My hands are cracked and almost bleeding but I have a smile on my face! Not because of the discomfort of course: in spite of it. On Sunday Arie came down with a stomach bug and I spent the day cleaning up puke and trying desperately not to let any germs in my body: scrubbing hands, disinfecting bathrooms, doing laundry, taking supplements. While I'm always taking precautions against illness I was particularly vigorous this time because I knew I had an important blood draw in the morning which could not be postponed: one to check my hormone levels. One that would allow me to book our second embryo transfer!
Sunday night as I felt my throat becoming sore and dry I began having visions of myself throwing up in the waiting room of the laboratory. I quickly went to Facebook and enlisted the army of prayer warriors who are my wonderful readers. I'm so thankful for your prayers because I woke up with only a cold and awful as I might feel, I'll take a cold over the pukes any day! I packed my recuperating little boy (John was away on a work trip so he had to come with me) and my stuffy nose self into the minivan this morning and got my blood draw. Phew!
A few hours later I answered my phone to hear my clinic's nurse reporting good numbers and asking about scheduling our next transfer. Lord willing, the date of our next embryo transfer will be...
Wednesday February 11!
(Of note: our last transfer was the Wednesday before Halloween and this one will be the Wednesday before Valentine's Day. Perhaps I'll get John to get me a wheelchair again for our Valentine's Date! *winks*)
What I'm doing differently this cycle:
1. No holistic supplementation. Last cycle I did cranial sacral therapy and this session I looked into doing acupuncture... but then I found out the blood thinning medication I have to be on (as a result of my genetic clotting disorder Factor V Leiden) is- excuse my language- hella expensive. So, as much as I would have loved to try something else it is just not happening this time around. I'm at peace with it and slightly relieved to minimize the amount of appointments I'll have going on.
2. No sugar. Yikes! Whose idea was that? Call me crazy I guess but I'll be dealing with all the hormones without my BFF chocolate this time around. I'm also replacing white flour and rice with their whole grain counterparts. I began this pseudo "fast" last Sunday so I'm 9 days in and going strong: I've avoided sugar entirely, had a bit of maple syrup or honey here and there, and indulged twice in white flour products. Not too shabby. The goal is simply to make my body the healthiest and most hospitable place it could be for my little snowflakes. I don't know if this will help but it certainly won't hurt and I know I'll be able to say "no regrets!" at the end of it. (If you follow me on Facebook or instagram you'll know I've been raving about the cookbook 100 Days of Real Food. It has made ditching sugar so much easier than I could have dreamed! I also recommend the book The Fertility Diet for those who are interested in eating better for fertility.)
3. Unsure about bedrest post-transfer. Until a few months ago, bed rest was recommended after transfer but new research points to bed rest either not making a difference or being detrimental. I did not do bed rest after our last transfer although I did "take it easy" just because my butt still hurt so much due to my progesterone shots. I'm undecided on what I'll do this time around. (Give me your thoughts/experiences!)
At the end of the day I know the fate of our snowflakes is in God's hands. My job is to use wisdom and be the best mother I can be to them; I trust the LORD will lead me to make the best decisions for them as I seek his will.
Thank you for all your prayers and support!
xo
Sunday night as I felt my throat becoming sore and dry I began having visions of myself throwing up in the waiting room of the laboratory. I quickly went to Facebook and enlisted the army of prayer warriors who are my wonderful readers. I'm so thankful for your prayers because I woke up with only a cold and awful as I might feel, I'll take a cold over the pukes any day! I packed my recuperating little boy (John was away on a work trip so he had to come with me) and my stuffy nose self into the minivan this morning and got my blood draw. Phew!
 |
| 24 hours: sick Arie watching netflix, making soup, recovering Arie in the bath, and waiting for my blood draw: tired but not puking! |
A few hours later I answered my phone to hear my clinic's nurse reporting good numbers and asking about scheduling our next transfer. Lord willing, the date of our next embryo transfer will be...
Wednesday February 11!
(Of note: our last transfer was the Wednesday before Halloween and this one will be the Wednesday before Valentine's Day. Perhaps I'll get John to get me a wheelchair again for our Valentine's Date! *winks*)
What I'm doing differently this cycle:
1. No holistic supplementation. Last cycle I did cranial sacral therapy and this session I looked into doing acupuncture... but then I found out the blood thinning medication I have to be on (as a result of my genetic clotting disorder Factor V Leiden) is- excuse my language- hella expensive. So, as much as I would have loved to try something else it is just not happening this time around. I'm at peace with it and slightly relieved to minimize the amount of appointments I'll have going on.
