Pregnancy Check-In (1/12/15)

Amber&Reva

1. @Twochickshavingachick: Jan 3 girl  (Any Updates?!)
2. @twobrooklynmoms: Jan 10 singleton
3. @jjlvscg: Jan 10 singleton
4. @cageymack: Jan 22 girl
5. @louliza: Feb 1 singleton
6. @mrs&mrsK: Feb 17 boy
7. @Amber&Reva: March 2 girl
8. @wishiwaspreggo: March 7 boy
9. @JennaandBetsy: April 22 boy
10. @calsurb: June 4 singleton

11. @KristyKristyleelee June 19 singleton
12. @megd893: June 22nd singleton
13. @FSBC : July 28th singleton

14. @JGY August 21st 

15. @sdfonz619

If you have a recent BFP (and/or if you are new to the board), please let me know when you want to be added to this list. 

How is everyone feeling? How is pregnancy treating you and your partner this week? Any updates to share?

 

QOTW:  Share something random about yourself that most people on this board wouldn't know.

Amber&Reva

I kept everything I ate down yesterday!!! Had my 32w check-up with u/s last week she is growing right on track.  Everyone keeps asking me at work how much she weighs now which I didn't even think to ask during the u/s.  I do know that it looked like she is growing in about the 40th percentile that she is head down and facing my back (it is still roomy enough in there any of this can change). I was also down 3 pounds at my last appointment which puts me total weight gain at 19lbs.  My nurse seemed concerned but the OB said as long as baby is growing on track he isn't to worried about my weight gain.  My next and final u/s with the MFM is at 36w.  She did once again remind R and I that when we hit 34w to celebrate because this entire pregnancy she has said that is the big hurdle and then birth.  As weeks go on it just keeps on getting more real that R and I are going to be responsible for a little human soon.  AHHHH!!!

I have officially started nesting.  I am not always the most motivated person but while home sick I did and folded a ton of laundry sorted all her close by size had R help me put together the PnP, Glider and Ottoman, and have been cleaning.  Also finally ordered my breast pump I really hope I like the one I choose. 

QOTW:  I get way to into guilty pleasure TV shows (Survivor, The Bachelor,  The Amazing Race, all those shows I shouldn't admit to watching on MTV).

Karlamo

I'd like to officaly be added to the list.  Our EDD is 8-28 Today I am 7w3d.

Friday we had our 7w u/s to check the heartbeat and we got one!  Moka's little heart was beating 138BPM.  We were thrilled and relieved to get a heartbeat after all that scary bleeding.  After our RE checked the hb and did measurments, she noticed a second "yolk sac".  That one was measuring 6w2d without a hb.  Now we only transfered one embryo so the RE assumed that the egg split and we had identical twins.  Mamosey and I were sort of in a daze as she was referring to this other yolk sac and explaining that she believed it to be non viablle and that my body would reabsorb it.   Then after about 10min of us discussing this she moved the probe it such a way that she started doubting herself and now thought that this second yolk sac was actually just a thicker piece of the one that Moka was in. 

She is having us come back next Monday to do a final u/s before we get released to the MW.  She wants more time to pass to get a clearer picutre on what is happening in there.  Either way she said Moka will not be affected by any of those 2 senarios, which was a relief to hear.  We left the appt uneasy.  I've been around the bump long enough to know that if this is a second yolk sac, there is a chance that a heartbeat can develop.  I can't even think about the possibility of twins right now. My mom had identical twins and my cousin recently had identical twins so this could really be happening. 

My symptoms are going strong.  M/S continues to be my friendenemy.  I'm not as exhausted as I would have imagined.  Perhaps it's from chasing an 11 month old around all day.  My body is used to it:)  Since this will be my only pregnancy, we are 2 and thru:), I am trying to enjoy it all.

QOTW:  Hmmm, I tend to be a  private person around here, so there is probably a lot I could share.  But one fun fact is I have 6 brothers and sisters.  My parents were NUTS.  Hence the reason we are all set with 2 kids, thank you very much

 

ball.and.chain

Karlamo said:

After our RE checked the hb and did measurments, she noticed a second "yolk sac".  That one was measuring 6w2d without a hb.  Now we only transfered one embryo so the RE assumed that the egg split and we had identical twins.  Mamosey and I were sort of in a daze as she was referring to this other yolk sac and explaining that she believed it to be non viablle and that my body would reabsorb it.   Then after about 10min of us discussing this she moved the probe it such a way that she started doubting herself and now thought that this second yolk sac was actually just a thicker piece of the one that Moka was in. 

