..Update ~ Day 6-11..

Hi everyone!
As you can see I haven't posted an update since Day 5. We had a very busy weekend of moving my MIL and my FIL was in town so I have very little down time. Things went well and we got a lot done. Sunday, Mother's Day was hard this year! Last year, it was just me, my DH, SIL and MIL! Now there was a baby. Things just felt different. As much as I love my niece, it was hard for me to not feel sad. I want to be a Mom more than anything and seeing my SIL with her little girl was bittersweet as well as very emotional for me. I know my time will come. I BELIEVE this with all of my heart. I was able to enjoy the rest of the day with just my DH and it was exactly what I needed.

Day 6-11 went well for the most part. I didn't get my walk in on Thursday which was a bummer and had to wait until Sunday to walk again. I tried to stick to my meal plan as best as I could but I found it was harder not being home or at work. We ate out every meal and it was so tempting to be BAD. The only part I caved on was caffeine. I couldn't resist. I had been so good, I just told myself this is it and when Monday comes, back to no caffeine. This and the sweets have been by far the hardest for me. I have always had a big sweet tooth and all I want to do is eat candy all day at work. Some of the yummy food I had were Salmon and mashed cauliflower from Coastal Flats, Chicken Scaloppine from Macaroni Grill and a delicious Mother's Day brunch at Blue Water. I think I did very well with all the temptations that were around me. I drank decaf coffee which sucked, but didn't taste too bad.

Day 9 I finally got my walk in and it felt wonderful. This has been a huge reason of why I feel so great. I honestly can't tell you the last time I felt so calm and peaceful. I'm not going to lie and say that bad things don't creep into my head, because they do. The past few days I've been thinking about how I'm going to feel during this next IVF cycle. During the two weeks of stims (injections to produce multiple follicles) I feel great emotionally. I'm happy, excited and hopeful. Then the dreaded tww(two week wait until pregnancy test)starts. This is when the doubts really kick in. I worry that it's not going to work. That we will end up with O embryos to freeze and only 1 that survives for the transfer. This is what creeps into my head now and then. Our insurance covers this cycle, and we are hoping we are able to get two cycles out of it for baby #2! Once the $$$ is exhausted, then we are left with paying out-of-pocket $20,000 or waiting a year to try again when we can switch health insurance again to get full infertility coverage again. But, in the end I have to realized that this is all in God's hands. It's His will and His plan. I keep having dreams that it works this time. That everything I have done to prepare is the reason we get our BFP! I feel good about things.

Today, Day 11 I have incorporated Zinc & extra Folic Acid. NOTE-TO-SELF: TAKE WITH FOOD! Zinc helps with egg production, and cell division and Folic Acid is used to help prevent major birth defects of the brain and spine.
Looks like I won't get my walk in tonight. The weather here in the DC area is rainy. I could always use the tread mil in our gym at our apartment complex, but I hate exercising indoors because I get bored and I don't last long.

So things are still good. Trying to stay as positive as I can. I know that we are doing everything we can to make this work this time and this feels good. I can't believe it's already May. July seems like it's right around the corner!=)

I hope everyone is doing well. Praying for those who are waiting for their BFPs and for those who are pregnant!

Lots of sticky baby dust to all!

Lauren

..Day 5..

Here I am at Day 5 already. WOW! I still can't believe I'm actually doing all of this. I'm still doing well. I spoke with my Dr yesterday about the bleeding I was having and she said that it was normal as long as I'm not soaking a pad every hour. Lovely thing about having Endometriosis is it is very painful to wear Tampons. For years I could never understand why they hurt so bad. Ever since my first IVF cycle I've had to use pads most of the time...I hate them but they feel so much better and I'm not in as much pain. I'm only spotting now, so hopefully it stays like this and it goes away.

My next Lupron shot is 5/18/10. So far the side effects aren't that bad. I'm just really tired. Just praying it's doing what it's suppose to be doing. Still taking BCPs and I don't seem to be having any issues which is great.

Day 5 I did well. I ate breakfast again, got coffee from Sbux intending to get DECAF w/WHOLE MILK and got regular I was so distracted. I was so annoyed that I did this. Then, my sweet tooth was out-of-control yesterday! I normally do pretty well for sitting at a desk 8 hours a day with the exceptional food cravings once a month. Now that I'm not having periods I have no idea where the sweets craving is coming from. It doesn't help that the ladies I work with have a constant stash of candy laying around. It's so tempting.

