Christmas Blessing - We Are Pregnant!!!

December 25, 2013

I am so excited to announce that after two years of trying, four  failed IUI's,  and one failed FET...we  are  finally  pregnant!! I can't explain how happy we are for this blessing. Seven  days after transfer I got the urge to test,  so bought  a couple different kinds of pregnancy tests after work and rushed home! I made my husband hold the test afterwards because I was too nervous to look at it.  Then after a couple minutes we looked and there  was the faint blue cross... something I had never seen in real life!! I dreamt of this moment forever and thought I would cry and then be so happy.  But in reality I was freaked out and nervous and sweaty!!

I ended up taking a pregnancy test each morning until my beta.  First time going  in for a beta test and feeling confident!  Nurse called me a  little after 2:30pm. I have to say that after receiving so many calls from the fertility clinic telling me I'm not pregnant and looking at negative pregnancy test after negative pregnancy test, I wondered if I would ever hear the words "Congratulations,  you are pregnant!" To finally hear those beautiful words,  was heavenly!!  First beta at 9dpt  was 316!   She said that was a really good  number and that it should increase 60%  every 48  hours.  So at 13dpt I got my second beta and it was 1554!!

Everyone says pregnancy  after infertility  does not seem real  until the baby actually pops out,  which I thought was ridiculous... but I am having a hard time grasping  that this is real. I have another beta on December 30 &  then my first ultrasound on January 8.  I'm hoping that when we see the heartbeat,  it will hit us that it's real!

For now, I go to acupuncture,  still take all the same meds I did during the TWW,
switched to all  natural beauty products ( no more glycolic acids for me!),  watch what I eat and pray and meditate daily!  Plus I bought a pregnancy journal and downloaded a pregnancy app too see how the baby develops week to week.

Honestly,  as I write this I feel like someone else is writing it.  Thinking back to how many other peoples IVF  blogs I've read where they get pregnant and I cry and now I'm writing mine!! Please don't pinch me if I'm dreaming, I want to live in this dream forever.

I am so grateful for the love,  positive thoughts and prayers from our friends and  family.  We could not have gotten through it without them,  for this we are  so blessed.

I can't wait to watch our babies grow!

The Embryos Have Arrived (FET #2)

December 13, 2013

So the three embryos are now resting comfortably in my uterus, hopefully finding a peaceful place to burrow and implant! Two days ago I had the transfer and the RE said everything went great. He gave us a higher success rate (68-72%) this time and a higher chance of twins (50%). I used a different acupuncturist this time (one they recommended) and he was much better than the last one. No pain, immediately calming and according to the embryologist, my uterus was much more relaxed. I had the choice between two acupuncturists  and I picked the Chinese doctor, only because he was Chinese! Feels more authentic! Hey I am half Chinese so I can think these things :)

The acupuncture session both before and immediately after the transfer was completely relaxing and put my mind elsewhere. I cried a bit as I felt the release of tension. I tried to envision a white light surrounding my uterus, as a friend was doing a prayer for us with her prayer group at that exact moment and suggested I try this vision. At one point I felt out of my body and surrounded by a loving feeling, it was a great experience. I go again on Sunday for another session.

The day after transfer my mom's friend (who is a minister) came over and did a blessing for the embryos and then we had dinner. She used to babysit me when I was little, so it was a very personal and special moment.

All things are looking up and I'm keeping a positive outlook. My mom has been cooking homemade breakfast, lunch and dinners as I enjoy the 48 hours of bed rest. I'm not really following the old wives tales this time...but I am eating more protein, drinking a lot of water, and constantly wearing socks. The acupuncturist said to keep my feet warm, as cold feet can make the uterus contract. So I figure that is an easy one to do!

Same as last time, my husband is giving me intramuscular progesterone shots and lovenox shots every morning. We are getting good at the progesterone shots (no pain and no lumps), but the lovenox just burns!! Fact is that is just how the medicine is and nothing you can do about it.

Good news is that I'm not having the emotional side effects from all the meds like last time. Although sleeping is not the best still. My worry seems to get the best of me at night. During the day though I'm getting a lot of cuddle time with my dogs, and mother-daughter time. Two days and then I go back to work, so I'm enjoying this while I can.

We find out if we are pregnant December 23, right before Christmas! We are hoping and I am praying for a holiday miracle. We are so ready to be parents! Let's hope we can celebrate Christmas with the best news ever!!