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8K views 183 replies 19 participants last post by  monkeyscience 
#1 ·
This is a thread for all the wonderful mamas from the Infertility ONE Thread who have beat the odds with IF and are expecting their long-awaited miracles! (Stalkers are welcome, too!!)

Due in August

monkeyscience - 28, expecting #1 with dh (26) - after 1.5 years of trying with PCOS - we got our free baby!
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Due in October

wissa19 - with DH, and DS ('07), expecting #2 after 2.5 years, 3 doctors, 1 surgery and 5 medicated cycles.
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gozal - DH and I are finally giving DS ('07) some siblings after 2.5 years of unexpected challenges, including a rare pituitary tumor and a suspected ectopic pregnancy. Two siblings, to be exact! Very excited to be expecting our twins in October.
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Due in November

Gemmine - 28, DH 28, expecting #1 after 1.5 years of trying and 1 loss. EDD: November 4th.
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kparker (27), with DH (34), expecting #1 in Nov 2012 after 3.5 years, 3 failed IUIs, and MFI being the root of all evil
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Due in December

chicajones - 27, expecting #1 with DH (30) - after 1.5 years of trying with PCOS. Metformin did the trick and we're so excited to meet our Christmas baby!
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Due in January

hope4light - Me (32), DH (33), DD (2) and pup (8) happy to give DD a sibling after almost 2 years of NPNT and finally getting the courage to jump back on the IVF train for MFI. After much failed IVF heartache when TTC#1, we were blessed with IVF working on the first try for our second! Very excited to be expecting in early January 2013!
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BABIES!!
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renavoo - Mama to Colin (6 lbs. 5 oz.)
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and Sienna
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(6lbs. 15 oz.), born 6/19/12

Sweet.Bee - Mama to Lyra
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, born 1/09/12

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In our thoughts
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deborahbgkelly - Identical twin boys, Alan and Bruce, lost at 22 weeks

krunchyk - Baby boy, lost at 10 weeks
 
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#102 ·
Hope - Yep. I guess this is where I "belong" now!

AFM - AF is officially late. I have been testing every other day and each test has been twice as dark as the last. I'm not going to do betas. I'm already starting to feel yucky...and happy about it!
 
#103 ·
Sila!!!!
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So excited for you!!! I was just thinking the other day that it's been way too long since someone has joined us from the Infertility One thread, and I'm so glad that you're here! Keep us updated on how things are going. Those first few weeks are so crazy and nerve-wracking. :)
 
#104 ·
Chica - You were the last! And that was in April! It's Sept now, crazy. Thank you for the support. It is going to be a long first few wks.

Gozal, you can add me.

SilaMarila - (26), DH (30), making DS ('09) a big brother May 2013! PCO and MFI, 3 failed IUIs. After 2yrs of trying and calling it quits with IF treatments, we conceived on our own!
 
#105 ·
Sila - Just wanted to say again how sorry I am for your loss.
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Hope you will be back here soon.

Gozal & Wissa - Soon!!!

Everyone else - really need a shower, but still cheering you on and hoping for more updates to read while nursing.

AFM... this is what life is like for me lately... okay, not usually quite so crazy, but sometimes!
 
#107 ·
Hi all...

Sila - Still thinking about you and wishing you were still over here.

kparker - I'm so to hear about the swelling. I know that stinks. Hope it goes down some for you. I have it a little...it always goes away after a good nights sleep only to return if I do ANYTHING. Did I read that you had a baby shower??

Chica - Hope all is well. Any news on your move?

Monkey - That post is too funny. Sounds like you a wonderful mommy. Enjoy these first weeks of chaos...you will eventually get to take a bath without interuption. (But it might be years. My DS still likes to come talk to me while I'm in the shower.)

Gozal - Have you found any peace with possibly having a c-section for baby A? I know it must be hard. The hard part about the end of pregnancy is that you don't know exactly what's going happen...it's like losing control.

AFM - Almost 38 weeks. Had an ultra-sound earlier this week...this baby is head down and around 7 lbs. I'm 2cm, 70% effaced and -1 station.... Don't know that any of that means anything though.

Deport & Hope - I'm stalking you guys in the graduates thread. Thinking of you both.
 
#108 ·
Hi guys! Can someone please tell me where the time is going? I had planned (haha, I know) for these last weeks to be quiet ones, but nope. I am running from appointment to appointment and revising my academic stuff down to the wire, now that DS is in kindergarten (sniff, still missing him terribly every day). I have been thinking of you all!

