I am officially the worst blogger ever. I left you all hanging with no answers after our embryo transfer and 2 week wait. I'd like to think I have a pretty good excuse but in all reality I've just been lazy. Alas, I promise to give you the whole update and not skimp out on any details.
My last update ended at 4 days past our embryo transfer. Well 2 days later at 6dpt (days past transfer) we got this result:
See that super faint, almost invisible line? Well so did we. That was the start of some very happy news. I then continued to take at home pregnancy tests daily and we watched the line get darker and darker.
Our first blood test at the fertility doctor was on 10dpt. The doctors consider anything over 50 to be a positive pregnancy test.. Ours was WAY above 50:
The doctors were very happy with this number and considered us totally pregnant. They even said with a number that high they expect there could be multiples! We were pretty confident there were two babies in there as well. We had our second beta test on 12dpt. A normal result would be around 1,500-2,500. Ours, again, was WAY above that:
We were over the moon! We both cried and decided we were in the clear to start telling our friends and family. Since people were already so involved in our IVF process there wasn't much room for surprises. My parents were asking about the blood test results before I even had the blood drawn. Luckily, I was able to hide it from my two best friends and revealed it to them like this:
So all was well, everyone was happy and excited and we started to really celebrate our IVF success. We've come so far! We deserve this and we are so happy to see the fruits of our labor paying off. Then came the scariest moment of our lives when I began bleeding. We're not talking a little bit of blood that could be considered spotting; we're talking a LOT of blood with blood clots and abdominal cramps. We expected the worst. The doctors put me on bed rest until they could see me the next day. I was seen at 5w3d and they told me it was too early to see anything and they were right. They also told us that bleeding is common in IVF pregnancies and that I could bleed again. They told me not to stress and when it happens to lay down and put my feet up. It happened again at 5w5d. I was seen again at 5w6d. This is when the doctor confirmed there were TWO gestational sacks! Twins!
She was also able to find the sub-chronic hematoma which was the bleeding area. She said it was fairly small compared to those she's seen before and she was not worried about it at all. She also said there was a good chance I would bleed through my whole pregnancy but it would not affect the babies. We left there feeling really relieved and so happy that it was confirmed that we were having twins! We started telling pretty much everyone, "we're having twins!" We started to really wrap our heads around what that meant for us.. Double diapers, double feedings, double EVERYTHING! We're gonna need a bigger house, bigger cars, two babies?! What!? We started talking twin names, looking at twin products. We got to see our twins and their tiny little heartbeat flickers @ 6w5d:
Baby B on the left was right on track, measuring at 6w5d. Baby A was a little behind measuring at 6w1d. The doctors weren't worried at this point and said as long as they are measuring plus or minus 5 days it is nothing to worry about. Today we went in for our 7w5d ultrasound. This is when we got the news that Baby A hasn't grown much in the past week and they didn't see a heartbeat. Baby A measured at 6w2d while Baby B measured at 7w2d. The doctor informed us that this is common in twin pregnancies and it is likely that Baby A will either miscarry or absorb into the uterus. Yes we we're sad. The loss of one of the lives inside me is not something you just shrug off. But at the same time we have SO much to be happy about! We got to hear Baby B's heartbeat and it was the most amazing sound I've ever heard. Here's he is in all his glory; our alpha fetus:
We mourned the loss of Baby A for however we knew this was a possibility and we are just as happy to have one healthy baby as we would have been to have two. We also graduated from the fertility clinic today. Que another onset of emotions. What a journey this has been! To be leaving the comfort of this clinic we know so well; the doctors and nurses and even the receptionists we have grown to love and trust; to be discharged out into the world as a regular ol' pregnant couple. We have accomplished what we set foot in there to accomplish and now it's time for my body and nature to run its course. We are so grateful for this experience and all the wonderful people it has lead us to. All the trials and tribulations, every monumental step in the right direction; it was all worth it for this outcome. We are pregnant with a child that is equally me and equally him. We will raise it together in love and unity; teach it right from wrong and love it unconditionally.
Next week we go to Kaiser for our first OB appointment. A new set of doctors, a new facility, new rules and protocol. We are beyond excited for the continuation of this journey. Thank you to every single one of you who have tuned in to read the updates, supported us through kind words or prayers, and held my hand as I cried and rejoiced through this journey.
This is truly a Christmas Miracle we will never forget.
