I knew I wanted to breastfeed Kate and began doing so shortly after her birth. After a bit of help from the postpartum nurses, we were a great team and both mommy and baby were successful! Although it did take quite a bit of getting used to, I really enjoyed our moments together when I was nursing. It truly is an amazing bond!

With that said, the tenderness, leaking, engorgement, and back pain did cause a little frustration. I was impressed at how fast the baby weight came off as well, and I do attribute it to nursing. When Kate was around 2 months old, she began fussing a bit at the breast and I became a little worried. She would nurse, but not nearly as long as she should have and sometimes I wouldn’t even have a letdown. I knew she wasn’t getting enough to eat. I became more and more concerned and started reading everything that I could about nursing. I thought maybe it was something “with me” and she wasn’t getting enough milk, or maybe it was coming too slow or too fast?!

It wasn’t long before, I had a lactation consultant come to the house to offer breastfeeding advice and support. She weighed Kate and even watched her nurse. Maybe it was possibly a latch issue? When the consultant left, she concluded it was the dairy in my diet that was causing Kate to nurse for a few minutes and then pull off, cry and push away. I can’t tell you how frustrating this was, being a new mommy and I couldn’t feed my baby! She told me to cut the dairy out of my diet and things would improve.

I immediately cut the dairy out and was anxiously waiting for things to get better. I was told it could take a few weeks. Things did not get better so in the meantime we were at the pediatrician 3 times and were finally referred to a gastrointestinal specialist. (Keep in mind the pediatrician really didn’t think it was a food issue, but he was perplexed, as was everyone else that I shared my struggles with.) The GI specialist agreed that it was a food tolerance and more specifically a protein intolerance in ALL dairy foods and possibly even soy.

So I continued to cut out the dairy and I really watched the amount of soy I ate. Things would get better for awhile and then she’d become so incredibly fussy so we’d end up back at square one. During all of this, I was pumping throughout the day and trying to nurse here and there. I didn’t want to lose my breast milk, because I was so committed to nursing. After about 3 more months of pumping and sporadically nursing I had to call it quits because we didn’t see consistent improvement with Kate. I had such a hard time quitting as I felt I was a failure. The specialist said that it could be too many things causing the problems: dairy, soy, wheat, eggs, nuts just to name a few.

There was no way I could eliminate all of this from my diet, especially because we still didn’t know exactly what item(s) were the culprit! So in the end, we put Kate on a very specialized formula called Elecare and that did the trick. After having her on this formula for about a week, she was an entirely different baby!

Moral to the story: you can’t plan everything and although I would have liked to nurse her for a year I learned I needed to “Go with the flow!” We now have a very happy and healthy baby that is almost 9 months old and is gradually working in wheat, soy and dairy. The GI believes she has outgrown the intolerance.

Hopefully others who experience this will see our post and be able to check into any food tolerances earlier than later. It was a pretty easy fix with the special formula (Elecare) once we got the problem pinpointed.

It’s been way too long since I last posted. Baby Katherine is already here and is just shy of 9 months. Who ever knew that 9 months could go so fast? Let’s rewind to last December when our little princess arrived.

We went to the hospital for an induction on a Thursday, thinking that I would deliver by that evening. The induction began early that morning and I was hooked up to Pitocin and even had an epidural by 7 a.m. (The epidural was due to a low platelet count, not pain at that point.) The next three days were spent in Labor and Delivery….drugs, interventions, pushing, contractions….you name it!!! Finally on Saturday morning, we had a C-Section (my bones were too narrow to deliver her naturally!) It was quite the ordeal getting her into this beautiful world (induction + 3 epidurals + 3 days later = spinal and c-section and one tired mommy!)

I remember the moment that I first held her and I thought to myself mine, she’s actually mine! It’s an amazing feeling holding your baby for the very first time. Even more amazing is the fact that not too long ago we even wondered if we’d be able to have children. The once microscopic tiny frozen embryo was now a beautiful, dark haired baby. I am reminded everyday that miracles do indeed happen.

So now at 9 months we are enjoying life as a family of 3 and couldn’t be happier! I am so looking forward to keeping you updated in all the pleasures that life holds with a baby as well as the joys of celebrating a successful Frozen Embryo Transfer.

