December TTCAL grad thread

stephann85

We haven't had one of these started in a loonngg time so I thought I would start a new one.

*****this thread will most likely contain topics of pregnancy and may contain many triggers. If you are having a tough TTCAL, read at your own discretion*****

Congrats rainbow mommies!! We miss you and we're hoping you might come back and see us occasionally. We would love to hear how everyone is doing!

How far along are you?

Are you team pink, blue, or green?

How is your journey going so far?

catiecatp

Hi y'all - I was just poking around the TWW board and saw this thread. I really hope a few more of you can join us in the TTCAL grad group soon. We've had some issues with people being able to accept the invitations but *hopefully* that is cleared up as a few were just able to join us this past week (after waiting between 1-3 weeks...). I'm not on this board often, but I'm a moderator over on the TTCAL group (as is @BornReady and DungeonTrollMel (not linking her, haven't seen her in awhile so I'm not sure if she's up for being linked) - if you get a BFP you are most welcome to PM us if we're slow to send an invite - and if you don't have a BFP and want an invite feel free to ask for one. Just a heads up, we've got a few ladies who are either at term or nearly at term over in the TTCAL grad group.

As for me - some of you know life has been super crazy for us. I got my BFP about 7-10 days after interviewing and accepting a job in Texas (I was living in Calgary). We decided to go for it - that was an over 2000+ mile move at the end of my first trimester, living in TX alone for about 5 weeks, now applying for DH's residency status - oh and we bought a house that we'll close on January 13th.

I'm 31w2d (well 31w by the new OB's calculations - but I'm sticking with the dating scan that lined up with my temperatures). Due Valentine's day - yep a month after we get our new house. 

We're team pink and super excited. 

Journey is going well - but a bit anxious still - I have an anterior placenta which means I don't feel her kicks as strongly, in addition I seem to just not be as sensitive to the kicks as other women - because when we look in with an ultrasound she's moving and grooving in there. The tech was surprised that I wasn't feeling what she was scanning... But I feel her move every day and it is so reassuring. 

stephann85

@catiecatp so great to hear from you, I remember you from my first stint on this board towards the beginning/middle of this year. That was a huge move and it's awesome that you bought a house! How is the new job going?

catiecatp

@stephann85 - the job is great and my coworkers are lovely - but the hours this past semester were long. That should, hopefully, change now that some of the prep work is done but my mom made me laugh pretty hard the other day. I will have to go back to work quickly (6 weeks or so) because I don't qualify for FMLA yet and she's trying to make me feel better about that (DH will be at home) so she said, "well it isn't as if you work 9-5" and I laughed because last semester it was more like 7:30-5, plus time on weekends... 

Spartanrd4

Hi everyone! Thanks for this check in I continue to lurk about on here- rooting for all of you and hoping we will have more people join us on the TTCAL grad board very soon

Recap: MMC beginning of March 2016 at 9 weeks (baby stopped growing at 7 weeks) with D&C....benched 2 months and conceived our rainbow out first month trying in June 2016.

How far along are you? 28 weeks 3 days 

Are you team pink, blue, or green? Team pink! 

How is your journey going so far? Right now I am feeling well- Being PGAL has not been easy by any means but every day and week that goes by I feel less anxious and more excited about meeting my baby girl in March. Like @catiecatp I have an anterior placenta so I didn't feel definite kicks until about 22 weeks. Now I feel her quite frequently so that gives me assurance that all is well and I am starting to go to my OB every 2 weeks now so that will help too! At every stage there is always going to be something to worry about- in 1st tri it was is the baby growing appropriate and healthy. In 2nd tri it's when am I going to feel the baby moving? In 3rd tri it's am I feeling the baby move enough? Oh crap I actually have to give birth and there is so much left to do to get ready!! Hard to not be overwhelmed but its all worth it. 

I've definitely started nesting- working on the nursery, taking baby preparation classes, have a good stock pile of baby clothes going on and I am having my baby shower next month. It's a very busy and fun time but its hard to not feel vulnerable that things could still go wrong. I'm just trying to be as positive as I can and enjoy these last couple months before my life changes forever- but I am so happy because during that dark period during my loss I thought this all would never be possible- I just appreciate my pregnancy so much more after all I've gone through!

