Seeking Moms Who Had Their Family via in Vitro Fertilization...

Hi K.,
My boss had both his daughters by in vitro and he and his wife are going for a 3rd!!

Good luck!

L.

Sorry I'm not a mom who did IVF but wanted to speak up for my sister who became pregnant after the first cycle. Her 3 year old daughter is the most beautiful child as well as the smartest child I've ever met. My sister was 33 years old at the time and her husband 36. They had been married for 8 years when they finally decided to try this route and they are so thrilled that they did.

Hi K. -

I just wanted to suggest a wonderful organization called Resolve. My husband and I joined it after I had 2 miscarriages and one ectopic pregnancy. In the end, I decided I had had enough and did not want to go through IVF (my chances were very slim at that point anyway). We adopted our daughter 8 years ago and we are a very happy family of 3.

In case you haven't heard of Resolve, it's a resource for all things infertility. We went to a symposium hosted by the organization, took lots of little seminars that day, got lots of referrals. I wanted very much to talk to other women going through what I was going through and we found a support group run by a wonderful therapist. That helped me immensely to heal, move on, get going with the path we chose, and get ready to be a mother in whatever way I could do it. I want to make it clear that no one urges you to go in any particular direction. It's merely a place to go to learn of what's out there to help you. Their web address is http://www.resolve.org

The cost to join was quite low and the therapist's fee for the support group was very reasonable. She had been through it all herself and was perfect for helping us go through our time.

I wish you all the best and I hope everything goes smoothly for you.
Colleen

hi,
i had my second daughter via IVF, the first one was doing an IUI. we only had enough money for one try, i was 39 and my husband 38. they were only able to harvest 7 eggs, and only 2 were viable. they implanted both, and my little girl survived. it was very tough, but totally worth the effort. we were really lucky. it was a bit hard with all the injections, my husband had to go away on a business trip and i had to learn how to shoot my own behind!
anyway, good luck and try and stay positive. :o)

Hi K., my husband and I tried to get pregnant for 3 years and finally looked into in vitro. It's a long process and at times the hormones made me very emotional. But we were very fortunate in that it worked for us the first time. Now we have a perfect little girl. She's 7 months old and we couldn't be happier. We're going to go through it all again for #2, and I'm honestly very excited. It won't be as tough this time because I know what to expect. And at this point, more children would be a bonus! I'm 40 now, was 39 when she was born. I wrote a blog about it, if you'd like to see what we went through step by step. www.pinkdombeya.blogspot.com
Hang in there and good luck!!!

All I can say is that I got pregnant on my first cycle and it was the most wonderful pregnancy. I ended up having beautiful healthy triplets. They are now 8 1/2 and are the loves of my life. I gave up smoking and drinking before I did the IVF. I also kept up my exercise and ate healthy. I would be very careful regarding herbal medicines and acupuncture. Check with your fertility doctor to make sure these things are okay. While I was pregnant, I walked but gave up all other exercise. I wanted to make sure that I did not do anything to jeopardize the pregnancy. I ate a lot of red meat for the iron. I did everything my doctors told me to do and I ended up having a full term pregnancy. I regained by body within 5 months after the birth.

Hi K.,
I went through IVF after several miscarriages and unsuccessful IUI attempts. It worked like a charm...I had 4 embryos implanted and ended up with twin boys (1st attempt) who have just turned 4 years old. I wish I could send you pics...they are absolutely beautiful and quite healthy! Also, I was older than you at the time (40) which is why we used 4 embryos. Also, I have a daughter who is 26 yrs (I was a teenager when she was born) who has been infertile and failed IUI (8 times). She just did IVF this past Dec. and is now 12 weeks pregnant (one baby/first IVF). She had more problems than I did with the ovarian stimulation, but she is slowly recovering. If you want to know more, please write me at ____@____.com
Good luck...hang in there...you will be pregnant soon!

I had b/g twins on my very first cycle of in vitro in 2004. However, my situation was a little different, I already had two teenage children. My husband and I had been trying for 2+ years. We were both given a clean bill of health. There was nothing medically stopping us as far as they could tell. When we discovered both our insurance covered the procedure, we decided to move forward. We went to the Sher Institute in Glendale. It was a wonderful experience. They implanted me with three embryos. It was suggested I try four, but most women I knew that did four ended up with triplets. My twins turned 3 this past November. It's such a fun age! I think keeping positive thoughts is key. Good luck with your procedure.