I had another great walk. I've never enjoyed working out or looked forward to it. It's strange for me to be excited to get home from work and eat dinner so I can go walk. It really helps that our neighborhood is full of beautiful trees.

I'm still having lots of pressure down yonder and my Dr says not to worry. Obviously if the pain gets too bad to handle, then it's something to be concerned about. I hope it goes away and stays away this time.

6 days closer to start our journey towards parenthood! I'm so ready and so excited!=)

I have to get another walk in tonight because tomorrow and Friday my father-n-law will be in town to help us move my mother-n-law so there won't be much time for exercise. Hopefully Sunday after Mother's Day festivities I can squeeze one in.

Off to eat my morning snack.

Enjoy this beautiful day and don't work too hard!


Lauren

..Day 4..

***The rest of Day 3 went well. We had spaghetti for dinner that was amazing. I had a glass of whole milk for dinner{tasted like heavy cream, but so yummy} but didn't get my walk in due to the rain! Went to bed at a descent time but went to bed with a nasty headache. Overall it was a great day!

I can't believe it's already been 4 days since I started my IVF Diet!
I've been doing really well except for the getting up early in the morning part. I'm so tired lately probably thanks to the Lupron. Overall I feel pretty good. My positive attitude on things has really made a difference. I started to feel kinda yucky yesterday. I went to bed Monday night with a horrible headache and woke up with it. Then just when I thought it had stopped, the bleeding was back and heavy! I have been bleeding basically since April 9th and stopped for about 4 days for it to continue again yesterday morning. The pain/pressure on my rectum has started again and the pain when it's there is pretty intense. So I called my OBGYN and I'm waiting for a call back. I just want to make sure that nothing is wrong. I was doubled over in pain in the bathroom this morning here at work thinking I had to have a bowel movement, but it was just an intense amount of pain going from my rectum all the way into my bladder/uterus. Then the pain subsides and then I just feel the intense pressure. It hurts to sit and it hurts to walk. When I got this checked out a few weeks ago, my Dr said it was most likely from surgery. She removed endo from my bowel and bladder and the pain could be from this. Our biggest concern is getting me to July with all my parts in tack. My clock is ticking and we are trying to save me from a very early hysterectomy! I'm doing ok right now thank goodness. Just uncomfortable sitting at my desk. Even with all this to deal with, Im still HAPPY and feel great about everything!=)

Here is how Day 4 went:

Took my daily Prenatal with DHA{very important to take one with DHA because it helps with brain development}

Breakfast:
I ate at work too rushed at home. I had a piece of wheat toast with peanut butter and a half of grapefruit. I ate it like a champ and could have eaten more.

Lunch:
Chicken Salad sandwich on wheat toast, Greek strawberry yogurt and a non-caffeinated soda{not the best choice because of the sugars, but at least it was decaf}.

Snack:
Banana and a bunch of water{wanted more but started to not feel so well so I just stuck with water}

Dinner:
Cheated a little to make my hubby happy. We went to chipotle and I was not very hungry. I got a burrito and I think I ate like 4 bites of it and I was done. Didn't even snack later.

Exercise:
I got my walk in finally. We walked for about an hour and it felt amazing. I can't wait to go again tonight.

I went to bed at 10pm which is hard for me to do since I'm a night owl. I missed The Hills!=( So bummed but my body for our baby is way more important right now that a dumb reality TV show ya know?

I hope to go tonight to Trader Joes or Whole Foods to pick up some more of the essentials I need and the vitamins. After my walks, I'm so pooped the last thing I want to do is go back out.
I have what I need to get started with the diet I just want the added essentials that give you more of a boost in certain areas.

It makes me so happy that I feel so great about everything. This has been a very tough road for me and the fact that I'm able to push on and be happy consider what I'm currently dealing with with my body is huge!  I give all the thanks to God! He has been by my side the whole time even when I didn't feel he was. He won't let us down. I just know it.

I'm anxiously waiting to find out the exact day we will be starting in July. Hope to know in the next week or two.

I hope everyone is doing well.

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments, emails and hugs{my DS sisters know what these hugs are}=)! They mean a lot to me!

Talk to you all soon!

Lauren

..what is an ivf diet..

A lot of people have asked me what exactly is the IVF Diet so I decided that a post was neccessary to help those who are interested. A lot of the information that I have I simply found on the internet as well as friends.