BornReady

Hi everyone! I still follow along here and I'm always rooting for you all. @catiecatp and I look forward to you all joining us soon. We have recently had success with people going and finding the group "TTCAL graduates" in the private group section and then requesting an invite from there. We just had someone join yesterday who was successful that route, whereas us sending invites have not always worked.

As for me...
I miscarried in November of last year (2015) at 9 weeks. I had already known that my DH and I had some issues getting pregnant, as it took us 13 months to conceive our DS who is 2.5. I sought out an RE in February 2016 and learned quickly that my DH had some moderate MFI issues going on. We did one IUI with clomid and moved quickly onto IVF/PGS/FET as we were told that was our best bet/quickest opportunity for a live birth. Our chances trying on our own were dismal, like 5%, if that and IUI was only about 8%.

We got pregnant with our only PGS normal embryo in August and I am 21 weeks today, due at the end of April with a girl. Aside from some long lasting "morning sickness" I'm really just grateful that the pain and sadness of TTC/TTCAL the past few years is dissipating. As you all know, it was a challenging time I feel like my self again after a very long time. 

Aside from that, I take injections weekly to prevent pre-term labor (I had DS early), but other than that I'm just a "normal" pregnant lady again after the more intensive RE/IVF route of getting pregnant. 

Wishing you all well and rooting for you always!

silentP

Hi everyone! Sweet of you to think of us and I am rooting you all on. Hoping to see a big wave of BFPs soon.

I had two MMC in 2015 - July and November. Benched for a while to do some blood work but everything came back normal, so we went for it again hoping third time was the charm. And it was! BFP in August.

How far along are you? 20 weeks, due May 1st.

Are you team pink, blue, or green? Just found out Monday it's a girl

How is your journey going so far? It has been textbook. I am so thankful for that. I am finally starting to feel comfortable in this pregnancy. There are bad days, of course, but I am addicted to the baby kicks and looking forward to the future!

lilylover27

Hi everyone! I recently started lurking back over here again on the TWW and am rooting hard for all of you! I know we all hope to see new faces over in the grad group!

How far along are you? 19w3d

Are you team pink, blue, or green? We are team blue! Took us by surprise we totally thought it was a girl, but we didn't have a preference either way!

How is your journey going so far? PGAL brain is still in affect some days, as @spartanrd4 said each stage has it's own worries. Right now I am in the stage when will I feel more movement and kicks? Should I have felt them by now? I guess you don't really feel "safe" until you have your rainbow baby in your arms.

To recap I had a MMC in March of this year and luckily the OB gave the go ahead to try again right away. Got a BFP at the very end of August and LO will be here beginning of May. At our anatomy scan I was told I do have a posterior placenta (which of course makes me wonder why I am not feeling more movement) but it is also low lying so of course that adds just a little stress. No pelvic rest recommended by the OB but taking it easy all the same. I just hope to feel more movement and feel more assured.

Wishilivedinflorida

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for thinking of us. I'm sorry to see new faces here, but I often stalk the TWW thread to root for all of you ladies!

I'm pregnant after two losses at about the 7 week mark both times in November 2015 and March 2016. I had all of the RPL bloodwork, which came back clear, and we decided to try one more time before seeing an RE. Like others, the third time seemed to be the charm! (I will add that as a precaution, I did change my prenatals to one with methyl-folate, since I was not tested for MTHFR, in case that is helpful to anyone here.) Additionally, DH had a stomach bug that likely caused a secondary prostate infection that had to be treated. Whether that made a difference, I'll never know.

How far along are you? 26 weeks and 5 days

Are you team pink, blue, or green? GREEN! It's maddening and exciting all at once, but no going back now! We have lots of white, gray, green, and yellow things!

How is your journey going so far? The first trimester was very rough. I had a presumed SCH and bled/spotted for six weeks straight. I was convinced many times that I had lost this one. LO has been ultra sticky though! 2nd tri has been mostly amazing to me. I've had aches and pains, but nothing I can't handle. I'm so thankful to be pregnant and get this far. Feeling baby kicks is the most amazing feeling in the world (except when he/she kicks my bladder-not amazing!). Now I'm actually looking at birthing classes and having a baby shower. Part of me doubted I would ever experience these things.