2. No sugar. Yikes! Whose idea was that? Call me crazy I guess but I'll be dealing with all the hormones without my BFF chocolate this time around. I'm also replacing white flour and rice with their whole grain counterparts. I began this pseudo "fast" last Sunday so I'm 9 days in and going strong: I've avoided sugar entirely, had a bit of maple syrup or honey here and there, and indulged twice in white flour products. Not too shabby. The goal is simply to make my body the healthiest and most hospitable place it could be for my little snowflakes. I don't know if this will help but it certainly won't hurt and I know I'll be able to say "no regrets!" at the end of it. (If you follow me on Facebook or instagram you'll know I've been raving about the cookbook 100 Days of Real Food. It has made ditching sugar so much easier than I could have dreamed! I also recommend the book The Fertility Diet for those who are interested in eating better for fertility.)
3. Unsure about bedrest post-transfer. Until a few months ago, bed rest was recommended after transfer but new research points to bed rest either not making a difference or being detrimental. I did not do bed rest after our last transfer although I did "take it easy" just because my butt still hurt so much due to my progesterone shots. I'm undecided on what I'll do this time around. (Give me your thoughts/experiences!)
At the end of the day I know the fate of our snowflakes is in God's hands. My job is to use wisdom and be the best mother I can be to them; I trust the LORD will lead me to make the best decisions for them as I seek his will.
Thank you for all your prayers and support!
xo
I'll be taking it easy, but I plan on going back to work the day after my transfer! I do have a desk job though, so it's not like I'll be running around like a crazy person!
ReplyDeleteWishing you the best!
DeleteExcited the date is right around the corner and praying for your positive this time!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Elizabeth!
DeletePrayers for you! I was on a short bed rest after my transfer due to pain from my retrieval the week before. We have a beautiful baby girl from that attempt! It couldn't hurt to give yourself 24 hours. Good luck and God bless!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing!
DeleteOh goodness that's so exciting that it's coming up! I hope that you get a positive this time!! Praying for your little snowflakes!
ReplyDeleteSo appreciative of your prayers Courtney! Yes it is coming so wonderfully fast!
DeleteI did 24 hours of bedrest after my transfer. I'm with you that I wanted to say 'No regrets'. :)
ReplyDeleteI vote against bed rest. I took a nap after transfer then went to dinner/movie with both of my transfers that implanted. I say take it easy with streneous walking or lifting but don't lay in bed so the blood can flow well especially to your uterus.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sara!
DeleteJillian,
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog regularly as I find myself on a very similar journey to your own. I just turned 30 and my husband and I adopted our beautiful little girl from South Korea a year ago. We are Christians and believe fully and completely in the sanctity of adoption. We also struggle with infertility- I have PCOS. We are now awaiting our first embryo transfer (which will hopefully happen in March). I have done all kinds of holistic things to enhance my bodies ability to house our tiny babies. A couple of things I have been doing which make me feel great and will hopefully help is taking prenatal vitamins and juicing- lots of leafy greens like Kale or spinach. Of course I add fruit to the juice so it's palatable! But I can definitely tell my body is responding to all the wholesome goodness. The second and slightly awkward thing our clinic recommends is being intimate with your hubby the night prior to the transfer. They believe that this somehow gets your body "thinking" along the lines of pregnancy. I don't know if all clinics recommend this but it does seem to help embryos implant for whatever reason. Best of luck! You will be in my prayers.
Thanks for your comment! I love that you are preparing your body so well and I hope your transfer in March is successful! Our clinic did not make your second recommendation but thanks for sharing! I'd not heard that it could help before. Thank you for your prayers!
DeleteI wouldn't worry about full blown bedrest, but I would take it easy for a day or two :) I read the boom It Starts With An Egg back in August/sept and changed my diet the same way you have. It seems it was a good decision!
ReplyDeleteThe 1st is so close! I'm so excited and of course praying!
Aw that makes me feel good about ditching the sugar and switching to whole grains! It's actually the 11th, not the 1st. :-) Thanks for praying!
DeleteSo excited you have a date! Saying a prayer and crossing fingers for you. My RE told me to take it easy and not lift anything heavy or do cardio, but he said strict bedrest wasn't easy. However, I will admit I used it as an excuse to make the hubby do the laundry, grocery shopping, and all the chores! :)
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm sure he likes being able to help in some way. :-) Thanks for the prayers!
DeleteI did bedrest after my transfer for 24 hours just because I knew I would have worried otherwise!!
ReplyDeleteI also took progesterone through vaginal suppositories rather than through injection, maybe that would help you?
We will be praying for you!
We did 2 days of strict bed rest and 2 days of "taking it easy" (advised by our fertility specialist). Although, that was 6 years ago :) We now have 5 1/2 year old twins! Praying you through this journey......
ReplyDeleteI can't remember if this was for retrieval or transfer...or both. I think maybe both? But per Doctor's request, I slept in a recliner for 2 days. I did all housework, laundry, grocery stuff ahead of time so that I could just relax for a few days after transfer. I overstimulated, so I ended up needing more rest (because it hurt to move)... that overstimulation is painful business! That transfer resulted in a positive pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteSo Excited for you!!
ReplyDelete