As you ladies can imagine, things have been so crazy (and so ridiculously amazing) these past few days.
My due date was Jan 30th but because of the GD my doc wanted to induce me on Tuesday the 28th. On Monday the 27th I woke up and had some weird but mild cramping low in my tummy that I wasn't familiar with. DH had an appointment with a physical therapist so I didn't mention the cramping because I knew he would have freaked out and made me go to the hospital. About an hour and a half later I was still cramping like clockwork so I called him at his appt and just told him that I think we should just go "get checked out". I hopped in the shower to get ready and was sitting at my vanity doing a little bit of makeup, and when I stood up I felt I peed myself so I knew my water broke. <\p>
When DH came home we finished packing my bag and left for the hospital. We got checked in at 2:45pm and the contractions and pain was definitely intensifying. I was examined and although my cervix was "paper thin" we were only dialated 1cm. The nurse called my doc and she said to give me pitocin and the epidural at the same time to get things moving. The anesthesiologist wasn't going to be available for a few hours so they held off on the pitocin and I was DYING. At 5pm I was 1cm, then at 7pm I was 4cm, and at 9pm I was 6cm. I then dialated from 6cm to 10cm from 9-10pm. I did get the epidural at about 7:30pm but was still feeling pain. At 10pm although I was 10cm dialated, the baby wasn't low enough so they had me just contract to slowly help bring the baby down. I had little sensation for pushing so the nurse actually turned off the epidural and we waited for it to wear off so I could push. My contractions slowed down so they gave me pitocin (I hadn't needed it thus far) and WOW!! The pain with pitocin and a weaning epidural was incredibly intense. At 1am we started pushing and it was tough. The baby would not budge. Long story short, I pushed for 3 hours before my little one came into the world. She was born on Tuesday 1/28 at 4:03am. She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and was 18 inches long.
We named our little one Hana Haru. (Not Hannah) Both DH and I are half Asian (him Japanese and me Korean). Hana is a Japanese and Korean name which means flower in Japanese and it means first in Korean. Haru (almost pronounced ha-du) is after DH's Japanese grandmother whom he was very close to. It means Spring. We also go to Maui every year and we always drive the Road to Hana. Getting here today was a journey like the Road to Hana with lots of twists and turns along the way, but it has been beautiful and rewarding beyond measure.
A few words of advice for you ladies having these little blessings:
1. Have a good plan for breastfeeding if that's what you want to do. Find out who the BEST person in the hospital is and ask for them to help. The first few nurses who helped me were horrible and didn't teach me correctly so baby was latching incorrectly and literally TORE my nipples up. It almost ruined me. I am now pumping and feeding with a bottle because I had to give myself time to heal. The hospital breastfeeding guru (a RN from the infant NICU) finally came and literally saved me. Don't give up no matter the pain if it's important to you. You will feel better in a couple of days.
2. If you don't like the vibe of an RN, don't be afraid to get a new one. When my nurse switched shifts with another I didn't like the "pushiness" of the new one and her overall attitude. She was stressing out an already stressful situation and had to go. I interacted with her for about 5 minutes before she got the ax, and I never looked back. <\p>
3. I wasn't prepared for tearing during the delivery. I never even thought of it or did my research on it, but I did have 2nd degree tears. That's been the worst part of the recovery process. Ice packs will be your best friend. <\p>
4. I've had horrible pains and soreness in my back from the epidural. (Also something I've never heard about) Make sure you're working with your nurses in pain management so you can enjoy the first precious moments as much as you can. <\p>
5. Start mentally preparing yourself for when they have to give the baby shots and/or draw blood. It literally breaks your heart into pieces when they hurt this little thing you would literally die for. I cried every time they had to poke her, and I've come to the conclusion that it's worse for the parents than the baby, but still. <\p>
That's pretty much it! Sorry this has been so long. Congrats to you if you made it to the end. Here's a picture of me and the baby. Thank you all for your wonderful support and encouragement. IF is so difficult and a message board like this is truly the best support. God bless you all and although I'll be moving in to SAIF, I'll be lurking and waiting for your little ones to arrive!!
Re: Birth story: Baby Hana is here!!! ((A little long))
Great job! Love her name too especially with the meaning behind it.
Jan-March '13 3 IUIs Clomid + Trigger = BFN
He's Here! Arrived 4/15/14!!!!
September 2015 - FET with remaining embryos
Twins! EDD: 6/14/15
PAIF/SAIF Everyone welcome!
Me: 42. DH: 46.