Like others have said, we have an amazing grad group for anyone who wants to join in now or when they get their BFP. It's a great close-knit community and I don't know if I would have made it out of the scary 1st tri sane without these amazing ladies! It's the perfect place if you're scared of or intimidated by the BMB's as well. I am not a big BMB lady, myself. I'll be praying and hoping with FX that you all can join us soon! If anyone every has any questions about the TTCAL process or RPL, don't hesitate to PM me.

ceclarlinetlo

Hi ladies - I was mostly active here in 2015 so there are (hopefully) very few of you who remember my story - I had two losses in 2015 (January and July) - OB did some standard recurrent loss testing and then referred me to an RE when she found a small uterine septum and polycystic ovaries. RE confirmed the septum and diagnosed me with PCOS. I had septum surgery December 2015 and started taking a supplement for the PCOS and baby aspirin for indeterminant levels of Anticardiolipin IgM (not quite high enough to be a true positive and not low enough to be a true negative). We conceived our rainbow in April 2016.

How far along are you?

36w4d - due January 9

Are you team pink, blue, or green?

blue! 

How is your journey going so far?

Overall I have had a good pregnancy. I feel like I had a standard amount of nausea and fatigue - though I never got the second trimester reprieve from all the peeing. We had some trouble with contractions around 30-33 weeks but starting me on Procardia has really helped a lot. I can't believe in a few days we will be early term. I have crossed the threshold into being uncomfortable a lot of the time and I am quickly running out clothes that fit. But I know I will miss this so I'm trying to cherish every moment I can. 

I hope to see each and everyone of you graduate soon! 

AandDM2014

Hey ladies! I was active here earlier this year after a MMC in April at 10 weeks. We had to wait several months but then transferred our three remaining embryos in July.

How far along are you? Today I am 22+6. We're hoping to make it to 34+6 which would be March 10th. (Triplets never go past 35 weeks)

Are you team pink, blue, or green? I am team purple as we are having two girls and one boy!

How is your journey going so far? I've never gotten past the 10 week mark before, but I'd say for carrying triplets I've been pretty lucky. I had some morning sickness in the first tri but never threw up. I now have feet swelling basically all the time and heartburn every day, but they're things I'm willing and happy to deal with because it lets me know my LOs are doing good. About two weeks ago DH felt a baby kick for the first time, and I've been feeling them daily since about the beginning of December, so it has definitely helped ease my PGaL worries, though I do still worry of course. I won't feel truly safe until I have a healthy baby in my arms. At my most recent appointment, which was Wednesday, my MFM said that weight wise they would probably be okay if they had to be born which super helps me to feel better. Yes, they would have a very long NICU stay, but they would most likely survive.

I hope that we soon get more graduates and ladies with their rainbows!

laeberge3

Loving all these updates, ladies! I follow along in the Grad group and am just so excited for all of you.

Hopefulmommy1980

I am so happy for all of you ladies. 

oliveoil-2

I love being able to read your stories. I'm so excited for all of you and your beautiful little rainbow babies. I hope many of us on the TTCAL board get to join you soon. 

SP128

This is a thread that gives me so much hope. When I'm feeling down I also lurk on the pregantnt after loss board. It's makes me feel that it's possible to get out of this hole. Congratulations to all you ladies.  You all deserve it so much. We hope to all join you real soon. Save us a spot

allysondunn2

Hi everyone! I still lurk here and am hoping so much that all of you get your rainbow!

I was active on this board after having a CP/early miscarriage at the beginning of June. We were able to conceive this LO the next cycle.

How far along are you? 27wk2d

Are you team blue, pink, or green? Blue!

How is your journey going so far? My pregnancy has been realitively easy. I dealt with painful swelling of my kidney around 20 wks due to the position of the baby. Thankfully, that resolved on its own. 

I hope to see you all on the grad board very soon!

BitterBetty12

Hey ladies! Miss you all and am cheering you on every single day! I lurk as often as possible to keep up with all of your journeys 

I was active here from May-October (previously AliciaGoose) after I had a miscarriage at 6.5 weeks at the end of May. Doctor told us to take one cycle off and was able to try again after that. First two cycles trying were a bit messed up (late O and short LP) but the third cycle was the one that worked and here I am!

How far along are you? 13 weeks 4 days

Are you team blue, pink, or green? We just found out this week with the results of our panorama that we are having a healthy baby GIRL! I'm still getting used to saying 'her' and 'she' when I refer to LO now though I had a strong feeling baby was a girl from the beginning. 

