappoint you here, but I was in the same boat and felt like a bit of ditz. That heartbeat that you heard for a few seconds was probably your own. My FS didn't bother to inform me at our 7week scan that it was mine, that you can't hear bub until around 10weeks. I had to find out from the nurse who said that a lot of people think it's the baby, so it's probably the fault of the obstetrician for not realising that some of us haven't done this before and we just don't know.
When you do get your next scan you'll hear the difference in the heartbeat, it will be heaps quicker :-)

Hey Renee - I went for my nuchal test scan yesterday, (so it was a day before 13 weeks) and you are going to be so amazed at what you can see. I counted fingers and toes!!! I'm hanging out for you to get your scan so you can let us know what you saw. Our downs syndrome chance is 1/11500 so very very low risk therefore we don't have to get any invasive tests done (amniocentesis). The awesome thing for me and DH was that our EDD has changed from 19/12 to 15/12 which is the date that I worked out based on LMP but the FS said it was the 19th for some crazy IVF reason. Bah! Bub is apparently 'perfect' and measuring 6.5cm, yet it was the 7week scan that it was only 0.65cm, amazing how quick they grow.

Brunette - your new independance sounds great, however now it means housework :-(
Sorry to sound ignorant but can you explain the identical twin thing to me? I thought you had 2 x embies transferred in, so does that mean that 1 didn't stick, and the other split into two?

Leabie - good that your acupuncture is coming to an end, they must be pleased with your 'pulses' (ha ha). My last session was last week and he said that unless I get heartburn or really bad back down the track then he doesn't want to see me.

Juniper - sorry to hear you're suffering MS - on a positive note when I saw my FS/OBs a few weeks ago he said that MS is a sign of a healthy pregnancy. I then had to say to him that I haven't had ANY.... he didn't comment further, hmpf, typical.

AFM I have hit 13weeks and I'm feeling great, except for the constant bloated feeling and the tiredness, however I've had both of those for weeks so nothing new there! And tonight I took out my horseshoe earrings that I've been wearing since EPU and ET. I feel like I've hit a milestone, and can now start planning the nursery. (got the Mountain Buggy Swift so DH can jog with bub, and an Angelcare monitor that is really cool - it has movement sensor mats that go under the cot mattress and after 20 seconds with no movement the alarm goes off! Also picked up a 0-18kg car seat for $139 on sale at Target over the weekend). Next on the list is painting the nursery (DH, not me!) and cot etc. Phew!!

To everyone else, big belly rubs and hugs to all

Chrissy

CK-77~ Congrats on making your milestone! Welcome to your second trimester...the easy part.(Third is full of new fun LOL).
Lise~ hope bub is making some signs he is on his way soon enough.Thinking of you.
Paula~10 weeks to go!! Yay!! On the home run!!
Everyone else who sent their kind wishes and thoughts my way regarding my growth scan...THANKYOU xx
I received a letter in the mail today with the full run down of Mondays scan.Bub is perfect size (if not a little big,57th percentile) and her head measures 29cm.Not too bad to push out but it WILL grow bigger...gee wizz! Cord is flowing well,heartbeat strong and placenta nice and high in the front.Fluid good etc etc so it was a nice read.
Have decided today that HCF sucks!..after being told months ago that i can claim my ante natal classes,i found out today that as i have top hospital cover but NO extras,its not covered!! I was so annoyed as i had been told i would get $100 back.Anyhow i thought oh well..what can you do..BUT the B*#@H behind the desk said to me " You must have misunderstood,because you are pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!" I felt like leaning over the desk and slapping her.I promptly came home and called HCF and reported her rudeness to the manager.I am waiting to hear what they say.What a rude cow. (Rant over)

Today i bought pj's,labour nightshirt,breast pads,maternity pads so i can get my hospital/labour bag ready.So exciting!
Have my ob app tomorrow and am interested to hear what he says about my teeny tiny baby actually being a perfect size baby.Will updat tomorrow.Off to fb and ebay now.Goodnight.x

Renee - thats brilliant news about your nuchal translucency scan - what lovely odds! And congrats on taking out your horseshoe earrings and finishing acupuncture, glad that you've reached that point. I like that monitor you got - my SIL has one too, great for peace of mind. I think I'll be getting one. Too soon for me to start shopping though.

As for the heartbeat - hehe - for my scan it was definitely the baby's, I didn't hear it, the OB just showed me some wavy lines on a graph and said "that's the heartbeat". If it were mine, I'd be in serious trouble - it was going at 179bpm! Look forward to hearing it down the track, for now seeing it is just as satisfying.

Renee - :hug: so sorry that nothing seems to be working for your MS, you poor darl. And metallic taste on top of it - thats just not fair :shakehead:

MissK - great to hear that everything is going great guns! Sorry you didn't get to see more action on the screen. Bummer about the anaemia, I just got told that I am as well - red meat just is sooo unattractive at the moment ;)

Paula - great news that the OB is happy with your progress. Good luck with your GTT next week. I too have PCOS and was diagnosed with insulin resistance a few years ago, had a GTT the other day but thats because I've been naughty and not had one for 3 years... oops!

Nina - hi! :hello: haven't met you in these forums before, hope you're doing great.

Hi to all you other lovely ladies I've missed!

Hiya. Sorry I've been missing in action, my laptop has completely died, and I'm completely incommunicado (now on DH's laptop). I'm so frustrated - our DVD has died, and it's Euro region and we're going to have real problems replacing it (reasonably!). And my laptop - only 2 years old and it's $1500 down the swannie. And with DH away for a week - it was so frustrating. I felt a bit isolated, and even had to resort to doing the ironing to entertain myself.

Anyway, enough whinging. Hello all! Lise - how is seduction central? Any twinges? Some days I forget I'm pregnant, some days I think I'm only days away from giving birth... The four ladies from my yoga group are going for our first coffee next week, I'm so excited.

I won't attempt personals now, I've got too many pages to catch up on. Just two things to comment on: I would be a lot more happy about reheating something I'd cooked myself than something I'd bought. That way you are sure about the quality of the ingredients in the first place, sure about the way you cooked it, and how it was cooled. Second... If you don't want to eat meat, try dried apricots and broccoli... there's a lot more ways to get iron than dead things.... ;) Floradix is very good too. I think you can help it by having vit c at the same time, or it might be the other way round, look it up in the internet.

Hope you are all well x