Alright...so I was hoping for a miracle when I POAS this morning! LOL of course the little hourglass flashed and flashed but it said, "not pregnant." I knew in my head that it would say this but I thought with 2 perfect little blasts nestling in for 9 months that maybe my body would've started secreting that wonderful hormone called: hCG.
So I let out a sigh, put my cell phone away - because I was ready to take a picture and email it off to my IPs if it would've said, "pregnant" instead.
I moved on with my morning routine: orange juice with my morning estrace pill and inserting the lovely white suppository into my...well you know.
By the time I got to work I was still thinking about being 5dp3dt. I began googling the net (yes, again), and came across this awesome information from an infertility forum. Read below:
This is what happens in a 3dt:
1dpt - Embryo is growing and developing.
2dpt - Embryo is now a blastocyst.
3dpt - Blastocyst hatches out of shell on this day.
4dpt - Blastocyst attaches to a site on the uterine lining
5dpt - Implantation begins, as the blastocyst begins to bury in the lining
6dpt - Implantation process continues and morula buries deeper in the lining
7dpt - Morula is completely implanted in the lining and has placenta cells & fetal cells
8dpt - Placenta cells begin to secrete hCG in the blood
9dpt - More hCG is produced as fetus develops
10dpt - More hCG is produces as fetus develops
11dpt - hCG levels are now high enough to be immediately detected on HPT
I cannot tell you what a relief this was to see! So as of today...the little blast(s) is/are probably just starting to snuggle in and get cozy!
I'm looking forward to the weekend. It'll be busy with Snow White, Charity walks, a derby bout, and a birthday party. I'm thinking I'll stay away from the store too - so then I'm not tempted to buy another HPT. We'll just wait until Monday! (my other pregnancies, I never had a BFP until 10dp!).
A Bright Star
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
A Little Background
A little background...
For the past year, I have been playing roller derby with an amazing group of women in Iowa. They have given me something that I've never had before - a TEAM. As an adult, many of us forget about what made us happy as children, for me I found it again - skating. Roller derby is a sport that is intense, quick, full of strategies, frustration & fun. I've bulit friendships with women that I would typically not encounter during my day and they are some of the most amazing, considerate, giving women I know. Roller derby will be something difficult to give up for the next 9 months.
What that means is this: I am a gestational surrogate for a wonderful couple.
My surrogacy journey started many years ago. Before marrying my DH, I told him that it was something I've thought about doing since I was 21. He listened to me tell him about my sister who thought she'd never have kids. By the time my sister was 30 - she was finally pregnant with my first nephew. Although I knew I wouldn't be a surrogate for her, it was still something I thought about doing for another person. I've always enjoyed being pregnant (ok, maybe not the last 2-3 weeks) and I knew being a surrogate was in my future. Finally, when the time came, after my DH and I had our child, I began researching the topic.
I discovered an agency out east and went through the application process, medical screening and three transfers with an IP from Sweden. Sadly, our third transfer ended in March 2010. It was an amazing year with my IP. I wish I could've given my IP a child, but it was not meant to be.
After some soul searching and joining the roller derby, I told myself I wasn't finished pursuing this dream. The dream of carrying someone's little miracle! I looked closer to home for the second agency. This was a much better match for my, my DH and family. My new agency met with my family and I in September 2010. We were also screened by a psychologist, which was different from the first journey.
The next step would be to wait for a "match". Our case manager said it could be 6 months to a year before we could be matched with the perfects IPs. In my head I kept thinking about roller derby. I had already passed my WFTDA test and was placed on the A team. I had a lot of work to do, rules to learn, but was eager to be a part of the TEAM. By this time, I'd played one home bout in front of 100s of fans...that was exciting.
When the case manager called a few weeks later, I was in shock! She found potential IPs for us and thought we'd all be a great fit. Both parties were able to read applications and look at photos of one another. We all decided we would move forward. In November of 2010 it was official - I would help my new IPs become parents in 2011.