Whoa!  I think I've mentioned this before on the board, but I do have a friend who transferred 2 embryos and ended up with triplets because 1 split -- that was always one of my strongest reasons for only doing SETs (I won't go into details here but all did not go well).  Splitting is much more common with IVF, especially with FETs because they are more likely to use AH (FS always does AH with FETs).  I think you are probably at the point where if the second one was viable, it would have a hb, but I agree that it's kind of crazy to think about!  I know you two were hoping to be done after 2 so I am hoping for your sake that things proceed with a normal, healthy singleton pregnancy!  Either way I am so glad to hear that things with Moka are looking good.

JGY

@amber&reva - You are getting SO CLOSE to that 34 week mark!  How awesome for you.

@megd893 - Again, congrats on the great news.  I love having a boy!

@karlamo - One of my biggest fears.  Hang in there, here's hoping it's just 1 strong heartbeat in there!

I go in on Wednesday for my 2nd ultrasound.  If all looks good, I'll graduate from the RE and go ... I don't know where.  I started a seperate thread a few weeks ago to discuss my feelings about switching care teams from the group that I was with for G's birth.  I still haven't made a firm decision, but we're at least entertaining the idea of interviewing other MWs (and Doulas).  But I know that at 8w3d (today) I'm getting very close that that 10-13w window for first trimester screening. So since I know I will be high risk, and will likely stay within the same care system (for insurance purposes), I called Meternal Fetal Medicine to see if I could get in there for the testing without a referral from an OB/MW.  They said sure, we'll take a referral from your RE!  Great, I thought.  So I called the RE office to get that set up.  The call I got back from the nurse was less than supportive, in fact she was downright rude.  She refused to make the referral, insinuating that I was trying to opt out of responsible prenatal care.  I almost lost my $hit.  I'll be having a conversation with our RE on Wednesday.

Anyway, I feel okay.  I'm pretty exhausted.  I've been doing a lot of solo parenting due to S's work schedule, so I feel like I've gotten nothing else done.  No laundry, no cooking, nothing.  It's frustrating.  My MS is really all-day sickness.  I have yet to vomit (thankfully) but the nausea is constant.  To say I'm looking forward to February would be putting it lightly.

QOTD: I sing in a choir that exists to educate and advocate for non-profits and the communities that they serve.  It's a once-yearly, 6 week commitment of time and energy and I am SO HAPPY that the season is finally here.  This year we are partnered with a local legal aid non-profit and we are focusing on highlighting the work that they do to support women's rights.  Sex-trafficking, domestic abuse, political asylum ... we will sing about all of that stuff and it's going to be a really powerful experience.  (We typically raise between $15k-$20k a year for the partner charity selected).  It's an awesome way to feel like I am contributing while doing something that I truly love.

 

bfonz619

Good morning everyone, I hope you all had a great weekend!  I am really excited to participate in this thread.

Our EDD is 9/13 and today I am 5w1d.  After meeting with my endocrinologist on Friday, it seems that my thyroid has dropped into the hypo range.  (Back story: In April of 2009, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism due to Graves after a week long stint in the hospital due to thyroid storm, and was treated with radio active iodine about two years later.  I was able to maintain normal levels without the need for medication up until recently as already explained.)  He explained that this is pretty common in patients with a previous history of thyroid issues, and that this isn't something I should stress over.  We are going to plan monthly blood work through the duration of the first trimester and into the second if necessary. 

This weekend coming up MW and I will be touring the birthing center where we hope to deliver, after which we will be able to schedule our first prenatal appointment.  The normal time frame in which they start prenatal care at this particular birthing center is 10 weeks which seems like such a long time to wait.  There are a couple of places where we can schedule an early ultrasound and are considering this option for peace of mind during the wait.  Timing wise we are thinking around 7 weeks.

Nausea has started kicking in the last few days, and yesterday, I had a moment in the afternoon where I became very shaky and clammy which I assume was my body telling me to rest.  I did, and after having a bite to eat I started feeling better almost immediately.  In the first few weeks, I lost my sweet tooth entirely wanting savory, spicy and vinegary foods, but my tastes seem to have shifted again and I have a huge desire for fruit.  I have had some pretty unusual dreams and a pretty vivid nightmare that left me feeling pretty uneasy, which, I am hoping that was just a one time thing.  Aside from that we are continuing with forward positive thinking and after this morning's HPT, have decided we no longer need to continue testing at this point.

ETA: Something most probably do not know about me is that up until recently I was an avid weight lifter with a focus on bodybuilding.  Not to a Dana Lynn Bailey level but, more along the lines of what an amateur physique competitor.