Sila, still holding you in my thoughts and hoping to see you back here soon.

Hope, blueyezz - thank you for reminding me to stalk you over on the IVF grads thread! Hope, sending out lots of good thoughts and strength to you. blueyezz - I am so just absolutely thrilled for you (belatedly, eek, forgive me) - congratulations on your pregnancy!

Milk - yeah, stalking you too. So happy to hear about your latest scan! I would demand weeklies too, seriously.

Monkey, wow. And all that to handle in a hotel room, too. Yikes! I have to admit you totally cracked me up. :) You know what I say? Everything is doable as long as you get some sleep. A stretch from 3:30 to morning sounds promising...hope Baby Bird is letting you get some rest!

kparker, how was the shower?! I always tell people to forget about the nursery, but maybe that's easy for me to say 'cause I don't really use one (am I a weirdo? we didn't set up a space for DS in the second bedroom till he was older and even now we don't use it that much), and anyway I'm not allowed to get it ready beforehand. I do hear you about getting things in order - for me it's a lot of listmaking and stocking up the pantry and cleaning and calling the bank and stuff like that (blech). Sorry about the swelling, I know it can be really bothersome. Hope you have a much better weekend this time around!

chica, you must be getting so antsy...any promising news for you on the international move front?

Wissa, I have started wondering at every check-in if yours is a going-into-labor post! I forget somehow that I am in the same zone. (Because I had a stern talk with the babies and informed them I need at least until Monday.) It sounds like baby girl is getting everything in order. At last check I was only slightly effaced and 1cm...maybe she can give a pep talk to the twins!

As ever your thoughtful words made me feel better instantly. I am definitely still trying to find peace with the potential c-section. At least week's check, both babies were transverse and I was certain they were turning. But then yesterday Baby A was back to breech and Baby B was cooperatively vertex. In my case none of the techs or doctors thinks it's possible that B would descend first, I guess because A is so much closer to my cervix. The office asked me to schedule a section (did I mention that?) and I got the latest possible date, which comes out to 39w1d. I am leaning towards turning down the scheduled date if I make I there and giving A every opportunity to turn, unless there is a good reason not to.

Part of my resistance, I think, comes from how physically cumbersome it is to be carrying twins. I had really been very fortunate and not had many discomforts, actually, apart from size. More m/s in the beginning, more heartburn in the 3rd tri., but overall I feel, thankfully, very good. At the same time, my belly makes it difficult to sit for long, or walk for long, or stand, or stay in any one position lying down. And I am so tired. I can feel my body working. So I was looking forward, in a way that is much more than last time, to being more physically mobile after birth. But with a c-section, it sounds like I won't be. It sounds like I'll have trouble getting out of bed, climbing stairs (which we have in our house), driving, lifting the babies. I know I will already need so much help as it is, and post-surgery, I just feel like I won't be able to keep the boundaries I need. I am not usually nervous or squeamish about medical procedures, but surgery scares me in a way that childbirth does not at all.

Wissa, I'd love to hear your about experience - how did you find the recovery? how soon were you able to hold DS? I admire the place of peace you're coming from and I really want to get there, if this is truly what is best for my babies.

Oh, and I guess we'd better start a Fall 2012 thread, huh? Any takers? I certainly don't mind, just be patient with me, 'cause, well...
 
#109 ·
Hey ladies! Popping in during my last day at work (!!!), which definitely feels like the last day of school for me. I put my two weeks notice in back when we were still thinking we'd be flying out the second week of October, so I could definitely have a week or so off before we left. Now, though, everything is completely up in the air (well, except for us being in the air on an airplane, haha). There's a huuuuuge backup at the Border Agency and our sponsor still hasn't gotten approved. We're looking at a few other options, but I only have about five more weeks of "okay to fly" time left, so it's really starting to feel like it's getting down to the wire. If nothing pans out, there's a chance we may still be here until after the birth (if that were the case, we'd leave once the baby is about a month or so old, depending on how both of us are doing). I'm really hoping it doesn't come down to that, but if it does, I still feel a peace about quitting my job. Things have gotten really stressful, and since we are living with friends (we would move in with family in December if we're still here), our expenses are super low. I would definitely appreciate your thoughts -- it's weird not knowing if we only have two weeks left here in the States...or if we're going to be here for another four months. We probably won't know anything concrete for another week or so, but I am praying that we hear good news in the next few days. Other than that, I've been feeling pretty darn good. We're going to Sea World tomorrow to celebrate our 5 year anniversary and I'm really excited about it!

