***2nd tri check-in 8/31/15***

MrsBwIVF

This is a weekly check-in for those in their 2nd trimester: weeks 14 through the end of week 27.

Congrats to all the strong ladies who have made it this far! It's such a great feeling and we've all accomplished so much! We are now 1 week closer to the end of this epically long journey we call "infertility".

Please post below a little about yourself, how many beans you have growing inside, if you have found out the sex(es) and what your EDD is. Please also let us know how far you've made it on your journey and when your next appt is and what for.

QOTW: Are there any family or favorite recipes that you're dying to make your little ones as they get older?

(Does anyone have any GTKY questions they'd like me to use in the next couple of weeks? I have been struggling coming up with good ones!)

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@MrsBwIvf- EDD 12/21/15 with two beans- one girl and one boy!

@andimegie325- EDD 1/10/16 with one bean- waiting on anatomy scan to hopefully find out the sex

@somewhereinafrica- EDD 1/8/16 With a little boy!

@MarnieF- EDD1/12/16 with one little lady!

@Emcarl24- EDD 1/21 with one bean- waiting on anatomy scan to hopefully find out the sex

@kelley421- EDD 1/26/16 with two little ladies and one little boy!

@knottie4978096- EDD 2/2/16 with one little boy! Congrats momma!!!

@potatocastillo- EDD 2/5 with one bean- waiting on elective scan to find out the sex

@shelly333- EDD 2/3 with one bean- waiting til birth to find out the sex- team Green!

@hopes4baby- EDD? with two little ladies!

@jeannaqueena- EDD 2/21/16 with one little lady!

Welcome @hopes4baby and @jeannauqueena! So nice to see more women moving on to 2nd trimester!

MrsBwIVF

Still no updates on medical appts, thank goodness! It's very nice not to have to go see a doctor every couple of days!

Little ones are still kicking around and the fact my belly keeps growing every day, makes me feel a lot better.

QOTW: I always loved going to my grandma's and having her make me what she call "Danish Pancakes". They were super thing and took up the entire pan, very similar to a crepe. And we'd pour syrup on the inside and roll it up, then pour more on top. Last year, we got the iron skillet my grandma used and I have been making her pancakes whenever I can. I cannot wait to feed them to my children. 
I also always had a special baked chicken and rice meal my mom would make every year for my birthday. And now, I have my own chili recipe that I finally perfected. 
Can you guys tell all I can think about is food at this point in my pregnancy? 

shelly333

Hi Ladies. No new updates here. Due date is still February 3rd. Just waiting on the dr.'s office to call back so I can schedule my 20 week u/s. OMG it's still hard to believe that I'm almost half way through my pregnancy. 

QOTW: My hubby and I are newly vegetarians so a lot of the recipes that I made with my mom and grandma now no longer apply. I think mostly excited to just have my little one in there hands on helping like I got to when I was a kid. One of my fondest memories when I was little is when we had 4 generations of italian women in my kitchen cooking. My great nona, nona, my mom, and me. I will need to make cooking time with the little one extra special for them and for me since those wonderful women have since passed on. And that thought right there just brought me to tears..........fricking emotions. 

marnief

I hear ya on the emotions!  I started DD1 in daycare today - she'll be going 3 full days per week, to give me a break and to give her the chance for socialization and structure and growth and all that good stuff.  And I am a hot mess now.  

No updates, next app't isn't for another few weeks or so (my glucose screening, fun!).  Still not feeling much (if any) movement.  But the belly is growing, and there have been no indications of anything bad (no spotting, etc., thank goodness) so I am trying to stay chill and not be worried.

QOTW: I love to cook and bake.  Family recipes, I dunno - my Mom made each of us a cookbook earlier this year which is pretty awesome, but a lot of the recipes are ones she's found since retirement, so they're not things I grew up with.  I started baking challah every Friday when DD1 was about 2 months old, and if I can manage to keep that up even after I start my teaching program in summer 2017 and then even after I'm (hopefully) teaching, I would love to have the girls be involved with that.  DD1 likes my challah a lot, so that's good.    I would like them to help (or "help") me in the kitchen as they grow, so that learning to cook won't be so overwhelming and scary like it was for me when I first learned one summer during college.

jeannaqueena

15 weeks! A baby in 2nd tri; OB apt next week. Baby belly bloat is getting bigger. Thought i may have felt some movement! Wish it was a regular thing. I am so ready to find some relief from my worry. I had a realization last night. This has been my most stressful pregnancy and I have been wondering why. I realized this is it. If this pregnancy doesn't turn into a take home baby then we are done. No more money for IF treatments and we have to focus on the family we do have. I have had this frozen embryo as our "backup" and now my back up is growing and I am terrified! Such a Debbie downer. Sorry!