If you are about to start an IVF cycle, now is the time to start the IVF Diet. Typically it's done 2-3 months before the start of a cycle, but even starting a few weeks before will help. It's essential both before and after{eliminating certain food after your ET}.

Here is a list of things that make up the IVF Diet:

The diet helps in many ways. Helps with egg quality, uterine lining, implantation, prevention of M/C's and so on. I didn't want to leave anything out, so I have copied and pasted the article that I am following.

If you have any further questions, leave me a comment and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Maintaining a proper diet is key when trying to conceive. Meals should be healthy and balanced, containing foods from every food group.

Organic foods, whole wheat, fruits and vegetables can all help increase a woman's chance of becoming pregnant. These foods contain lots of vitamins and minerals, which are key to conception and fetal development.
Protein sources, such as meat and poultry, help maintain healthy level of iron. Low iron levels at the onset of pregnancy increase the risk of developing postpartum anemia, which reduces a new mom's energy. Post-partum anemia affects 27% of women.
Vegetarian diets are generally healthy, but iron supplements are sometimes needed to avoid anemia when a diet lacks reliable sources of iron and dairy. Calcium and B12 supplements may be recommended.

While many women are wary of fish because it contains mercury, you should still try to eat fish with low mercury levels. These are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which boost fertility and heart health. Mercury is toxic to the fetus and stays in a woman's bloodstream for over a year. Fish that's high in mercury includes white tuna, shark, frozen swordfish and marlin. Fish that contain low levels of mercury include salmon, flounder, trout, haddock, tilapia, and canned chunk light tuna (not albacore). Experts say that it is safe for women to have up to 12 ounces of low mercury fish per week. If women still feel wary about eating fish, or if they are vegetarians, flax seeds are another good source of omega-3. Extra omega-3 is now being added to many foods, including yogurts and breads.

Choosing breads with whole grains will help to ensure that you get enough fiber. Whole grains also contain nutrients that help to stimulate total body health.

Make sure that you're getting enough calcium. Dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt and cheese are all good sources, however, these foods contain saturated fats, which should only be consumed in moderation. Many vegetables, such as broccoli, kale and oranges are as good a source of calcium as dairy products. Fish, such as sardines and salmon, are also good sources of calcium.

Vegetables, such as peas, broccoli and pumpkin, are also excellent sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. When choosing fruits and veggies, look for a bright hue; the brighter the color, the more nutrients the food contains. Blueberries, kale and red peppers are especially healthful. Antioxidants in these foods also help to counteract the negative effects of pollution and the sun on our bodies.

Oranges and lemons are a good food choice because they contain folic acid, which stimulates the development of female sex hormones, while reducing the risk of spina bifida in infants.

High-quality multivitamins are an excellent way to ensure that a diet contains enough nutrients. Vitamins containing zinc, folic acid and B vitamins are crucial. Zinc helps cell division in the development of the fetus, while a lack of zinc can decrease the production of healthy eggs prior to conception. Zinc is the only mineral conclusively shown to increase fertility rates. Vitamin B6 is rich in folic acid, while Vitamin B12 helps to absorb it. A supplement containing essential fatty acids is also important.

A high fluid intake is also important when trying to conceive. In order to stay hydrated, a woman trying to get pregnant should be doubly sure to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water and natural fruit juices (that do not contain added sugar) per day.

Some other items not listed that I've heard are helpful:

Green tea
Red Raspberyy Leaf Tea
Sunflower Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Walnuts
Exercise - I am exercising 3-4 times a week for 30-40 minutes{helps my mental state and I feel so content after}
Being overweight or underweight can also be a huge factor in a successful IVF cycle. I tend to be on the underweight side, so I have to be really concious of what I'm eating so I don't loose weight. Eating foods higher in fat for me{non-greasy} helps me maintain a healthy body weight.

If I've left anything out, I'll be sure to update. I feel like I am.

I only followed a few of things my first IVF cycle and I got a BFN. I'm following this plan to the T and feel so positive about my next cycle.

I hope that I have helped you understand the importance of preparing your body for an IVF cycle.

Thanks,
Lauren

..Day 3..

I told myself before I went to sleep lastnight that I need to make the effort to get up ontime during the work week from here on out. I have been really bad lately and I feel like crap when I get to work because I was so rushed.