Monkey, your "day in the life" was hilarious! I love the view from little Pirate, so great. Even though I'm sure it was insane at the time, it made me excited about all the craziness that I'm going to be experiencing soon! It's still so hard to believe there will be an actual little person at the end of this!

Wissa, sounds like baby is ready to go, locked and loaded! :) Can't wait to hear how everything goes, and I love that you are so very close!

Gozal, I hope things settle down for you a little bit -- but on the bright side, hopefully all this busyness will make the time go by quickly. I think it's great that you're trying to do everything you can to avoid a section, and really, that's all you can do. Keep standing up for yourself and hopefully those babies will get the "turning" vibes.

kparker, how are things with you? How does 30-ish weeks feel? I can't believe I'll be hitting them soon myself. I've been feeling really good but am a bit nervous that it's all going to take a major turn for the uncomfortable soon.
 
#110 ·
33 weeks today. I have discovered small moons orbiting my middle. I also consume more food than a household of 8 and their extended family at Thanksgiving.

It is no wonder I have finally developed stretchmarks on my belly.

Baby shower: I'll leave you with DH and I (the ribbon was a game, guess how big we are belly to belly), our gender-reveal cake (with a MDC icon on it!), and the big reveal for the family/friends present.







ps my sisterinlaw made that cake and it was SO FREAKING DELICIOUS I love her
 
#111 ·
chica - Sorry to hear your plans are still not settled. It sounds like you are handling it well!! I think I would be very stress out about not knowing, but then we did move when DS was born so... Maybe not that you don't have to deal with your stressful job you can relax and just get ready for the baby. Sea World sounds Awesome!

Kparker- You look pretty darn cute for 33 weeks. I love the cake reveal, it's such a fun idea. I don't think the stretch marks have anything to do with how much you eat or how big you get. According to my pregnancy book you can blame your genes for that one. So, eat up! ;)

Now that you've had your shower are preparing a nursery?

Gozal - I wish was really at peace as much as you give me credit for. I can't make up my mind what I really want to do and I think I'm driving my DH crazy. I'm anxious about when and what is really going to happen. The tipping point for me seems to be that some of my blood work is coming back low...and if it keeps dropping I won't be able to have an epidural or a spinal. I'm not at all prepared for a natural (pain med free) birth and the idea of having general anesthesia for a c-section is very upsetting. I'm just trying to focus on getting a healthy baby.

And my DS seems to be having adjustment problems before the baby even gets here. He has turned into the most defiant of creatures and it's only with me he's got this attitude!

My experience with getting to hold DS after my c-section is probably not going to make you feel any better. I had problems with my blood pressure and was in recovery for hours. I couldn't have him in recovery and even if I had, I wouldn't have been able to hold him because I was shaking too bad. It's why I wanted to VBAC to begin with. I did ask my doctors about that and requested to have the baby with me long enough to breastfeed this time and they seemed to be responsive to making this happen for me. I thought about changing hospitals at one point because there is a hospital that allows the baby in recovery and has cameras so you can even watch them cleaning and checking the baby will you are still on the table, but it was just to far away.

As for recovery, I didn't find it overly difficult and it was easier than I thought it would be. The first week or two it was hard to get in out of bed, but not any harder than it is now! I have to say the pain meds really are nice! :) I think you just never know how it's going to go for you. I know some women who had difficult recoveries after a vaginal birth and those that had very easy recoveries from c-sections.

I will say that my MIL had a breech baby and she says she would take a c-section any day over that and it was a small baby around 5 lbs. She also gave birth to 9 lb. babies that didn't bother her at all.

So, it looks like we are both just in limbo land trying to not freak out!

AFM - Nope nothing. A few strong braxton hicks contractions, but other than that I got nothing.
 
#112 ·
Yep, got the nursery much more organized now. He won't even be in it initially lol, since we're cosleeping, but it's nice to have it all pretty for when he's a little older and he can nap in there or something.

