Happy Valentine's Day!
Momma K and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day AND got our 1st positive OPK that night. So we did an IUI on the morning of the 15th @ approx. 8:00. In the past my IUI's were not painful at all. This time my cervix was too high causing my uterus to tilt and thereby making it neccesary to "pull my cervix down" using this awful looking tool called a tenaculum. It was painful and caused cramping and spotting the whole day. We returned to the doctor this morning (the 16th) @ 7:00 and hoped this IUI would be easier... It wasn't. Same thing. So my only hope is that the pain is for a reason and in two weeks we'll have a BFP (Big Fat Positive)!!!
Now for the 2WW!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
3rd x the charm
Well it's time again... We should be going in for our 3rd IUI this coming week. We've done 2 IUI's and 1 ICI before and all were BFN (Big Fat Negative). We've heard 3rd times the charm so keep your fingers crossed.
Our Journey So Far
For our Family and Friends (and Curious Lookers On):
Some background on our journey:
We started baby planning in September 2009 and decided I would go first
We first asked a friend of ours to be our donor but he declined (09/09)
We began using California Cryobank in Los Angeles (09/09)
We had OBGYN appointments and met some doctors (09/09-02/10)
We chose a donor with blond hair and blue eyes to match Momma K (01/10)
I began taking Up and Up brand prenatals (02/10)
I use Up and Up or Answer brand OPKs (Ovulation Predictor Kits)
ICI #1 - BFN
Our first ICI attempt was at home (03/01/2010) and was both stressful and comical.
Momma K had to use a medicine syringe and do the injection for me :) We were optimistic but later realized how minimal our chances were of conceiving that way and decided to switch to IUI.
IUI #1 - BFN
Our first IUI (02/23/2011) was supposed to be with Dr. V but he wasn't available so instead we met with Mrs. H-P, CNP (our current OB). The problem with this try is we hadn't planned very well and had to drive to Santa Monica to pick up "the Tank" (Specimen Vials come in a freeze tank) before going to the appointment and we're pretty sure we missed the fertile window. It was a nice experience however because Mrs. H-P is very nice and answered our questions and let Momma K see the sperm under a microscope which made her feel much better. I tested with an OPK when we got home and the LH surge was gone :( In short... Bad timing. (02/23/2011)
IUI #2 - BFN
The second IUI (08/02/2011) was much better as it was better planned (and this try was a secret so the fam would be surprised if we did get preggo). We picked "the Tank" up the weekend before we thought we would ovulate which worked wonderfully. The LH surge started to show on the morning of the 1st so we called and scheduled our meeting with the doctor for 7:30am on 8/2. We went right in gave them "the Tank" and they thawed and injected quickly. They always have me lay there for 15 or 20 minutes after and then we were on our way. This time I went back to work after. During the 2WW (Two Week Wait) I had some symptoms like cramping and spotting so we thought we were close but AF (Aunt Flow) came and that was the end of that.
Some notes for those new to TTC (Trying to Conceive) or perhaps going through it already:
- For us a "cycle" is basically:
Start: A six day AF (period)
After AF we begin testing for LH (the hormone that shows up within 24-36 hours of an egg being released) using OPKs
Ovulation (egg release) is usually at approx. day 14 (7-8 days after end of AF)
IUI on day after positive OPK
2WW and HPTs (Home Pregnancy Tests) I can never wait the whole two weeks before testing :P
Start of next cycle
- IUI is Intrauterine Insemination. A catheter is put into the uterus and "prewashed" sperm is injected much closer to the egg.
- ICI is Intracervical Insemination. A needless syringe is used to inject sperm into vaginal canal below the cervix just as would happen with intercourse. The sperm then swim to the uterus which can take up to 24 hours... by which time much of the frozen specimen is dead. However the CM (cervical mucus coating the receive from the cervix may make them stronger.
- Frozen sperm usually last between 12-24 hours after thaw
- An egg has 12-24 hours to be fertilized
- The 2WW is excruciating. Trying to wait 14 days after an IUI to take a pregnancy test is, as far as I'm concerned, close to impossible.