As of today 5/3/10 I can mark this as day 1 of achieving this goal. It feels so good to have followed through with my plan. Yay for me!=)

This is how my has started:

I woke up at 6:30{so not a morning person} and showered first thing. I then made my breakfast which consisted of the following items:

• 1/2 a grapefrut
• glass of OJ
• peach greek yogurt
• fresh blackberries with one banana cut up

Lots of fruit. I wanted to squeeze in a piece of wheat toast but the fruit took over. Tomorrow I will cut back on the fruit and add in the wheat toast.

Lunch:

Had a hard time finding something at work high in protein so part of my lunch has been on track. I don't feel so bad since I got at least half right. No caffeine so far...this is huge for me! So far so good.

Snack:

Granola Bar and Cheese Nips

Dinner:

Spagetthi with Meat Sauce{suppose to eat lots of pasta which has Zinc..one of the supplements I will be taking soon}.

If the rain stays away, then after dinner I will walk for 30-40 minutes.

So we will see how the rest of the day goes.

Until tomorrow....

..Day 2..

Day 1 was getting things prepared for this journey and mentally preparing myself. The changes started on Day 2.

Day 2 is for Sunday, May 2nd 2010...

Sunday 5/2/2010:

Today I officially started the preparations for my next IVF cycle in July. I have made a promise to myself that I would do everything possible to help increase our chances of bringing home our TAKE HOME BABY{actually conceiving and bringing home the baby 9 months later - this is big deal in the IF world}.


I started with Exercise:
Walked for 40 minutes around my neighborhood with my pup. We have a really nice walking trail behind our apartment that is perfect for my daily exercise. Pup loved it too.  I felt so refreshed afterwards. If the rain will hold up, I will do another 30-40 minutes tonight{hoping DH comes this time}.


IVF Diet - Started off slow:
I went to the grocery store to get all the foods that I would need for the week to start my new mean plan. It consists of lots of fruit and foods high in calcium and protein.


Dinner wasn't really geared towards the diet, but like I said, I'm starting off slow. For an after dinner snack, I had a bowl full of fresh blackberries{so yummy} and a big glass of WHOLE MILk...Yes I said it, WHOLE MILK! Wow, I forgot how thick whole milk was. I grew up on whole milk, but in the past few years switched to 2% so this was a bit shocking at first. It was good even if it did upset my tummy a little.


Didn't snack on anything else{I'm known to be a late night snacker & the snacks I choose aren't the healthiest}. I went to bed around 11 pm and I felt so calm about things!


I'm very proud of myself for sticking to what I promised myself I would do. My health is important for our baby to come and I don't want to do anything to jeopordize this from happening.


Can't wait to update you on Day 3!


Chao,

Lauren

..preparing for IVF#2-day 1..

Today is May 1st.  Two months before July 1st when we can officially start IVF#2!  I won't know the official date of when we start until the middle/end of May.  Since I have been through the IVF roller coaster before, I know what to expect this time.  I know how to prepare my body and mind ahead of time for a successful cycle.  The first go-around as hard as it was to accept that it didn't work, I consider it our trial run.  I learned so much during this time.  I plan to do things differently this time.  We want this to work and to know that we tried everything we possibly could.  I'm excited for this next cycle and look forward to the steps leading up to it.  There are few things that I will be focused on doing that they say are the key to a successful IVF cycle.  I have done my research and I feel confident that with these changes that I will be making, we will see a difference.  

To give you an idea of what my next 2-3 months will entail, I have listed them below:

1.  Exercise for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.
2.  Start the IVF diet - It's a diet high in protein with lost of fresh veggies.  There is a huge list of things to eat that help with numerous things that go along with each step of how an embryo is formed and how it implants into the uterus.  Implantation is key to an embryos survival and we believe that this was one of our problems last time.  
3.  Accupuncture - Helps with blood flow to the uterus, egg quality, egg quantity, hormone levels and overall physcial health.  My insurance covers 40 visits so thankfully this will be free for us.
4.  Being ass stress free as I can.  The more relaxed I am, the more responsive my body will be.
5.  Vitamin Supplements - Calcium, Zinc, Vitamin E, B6, B12.
6.  Positive Attitude.  I feel good about things this time.  It has been hard to have a positive attiude towards something so difficult to deal with.  But I have seen God's hands work in so many woman's lifes this past year, I believe He will do the same for us.

I am committed to this new lifestyle!  I will do whatever it takes for us to be able to have a baby of our own.  It's going to take a lot of discipline and sacrifices, but in the end, it's so worth it and I wouldn't change a thing.

Thanks again everyone for all your love and support!  It means the world to me and my husband!

Till next time!

Lots of sticky baby dust to all,

Lauren