2dp5dt

Instead of telling you what "2dp5dt" means, I'll just paste it from 2008!

Two days past a five day transfer. 2dp5dt - this is the type of lingo IVFers use when describing what stage of the 2ww they are in. 2ww - stands for "two week wait" which really isn't two weeks from the transfer, but rather two weeks from the egg retrieval.

I woke up hot and nauseous today, none of which I believe came from the embryo, but instead the progesterone I jam up my vag several times a day. It also makes me lethargic, a lil bitchy, and emotional. Sounds like pregnancy! But it's not, it's just the progesterone.

So here I am, 2 days past a 5 day transfer, 7 days past conception. I've got about one day left before the HCG trigger is out of my system entirely. The line is so faint right now, but I'd say one more day. Drink me some water today!

I'm starting to get nervous/cautious/what if this doesn't work! feelings. I am refusing to think of buying baby clothes and all that jazz until I get a positive test. I WANNA BE PREGNANT I feel like screaming to the world. I only hope it screams back "Well, ok here you go."

No real symptoms. A little twingy here and there but nothing too exciting.

We did get a call yesterday that our remaining embryo lasted another day and into the freezer he went! Nice job little dude! So, if this doesn't work, then we will try that little one next.

So, I do what most IVFers have learned to do so well, I wait.

Pictures and Video from the Transfer - 1dp5dt

Here are some pictures from the 5 day transfer:

As you know, I had acupuncture done both before and after the transfer. There are great studies that show acupuncture improves IVF rates, and we also did it in 2008. Our acupuncturist Michelle was amazing, came to the clinic and set us all up. She gave me warm blankets. She had great, great energy.

Here are a few shots from that:

Ears!

Belly!

Feet!

Forehead!

Here is me in full glory with all needles a pokin'. I was pretty damn relaxed. Check the orange.

Ok, even Mark got in on the action. He was super nervous and the Needle Lady said she'd give him a couple pokes too. It was funny to look at especially when he's trying to take pictures and there's a needle between his eyes.

Ok, now that all the needles are done, it's time to head into the transfer room. Exciting! In less than 10 minutes, our little guygirl will be back in its rightful home, my womb. This was her staring at my bladder to confirm it was nice and full prior to the transfer. Tricked you all, I wasn't in agony! I better managed my water intake and advocated for myself to pee when it was painful. That worked! On to the bladder.

Indeed it was full enough. "Perfect!" is what I think the doc said. So she did a 'test' transfer by placing the catheter into my uterus, which went in fine. So then it was go time:

Here I am watching our little dude come back to us on the big screen:

And then just like that, it was done. 6 months of planning and preparing, 50+ shots, 50 million emotions later, and just like that, heshe is back with us, finally.

Elation! Joy! It's done!

More elation! I was laughing and crying, so happy it was over.

Ok, now I'm just gloating. Here are some classic shots:

I did it, I did it, I did it!

Two, count them TWO babies! (in the family, not in my womb!)

Me looking at Mark, feeling the love.

And of course, here is the shot where I started texting all of the peeps that have been rooting me on in this journey from the start.

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, the first baby picture of our little blast.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

And this is a really, really cool video. They had placed our embryo under the microscope and were trying to find him to be sucked into the catheter tube. It gave us a great sense of just how utterly TINY this little being is. Not even visible to the human eye, not bigger than a tip of a pencil.

And now, they are with me. :-)

Day 5 Blast Transfer

Alas, it's over. Our little lovebug made his or her way back to momma's wombroom around 1:05 today. We got the most perfect blast picture of him/her. I stared at it incessantly. This, this, THIS could be my next child, OMG!!!

The full bladder part wasn't so hard this time around given I was able to 'take the edge off' several times throughout the time there. The two Ativans they gave me to get me through also helped tremendously as I was able to think and be calm rather than freaking the hell out. I did of course make the obligatory 56 trips to the bathroom to poop. Cause that's how I roll.

Our last remaining morula is hopefully to expand into a blast tomorrow and if so, they will freeze him for later use if this one doesn't work.

All in all, I'm thrilled, THRILLED, it's all over. Now its up to this little lovebug.

He/She needs to burrow her way into my uterus and begin emitting the HCG hormone. This will then trigger my pregnancy tests that this is a real pregnancy, not the leftover HCG shot. I've been testing out my trigger, it's almost gone 7dpast trigger, last cycle it was completely gone by day 9.

So, now it's on to feeling every twist, cringe and pinch and wonder if our little bug is in the process of digging into momma. More updates as the days go on....

5 day Transfer - Waiting for The Call

Here I am, four hours prior to our scheduled appointment.

Again, we're waiting for The Call. This is the final The Call, as this call will let us know if we are 'safe' to come in for transfer, i.e. one of our lovebugs is still alive and ready to come back home.

Now normally, I would be super hopeful and not even blink an eye, but last time we were headed in for a transfer it didn't go so well. In fact, I didn't even get the CHANCE to bring our baby home.

But we will find out any minute now if we are good to go. And if we are, it's orange clothes and let's go! The babysitter gets here at 11, and we leave at 11.

Oh man, I need to start drinking water!