Wissa I hope your bloodwork knocks it off, so that you can get the drugs you want! I'm going natural and even though I made the choice vs having it made for me, I'm still terrified lolol
 
#113 ·
Okay wissa - I admit I saw you were the last one to post a day or so ago, and clicked on it thinking, "Baby? Baby? Did she have her baby??" I know it's a little early, but the obsessing has started for me. ;) I'm sorry you're still feeling conflicted about what you want for your birth. Hoping for the best for you, whatever that may be.

kparker - Love the cake, and how exciting to be "out" now about your baby boy! Can't believe you are so far along now. It doesn't seem like that long ago that it seemed like pregnancy might never happen for you... and now you're past 33 weeks!!

chica - Really hoping you can get things sorted out with your visa soon - that would make me totally nuts! It made me crazy enough not wanting to get any baby stuff because I didn't know how big of an apartment we would have, and I didn't have room for it in our then-current apartment. If you end up still being in the States for the delivery, will you midwife friend be the one attending?

gozal - Arrgh to having uncooperative babies! The first half of your pregnancy was so blissfully "boring" - apparently everything was saving itself for the second half! I really hope Baby A decides to be cooperative. Have you talked to your doctor about your wishes for if you do have a c-section? Like, can you get some skin-to-skin with the babies in the OR, or can they come to recovery to breastfeed if you're up to it? And I am also waiting to hear your news, too. I'm being impatient, I know! Also, can you move me to "Babies"? I'll make it easy, you can copy and paste this:

monkeyscience - Mama to Baby Bird
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(8 lbs 10 oz) born 8/18/12

Thanks!

It is sad to see that our roster has remained so sadly small. :( Hoping for more good news out of the IF ONE Thread, especially with several people starting IVF soon.

AFM, still taking life one day at a time. Yesterday, I successfully ran several errands with Baby Bird sleeping in his Ergo/carseat. Unfortunately, he also had a major poop (which was good, because I think the lack of poo in the previous 18+ hours was making him cranky) which ended up getting poo ALL OVER his car seat. Okay, only on one side, but it was all over the buckle, the strap, the infant insert, and the main car seat. It's still not entirely cleaned up. I'm praying I don't have to uninstall his carseat to accomplish that goal, because it was a beast to get in in the first place! He's been sort of fussy the past few days, and I'm not sure why. For some reason, it's easier for me when he gets up at 3 or 4 AM than when he gets up earlier, and then again at 5 AM or later. Or even if he just gets up about 5. Siiigh. Anyway, he weighed in at 11 lb 12 oz at the midwife last Friday, putting him a little over 3 lbs above his birth weight, and more like 3.5 lbs above his lowest weight. So at least I know he's gotten enough food! I really had no idea babies could gain so much so fast! (He was six weeks Saturday.)

Also, an interesting addendum to my birth story: I have been meaning to ask my midwife about the timeline of my birth for a couple of visits now, but somehow didn't have the courage. I don't know why - I think it's a totally valid question, and not one they should have any issue with. Anyway, I did finally ask at my six-week postpartum check-up Friday. Remember how I was disappointed with my 8 cm cervical check, and I was guessing it was around 4 or 5 PM? Uh, wrong. The time of that check was 6:10 PM - Less than an hour and a half before he was born. From the records, it does seem likely that I spent about 50 min to an hour in the bathroom, as I guessed. I went there shortly after the cervical check, and my birth record shows I was fully dilated, minus a small lip, at 6:50 PM (still in the bathroom then). Although one midwife told me I spent 40 minutes pushing, according to the official sheet, it was actually only 20. I was back in the tub at 7:10 PM, and that's when someone actually wrote down that I was pushing. I probably was doing some pushing inadvertently in the bathroom, but it was only in the tub that I was really trying. So I wasn't crazy for thinking it really didn't take that long once I started pushing. The midwife I was seeing then (the only one actually not at my birth, though she checked me that morning at home) said, too, that with a nuchal hand, there's really not much they can do to prevent tearing, if it's going to happen. I'm not sure I 100% buy that, but it does give me an alternative to the my-fault-for-pushing-too-fast theory.

All in all, it's given me a little different perspective on my birth. It doesn't change the fact that I felt at the time like I was in unendurable agony for an unendurable amount of time - but for some reason it does make a difference to me to know that the hardest part of my labor was only an hour and a half long, instead of 3 or 4 hours. Somehow, that makes the prospect of doing it all again much less daunting, despite the fact that there are no guarantees it won't be worse or longer the second time around. Anyway, need to run and accomplish things while the baby's still (semi) asleep!
 
#114 ·
Still hanging in here at 39 weeks. ;) Just waiting for something to happen otherwise I've scheduled a c-section a few days after 40 weeks. Blood work is back to being fine, so I'm happy and relieved about that! Found the larger flannel receiving blankets at BabiesRUs, yeah!! I was on the verge of making them... In any case, I think I finally have everything ready. So...

