Sunday, August 29, 2010

625th Issue of the LFCA

Welcome to today's edition of Connections Abound. The point of Lost and Found is to level the support playing field. When LFCA works correctly, the newest blogger with the smallest readership can receive the same level of support as the oldest blogger with the largest readership. Anyone can submit news to LFCA by clicking here.

Lost and Found is open to anyone in the
infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, pregnancy-and-parenting after infertility, assisted conception, living child-free after infertility or loss community (as well as anyone I inadvertently missed on that list). Please support the list as well as anyone posting announcements below.

Connections Abound

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
New
  • Connection: [from the editor] Please let me know in the comment section below or by emailing directly (if you wouldn't mind me connecting you with another blog reader) if you've written about the following situation or experienced the following situation and would be willing to talk about it. This blog reader is searching for posts or people about a husband's inability to produce a sample (when producing a sample, he could not produce enough). If you can give advice, please leave your blog name in the comment section below, or email me and I'll connect you.
  • Project: All Aboard the Pity Boat is making pomegranate bracelets for Infertility's Common Thread. If you would like a bracelet, please visit her blog and read the details.
  • Publication: Tablet Magazine had an article about Keiko Zoll and Phoebe Potts -- art and infertility.
  • Project: The Hopeful Journey writes: "Complete this survey to help me collect information about tracking infertility treatment."
  • Blog Move: Genevieve aka Kakunaa has moved her URL to http://gvandmonkey.blogspot.com. Please update your links! She doesn't want to lose everyone!
  • Advice: Savor the Moment writes, "I've reached my year mark so I can FINALLY go see the doctor to see whats up with my baby making tubes. I need some advice for my first visit."
  • Advice: Georgie doesn't have a blog but is considering doing a FET while still breastfeeding and was wondering if anyone else has any experience with this? If anyone was willing to leave their experience/advice/stories (both positive and negative welcome) in the comments she would be very grateful.
Old
  • First Time Reading the LFCA: If this is your first time reading the LFCA or you need a refresher about how the LFCA works, please read this post. It has everything you need to know about getting your news in the LFCA.
  • Quicklink Resources: Regular ALI Blogroll: If you would like your blog added to the ALI blogroll, please email me directly with your blog url and category pick. More information about being added is contained in that link. Password-Protected Blogroll: If you would like your password-protected blog added to the blogroll, please fill out the form.
NEW BLOGS (started in July or August 2010)
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES (celebrate your birthday or blogoversary with the community. Send me date at any point and I'll post them on the correct day)
  • No Baby Ruth is celebrating her birthday on September 1st. Go sing her a little song.
  • Our Own Creation will be celebrating their anniversary on September 4th. Go wish them congratulations.
LOSS REMEMBRANCES (send in the dates of loss anniversaries and I will post them on the correct day)
  • None Today.
LOSS ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • Abracadabra Baby just received bad news on her third beta and is having a chemical pregnancy.
MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT AND CELEBRATIONS (scary scans, anxious waits, OHSS, and a host of other reasons why these bloggers could use some additional support right now. Also, celebratory retrievals, transfers, and other good news)
  • Noelle was expecting her little girl to come home from NICU but they have had a small setback and she has to stay a little longer.
  • Jo over at MoJo Working has been shocked to find out her 21 year old stepbrother and his wife are expecting. Please offer support.
  • After the loss of their daughter at 34 weeks, Sesame-seed-sized Dreams were ready to begin trying again. However the process has been held up by paperwork and bureaucracy.
  • On (In)Fertile ground's quadruplets are home from NICU, but have some health problems and Sonja is feeling overwhelmed (as well as overjoyed, of course). She could do with some kind words.
  • Gwinne expects a negative beta after this IVF turned IUI. This was her 16th cycle in two years. She's shifting gears to unmedicated IUIs before considering donor egg. She'd appreciate feedback from poor responders who got pregnant by means other than IVF. And really she could just use some support.
  • Denise had back-to-back IUIs over the weekend. Wish her good luck!
BEDREST BABES: on bedrest following infertility or loss and needing support. Drop in on them and keep them company.
  • Jen had a rescue cerclage at 27 weeks and is now in the hospital on bedrest for the duration.
  • Amy is on modified bed rest at 27 weeks with twins and is having trouble understanding and dealing with her 3-year-old's behavior. Any wisdom, insight, or advice would be appreciated!
PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
  • After a rough start with low betas, Journey Towards Our Baby saw a heartbeat!
  • C by the Sea is scheduled to deliver her babies by C-section on Tuesday.
  • Amy writes, "My friend is experiencing a huge uncertainty in the early weeks of her pregnancy. She should be 9 weeks...but is only measuring 6 weeks, she hasn't seen a heartbeat yet...and she started bleeding on Friday. She doesn't have a blog but I would appreciate any prayers for her. It's her first BFP, and I know this community knows what she is going through."
BIRTH AND ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • Minta gave birth to a boy, Baby G, on the 27th. Go wish them congratulations.
  • Sacha and Megan from Babycakes have welcomed their baby girl. Go wish them congratulations.
    Gayby Rabies has 2 new arrivals! The twins have made their appearance, so go over and give them congratulations!
    Carolyne and her husband welcomed Oliver on Tuesday the 24th. Go wish them congratulations.
Read and Support

