Ultrasound #1

Well, PB&J is just PB - one little baby in there. Which I sort of had a feeling it was one. I think IJ was hoping for two but I know he is happy with one. Here are a couple of photos of PB!

Baby J is 16mm, so measuring at 8 weeks exactly. I will be 8 weeks tomorrow so he/she is right on track. Heartbeat was 170bpm. We didn't get to hear it (our tech is "old school" and prefers to use minimal equipment to get the most important info), but we could see it on the screen which was amazing. My due date is confirmed to be July 12, 2012. Everything is looking good. And I was officially cleared to go to the OB. No more RE for me!

There was one minor thing but the RE said not to worry but he had to tell me because it was clear on the US. It seems that as the placenta has been growing, one of the blood vessels must have tried to connect before the placenta was quite grown enough and it caused a bit of blood to leak behind the placenta. (this might sound confusing, the little sketch he drew made me understand it.) So, he said I might have some brown spotting and this would likely be the cause if I do.

The nausea hasn't let up, but no vomiting still so that is a good thing. I am tired and cranky sometimes but overall, I can't really complain.

So next steps are 12/7 - call from a midwife at my OB practice to answer intake questions and then 12/12 I meet with a midwife for my first "normal" appointment. I doubt I will get another US that soon but I would love to be able to hear the heartbeat.

Happy Thanksgiving

So much to be thankful for this year - our family, our jobs, our home, the food on our table, and most especially, our pregnancy.

I know that everyone's journey to being a parent is different. And to some, the 18 months we had to wait for our BFP isn't a long time. To others, it is daunting. But to me, I have come to realize it was just right. I can't tell you how I know this, but I can tell you that it is what I believe. I spent a lot of those months being angry, being upset, asking "why me?". But shortly before IVF#2, I became grateful for all I had been through. I have met many wonderful women through this experience and, as with all difficult situations I have had in life, I find that there will be someone that I will be able to help get through a similar experience. And for that, I am also thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Slacking again

I haven't been very good about updating lately. Truth is, there really isn't much going on. I am in a holding pattern until my ultrasound on Nov 30.

Symptom-wise, a little nausea here and there and I am very tired especially around 5pm. My brain is already being affected and I am moody. Very moody actually. Got into a yelling match with my mom last night over some stupid thing. My fuse is shorter than it has ever been. Hoping that goes away soon. Not a good thing when I am trying to stay calm and relaxed. My weight hasn't changed and my clothes are fitting just fine.

I did buy some maternity clothes though. Just because they were on sale and I will need them eventually...not to mention I can't pass up a sale. I got a pair of jeans, 2 pairs of leggings and 4 tops for $90. I also got a halloween onesie for PB&J to wear next year - $3.50. I think I will get a Thanksgiving and a couple of Christmas ones once they go on sale too.

Also, I have been looking in to cloth diapering. There are many different types of cloth diapers. SOme sites/stores will even let you try the products out for a couple of weeks and then decide if you want to buy anything. A friend of mine at work cloth diapers his daughter. They love it. When she was a newborn, they used some disposables too. IJ is very open to the idea so we will at least give it a shot. I have been told it is easier than it seems. I guess we will find out in about 8 or so months.

Bye bye PIO!

And the last progesterone intramuscular shot is done! Happy happy day.

Ready for the next step!

My beta today was great! It needed to be at least 5500 and it was....7240! The nurse said I can stop taking estrace 2x per day and now take it only 1x per day. I have to do the progesterone shot tonight and tomorrow night but Monday night I switch to suppositories. Thank goodness! My left gluteal muscle has a huge hard lump in it from all the shots. The right side isn't as bad. My U/S will be Saturday November 26th @ 8:30am. I can't wait!!!

I was really hoping my ultrasound would be before Thanksgiving. But, I guess 2 more days won't be too bad. Except it is 2 whole weeks away!

I am thrilled beyond belief. I have been feeling great. Some cramping mostly at night and a little neaseua once in a while but nothing compared to what I had expected. It is still very early and I read morning sickness sometimes kicks in around week 6. So it could be starting soon.

Edited to add: I had to change the date of my ultrasound because IJ has to work on that Saturday. So now we have to wait until Wednesday November 30th. I know it is only 4 more days but it seems so long!

figuring out a due date

So I have been looking for those due date calculators online and I am getting conflicting info from them. I think doing IVF makes a difference in how it is calculated but I am not sure how it affects the date. A couple have given me July 12, 2012 so I am going with that. I also got July 15 from one of them. Of course if I have twins, it will be more like mid-June. But we will cross that bridge when we get there.

Technically, I am 4 weeks 5 days and into my second month. It sounds so far along considering I was suffering the 2 week wait just a week ago. Of course I have a long way to go.

Beta #2

458! perfect. I go back next Saturday 11/12 for beta #3. Ultrasound will likely be in 3 weeks. I guess they prefer to do them at 7 weeks so we can hear the heartbeat(s). I thought it would be at 6 weeks. I just want to know how many are in there!!

It's official....

I am pregnant! I can't believe it! The nurse called at about 11:50. I wasn't expecting to hear from them so soon. She said my HCG is 205! Which is pretty high for 14 days after retrieval. Still in shock but thrilled beyond words. Off to the mall to buy baby books!

Nothing a little bacon egg and cheese biscuit can't fix

Oh, and a hash brown too. I never eat that stuff but I do give into any food whim when I am stressed. The beta draw went fine this morning. But it is waiting for the call that gets to me. I will update after the call comes in.

yummy pizza....

So I treated myself to my favorite pizza today for lunch. Well, less than 2 hours later, I feel sick. Now this could be:

1. bad pizza
2. my nerves about the beta tomorrow, or
3. maybe our embabies (aka: Peanut Butter & Jelly) don't like my favorite pizza.

I am soooo hoping the answer is 3. Although, not sure how I would get through a pregnancy without this pizza. Sal's BBQ chicken pizza - don't knock it 'til you try it! Although I think they are only in the Boston area. Sorry.

2 more days

UGH this waiting is killing me. Being bored at work is not helping at all. I am reconsidering taking a home test at all before the beta. Originally I was going to take one Thursday morning, then I was thinking maybe tomorrow morning. Now, I don't think I will take one at all before the beta results come in. If the beta is positive, I will probably take one everyday until the ultrasound. I just want to see a positive test!

I am still having roller coaster moments. One minute I am sure it worked, the next sure it didn't. Hope and prayer are getting me though and no matter the result, they will continue to get me through. A glass or 2 of wine will also help if the test is negative.