Since I miscarried with my first IP, the new Fertility doctor wanted to run some special blood tests to ensure that I wouldn't have another miscarriage. After the medical screening was complete in January 2011 we all knew we were ready. Everyone was trying to be ready for a February 2011 transfer but their ED (egg donor) would not be. This pushed everything out for an April 2011 transfer and gave us more time to complete the contract stage.
The contracts, not so much fun, were finalized a week before I started my Lupron injections. These injections were not bad during my first journey, so I can say I was looking forward to getting the wheels rolling. Once you sterilize the injection site, Lupron lid, you can draw up the 10cc. It still amazes me how much I've learned about IVF in the last two years. The injection site is always my abdomen. I could use my thigh, but I have something in my head keeping me from stabbing my thigh - crazy, I know. My fleshy tummy seems meets the requirements easily. Each day I alternated the side to inject - I actually started getting mini-bruises. This is nothing compared to PIO injections. Can I get a holla? (from others using PIO)
After a week of my injections, I headed to the hospital for a lining check and to see if my ovaries were supressed. My u/s tech was so nice - I remember her from the last journey. She said everything looked good with my ovaries and my lining was thin - just like it should be. YAY for a cooperative uterus!
I continued the Lupron and began taking Estrace. The new med is a small, blue pill 2x a day. It is used to "build-up" my uterus and get it ready to welcome an embryo or two.
I had two more u/s before the big day. The first one freaked me out! The u/s tech said I had soem small follicles in my ovaries. I'm not supposed to have any! I'm not the ED!!! YIKES! Luckily, my clinic nurse said it was nothing to worry about. The second u/s was at the fertility clinic. The doctor is so calm - my lining was measuring at 9.5 so it was "ready".
Now it would be wait time...because the ED was not ready last week :(
For the past year, I have been playing roller derby with an amazing group of women in Iowa. They have given me something that I've never had before - a TEAM. As an adult, many of us forget about what made us happy as children, for me I found it again - skating. Roller derby is a sport that is intense, quick, full of strategies, frustration & fun. I've bulit friendships with women that I would typically not encounter during my day and they are some of the most amazing, considerate, giving women I know. Roller derby will be something difficult to give up for the next 9 months.
What that means is this: I am a gestational surrogate for a wonderful couple.
My surrogacy journey started many years ago. Before marrying my DH, I told him that it was something I've thought about doing since I was 21. He listened to me tell him about my sister who thought she'd never have kids. By the time my sister was 30 - she was finally pregnant with my first nephew. Although I knew I wouldn't be a surrogate for her, it was still something I thought about doing for another person. I've always enjoyed being pregnant (ok, maybe not the last 2-3 weeks) and I knew being a surrogate was in my future. Finally, when the time came, after my DH and I had our child, I began researching the topic.
I discovered an agency out east and went through the application process, medical screening and three transfers with an IP from Sweden. Sadly, our third transfer ended in March 2010. It was an amazing year with my IP. I wish I could've given my IP a child, but it was not meant to be.
After some soul searching and joining the roller derby, I told myself I wasn't finished pursuing this dream. The dream of carrying someone's little miracle! I looked closer to home for the second agency. This was a much better match for my, my DH and family. My new agency met with my family and I in September 2010. We were also screened by a psychologist, which was different from the first journey.
The next step would be to wait for a "match". Our case manager said it could be 6 months to a year before we could be matched with the perfects IPs. In my head I kept thinking about roller derby. I had already passed my WFTDA test and was placed on the A team. I had a lot of work to do, rules to learn, but was eager to be a part of the TEAM. By this time, I'd played one home bout in front of 100s of fans...that was exciting.
When the case manager called a few weeks later, I was in shock! She found potential IPs for us and thought we'd all be a great fit. Both parties were able to read applications and look at photos of one another. We all decided we would move forward. In November of 2010 it was official - I would help my new IPs become parents in 2011.