When did yall start feeling movement regularly?

QOTW: I am not much of a cook. We are a 30 min meal family!

MrsBwIVF

@shelly333, almost 20 weeks! How exciting! Are you still team green or is it getting too difficult to not know? Also, fair warning, I was constantly counting down til we hit 20 weeks and now it seems like time is moving at double speed! Our next countdown is til 24 weeks when they reach viability and I'm worried about how fast time will go after that!

I think you have beautiful memories of cooking with your family growing up and think it's great you will carry on the tradition. 

@marnief, how hard to put your first daughter into preschool! It makes me sad just thinking about it. Stay strong momma, it's for the best.

@jeannaqueena, I hear you about it being a stressful pregnancy. I think it's pretty normal to be worried and stressed but to add to that fertility struggles and having to go through IVF to get a BFP, it makes it 10x more difficult. We are blessed with our insurance and we still have one frozen embie waiting for us so I can't imagine the extra stress you have felt on top of everything else. Just try and remember that you are doing an amazing job cooking that little one.

As for the movement, I started to feel little fish feelings during my 16 week but wasn't too sure if what I was feeling was right. Also, at my 16 week appt, I thought I was just fat and bloated by my doctor pushed on my stomach and confirmed it was indeed a bump. It happened so quickly, I didn't even realize it!

I think I started to feel more regular movement between 18 and 19. I wasn't convinced that I was feeling them move around until I felt one move from the outside a few times in a row. Then I knew that they were moving around in there. I feel them each a few times a day and it always makes me feel so much better when I can feel the movements from the outside as well. Just hang in there!

Knottie4978096

I have the 20 week anatomy scan Thursday :-) had an OB checkup on Friday, everything was normal. My 2nd tri blood test screening came back normal - so I guess all is normal! I can't wait to see the little one on Thursday.

pettycrocker

Had our elective today but LO was not cooperating! Repeating on Tues. Other than that everything is copecetic 

QOTW: Are there any family or favorite recipes that you're dying to make your little ones as they get older?

I love to make my mother's stuffed artichokes but I do not make them often... Soon though! Artichoke season is coming! I will eventually teach the kids how to make my mother's sauce and sausage and peppers too. 

emcarl24

I have an appt tomorrow and we'll discuss the results of the a/s then. The radiologist was able to tell us a lot, so for once I'm not too nervous . Little boy is moving around like crazy. I love being able to feel him! He's measuring a bit ahead, which makes sense (I'm 5'11" and DH is 6'1") 20 weeks on Thurs, can't believe I am almost halfway there.

QOTW: my mom wasn't big on cooking, but there are a few of my aunt and nana's recipes I hope I can manage to recreate.

MrsBwIVF

@knottie4978096- good luck at your scan on Thursday! Keep us posted.

@potatocastillo- I'm sorry LO wasn't cooperating. At our A/S, our LOs had no problem flashing (so we were told as we didn't look) but our little girl refused to face forward. We have to do a repeat u/s to try and get a look- these little ones are so sassy!

@emcarl24- Good luck at your appt today! Let us know how it goes. 

jeannaqueena

@potatocastillo that is so disappointing!!! Did you go back today? Or next Tuesday?

@MrsBwIVF thank you for your kind words and it is a comfort to know someone hears me and gets it!

andimegie325

Hiya ladies! ½ way through 21weeks, waiting for my Dr appointment on Friday to go over the results of the anatomy scan. I've been freaking myself out lately after sleeping on my back a couple nights and the little man moves much less frequently the entire next day. I tell myself it doesn't mean anything, but I keep waking up at night now to make sure I'm in the right position and it's keeping me from getting a sound sleep.

Qotw: I'm a pretty adventurous cook and baker, but the thing I'm most looking forward to sharing is something my Grammy came up with when my mom was a kid- we call it spoon candy. It's been the go-to treat alongside popcorn for at home movie night or at the drive ins! All it is, is a mixture of Nesquick, powdered sugar, and creamy peanut butter. You mix it until it's crumbly, kind of similar to the consistency of cinnamon crumb topping, and then eat it with a spoon. It tastes like the most delicious Reese's you've ever had!

