10 Week Update

Hey Everyone!

It has been about 5 weeks or so since I updated. So I have A LOT to talk about in this post.

First things, we have had a few ultrasounds now, and the results are in with twins. But before anyone gets too excited, I have some other news that may not sit well with some. My IP has chosen to have a fetal reduction done. This is sometimes common in IVF for various reasons. Sometimes medical and sometimes more embryos transferred than they are willing to parent to "increase the odds"of at least one sticking. So, in other words, some parents will choose to do a medical reduction and some choose to do a selective reduction. In our case, we will be having a selective reduction done.

In the beginning of all of this, I thought that it was the norm to transfer two embryos, even if the IP only wanted one. So I agreed to transferring two and also agreed to reduce from two to one, unless one of the embryos split (making them identical). I was also very misinformed on how the procedure is done. I was told, when I asked in my interview, that it is something done VERY early on. The procedure was said to be painless and similar to how the transfer is done. So, that also helped me to agree with it. When becoming a surrogate, you want to give the parents any rights that they have to their baby. I went into it with that mind set and I really thought that I would not be in this situation I am in now, had I done my own research on fetal reduction and not just taken someones word for it. But I am not going to dwell on what I did not do. I want this post to educate anyone who wants to become a surrogate, or any potential IPs to REALLY think about what they want. If they only want one child, there is no need at all to transfer more than one. If they want twins, there is no reason to transfer more than two. The odds are not how many you put it, if one is going to take, it is going to take. If not then you try again. It is all part of the process of IVF.

The reduction will be done in November. I will be between 13 weeks. The reason that I have learned (after speaking to the doctor who will do the procedure) that this procedure is done between 11-13 weeks is because they will usually hope that one twin does not make it that far into the pregnancy. The procedure is done with a needle through the abdomen, and a saline solution is in the needle. The needle gets injected into the chosen baby's sac, and then the solution stops the heartbeat. I will update everyone on how the procedure goes and how I feel afterwards. Right now, to be honest I am very scared of the procedure. The needle they use is very small, smaller than what I have been using for my daily shot. But they can only numb you topically, there is no way to numb your uterus.

Some questions that most people have:

Can you (me) keep one?

Absolutely not. Neither of these babies are mine and it is not up to me to make any kind of decision regarding them. Like I said earlier, part of being a surrogate is leaving all parental rights to the parent. Now which of those you are comfortable with, are something that you need to decide and stick to it. No matter what an agency tells you about being "hard" to match. It may take a little longer, but there are IP that do not want to reduce at all costs.

Can they put it up for adoption?

Again, no. When you think about it, if you were in their situation, would you be able to give someone else your child? After all of the heartbreak and money that it has taken to finally have a child?

Why do they not want both?

My IP is single, already has one child. Not having a partner and raising twins is not something that is ideal to him. But I do not think that it would be ideal to anyone.

If anyone has any questions feel free to ask in the comment section or send me a private message.

Positive Beta!!

Well....

The results are in!!

First Beta=2057

Second Beta=3904

Which means I am pregnant!! We are all so happy for these results. I know my IF is so excited and relieved that this was the one! My progesterone level was a little lower than they would like today (it went from 29 to 18 in two days) so I get to up my suppositories. Whoo. Not. go in for another Beta next week, then the following week we will have the first ultrasound! I am very excited for that and will be skyping (?) with my IF during so he is there with me!

On another note, my butt HURTS! I had to do two injections tonight, and for some reason the smaller of the two (less medication) left a nasty little lump from where I injected. So now my amazing husband is going to have to rub it out, along with giving me a back rub ;)! Sorry to keep this short and sweet, but I am off to bed!

Second Transfer

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I have not updated much, there has not been a lot to update on until now. I started meds a few weeks ago and had a transfer today! All of my monitoring appointments went just as well as the last cycle. We did decide to do a fresh transfer this time.

We transferred two beautiful embryo's today! These embryo's are what they call 6-day embryo's. 

I love this page from Shady Grove Fertility that explains the different stages of an embryo. You can click here. to read all about it :) This time I drank about half the amount of water I drank for your first transfer. For those of you that don't remember, I pretty much almost peed all over from my bladder being overly full (like that feeling you have to pee so bad it hurts...yeah that. I thought it would be a good thing and be an over achiever. Never again! Haha. This time went more quickly and was not nearly as uncomfortable as the last! You live and you learn right?

I have my first beta test on September 8th (to know if I am pregnant or not). I am technically 3 weeks pregnant tomorrow (crazy right?). The 8th will put me at about 5 weeks that Wednesday, which is my second beta test. So I will keep all of you lovelies updated and do a new post then! Until then, please send all of your sticky vibes and prayers for these little ones to get comfy in their new home for the next nine months! 