Baby Sex Selection

Yes, we are living in a day and age where couples are able to select the sex of their baby prior to pregnancy. Whether or not you believe in this practice, it is being done. Some couples desire to have a child of a particular sex in order to prevent certain medical illness, while others simply want to even out their families. Without using sex selection techniques you have about a 50% of conceiving a male child and a 50% chance of conceiving a female child. Sex selection methods are done to increase the odds in favor of having either a male or female child. Sex selection is a very controversial procedure, and as you can imagine many ethical and moral concerns come with it.

Sex selection is also commonly referred to as gender selection. Dependent on the method that you choose, you may only be increasing your chances of a particular sex by a small percentage or it can be as much as 99.9 % accurate.

Gender or Sex Selection Methods

The Gradient Method of sex selection is the least expensive of sex selection technologies. With that said, it also yields the poorest success rates of all three methods. Sperm from the father is placed in a fast spinning machine called a centrifuge. The goal is to have the X and Y-chromosomes separate. X chromosomes weigh more and the hope is that they will be identifiable through this separation process. Sperm then from whichever sex is desired is selected and used for IUI. This procedure on average will cost a couple $600.00 not including the cost and fees associated with IUI.

Flow Cytometry is another sperm sorting technique. Fluorescent dye is used to identify the X chromosomes. The dye will stick genetic material of the sperm. It is thought that the sperm with the chromosomes X will have more dye because they are made of more genetic material. The X and Y sperm are then separated with the use of a laser machine. Desired sperm is then used for IUI or IVF. Success rates with flow cytometry are much greater, about a 60-70% chance of conceiving a child of the desired sex.

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is one of the most successful techniques for sex selection. The process is complex and it involves the creation of embryos. Once the eggs have been fertilized and embryos have been created, the embryos will be analyzed for cell structure and DNA. The embryo is given time to divide and after about 3-4 days one cell is removed from each embryo. This one cell will be able to give information of the genetic makeup (gender) of the embryo. The desired embryos are then used for the embryo transfer for IVF. PGD yields about 99% accuracy for achieving the desired gender. PGD is much more expensive, it ranges from $2,000 and $4,000 plus the costs related to the IVF procedures.

Our First Little Girl, Kate At 24 Weeks

I am just at 25 weeks and can’t believe it! In the beginning, the pregnancy seemed to be going by very slow and now it seems like the weeks are passing by in the blink of an eye. I had a doctor’s appointment and an ultrasound last week and everything looks great. I always get excited to see the doctor. The appointments don’t consist of much other than a urine sample, weight and blood pressure, but just the mere fact that I am there as a pregnant patient makes it exciting in itself. As I have mentioned before, I really love my doctor and she always puts a smile on my face. I had to get a test done for CMV because I found out that a child in my school in a carrier. As I understand it, CMV can cause some pregnancy complications, including birth defects, but practicing good hygiene habits should help keep me healthy…. needless to say, hand sanitizer is my best friend.

I did get a call today from the doctor’s office because I needed to reschedule some of my appointments and I found out that she is gone the week that I am due…major bummer!!! There are three doctors in the practice and I have met two, so I look forward to meeting the third. You never know who will be on call when I deliver.

At my ultrasound everything looked perfect! She was hiding her face through most of it, so we didn’t get a lot of facial pictures. The ultrasound technician also mentioned how active she was. (Yes, I know!!!) They guessed her weight at about 1.8 pounds, which puts her at the 56th percentile. I’ll be anxious to see how much she weighs at birth.

This past weekend Mike and I headed to Babies “R” Us to begin our registry. Doing it on the weekend was not smart as the store was crowded with babies, pregnant women, and clueless dads. We did enjoy ourselves though and Mike had fun scanning all of the merchandise. We weren’t able to complete the entire registry, but we’ve got a great start. I need to do a little more research on some things and get some advice from my friends that are experienced moms before we add any more to the registry. As I told Mike, “It’s a work in progress!”

We are also in the beginning stages of starting the nursery. It has been cleaned out (thanks to Mike) and decisions are being finalized with bedding selections. We were able to order the crib and dresser a week ago and will have to decide on a rocker in the near future (I am waiting on fabric samples from the bedding to match up with fabric for the rocker.) I am envisioning a beautiful pink and white nursery when it’s all complete.

All in all, I am feeling great and loving life. I am able to keep up my energy at work and have continued with water aerobics about 3 times a week. I am falling asleep without effort and night and am frequently awakened by kicking and hand movements throughout the night. I couldn’t be happier and I am anxious to see what the next few weeks bring.

Wendi at 22 Weeks!