- Baby Mania (when you're TTC you think baby constantly) is perfectly normal and OK even if everyone around you is tired of hearing about your cycles and CM (cervical mucus). LOL
- The "specimen" you get from the sperm bank is a lot smaller than you initially think. Everyone pictures the cups a Dr.'s office uses for urine samples. Sperm banks take that cup and divide it into tiny little 1cc vials.
-There is a ton of information and support online. Just learn the difference between useful information and what is simply Baby Mania stress.
Hope this info answers some questions.
Some background on our journey:
We started baby planning in September 2009 and decided I would go first
We first asked a friend of ours to be our donor but he declined (09/09)
We began using California Cryobank in Los Angeles (09/09)
We had OBGYN appointments and met some doctors (09/09-02/10)
We chose a donor with blond hair and blue eyes to match Momma K (01/10)
I began taking Up and Up brand prenatals (02/10)
I use Up and Up or Answer brand OPKs (Ovulation Predictor Kits)
ICI #1 - BFN
Our first ICI attempt was at home (03/01/2010) and was both stressful and comical.
Momma K had to use a medicine syringe and do the injection for me :) We were optimistic but later realized how minimal our chances were of conceiving that way and decided to switch to IUI.
IUI #1 - BFN
Our first IUI (02/23/2011) was supposed to be with Dr. V but he wasn't available so instead we met with Mrs. H-P, CNP (our current OB). The problem with this try is we hadn't planned very well and had to drive to Santa Monica to pick up "the Tank" (Specimen Vials come in a freeze tank) before going to the appointment and we're pretty sure we missed the fertile window. It was a nice experience however because Mrs. H-P is very nice and answered our questions and let Momma K see the sperm under a microscope which made her feel much better. I tested with an OPK when we got home and the LH surge was gone :( In short... Bad timing. (02/23/2011)
IUI #2 - BFN
The second IUI (08/02/2011) was much better as it was better planned (and this try was a secret so the fam would be surprised if we did get preggo). We picked "the Tank" up the weekend before we thought we would ovulate which worked wonderfully. The LH surge started to show on the morning of the 1st so we called and scheduled our meeting with the doctor for 7:30am on 8/2. We went right in gave them "the Tank" and they thawed and injected quickly. They always have me lay there for 15 or 20 minutes after and then we were on our way. This time I went back to work after. During the 2WW (Two Week Wait) I had some symptoms like cramping and spotting so we thought we were close but AF (Aunt Flow) came and that was the end of that.
Some notes for those new to TTC (Trying to Conceive) or perhaps going through it already:
- For us a "cycle" is basically:
Start: A six day AF (period)
After AF we begin testing for LH (the hormone that shows up within 24-36 hours of an egg being released) using OPKs
Ovulation (egg release) is usually at approx. day 14 (7-8 days after end of AF)
IUI on day after positive OPK
2WW and HPTs (Home Pregnancy Tests) I can never wait the whole two weeks before testing :P
Start of next cycle
- IUI is Intrauterine Insemination. A catheter is put into the uterus and "prewashed" sperm is injected much closer to the egg.
- ICI is Intracervical Insemination. A needless syringe is used to inject sperm into vaginal canal below the cervix just as would happen with intercourse. The sperm then swim to the uterus which can take up to 24 hours... by which time much of the frozen specimen is dead. However the CM (cervical mucus coating the receive from the cervix may make them stronger.
- Frozen sperm usually last between 12-24 hours after thaw
- An egg has 12-24 hours to be fertilized
- The 2WW is excruciating. Trying to wait 14 days after an IUI to take a pregnancy test is, as far as I'm concerned, close to impossible.
- Baby Mania (when you're TTC you think baby constantly) is perfectly normal and OK even if everyone around you is tired of hearing about your cycles and CM (cervical mucus). LOL
- The "specimen" you get from the sperm bank is a lot smaller than you initially think. Everyone pictures the cups a Dr.'s office uses for urine samples. Sperm banks take that cup and divide it into tiny little 1cc vials.
-There is a ton of information and support online. Just learn the difference between useful information and what is simply Baby Mania stress.
Hope this info answers some questions.
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