ivf while nursing? - Page 5

[Havin' Fun]

Thanks again. I placed a call to the RE's nurse today and expect a response in the next day or two. I want to do as much research as possible now, a couple months before the transfer, so I can be as prepared as possible.

Did you do anything else to prepare. I did acupuncture before and will do so again this time.

Thanks.

[katies_mama]

I listened to the Earth Mama Angel Baby fertility CD for two weeks or so before the transfer. It was nice.

[Havin' Fun]

I spoke with my RE's nurse today. They do have a protocol for FET without lupron. She said the lupron dose is very small (for the lupron protocol) and it may or may not effect milk supply. She said the drawback of the non-lupron protocol is they don't have control of my cycle, so there's always a small chance we could miss the right day for the transfer. However, if that happens, they don't thaw the embryos and we try again another month.

Katie's mama, can you tell me more about the earthmama cd. Before I order it, I'd like to know more about it.

Thanks

[katies_mama]

I believe the reason Lupron works to control your cycle is because it neutralizes all of your existing hormones and allows them complete control. This would include prolactin. . . and though there are no absolutes it is more likely to impact your supply than estrogen/progesterone.

The earthmama CD is kind of like a hypnosis CD, though it is not marketed as such. It has a lot of nice visualizations, and helped me to approach the transfer positively, believing that I would really get pregnant. My attitude was, well, it can't hurt to think positively! It made me happy to listen to, too, picturing myself pregnant and fertile and everything working out.

[Havin' Fun]

earth mama cd

Thanks. I'll try it. It sounds fun. I feel positive about this FET. Actually, I'm thinking twins, which sounds like way lots of work, especially tandem nursing a toddler, but we must do what we must do.

[mommy2two babes]

Bump

[katies_mama]

I'm 21w along and my IVF babe is doing super. My 28mo DD is still nursing like a little fiend, even though there is no milk. I never could've done IVF if it meant weaning. . .I'm glad it worked out so well! Thanks for the bump--I'd love to hear how others are doing too.

[momuveight2B]

KatiesMama~ Fantastic!

I am 32 weeks and everything is going better than we ever expected. I am still nursing dd 2-3 times a day/night. Our baby boy should be here in about seven more weeks just in time for 43rd birthday.

[quelindo]

I stumbled across this post looking for info on FET while nursing. We only have one frozen embryo and are not willing/able to do another full IVF cycle, so this is basically it. My son will be two in a few weeks and still nurses 'round the clock. He's such a sweet little guy who takes a lot of comfort in nursing, and I love it, too. I spoke to my RE on the phone the other day and I (stupidly) told her Henry was still nursing around 10 times a day. She said that she doesn't normally do FET on women who are still nursing, and that while there are no medical studies proving this, she feels that nursing while pregnant is a bad idea.

I actually feel fairly comfortable with doing the FET while nursing, based on what I've read and the fact that I know many moms who got pregnant naturally while nursing (and continued nursing during pregnancy and then tandem nursed). Why is it any different if the embryo is just placed in my uterus?

Anyway, my RE said they would have to check my prolactin level on my first visit and I don't know what level is acceptable. Does anyone know? momuveight2B and katies_mama, what were your levels and was that of any concern to your RE's? (And congratulations, by the way -- you give me hope!)

[katies_mama]

New Mama, while my RE did mention prolactin levels as a concern, he didn't test them. I've read, though, that they only spike when you're actually nursing. Perhaps if you send Henry off with someone for a few hours before the test you'll have a better chance of testing low?

FWIW, we only put one (previously frozen) embryo in, too, and here I am, almost six months pregnant with Benjamin. Katie (my 28mo) still nurses at least 10x a day, even though there is zero milk.

Good luck!

[quelindo]

Originally Posted by katies_mama

New Mama, while my RE did mention prolactin levels as a concern, he didn't test them. I've read, though, that they only spike when you're actually nursing. Perhaps if you send Henry off with someone for a few hours before the test you'll have a better chance of testing low?

FWIW, we only put one (previously frozen) embryo in, too, and here I am, almost six months pregnant with Benjamin. Katie (my 28mo) still nurses at least 10x a day, even though there is zero milk.

Good luck!

Thanks for the response. It gives me hope! And congratulations again.

[Gretchen123]

Hi
I just thought I would bump this thread up and see if anyone has any new info about cycling while nursing.
I have a son who is 5 mo. from a DE cycle and I would like to cycle again early 2008 but I don't want to quit BF.
Anyone out there have any experience with this lately??
Thanks so much
Gretchen

[quelindo]

I am in the middle of a cycle right now -- hopefully my transfer will be the day after Labor Day. I will keep you posted!