Kelley421

19w1d
Saw MFM yesterday, he says all babies look great and to continue same activity and nutrition. Hard to believe I'm already carrying almost two pounds of baby!
The wait yesterday was awful. The drive to the specialist is 2h, then we waited 2h and had a 2.5h drive home due to traffic. I'm terribly worn out today.
QOTW: I can't think of specifics, but we eat lots of Cajun and "southern comfort" foods! I hope my kids like it spicy (DD sure doesn't!)

marnief

@jeannaqueena - Definitely don't apologize for feeling down and venting here - that's what we are here for!  You have had a long and difficult journey, and I can't imagine how scary it must be for you right now.  I don't know if this pregnancy will get any less stressful for you, but I do hope so.  For now just try to take it one day at a time, and keep reminding yourself that you are doing everything you can to give this baby the best chance - taking your prenatals, eating reasonably well, staying active to the extent that you can, avoiding/limiting alcohol and nicotine and such (not trying to judge you, I don't actually know what you're doing, I'm just guessing here!) - and that's all you can do.  You're doing everything you can do, and that's all you can do.  Today you are pregnant, and that is amazing.  Big hugs and best wishes for a totally uneventful, textbook 2nd & 3rd tri!

As for movement - last time I started feeling it just shy of 20 weeks.  This time I've hardly felt anything and I'm 21w1d.

kendragrace1215

Hello all
just moved over to 2nd tri and still can't believe it's real! Yippie!

EDD-2/24 one little sweet girl who I can't wait to meet!

somewhereinafrica

Hello!

For me it's the count down to Friday! I can't wait! I get my proper big scan and am hoping/fingers crossing/can not waiting! The bleeding is more spotting and has been very very very light. So I'm hoping that I'm cleared to fly! Not that I'm any happier to be leaving, husband has gone to our house to pack up for the next few months. That has brought up all kinds emotions, a friend pointed out, as I was rattling off all the reasons I'm gutted to be leaving, that part of the unease sounded like I'm instinctively wanting to nest without a nest. I have never been a homebod and happily and regularly live out of a suitcase but I have moved 6 times now in 6weeks. I'm kind of craving a little place to settle in for the last few months. So this is my excitement and trepidations about going I want to settle into my home and life here in TZ but knowing I can't my mums place in Greece is better than the hotels and friends spare rooms it has been recently! I think also leaving Africa is going to be hard even though it's only 5 months. I haven't left in 3 years and I'm going from my rural lifestyle in the bush back to Europe, it's just all sorts of confusing right now and I'm sure the hormones aren't helping me at all!

In was the oldest of 4 and used to organize these cooking days when I was about 11 where my siblings and a few of our neighbors kids would cook up a feast, make menus and be waiters and have our parents over and serve them like in a restaurant. It became a big thing for a few families growing up and I was the ring leader, no adults allowed. I look forward to recreating that with my kids, letting them feel like chefs! I think cooking together is great, although I'm a better baker for sure.

Knottie4978096

I have an update! We had the 2nd tri scan yesterday afternoon and he's still a boy and all is normal. I'm so relieved. He didn't cooperate, so I don't have a good picture of his face, but all his parts and organs check out (I did get a decent profile). So far, so good.

MrsBwIVF

@andimegie325- I hope your appt went well on Friday. And don't worry about sleeping on your back, your body will tell you when to flip over. I am constantly waking up for a few seconds several times a night to re-position and adjust my pillows.

@kelley421- glad the triplets are doing well and growing strong! Sorry you had to fight with bad traffic and wait at the doctor's appt but it will all be worth it in the end. 

@kendragrace1215 welcome! It's always such a great pleasure to be able to add someone to second tri! Congrats on your pregnancy and carrying a little lady.

@somewhereinafrica- very pleased to know that your bleeding is finally starting to let up. As for having to move around so much, just keep in mind it is what is best for you and your little one. The healthier you two are, the quicker you can finish the adoption on your other little one! Hope your scan went well Friday.

@knottie4978086- hooray for another good scan! Do these little ones ever fully cooperate when we need them too? I feel like they know a camera is on them so they decide to do their best dance moves. 

kendragrace1215

Have to go back to the dr next week for high BP but get to hear baby HB again. It's music to my ears. Congrats ladies!!!!