Since I miscarried with my first IP, the new Fertility doctor wanted to run some special blood tests to ensure that I wouldn't have another miscarriage. After the medical screening was complete in January 2011 we all knew we were ready. Everyone was trying to be ready for a February 2011 transfer but their ED (egg donor) would not be. This pushed everything out for an April 2011 transfer and gave us more time to complete the contract stage.
The contracts, not so much fun, were finalized a week before I started my Lupron injections. These injections were not bad during my first journey, so I can say I was looking forward to getting the wheels rolling. Once you sterilize the injection site, Lupron lid, you can draw up the 10cc. It still amazes me how much I've learned about IVF in the last two years. The injection site is always my abdomen. I could use my thigh, but I have something in my head keeping me from stabbing my thigh - crazy, I know. My fleshy tummy seems meets the requirements easily. Each day I alternated the side to inject - I actually started getting mini-bruises. This is nothing compared to PIO injections. Can I get a holla? (from others using PIO)
After a week of my injections, I headed to the hospital for a lining check and to see if my ovaries were supressed. My u/s tech was so nice - I remember her from the last journey. She said everything looked good with my ovaries and my lining was thin - just like it should be. YAY for a cooperative uterus!
I continued the Lupron and began taking Estrace. The new med is a small, blue pill 2x a day. It is used to "build-up" my uterus and get it ready to welcome an embryo or two.
I had two more u/s before the big day. The first one freaked me out! The u/s tech said I had soem small follicles in my ovaries. I'm not supposed to have any! I'm not the ED!!! YIKES! Luckily, my clinic nurse said it was nothing to worry about. The second u/s was at the fertility clinic. The doctor is so calm - my lining was measuring at 9.5 so it was "ready".
Now it would be wait time...because the ED was not ready last week :(
4dp3dt
At this point it seems like time is standing still. BLEH! I'd love to find a HPT that would tell me right now if my IPs are expecting! Everyone always talks about the tww - it is awful. I guess one thing to look forward to is we only have to wait 10 days for our first BETA. Six m,ore sleeps to go.
Once again though I'm finding myself obsessing about how early other surrogates, women ttc have see the BFP or the digital words "pregnant". After spending countless minutes, ok...hours on the Internet, I've come to the conclusion that I really should not even bother POAS until Saturday morning at the earliest...boo!
The cramping that I've had since Saturday has continued, but to my surprise it could just be a side effect from the Crinone. This was another big BOO! :( I finally read the pamplet that came with the medication to see what side effects were typical. Well I have about 5 of them - go figure! 1. Cramping 2. Heavy boobies (LOL) 3. Swelling 4. Frequent urination at night 5. Bloating
Honestly, I've been pregnant 6x myself - so you would think I would be able to tell the difference! Nope, not this stork.
At least it's hump day and my week is almost 1/2 over with. I do have a busy weekend with derby, charity walks, and a 3-year olds birthday party!!! I know these activities will keep my mind off of those pesky HPTs!
Once again though I'm finding myself obsessing about how early other surrogates, women ttc have see the BFP or the digital words "pregnant". After spending countless minutes, ok...hours on the Internet, I've come to the conclusion that I really should not even bother POAS until Saturday morning at the earliest...boo!
The cramping that I've had since Saturday has continued, but to my surprise it could just be a side effect from the Crinone. This was another big BOO! :( I finally read the pamplet that came with the medication to see what side effects were typical. Well I have about 5 of them - go figure! 1. Cramping 2. Heavy boobies (LOL) 3. Swelling 4. Frequent urination at night 5. Bloating
Honestly, I've been pregnant 6x myself - so you would think I would be able to tell the difference! Nope, not this stork.
At least it's hump day and my week is almost 1/2 over with. I do have a busy weekend with derby, charity walks, and a 3-year olds birthday party!!! I know these activities will keep my mind off of those pesky HPTs!
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