1st Pregnancy: MC, 11/19/00.
2nd Pregnancy: DS born 04/10/06.
3rd Pregnancy: CP, 03/11.
4th Pregnancy: MMC, D&C 11/30/11, Genetic testing revealed Trisomy 4.
5th Pregnancy: Ectopic, 2 doses of Methotrexate unsuccessful, surgery 4/10/12, right tube removed.
Tried Letrozole January 2013-July 2013 (including 2 IUIs), all BFN. After 2 1/2 years of trying for child #2, decided to "give up" after July cycle, based on AMA.
August 16, 2013: BFP our first month of "not trying!" Still in shock. Beta #1 (14dpo): 183. Beta #2 (17dpo): 611. Ultrasound 8/30/13: baby measured 6 weeks, 1 day, heart rate of 118 bpm!
Ultrasound 9/13/13: 8 weeks, heart rate of 176!
Baby is due 4/26/14
***SIGGY/TICKER WARNING***
TTC since September 2012 ~ DH(32): Non-obstructive azoospermia, Me(32): Normal
10/13 - TESE found sperm!! ~ 11/13 - IVF w/ ICSI #1 ~ ER 11/23/13 ~ 10 R, 9 M, 8 F
ET 11/29/13 ~ Transferred 2 beautiful hatching blasts, 5 frosties
12/5/13 - BFP!!! Beta #1 (12/7/13) - 189 Beta #2 (12/9/13) - 401 Beta #3 5871
12/16/13 U/S #1 - TWINS!! EDD - August 16, 2014 ~ 7/19/14 - Our beautiful baby girls joined the world!
***signature & ticker warning***
Me: 30 ~ Stage IV Endo ~ AMH .38 ~ AFC 8
AMH .97 as of 4/2012! ~ AMH 1.63 as of 4/2013!?!
Him: 29 ~ perfect swimmers
Laparotomy w/partial oophorectomy 8/2009 to remove cysts/endo.
Stopped BCP 4/2010.
Multiple clomid rounds from 11/2010 to 6/2011. ~ All BFN
IUI w/clomid 7/2011. IUI w/clomid & injectables 11/2011 & 1/2012. ~ All BFN
IVF:EPP 5/2012 ~ (4R, 3M, 2F w/ICSI). Both embryos txfrd. ~ BFN
BCP to manage endo from 10/2012 to 12/2012.
FET w/donor embryos #1: 10/2013 Cancelled
FET w/donor embryos #1.2: 11/2013 ~ ET of 2 beautiful blasts on 11/27.
Beta 1: 503(12dp5dt) Beta 2: 1035(14dpt) Beta 3: 3001(16dpt) Beta 4: 8503(19dpt)
Twins with an EDD of 8/15/14! Team Purple
G&B born 6/30/14 at 33w3d via emergency c/s.
If you're wondering about my avatar...it's a fried pickle chip shaped like a fetus!
TTC #1 4/2009 - DD 2/5/10
TTC #2 since October 2011
2IF issues
Me:34 PCOS, one kinked tube, low thyroid.
DH:39 lower than average count.
Married 2006. 3 failed IUIs and countless BFNs.
~IVF#1: July 2012~
7/10 Retrieval: 16r, 14f w/ICSI. 7/15 ET: Transfered 2. 4 frosties.< Poas faint+ 4dp5dt.>
Beta#1 (8dp5dt): 138. Beta#2 (10dp5dt): 355.
u/s#1: (19dp5dt) 8/3/12 one sac, two yolks! Beta 8,000
u/s#2: two strong heartbeats! EDD 4/2/12
Boy/girl fraternal mono/di twins-- lost our sweet baby girl at 22 weeks due to SIUGR
Preterm labor at 23 weeks 4 days, lost our sweet baby boy.
TTC since July 2011
BFP #1: 2/15/12-Ectopic/Mtx at 6 wks
BFP #2: 10/12/12-m/c at 5 wks.
Me: MTHFR, Low AMH (1.1), High NK cells and Antiphospholipid Antibodies.
IVF with ICSI in August 2013 brought us our babies. ER-9R, 7M, 4F w/ICSI ET of 2-Grade 2 blasts.
Dx shortened cervix, PTL, and preeclampsia during pregnancy. Lots of medications and 13 weeks of bedrest, babies were born healthy at 34w4d!
09/12-11/13: 3 TIs, 3 IUIs, ICSI/PGS IVF & 2 FETs
08/14: Our little miracle has FINALLY arrived - 3 years after we started trying!