How is your journey going so far? I had a really stressful first trimester. Between weeks 5-6 I had some awful bloodwork. HCG only went from 3489-4082 in two days. My OB was really concerned and H and I were devastated. I continued to have weekly ultrasounds until 9 weeks and LO was going strong in there the whole time, but my OB mentioned concerns about the shape and size of my yolk sac on a couple occasions. By week 9 baby looked good and the yolk sac looked normal again and my OB felt a bit better. She released me from weeklies to come back week 11 for panorama bloodwork and week 12 for NT. NT came back low risk, and the next week at my follow up we found out the panorama was also low risk. We are so relieved! Physically the journey has been a bit challenging. I had some intense nausea from weeks 6-13. Around 10 it lightened up a bit but still was pretty bad every afternoon. I also had aversions to almost all meat and veggies. I just started having mostly nausea free days this week!

dubcompanion

Hi all! It's so wonderful to see this thread and be invited back to my favorite board. Thanks so much for thinking of us grads. As difficult as 2016 was for me, I am grateful to have been part of TTCAL and to have met so many amazing ladies. I am rooting so hard for all of you and can't wait to see each of you get your BFP!

As a recap, I had a MMC at the 12-week appointment just over a year ago in Dec 2015. The baby had stopped growing around 10 weeks after a great 8-week check-up. It took us 6 months post-D&C to conceive our growing rainbow.

How far along are you? 27w6d - tomorrow I hit 3rd trimester!

Are you team pink, blue, or green? Pink

How is your journey going so far? I have had my moments of extreme discomfort, namely in the form of breathlessness and near fainting, but this pregnancy has been uneventful so far in the best way possible. I had no MS, save for some gagging and brief nausea spells, fatigue was real but most of first tri was during the summer (a stroke of luck for a teacher!), and I have had zero unexplained spotting and other scary symptoms.

My fundal height measured quite large at the last OB visit, so at my next one in two weeks, they may do an ultrasound to ensure everything is fine - i.e. she is just a big, strong baby, and the large bump is simply due to that!  PgAL brain still rears its ugly, stupid head every so often, but baby's kicks do miraculous wonders with telling it to go away. I have a good feeling that this is the baby we will get to hold in our arms, and that is also what gets me through the aches and growing pains.

chloe97

Hi ladies!

To recap my story- I had a MMC in November at 10 weeks and lost a baby to triploidy (after lots of signs something wasn't right) at 13 weeks in May. We took the summer off to recover physically and emotionally and my first period took10 weeks to come back! We finally got back into the game in September and I conceived our 2nd cycle trying. 

As as of today, I'm 12 weeks! Our Panorama came back clear for chromosomal abnormalities which was a huge PGAL hurdle for me since with my 2nd pregnancy I had the test twice with low fetal fraction. My NT scan is Monday. Oh and we are having a girl! I was so sure it was a boy!

My road to 12 weeks has been rough to say the least. The day of my last period I started having numbness and tingling which I attributed to a long migraine. Had an MRI scan to rule out MS. In October, I developed suddenly Raynauds and like a dumb person googled what sudden Raynauds syndrome could mean. Bad idea. In early November I had a bout of severe insomnia. I went 7 days without sleeping more than 2-3 hours and then 96 not sleeping at all. I ended up in the ER multiple times. Finally, a Dr prescribed me ambien and I began sleeping again. Some days, I can fall asleep without the ambien, but not a whole night. My Dr also started me back on Zoloft for anxiety. Meanwhile my tingling has continued/worsened. I've developed severe dry mouth and have to chew gum constantly and have severe dry eyes-I can't make tears right now. It's sucks. 

Im scared to death about the possibility of an autoimmune disease. I'm also scared to death that I've done real damage to my baby because of medication I've taken and lack of sleep. I'm scared about what the ultrasounds will show, but also extremely scared about the potential that I will deliver too early or not be able to care properly for my baby without help because I'm sick. I've been seeing Drs, but at this point they are just monitoring me since nothing is clearly pointing to a specific disease. Some of these symptoms can be due to pregnancy.

Im really trying to take life one day at a time, but it's been tough. Right now, I'm feeling good. My slight nausea has subsided and I have energy again. 

I miss you guys and hope to see you all so over in the grad group!

Hopefulmommy1980

Ladies I am so happy for all of you. I am so glad to see familiar faces. I have thought of your guys often and hoped that things were going well for you!  