Karlamo

@JGY, I hate how nurses like the power trip of being a gatekeeper to the Dr. 

 I am in the same boat as you and have already made my first prenatal appt with the MW practice we chose.  We are not going to the same OB/MW group that we went to with R.  We are going to a birthing center that is attached to a hospital.  It's 15 min from our house which means I can labor at home for as long as I like and hopefully avoid beign in L&D for hours on end.  As for solo mommying; I'm about to do it in 2 weeks as mamosey has a board meeting in Alabama

:-S

JGY

 

sdfonz619 said:

ETA: Something most probably do not know about me is that up until recently I was an avid weight lifter with a focus on bodybuilding.  Not to a Dana Lynn Bailey level but, more along the lines of what an amateur physique competitor.

Cool!  S has done quite a bit of power lifting competition in her life. I know those are 2 different things, but they both get you in the weight room a lot. 

wishiwaspreggo

Hey y'all - sorry I've been a slacker posting on these pregnancy check-ins!

So far so good with everything - baby's really big which kind of scares me but I am managing my diabetes well and astonishingly haven't gained any weight through this whole pregnancy.  At 32 weeks that's fairly surprising.

I went to a breastfeeding class.  For some reason that made everything feel more real.  It's starting to feel more real every day that passes and I'm bouncing between excitement and terror.  Having C to co-parent this child is helping a lot.  She's been a great support and is very kindly taking care of things that I don't want to deal with (like setting up the nursery, organizing our registries, buying stuff we know we need, etc.).  Seriously, without her help, I would probably end up losing my hair over the stress and hastily go on a shopping spree in February, praying I'll find everything I need.  Everyone should have a type-A partner in their relationships

healz413

I was waiting to check in until after our first ultrasound, which is Wednesday. And I'm pretty sure that @Manada and I aren't quite ready to be added to the due date list yet (maybe after Weds if that goes well). But I don't have any other place (other than with M) to talk about this--

We're 5w6d today and I'm not really feeling many symptoms. It's freaking me out and making me really nervous that something's wrong. My boobs are definitely bigger and are sometimes itchy, but they don't itch or hurt nearly as much as they did the last couple of weeks. Late last week I was starting to feel a bit of "morning sickness" type stuff, but yesterday and today I only start to feel a bit nauseated when I get really hungry and that happens all the time, even when I'm not pregnant. And I can't tell whether I'm starting to deal with "fatigue" or if I'm just a bit tired from not sleeping super well. 

My rational brain knows:
1) symptoms don't mean much in early first trimester

2) our betas have been great

3) most symptoms are caused by estrogen, progesterone, and/or HCG and we know that my levels of all of these are still high (because I'm taking estrogen and progeserone and because HCG was tested on Saturday) so a "lack" of symptoms in my case does not point to low level of essential pregnancy hormones as it might for someone who got pregnant at home.

But, my PGAL (pregnant after a loss) and PGAIF (pregnant after infertility) brain is going bonkers. If we are going to have a good ultrasound on Wednesday, then I want it to be Weds already!

@Manada has been really good at talking me down and explaining to me that if Rocky 3's heart isn't beating on Wednesday, it won't be because of anything I did and that there's nothing we can do to make Wednesday's outcome different. But I know that she also has PGAL and PGAIF brain and that she's worried, too. 

Anyway, I don't expect any of you to be able to take my worry away. But I did want to vent/share somewhere.

Thanks for reading!

JGY

@Healz413 I'm really glad that you took the opportunity to write that all down and share with us.  I know you know, but sometimes the simple act of getting it out can be really theraputic.

I know this won't help, but I'll tell you that I have had to keep repeating something to myself every day since I got my first BFP this time.  I simply say "Every pregnancy is different."  And I say it over and over again.  Some days it helps.

 

mrs&mrsk

had some emotional breakdowns this weekend

also had morning sickness? is it still called that at 34++wks? on sunday. worse than even early on--came on so quickly! 

I am ready to get going already. LOL.  we finished up the nursery (really just finishing cleaning/organizing all the crap we got) and cleaned the house up from all the moving things from room to room and back again... getting a ton done off my list to be prepared- which helps lower my overall stress.  time to start packing our hospital bags.  Next week is our final hypnobabies class and "practice run". 

we went to an infant cpr class & our favorite nurse was there teaching it. she said she is part time at the hospital so theres a really low chance she will be there-- BOO! 

QOTD: i'm sure there's a lot but the first thing i can think of is that i have a twin sister. 