June- Femara 7.5mg + Trigger + IUI = BFN August- Lap & Hysteroscopy = Blocked & Partially Blocked Tubes
September- Femara 5mg = CX - No Response on Left = BFN October- 100mg Clomid + Trigger + TI = BFN
IVF # 1: Stims 11/30 ER 12/12/12! (10R, 10M, 8F, 2T, 6 F) :: Beta #1- 176 c/p @ 4w4d
FET #1 February 26th :: Lost 4 to Thaw, Transferred 2 = BFFN
IVF # 2 Stims 5/10 ER 5/21 (15R, 13M, 13F, 2T, 7F- 6d3 & 1d5) :: Beta # 1- 15 c/p @ 4w
FET #2.2 Scheduled for September 20th
2 Thawed, 2 Transferred! Beta #1- 96, Beta #2 906! :: EDD June 10th
2015- 2 failed FET. We are done
SURPRISE! BFP 8/8/16 EDD 4/1/17
Me (34)- no issues found MH (36)- MFI due to Vericocele. Straight to IVF w/ICSI 9/12, Antagonist. 9R, 7M, 5F = BFN c/p, New RE for IVF #2- 1/13., Long Lupron. ER on 1/22 -10R, 9M, 9F. Transfer on hold due to overstimming. FET in Feb. 2 frozen blasts. Another BFN & another c/p. RPL testing all negative besides MTHFR gene, vericocle repair surgery 4/12/13-Bilateral Grade 3 Vericocele found & fixed, IVF #3 with PGS 4/13- 11R, 9M, 9F. Transferred 2 normal=BFN, 3 normal on ice. CCRM-here we come! ODWU-All test results normal. EPP in August. 21R, 20M, 19F. 12 blasts biopsied & frozen for CCS testing. Results showed 11 normal! FET Oct. 30. 2 5d 4AA blasts transferred. First ever BFP!!! Beta 1=216, Beta 2=870 1st U/S=It's TWINS!!! It's a BOY and a GIRL!! Everyone Welcome!!!
Thanks for all the tips!
Me: 29 ovulatory disorder
DH: 30 MFI - low everything
IUI #1: 11/5/12 BFN
December IUI cancelled due to cyst
IUI #2: 1/8/13 BFN
IVF in April 2013 transferred one beautiful blast on 4/13
Beta #1 4/22: BFP!! 33 Beta #2 54 Beta #3 70 Beta #4 83 Beta #5 105. Possible ectopic, MTX and M/C 5w4d
FET 6/21 - Beta #1: 79 BFP!! Beta #2: 253 U/S 7/12: saw the sac! U/S #2 7/19 great heartbeat of 127!! U/S #3 heartbeat of 154! U/S #4 graduated to OB
EDD 3/9/14
Thanks for all the top of mind advice and tips. Will take them to heart.
See you soon on SAIF!!!
TTC #1 since 1/10
DX: Unexplained/??? MFI issues
Our lil' lost sparks:
5w3d loss 7/30/10 - EDD March 2011
8w loss 4/15/11 - EDD November 2011
8w3d loss 8/2/12 - EDD March 2013
4w c/p loss 10/29/12 - EDD July 2013
Long story: trying on our own + testing testing testing with 6 rounds of Clomid, more testing, injectables + TI, laparoscopy - one tube blocked, 2 IUIs with Follistim...BFNs.
RPL testing all normal, Karyotyping normal
Moving on to IVF.
IVF #1 April 2012 = BFN, IVF #2 June 2012 = BFP. U/S 7/23 = saw heartbeat but measuring behind. Follow up U/S on 7/30 - no heartbeat. D&C 8/2. Trisomy 12. IVF #3 Oct 2012 = Chemical Pregnancy
Phone consult with CCRM on 12/12/12 - ODWU 1/4/13 - both tubes clear(!) - AFC 24, AMH 3.2, FSH 9.6, LH 5.4, E2 25. DH has high frag rate but improved!
IVF #4 March 2013 CCRM. EP protocol w/ Menopur, Gonal-F & Dexamethasone. ER 3/29 & IMSI, PICSI. 43R 13M 10F 6blasts bio'd. CCS testing reveals 3 normals!!!
FET 5/31/13 of 1 4AA blast - thawed and expanded. 4dp5dt BFP.
Beta 9dp5dt = 181, 11dp5dt = 427. 1st u/s showed a healthy heartbeat! EDD 2/16/14
After 4 years of hoping and heartbreak, our sweet little bean was born on 2/19/14
We are so in love with her.