I am 22 weeks and feeling better than ever. My belly is expanding and I am feeling our little girl move all around…such an amazing feeling! I had to head back to work this week, as school starts in a few days. I will miss my usual summer days of water aerobics; instead I will have to opt for the evening classes. I will definitely miss the bright summer mornings working out in the Arizona sun.

I didn’t tell my coworkers that I was pregnant, so arriving back at school this week was exciting in itself. I bought a t-shirt that said “Tickled Pick” to announce the wonderful news that we were expecting. Many friends and coworkers said that I wasn’t showing much, but not being able to fit into my old clothes is a sure sign that I am indeed pregnant and growing. I feel like I am walking around school glowing and am really happy when I am congratulated. (If everyone really knew what a feat it was to get pregnant in the first place!!!) I am anxious to see how some of the parents of my students will react, as parents are sometimes weary of having a “pregnant” teacher. They are concerned about the amount of time I will be away from the classroom. So needless to say, I am working on finding the perfect fit for a substitute teacher while I am on my maternity leave. That’s awhile off, so I thought I’d post something fun…I thought of “22” things I am enjoying at 22 weeks pregnant.

1. Actually beginning to look like I am pregnant.
2. Slowly fitting into my maternity clothes.
3. Feeling so happy!
4. Feeling the baby move.
5. Seeing the baby move.
6. Having Mike feel the baby move.
7. Picking out our babies name, “Katherine”.
8. Not having to keep my pregnancy a secret anymore at work.
9. Buying the cutest little girl outfits.
10. Trying to find her the perfect bedding.
11. Picking out her nursery furniture.
12. A hearty appetite.
13. Energetic!
14. Gathering advice from friends and family.
15. Spending quality time with my husband.
16. Thinking about all of the possibilities for middle names.
17. Beginning to prepare the nursery.
18. My ever-growing belly!
19. Getting ready to register.
20. Enjoying cat naps while I can still take them.
21. My new body pillow.
22. Thinking PINK, PINK, PINK!

Methods of Assisted Reproduction

What is Assisted Reproductive Technology?

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) includes IVF but there are also some other methods used that are customized to the specific diagnosis of the patient or couple. Most ART procedures typically deal with the use of fertility medications. Success rates for ART procedures are at an average of 30%.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is when fertilization takes place outside of the body. In vitro fertilization, also known as IVF, yields the highest success rates of all forms of assisted reproduction. Male factor infertility (sperm quality and quantity) or female issues may require some couples to pursue IVF. With IVF, a woman is given various fertility medications in order for her to produce a large number of eggs. When the eggs reach maturity, they are retrieved from the woman during a procedure called egg retrieval. At this time, the husband or partner will typically give a semen sample. The eggs and the sperm are put in a dish for fertilization. After fertilization occurs, anywhere from 3 to 5 days, the best embryos are placed back into the woman’s uterus, this is called and embryo transfer.

If there are severe male factor issues, it may be recommended that the couple pursue IVF with ICSI.

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) – In ICSI, a single sperm is injected into a mature egg. Then the embryo is transferred to the uterus.
• Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) – GIFT involves putting the eggs and sperm into the woman’s fallopian tube so that fertilization occurs within the body. (This procedure is not common.)
• Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) – ZIFT begins similar to IVF as the embryos will be created the same way and fertilized outside of the body. In the ZIFT procedure the embryo is placed back into the women’s fallopian tube rather than the uterus.

Donors: For various reasons, couples may need to use a donor when seeking assisted reproduction. Eggs, sperm and embryos are all available for reproductive purposes. For women who are older or unable to produce eggs, she may seek the use of a donor egg. If the couple also faces issues that are both male and female factor, they may decide to use donor embryos. Donor sperm is commonly used for male factor issues.

Gestational Carrier (Surrogacy): If a woman doesn’t have a uterus or has been medically advised against carrying a pregnancy, she may decide to use a gestational carrier. This means that she will undergo treatment similar to IVF and will produce multiple eggs. The eggs will then be fertilized by her husband/partner and transferred back into the surrogate. (A surrogate is a women who carries a baby and at birth, the baby will be raised by other parents.) Many legal and ethical issues surround surrogacy. Dependent on the fertility clinic and state laws, certain practices may or may not be allowed.

