We waited a bit longer for baby #3 in case it happened as quickly as it happened for #2, but we should have known we couldn't escape our infertility again.
I had my IUD taken out October 23rd, 2006. Four cycles in, I developed some extreme pain and found out I had developed a large ovarian cyst. It went away on it's own, but I got more each month. I went to the RE (reproduction encronologist) on cycle #6 to figure out why I was getting cysts. It was determined I was suffering from LUF (Lutenizing Unruptured Follicular) Syndrome which means my body makes follicles, the LH surge happens as it should, but the follicles won't release their eggs. The follicles then grow out of control (at one time I had 2 7cm and 1 9cm cysts) into functional cysts. This means I was ~not~ ovulating.
To get around the ovulation issue, my RE suggested IUIs with trigger. The trigger used HCG to forme my body to "let go of the eggos", but I failed to get pregnant. We had 2 IUIs and 1 mock IUI (all the drugs/monitoring, but no insemination) and all resulted in BFNs.
Then, my RE noticed something else on one of my ultrasounds and ordered yet another test called the HSS (hystosalinesonogram). The HSS test fills my uterus with saline as it's expansion is watched step by step under ultrasound. We saw my uterus did not expand and it was 70% seeled shut with scar tissue. I was scheduled for surgery. The first surgery was not 100% successful, so I ended up with 2 more. We tried IUI #3, but it was also unsuccessful.
In March, we started IVF with ICSI, but my transfer was cancelled due to thin lining. But from that IVF cycle, we made 9 embryos which were frozen. In April, we started an FET cycle and the embryos were transferred on May 5th.
We're Pregnant! ...
It was a roller coaster of a ride (the details can be read in the first few entries here), but out of the four embryos we transferred in May, one little fighter made it. I am under the impression everything was late because it was the 4th embryo that stuck. The "runt" was only 5 cells and this is why I'm 3 days behind in hcg levels and baby growth. It just had to be Ringo!
Telling Tom and everyone else ... This is our last baby, so I planned ahead. Actually, I planned this back in 2006. I was starting to think it wouldn't happen.
I had 3 t-shirts made. Ella's said "#1". Allison's said "#2". Mine said "#3 contained within". Here is a picture:
But due to the circumstances of this pregnancy, it wasn't a big surprise to the family. They knew what was going on, so we didn't just spring it on them. Still a cute picture though.
Birth Story ...
Far far in the future!