[Gretchen123]

New Mama- That is great to hear! Could you tell me a little about your cycle?
My son was from a FET ... he was our last miracle embryo (the fresh cycle resulted in a BFN). SO,like Katies Mama said, it can happen!
I wish you the best of luck!! I will be following along!
Gretchen

[quelindo]

Originally Posted by Gretchen123

New Mama- That is great to hear! Could you tell me a little about your cycle?
My son was from a FET ... he was our last miracle embryo (the fresh cycle resulted in a BFN). SO,like Katies Mama said, it can happen!
I wish you the best of luck!! I will be following along!
Gretchen

We did a fresh cycle to get pregnant with DS almost three years ago. We did pre-implantation genetic diagnosis on the blastocysts, and ended up with three viable embryos. Two were used -- one of which resulted in DS -- and one was frozen. We're not willing/able to afford another fresh cycle, so this is probably our last shot. (Although the whole reason we did infertility treatments was because I never menstruated/ovulated on my own, and I've now had three periods on my own since January. So I'm trying to hold on to hope that even if this doesn't work MAYBE I might get pregnant on my own.)

They induced a period with oral progesterone and now I'm taking estrogen orally. My baseline ultrasound was fine and my next ultrasound is next Tuesday. We start shots of progesterone next Wednesday, and then do the transfer the Tuesday after that.

And BTW, although DS is two, he nurses like a newborn! I'm considering nightweaning because it's seriously every few hours, all night long. My RE wasn't crazy about this but I think because she had no real proof that it would affect the transfer she reluctantly let me go ahead with it.

[marlee]

Hi there, I too am starting a cycle. My dd is 27 months. I am doing an IVM cycle. All tests, b/s, u/s have come back as healthy, great, and normal. I know that if we didn't have fertility issues we would be pregnant. Bf'ing isn't the issue here and feel no need to stop just because we are being treated for fertility problems. I am so excited to get going!

[Gretchen123]

Hello Ladies
New Mama- So, did they leave the lupron out of your protocol?
Marlee- I have just heard a little about IVM. The clinic I cycled at is starting to use it, but just on women with PCOS, I think. It sounds like a wonderful change from the full IVF treatment.

Well, I am thinking of going to the Czech Rep. to do a DE cycle. I contacted the dr. there and he said that BF must be finished in order to cycle with him. Also, the clinic that I was thinking possibly changing to here in the US would want me to stop too, I have heard from other ladies.
I wouldn't cycle until DS is a year. It is so hard to know how I feel about this then. But, if I just don't feel like it is right to stop when the time comes to cycle, I guess I can always postpone the cycle. I just really feel like it will be hard for me to wean him at a year.
I guess I could also try to find a clinic that would let me continue BFing.
Anyway, I will pop in now and again to check and see how you two are doing! I wish you the best of success on your cycles!

[quelindo]

Originally Posted by Gretchen123

Hello Ladies
New Mama- So, did they leave the lupron out of your protocol?

No Lupron this time -- I can't remember what Lupron is for, actually. I'm only doing a frozen embryo transfer.

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

[QUOTE=Gretchen123;8998875]
I wouldn't cycle until DS is a year. It is so hard to know how I feel about this then. But, if I just don't feel like it is right to stop when the time comes to cycle, I guess I can always postpone the cycle. I just really feel like it will be hard for me to wean him at a year.
[\QUOTE]

I hear you. I've postponed a cycle for over a year now - DD just turned 2. I'm still nursing, and I'm going to start a cycle in the next couple of months. I plan to neglect to tell the doctor that we're still nursing a couple of times a day. That's the advantage of waiting till your dc is a little older - if you're lucky, they won't be nursing as much and it will have less of an impact.

It's a tough decision - and I don't think there's any easy answers...

[Gretchen123]

Perdita- Good luck with your cycle too.. please keep us posted.
I am going to schedule my DE cycle for next April, right after DS turns 1 yr. Hopefully by then I can get him used to taking a bottle and I can stock up a supply of breastmilk. It will be interesting to see how I feel about this next year.
I talked to the nurse at the RE's office where I did my last DE cycle and she made me feel better about not being in a hurry to do the next cycle. I am 42 and she said my uterus would be just as receptive to a DE at 42, 43, or 44.

Hello to everyone!!
Gretchen