*Update*

Well I have just a small update for everyone. We have gotten in contact with IF's previous egg donor!! So we will be try a fresh transfer hopefully in August!! Very excited to have some kind of a plan now. We are waiting for her to go in for her medical screening this week. The results from that take one to two weeks to come back. (Hoping for one...or sooner! lol) So we should have a calendar in the next few weeks and I will be once again starting meds. Please cross your fingers for us for a successful transfer that results in a healthy babe!!

Failed Transfer

Just wanted to updated everyone on what happened with my test results today. I went to the clinic this morning to have blood work done. After waiting all day, I got the results. They were negative with my Beta number being less than 1. Which is just a normal everyday level. The Beta test tests for the amount of HCG (pregnancy hormone) that is in your system. So I really had none at all. I am to stop all of my medications except two, that will wean me off of them. I will get a very heavy period in the next few days due to stopping medications. I have not spoken with my IF yet. I am going to give him some space and let things settle with him and his family, so they can decide exactly what to do from here. I know we will try again, just need to figure out when and what kind of transfer we will be doing.


I am waiting to hear back from the agency tomorrow and see if they have spoken with IF. Maybe tomorrow I will have a better idea of what the next few months will bring for us. This was his third failed transfer this year, and it does cause a lot of heartbreak not only for him, but me too. I know I did everything right and my body was more than ready, but sometimes these things take time and can take a few tries. Lots of prayers and positive vibes for us for our next transfer. I will keep everyone updated on what is decided! ♥

Transfer Time!

Sorry I have not updated since our transfer day. We have been pretty busy since we got back with work and school. First I am going to talk about our flight there, only because it sucked. We had to be up at 4:30am to be at airport by 6am. It was cold and rainy of course. We flew from LaCrosse Airport to Minneapolis/St Paul. That flight was a little bumpy but not too bad. Our flight from MN to LAX was horrible! We were on one of the biggest plans known to man (not even kidding), one of the ones were there is three rows of three. Ugh. Never again do I want to ride a plane that big. There was a lot of turbulence in the beginning thanks to the weather. I am not just talking a little shaking here and there, I mean dropping a few feet at a time. Felt like I was on a roller coaster. I was trying to sleep, but every single time I would actually fall asleep, the plane would drop down. Worst. Thing. Ever.

On to better things. We got to our hotel around 1pm. Ate some lunch and took a nap. Then the moment we have been waiting for, meeting our IF and his mother! I was so nervous and excited to finally meet them. I was welcomed with a hug from each of them though, and that calmed my nerves. I wondered from the time we left the hotel room to the time we got down to the lobby to meet them if I should just hug them! We had dinner together and went our separate ways to get some rest before our transfer the next day!

Finally it is transfer day! I was told to drink a 1 liter bottle of water after I arrived at the clinic 45 minutes before "transfer time". Well I drank ALL of it like I was instructed, and let me tell you, my bladder is not meant to hold that much pee!! Finally Dr. Kolb, IF, and IF's Mother joined John and I in the transfer room. The Dr. looked at a few more things via ultrasound and got everything set up down there to put the little embies in. By this time I had to pee REALLY bad and I swear I am going to burst all over the Dr. LOL.
Finally the tech comes in with the embies and they are finally in! It literally took 5 seconds and they were in there. Two little white dots in my uterus.

I then have to wait 10 minutes before I can get up to go pee. But it is easier now that I can cross my legs and don't have extra pressure down there. When I do get to get up, I don't even worry about getting dressed. I literally get off the table with the blanket wrapped around me and find a bathroom! Overall we had a really great trip and I am so happy with how everything has turned out. I find out on Monday the 30th if I am pregnant or not! So please keep your fingers crossed for us!!!

Third Lining Check

Hey Everyone!!

So I had my third lining check yesterday and it was at a 13 with triple lining...SO in other words my uterus is perfect and ready for transfer!! I got to start my Progesterone in oil injection today. I do have to say that this injection is a lot more different than my first. It is done the same, but the medication is thicker (it is in oil). My butt cheek hurts a lot right now. I did not ice it before or use a heating pad until a few hours after. I do have some bruising , that I will assume will only get worse because I get to do this one EVERY day. I am not complaining though (well maybe a little) because I know that this is all worth it to give my IF a baby!

Our transfer is set for June 16th at 9am! I have started eating pineapple and have been doing some simple yoga poses to help with fertility. My first beta (which is when I will find out if I am pregnant) will be two weeks after the transfer. So I will be 5wks 1 day at that time. Crazy to think when I come home on Tuesday that I will be 3 weeks pregnant! I am so excited to truly be starting this journey after 8 months of beginning this process. I have an amazing IF and amazing friends and family for being so understanding and supportive of my choice to become a surrogate. Stay tuned for more updates after the transfer!! Any questions about surrogacy or if you are interested in becoming a surrogate, feel free to send me a message or leave a comment for me!! :)