8 comments:

Roccie said...

Hi Georgie. Ugh, you got yourself a tough one here. I almost dont want to post first - please read around to make sure you get all the information.

My response isnt advice, just what I heard on my end. And I am "old". Maybe you are not old and this isnt an issue for you? (Get you-self a blog, girl, it rocks!)

Due to my age, my RE recommended I stop BF to get a period to start our FET. I stopped BF after only 6 mos.

I was horribly disappointed, but aging eggs are worth fighting for. The baby is fine, of course, and now it seems absurd I allowed myself to get so worked up. But this is my style, getting worked up.

Best wishes Georgie. FET is delightfully simpler than IVF.

At the risk of starting a riot, consider digesting LLL with a grain of salt....

bleu said...

I began my IVF's and first FET while still breastfeeding. From what I researched back then after the first year it was much less an issue to still be BF'ing. My RE never had an issue with it.

Jendeis said...

Mel, you can pass along my name to the person who's having trouble with samples.

Heidi said...

Interesting to read bleu's comment. My RE wouldn't let me do an FET while stlll breastfeeding; he said the medication wouldn't be safe in my breastmilk. I just couldn't bear the idea of stopping breastfeeding for something so iffy (in our case--a limited supply of frozen embryos, with no chance for more). So we delayed, my older son self-weaned at 2 1/2, I waited a few months so I could have a mammogram (I am old!), and our two boys are 3 1/2 years apart. Best wishes to you, Georgie. Hard to balance the needs of the first child with the desire for a second.

Sunny said...

I did an injectibles cycle while nursing (which produced my twins). My son was 16 months old and hardly nursing -- just once or twice a day, briefly -- so I decided it was worth it. My RE said he would go ahead as long as my prolactin level was within the normal range. He had me nurse my son and then they immediately took a blood sample, because right after you nurse is when your prolactin is at its highest. It was well within the normal range. And like I said, the cycle resulted in TWINS! For what it's worth, my older son weaned when I was two months pregnant. It was obvious that my milk had changed. You have to accept weaning as a possible side effect if your FET works.

napanangka said...

Georgie here - Thanks so much for your input everyone. I guess I was a bit vague about myself, I didn't want to clog up the front page of the LFCA but I'll give my background here. I am 28 years old with no diagnosis as such, but multiple IUIs (2 Mum family) over 2 years failed. Our son was the result of a fresh transfer of a single embryo from my first IVF cycle. I feel like I won the lottery to have my first IVF work, but he is now 14 months old and our thoughts are turning to a sibling.