Gozal - How are those twins of yours doing? It sounds like they were moving around quiet a bit the last couple of weeks. FYI - I think I may left out some stuff about recovering form the c-section...I never had any problems picking up or caring for DS, but I had everyone doing everything else for me! The stairs might be an issue for you, so you may want to have things set up to minimize the number of trips up & down you would have make (we don't have stairs). Honestly, the worst part of the c-section recovery for me was going to the bathroom (bowel) after wards. My doctor told me to take 1 stool softener a day (colace), but I didn't start it until I got out of the hospital 4 days later...this time I'm taking it with me to the hospital.

I know I'll miss my DS next year. It's just been me and him for so long that he is like my little companion. I know it must be hard for you to send him off everyday. Even now when he's at preschool and I go somewhere without him I'll think DS would like so and so ....or say this or that.

Monkey - No way it was your fault you tore anyway. You were just doing what you body was telling you do. Most women I've talked to say you don't have much control by the time you get the pushing...plus, I do think some will tear regardless. It has a lot to do with how much stretching your body can do and the size of the baby. And while there aren't guarantees it won't be worse or longer, most 2 second time moms get points for re-enlisting!! So, it might be easier and shorter.

Glad to hear your little baby bird is doing so well!! Poo in the carseat...that was always such a pain to clean!!

And yes the roster is sadly still small :( :( :( ...
 
#115 ·
Hoping the baby will sleep long enough for me to post - we will see!

wissa & gozal - Still hoping daily to see news from the two of you. Am I right that you both have c-sections or inductions scheduled sometime in the next week or two if there's no spontaneous labor?

gozal - How are your little guys doing with positioning? Any sign Baby A is going to cooperate and go head first?

wissa - Glad your bloodwork is back to looking good. I was so terrified to poop after giving birth, that I asked about stool softener and got the okay to use it. Luckily I managed to stay unconstipated for a few weeks. Honestly, even though I'm mostly healed down there (just some residual lack of stretchiness where I tore), I'm still kind of scared of getting constipated.

Everyone else - hi! Check in when you can!

AFM, traveling with dh again this week. Road trip this time. Baby was not that great on the way down (though he could have been so much worse!). I ended up in the back seat trying to comfort him and keep him from screaming. Finally worked. Not looking forward to the return trip tomorrow. We've had a reasonably decent time at the hotel. Baby has managed to get fussy most nights when we go out to dinner. Last night he was actually really good, though, which was a nice change of pace. It is so much nicer just to be home, though. Looking forward to more home time. Of the 8 weeks he's been alive, Baby Bird and I have only spent about 4 weeks at home. Two weeks were at my parents' while dh traveled, and two weeks have been traveling with dh. Hoping we ALL get to stay home for a good long while now!

As far as the baby goes, he seems to have settled into a less-frequent poo pattern, which is pretty nice. He now usually sleeps from about 10 or 11 PM till about 4:30 or 5 AM, though sometimes he wakes up more. And we've finally had some success getting him to sleep in his cosleeper. Maybe I said that last time? Not sure, but he's waking up, so I'm not going to go back and look. He's taking more to his Ergo as it fits him better. Still wish I could have gotten the hang of a sling, but oh, well. If you want more nitty-gritty about me and baby, feel free to stalk me in my DDC. I'm actually more active there now that he's born than I was while pregnant!
 
#116 ·
Keep checking in hoping for some baby news!!
 
#117 ·
So much I want to share, but for now - our twin boys are here! We are all doing great after a few minor bumps at the beginning, we are home and my babies are both contentedly nursing as I type left-handed. Experience + 2 babies who do not at this time appear to be high-needs + big brother adjusting very well + paternity leave for DH & help from family = an easy transition for us. I find myself in awe, overwhelmed with gratitude and love. I wept all the way home from the hospital, enjoying a moment I feared for so long would never come. Can't wait to say more. Wissa, eagerly checking in! Much love to all of you!
 
#123 ·
Hooray!! Congrats Wissa and Gozal! Can't wait to hear more details!
 
#126 ·
Hey guys...recovering from a nasty round of mastitis over here...be back soon! Thinking of you all! Wissa, so happy to hear of baby girl's safe arrival - sending out lots of love and congratulations to you, DH, and big brother DS!
 
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