"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it."
Everybody is welcome!!!
8/15 FET #1 - transferred 1 thawed embryo - Pregnant with Baby C, it's a girl! Due April 2016.
And thanks for the recap - it gave me a few things to add to my list and birthplan. I think it's BS that they told you the anesthesiologist would be a FEW HOURS, that just seems ridiculous. If s/he was in surgery or something, then I would think they need to have another on call because babies and these types of situations are obviously unpredictable.
Also good to know that you can request a different RN - I didn't even know this would be an option. I just figured whoever is there for the shift is who you get.
IVF/FET #1 - BFP!!
DX - PCOS 2004
FET #2 - scheduled for 11/24/15
Siggy warning...

Me:23 (PCOS) DH:29 (everything looks good)
9/2012: Lost my baby 6w2d
12/2012: 50mg Clomid= no response
02/2013: 100mg Clomid and Metformin=no response
05/2013:150mg Clomid and Metformin=no response
05/2013:Consult with RE
07/2013: Bravelle=Follicles started growing, BFN
08/2013: Time off
11/2013: IVF #1, POAS: BFP!! Beta 11/25
Twins!!! Due August 2014!!!
Matthew&Mary MMSchu 07.21.12
http://svendsenfamilyjournal.wordpress.com/
5/07 - DD conceived naturally cycle #1
8/09 - Started TTC #2
11/10 - BFP!
12/10 - MC (Chemical Pregnancy)
2/11 - IUI #1 with clomid & trigger = BFN
5/11- Switched to a Fertility Specialist, Dx with low progesterone and annovulatory, several rounds of
clomid = BFN's
4/12 - Exploratory Lap, Dx Stage III endo
5/12 - 7/12 - Lupron injections to suppress AF and reduce scar tissue
8/12 - Surgery to remove tissue, uterus and tubes clear!
9/12-12/12 - More BFN's!
1/13 - Referred to an RE
2/13 - IUI #1 with injects and new RE = BFN
3/13 - 4/13 - Break due to cysts
5/13 - IUI #2 with injects (125ml bravelle + trigger) = BFP!!!
EDD - 1/23/14
12/31 Beta #1: 404 Beta #2: 1,027
************ Signature/Ticker Warning ************

Me (32) DH (36) - Finding our way to baby #1
Me: POF/DOR - AMH <0.16, heterozygous c677t MTHFR, insulin resistant and gluten intolerant
DH: Severe MFI
12/2/11 - IUI #1- BFN
8/1/12 - IVF #1 - Zero response from max stims (600iu intramuscularly)
My ovaries are just for decoration
12/6/12 - Adopted five embryos that had been frozen for over ten years!
2/11/13 - DEmbryo FET #1 Thawed four, sadly two didn't survive. Transferred two beautiful blasts.
2/16/13 - First BFP of my life @ 6dp5dt! EDD 10/30/13
3/27/13 - After beta and u/s hell, no heartbeat ever detected. D&C at 9w1d.
6/5/13 - Adopted four new embryos that had been frozen for seven years!
9/12/13 - DEmbryo FET #2. Thawed and transferred two beautiful blasts
9/17/13 - BFP @ 5dp6dt! EDD 05/31/14
9/29/13 - m/c @ 5w1d.
11/19/13 - DEmbryo FET #3. Thawed and transferred one blast from each batch. Wow!
11/23/13 - BFP @ 4dp6dt! EDD 8/7/13
Beta #1 @ 13dp6dt - 522 Beta #2 @ 16dp6dt - 1373
6w5d ultrasound showed one perfect baby with a beautiful heartbeat of 134bpm!
Snowflake baby is a girl!
Our beautiful Snowflake girl arrived on July 22, 2014!
My embryo adoption blog: Wishing on a Snowflake
IF, 5 losses, 1 son, 1 on the way.
6 rounds of clomid = no luck
IVF w/ ICSI & AZH #1 - Jan/2011 = ET cancelled OHSS
FET #1 & #2 - March/2011 & June/2011 = Chemical Preg.
IVF w/ Half ICSI #2 New RE - May/2012 = BFN!
May '12 - Sep '13 - Took A Break
Dec '13 IVF w/ Half ICSI #3!!!!! Switched RE
Protocol - Lupron trigger/Follistim/Ganirelix/Estrace/Vivelle/Crinone
6/27/14 - Emergency C/S @ 30w2d - Baby A 2lb 14oz, Baby B 2lb 11 oz