Because of the time it took to conceive my son, I would like to start trying now. However it is clear that my son is nowhere near ready to give up the boob - he is usually only feeding 2 - 3 times a day but really relies on it for sleeping and comfort. And to be honest, I don't know if I am ready either. If the FET fails (we only have a single embryo on ice so chances for success are not good regardless of breastfeeding) we won't be in a financial position to do another IVF for at least a year, and are intending to do a max of 2 cycles, if they fail we plan to call it quits (of course this may change at the time!).

Basically, I'm worried that if I wean for the purposes of the FET/IVF and it fails, I will have weaned early for nothing. I'm scared that this may be the only chance i have to breastfeed a baby, and I just don't know if I am willing to sacrifice that for a better shot at a sibling. I completely understand if others have made that hard, hard decision, I just don't know if it's the right one for me personally

Roccie - Thanks for sharing your experience. Of course logically I know my son and I would be just fine if I weaned him... but emotionally I am having a hard time with it. It's comforting to hear from someone who's been there done that and come through just fine.

Bleu - I've also read that after one year the affect on your hormones is minimal, thanks for reaffirming that with your experience.

Heidi - Yes, "Hard to balance the needs of the first child with the desire for a second" really summarises how I'm feeling at the moment!

Sunny - Wow! What an awesome success story! Congrats on your twins. I actually hadn't considered that getting pregnant may cause him to wean, that has given me some pause for thought as well.

In the end, I have decided to go ahead with a natural FET this cycle, I would still welcome any comments or input.
Thanks again everyone who posted, this is such a fantastic and supportive forum.

PS. Sorry for the novel. Maybe I SHOULD start a blog!!

napanangka said...

Georgie here - Thanks so much for your input everyone. I guess I was a bit vague about myself, I didn't want to clog up the front page of the LFCA but I'll give my background here. I am 28 years old with no diagnosis as such, but multiple IUIs (2 Mum family) over 2 years failed. Our son was the result of a fresh transfer of a single embryo from my first IVF cycle. I feel like I won the lottery to have my first IVF work, but he is now 14 months old and our thoughts are turning to a sibling.

Because of the time it took to conceive my son, I would like to start trying now. However it is clear that my son is nowhere near ready to give up the boob - he is usually only feeding 2 - 3 times a day but really relies on it for sleeping and comfort. And to be honest, I don't know if I am ready either. If the FET fails (we only have a single embryo on ice so chances for success are not good regardless of breastfeeding) we won't be in a financial position to do another IVF for at least a year, and are intending to do a max of 2 cycles, if they fail we plan to call it quits (of course this may change at the time!).

Basically, I'm worried that if I wean for the purposes of the FET/IVF and it fails, I will have weaned early for nothing. I'm scared that this may be the only chance i have to breastfeed a baby, and I just don't know if I am willing to sacrifice that for a better shot at a sibling. I completely understand if others have made that hard, hard decision, I just don't know if it's the right one for me personally

Roccie - Thanks for sharing your experience. Of course logically I know my son and I would be just fine if I weaned him... but emotionally I am having a hard time with it. It's comforting to hear from someone who's been there done that and come through just fine.

Bleu - I've also read that after one year the affect on your hormones is minimal, thanks for reaffirming that with your experience.

Heidi - Yes, "Hard to balance the needs of the first child with the desire for a second" really summarises how I'm feeling at the moment!

Sunny - Wow! What an awesome success story! Congrats on your twins. I actually hadn't considered that getting pregnant may cause him to wean, that has given me some pause for thought as well.

In the end, I have decided to go ahead with a natural FET this cycle, I would still welcome any comments or input.
Thanks again everyone who posted, this is such a fantastic and supportive forum.

PS. Sorry for the novel. Maybe I SHOULD start a blog!!

napanangka said...

Sorry for the double post, not sure why that happened