Karlamo

@healz413, I also don't have all the classic pregnancy symptoms that we hear of.  I'm not exhausted, not thirsty, and only some days do my boobs hurt.  I know mamosey and I are already comparing her prgnancy to mine.  It's not fair to do so but we can't help to notice the differences between what she was feeling at this time and what I am feeling now. 

I hope all goes well at your appt on wed. 

wishiwaspreggo

@healz413 - FWIW, my entire first trimester was asymptomatic.  I'd even go so far as to say my whole *pregnancy* has been relatively asymptomatic.  I had a ton of spotting, too, and that scared me a lot but that's just how my body handles things I guess.  I think my cervix was really sensitive because I had a lot of bleeding after a transvaginal ultrasound.  My RE wasn't worried about it and it went away eventually.

Anyway, I know it won't take your fear away but I thought I would share.  I've got everything crossed for you that you see (and hear!) a strong, healthy heartbeat on Wednesday.  The waiting is the absolute worst part of it. 

CageyMack

Hi all!

DW is 38 w, 5 days today.  Whoa.  This is getting serious now.

DW spent all day yesterday vomiting and having diarrhea. We are pretty sure that she is in a weird "my body is getting ready to have a baby" place.  We really want her body to wait until the 20th so her mom can be here.  

She feels much better today, and can hold food and water down today.  She is terribly uncomfy and I'm wondering if she won't wait.  

I got the baby's layette washed and organized, ready for the girl. I haven't yet purchased any diapers, which is sort of amusing me.  I almost want to wait until she is here and then "run out and get some."  So silly, really. 

The breast pump was almost a debacle: I called our pharmacy where our insurance "dispenses" them and they told me there was a 3-5 month wait.  I almost panicked, but called the insurance and she said I can get it at Target!  Phew!  I admit to sort of letting DW handle it, but she is just not the kind to pre-prep that much, so I really don't mind handling it.  

Not far now . . . 

JennaandBetsy

26 weeks today and our little guy is really growing! The fact that I feel like a walrus thrashing around trying to get comfortable in the bed means that the 3rd trimester is right around the corner! Still battling my increasing blood pressure, but we are managing it and trying not to over-react.

I just wanted to say that it is wonderful and surreal seeing all the new parents-to-be checking in this week! It seems like yesterday that I was at the same 8-12week point! It has now started flying by, so for the newly pregnant, try, as hard as it may be, to balance the worry/concern you're feeling while still enjoying the amazing journey you are undertaking.

bfonz619

JGY said:

 

sdfonz619 said:

ETA: Something most probably do not know about me is that up until recently I was an avid weight lifter with a focus on bodybuilding.  Not to a Dana Lynn Bailey level but, more along the lines of what an amateur physique competitor.

Cool!  S has done quite a bit of power lifting competition in her life. I know those are 2 different things, but they both get you in the weight room a lot. 

Power lifting is an incredible sport, I have a several friends that compete and I love going to watch them. 

Twochickshavinachick

For those familiar with time differences - yes, I am writing this at 02:00 GMT - the crack of are-you-kidding-me - because I have reason to believe we have lift off and I'm keeping myself entertained whilst pacing off mild contractions.

Will probably post again once the household is up for breakfast but until then, a good night to all

JennaandBetsy

@Twochickshavinachick‌ thinking of you today. Update when you can.

Karlamo

@twochickshavinachick, I hope this is early labor!!!! 

JGY

@twochickshavinachick - I'm going to be a jerk and start a new thread for you to post updates in.  So excited for you!!

FSBC

@megd893 - Again, congrats on finding out its a boy!

@karlamo - hoping for one strong heartbeat and relief for you and your SO.

@healz413 - everyone and every pregnancy is different for sure. Just being part of this online group is enough to convince me of  that!

@twochickshavingachick- how awesome. fingers crossed for a speedy delivery if its go time!

Not much to report on here. 12 weeks today, morning/all day sickness has pretty much passed. This damn gas pain though, its enough to knock me over at times (sorry for the TMI). Hope that passes soon! We are waiting for the results of the Verifi blood test, its taking forever. Second longest TWW of our lives! Praying everything comes back perfecto.

QOTW:  I work in the NICU and it kills me everyday to see so many babies fighting... and some parents make me SO ANGRY!

twobrooklynmoms

I don't think our baby is ever coming out. DW was due last Sat and OB said today she's still just 1cm dilated. If she doesn't go into labor by Monday we have to induce. We're keeping fingers crossed she goes into labor before then. Good luck to all!