@chloe97 sounds like you have had a rough road. I hope your scan goes well and the rest of your pregnancy is uneventful.

@bitterbetty12 and @dubcompanion I am so excited for both of you!!

stephann85

Loving all of the updates. So glad to hear from so may of you. Your stories truly give me hope that I too will someday have my rainbow baby. I hope that we will all be joining you soon!

roper2617

Yay, I'm so glad there's a new thread for this! 

This time of year can be so so hard when TTCAL and I just want you to know that I am rooting so very hard for each and every one of you! 

A quick recap. Our first loss was discovered on Nov 24/15, it was a MMC discovered at what should have been 12+5. The baby stopped at 8+5, we even saw the hb twice with that one. We tried 15 months for that pregnancy, unassisted. I also got pregnant somehow right after my MC which resulted in another MC in late Jan/16(at roughly 5-6weeks) This affected me very differently because it wasn't until months later that I even clued in to what happened to me- I wasn't in a good headspace at all. Fast forward a few months, wasn't ovulating despite positive ovulation tests, so I was put on clomid and conceived medicated cycle #2. (HUGE advocate for bbts now! Had I been temping from the very beginning we would've caught my weird ovulation sooner). And now here we are. 

How far along are you?
Currently 20+2, halfway already! 

Are you team pink, blue, or green?
We are team green. Only ~20 weeks to go until we find out if we have a boy or a girl. I'm so at peace with not knowing. If you would've asked me before we began our ttc journey I would have said that I absolutely wanted to know. Amazing how things change.

How is your journey going so far?
My journey has been pretty great so far. Though at 20 weeks I'm still dealing with morning sickness if I do not take my diclectin. Other than that things have been well. Though pgal brain is very real, my anxiety is lessened since I can feel LO moving about in there. Next hurdle is to find out the results of my AS this upcoming week and I'll be able to breathe a little easier. 

Take care of yourselves and I hope more of you can join us soon! 

yolandamunoz

Hey ladies! I am very happy to post on this new thread. Thank you for thinking about us. We are always rooting for you guys and hoping for new BFPs!!!

I was active in TTCAL from march this year. I had two losses this year. One in February at 8w (MMC stopped growing at 6w never got to see a heartbeat, had a D&C), and one in June (CP natural MC at home at 6w).

After my second loss I went to an RE and found out I had insulin resistance and hiper prolactinemia. Went on a diet and took meds for these conditions. I was benched for a couple of months but got to
conceive on my first cycle trying naturally in September (I was going to go on Femara the following cycle). I was put on progesterone and happily got to see a HB at 6weeks. First milestone for me.

1. I am 15w1d today. My EDD is June 11th. 

2. I don't know my team yet! We do want to know. I have an appointment tomorrow hopefully we can see someThing!

3. My journey. Physically it's been fine, no nausea at all, just hunger, increased sense of smell and exhaustion. It's been hard anxiety wise but it is getting better. For the first weeks I was a mess, crying all the time and driving my DH crazy. I felt so relieved after seeing the heartbeat. Then I went on weekly scans and everything was progressing normally. At 12w I had my NT scan that was also normal and a huge weight was lifted from me! Then we started telling people, because I was already showing at 9 weeks! Now I have told my boss and people at church even. DH is so excited he has told our neighbors at the building LOL. He is so happy. We both are. PGAL brain is so real... we just have to be patient and have kind, patient people around us to help us go through this.

I wish you all the best in your TTCAL journey so that you can join us soon!! Hugs!!

_Y

Amdogger82

I'm late to this thread, but I wanted to chime in too!

I had a MMC in May. At our NT scan we learned our baby had stopped growing at 8 weeks, after we'd seen the heartbeat a couple weeks earlier. I was here June- August, and am so grateful for all the support during that time. This is an incredible group of women, and I still lurk and wish you all the very very best for BFPs soon! 

How far along are you?  22w 2d

Are you team pink, blue, or green? Blue!

How is your journey going so far? The first tri was rocky. I also had an SCH, which led to some scary bleeding at about 7 weeks, but tapered off over the next couple weeks. Now that I can feel him moving, anxiety is better.

Sending you all lots of love!

Uhlease13

I love reading these updates, it gives me so much hope! I am fairly new to this board, although not new to TB and ttcal, but I hope to become a regular poster and then hopefully join the grads soon..the ladies here are so supportive! Thanks for checking in with your updates!!