IVF Egg Freezing Is An Option For Women

IVF Egg Freezing Is An Option For Women Not Yet Ready To Have Children

Maybe you are a single woman, who hasn’t met Mr. Right, or maybe you aren’t ready to have children yet. Many women are now turning to cryopreservation (freezing) of their eggs (oocytes). Beginning at 30 years old, a woman’s overall fertility begins a slow decent, which really is more noticeable as a woman approaches her 40’s. This isn’t to say that you can’t have healthy children in your 30’s or 40’s; it just may become a bit more difficult.

When a female is born, her ovaries contain hundreds of thousands of eggs, meaning she has all the eggs she will ever have in her life. Once a young woman begins her menses (period) she begins to release the eggs. In a healthy female, one of her ovaries will send an egg into one of the fallopian tubes about once each month.

One of the most important factors when thinking about the chances of conceiving is a woman’s age. Age affects both the quantity and quality of eggs that a woman has; one of the biggest issues that challenges older women trying to conceive. One of the most recent developments in reproductive technology is the ability to successfully freeze a woman’s eggs prior to fertilization.

What typically happens during the egg freezing process?

• Egg retrieval – Similar to an IVF procedure, a female is given drugs to produce multiple eggs. Ultrasound-guided needles are used to retrieve the eggs from the ovaries.
• Egg maturity – Each egg is examined for maturity using a microscope and then selected for freezing.
• Preparation for freezing of the eggs – Eggs are treated in an ‘antifreeze’ solution before freezing. The current technologies (vitrification) for freezing eggs are raising success rates, but a great deal of data still needs to be collected.
• Frozen Eggs – The eggs that have been selected to be frozen are stored in tubes in a liquid nitrogen storage tank.

What happens when you are ready to use your eggs?

• Egg Thawing – each egg is thawed, not all eggs may make it through this process. Eggs that don’t are discarded.
• Egg Fertilization – each thawed egg is injected with a needle containing a single sperm from either your partner or donor. Injected a single sperm into an egg is a procedure called ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection of eggs.)
• Watchful Waiting – Eggs will be monitored for correct cell division as they develop into embryos.
• Embryo Transfer – Embryos are transferred into the uterus using a catheter, guided by ultrasound.

Freezing eggs allows a woman to postpone pregnancy for various reasons, but is still extremely controversial. Women feel that they are in essence “buying time” and holding on to their biological clock. The future is endless when in comes to reproductive technology. We aren’t yet sure where medicine and technology will take us. Currently success rates are still fairly low in regards to freezing eggs. For many cancer patients though, it gives them hope when before they were left with little or no options. Most professionals agree that there is still a lot of research to be done.

Dipping Oreos For The Doctor's Office!

This past weekend was great, very productive! Okay, well maybe my “to do” list didn’t shrink, but I still got a lot done. I woke up early Saturday morning and went to water aerobics and really enjoyed the workout in the beautiful Arizona sunshine. Straight from the gym, I headed to a local maternity store that was having a great summer sale…everything in the store was 50% off! (How could I pass that up?) I brought my mom along to help me pick out clothes and get her honest opinion. The store wasn’t too crowded when we arrived, but it didn’t take long before all of the pregnant women looking for great deals arrived. Both my mom and I managed to gather armloads of clothes and headed to the dressing room. I ended up leaving with some pretty cute and very practical outfits. I don’t quite fit into all of them yet, but I am sure it won’t be too long. I came home and had a fashion show for Mike, who agreed that all of my purchases were good ones.

Mike and I went to the pool in the afternoon and then headed to a movie and dinner. I have to say, I am not a big “movie-goer” and I am not sure why. I like movies, but I don’t head to the theater all that often. Mike actually bribed me in a way. He said that if I’d go to the movies, then we could finally name our little baby girl. Of course it didn’t take me long to say, “I’d love to go to the movies!” So now we aren’t calling our little girl, baby anymore. We have officially named her Katherine, with a nickname of Kate. What a beautiful name! We had a few other names that we liked too, but we’ll save those for siblings. After the movie, we went to one of my favorite places for dinner and it was nice to relax and enjoy a great dinner with my husband.

Sunday morning I got up and did a few running around errands. I am heading this week to visit my reproductive endocrinologist and I always bring them a sweet dessert treat, so I needed to get stuff for that. Since we are having a little girl, I wanted to do something with pink. I decided to dip Oreos in white chocolate, yum!!! I actually did half in white chocolate with pink sprinkles and the other half in pink chocolate with white sprinkles. I finished them off in a cute jar tied with a big pink and white ribbon. I really appreciate all of the support and love we received from our doctor, so I enjoy doing little things like this to show our many thanks!

I’ll hit the 21-week mark this week and am looking forward to all that this week has in store!

Water Aerobics During Pregnancy

During the IVF process and pregnancy, most doctors will suggest that you keep a moderate exercise regime that consists of low-impact exercises. Keep in mind your exercise habits prior to IVF and conceiving, so that you don’t over exert your body. If you plan on continuing exercising or you are beginning from scratch, one of the best ways to workout is in the water. Many fitness facilities and gyms offer water aerobics (also known as aqua aerobics) classes. Water aerobics is a low-impact aerobic and strength training workout that is easy and not as demanding on your joints.

Exercising in the water is easy and safe. Water aerobics is perfect for those who are just beginning to workout as well as those who are seeking something more advanced. Many women realize that they are able to tailor the workout to their individual abilities and levels. It may be beneficial to advise the instructor that you are trying to conceive or are pregnant, as he/she will help guide you and modify your workout based on your particular needs.

When you begin your water workout you will notice that the resistance of the water will allow you to push or pull, which will increase your strength. There are numerous pieces of water equipment used to augment your workout. There are foam water weights (like a mini barbell), gloves for the hands, and weights for your ankles. Your particular water class may also use noodles, kick boards, and various elastic bands for strength training and toning exercises. The buoyancy of the water permits you to do movements and work muscles that you aren’t able using traditional exercise equipment.

Most water aerobics classes are designed similar to conventional aerobics classes on land. You will begin your workout with a warm-up/stretch, then proceed to cardiovascular exercises that will raise your heart rate, and you will close will relaxation and final stretching. Some women find that their feet will get sore from the bottom of the pool, a pair of water tennis shoes or other water shoes will help.

Important reminders:

1. Enter the pool using stairs, rather than jumping or entering from the side.
2. Remain at chest level in the water, throughout the majority of your workout.
3. If you workout consists of jumping exercises, make sure that your belly remains in the water the entire time. Either make smaller jumps or find an alternate exercise.
4. Drink plenty of water during your workout. Even though you are in the water, you still can sweat!

Towards the end of pregnancy, when many women experience swelling, being in the water (pool) will be able to help alleviate swelling issues. Also, as pregnant women become bigger and more and more uncomfortable, relaxing in the pool can be very calming and comfortable. Many believe that a consistent water aerobic regimen throughout pregnancy may ease the discomforts or labor.

Water aerobics is perfect for people of all ages and is a low-impact alternative during the stressful IVF process, during pregnancy as well as after birth. It will allow you to keep an active lifestyle in a healthy, undemanding manner. Before beginning any exercise program, make sure to discuss your health and exercise choices with your doctor.

Right Before Successful FET!

I am just about at 20 weeks pregnant after IVF and had another doctor’s visit today. Things are going great and I am feeling wonderful. The doctor checked weight, blood pressure and the baby’s heartbeat, which is at 140 bpm which is perfect! I began feeling little movements the night after my last ultrasound, which was about a week and a half ago. It wasn’t the feeling that I expected. It felt more like a little bubble. I am noticing it more and more, especially after a meal. My appetite has been hearty and I have to be very careful of what I am eating, because I could easily put away more calories that I really need. I am very conscious of my diet and I really am counting fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. The doctor said I am at the lower end of the scale in terms of weight gain because I have only gained 7 pounds so far. Hey, the more weight I put on means the more weight I have to lose after the baby is born! I still have 20 weeks to go, which could easily mean 20 pounds.

At my last doctor visit, she said to stop sleeping on my back and try my sides instead. As I understand it, sleeping on my back isn’t good because of major blood vessels. I am trying to best to stay on my sides; I think a body pillow is in my near future!

I have been looking at cribs this past week and really need to make a decision. Some of the cribs can take up to 12-16 weeks for delivery! I think it really just comes down to picking one and going with it, if there weren’t so many choices it wouldn’t be so hard!

I am not quite in maternity clothes yet, although much of my current wardrobe isn’t fitting quite right. I think in another week of two, I’ll be able to pull off some of my maternity outfits.

All in all, I am feeling fantastic. I seem to have more energy than the first trimester, but I do get tired in the afternoons (which very well could be due to the summer heat). I look forward to seeing my baby bump increase. Mike and I have a lot to do in the few weeks to month; begin our registry, order furniture, and clean out the “soon to be” nursery.

What an exciting and happy time!