Hi K..
My husband and I did IVF and it worked on the first try using only one egg! I was 37 and he was 36 when we did it.
We had tried for 1 1/2 years and due to PCOS didn't have success. I did acupuncture leading up to the procedure and I truly believe it helped. The pregnancy was great and we now have a beautiful 12 month old son.
Good luck and stay positive!

Hi K.,

My husband and I tried to get pregenant for 3 years. We had 4 IVF's and 10 IUI's with no success. Crazy as it always sounds we got pregnant after I let go. I was 37 when I finally got pregnant. I had a few surgery's to clean out my pipes as well.

Now, I have 4 friends who all did IVF. The first had triplets on the first try, the second had triplets on the second try, the third had two successful pregnancy's with singletons and the 4th had one baby after two try's with donor eggs. All of them had a great attitude, good spirits, lots of prayers and a few did it with accupuncture along with it. I understand your feelings but I know there is a God out there and will give you a blessing of a child. Good luck!!! I'm sure your first time will be a charm!

I'm so glad to see that everyone has been so supportive. That's what you need - lots of love, support and even a couple cheerleaders in your corner! :)

We have 1 son (3 yrs) whom we conceived on the 1st try via IVF (I was 33 when he was born) - we had tried for over a year and half "au natural". I did have severe endometriosis, surgery & still no luck without IVF. We had been very hopeful that we could get pregnant on our own for #2, but after a year of trying (and now I was 35), my OB sent us back to our fertility specialist. We were blessed with getting pregnant with #2 on the 1st IVF cycle as well - we're expecting a girl in mid-March.

I can completely understand how you feel. I know how COMPLETELY overwhelming it can be and I can tell you that without question it was worth every second and every penny!!! When drugs arrived at the house it was overwhelming for me, but my husband and I did it together - so it was a team project from shots to appointments to support to lots of hugs & love from each other. I prepped all the meds & he did the shots (he's a trooper!). We had an AMAZING doctor, which for me made all the difference in the world. I needed someone who was "warm & fuzzy" as they say. He held my hand, gave out hugs and LOTS of support & encouragement. I couldn't have made it through without him.

I didn't have too much trouble with the meds making me sick, but after I got pregnant that's another story! :) I know the medicine regiment (sp?) is different for different people so I won't go into detail about what I took. But if you're interested, I'm happy to share. My doctor used the same protocol with both IVF cycles we did, so something must have right! :)

Please stay positive, IVF is an amazing experience (a little scary, sure), but it's an amazing journey, please try to enjoy the moment and use all the love and support from your family, friends and complete strangers (like us!) to help you through. It's pretty amazing to have pictures of your kids at about 8 cells old!!! If you have other questions, please feel free to email if you want (or just need someone to bounce around any thoughts - I'm happy to share with you. :) My email is ____@____.com.

I wish you all the luck and will be sending happy, healthy baby thoughts your way. Blessings and love to you and husband!
-E. :)

Hi K.,
IVF is the best thing that had ever happened to my husband and I. I have two beautiful boys. However it is a roller coaster ride. The drugs can be really hard on your body, and makes you very tired, and emotional. I think an important thing is making sure you are with a great group. I swear by my DR & staff. He got me Pregnant, and two of my girlfriends. One who had gone threw three IVF's with another DR. I did get pregnant my first IVF. The second time around I didn't, and had to do it again:( But the second was a success! It can be a ruff road, but so rewarding. I also have endometriosis, and PCO. If you have any questions...please feel free to e-mail me @ ____@____.com I would also suggest buying a package deal if your office provides one. You can also find some of the drugs less expensive from moms with left overs, and other resources. Good Luck, J. I have a yr old & a almost 4 month old

Hi K.!

My husband and I began our first IVF with ICSI cycle due to male factor in Feb of 06 and had the most beautiful, perfect baby girl in Dec of 06, after almost a year and a half of trying to get pregnant naturally. We also did everything you mentioned above, and I strongly believe the acupuncture helped us a lot. We went to an acupuncturist who specialized in fertility 2-3 times per week during our cycle and twice the day of the transfer - once before, once after. We also kept it up 1-2x per week until about 4 months and occasionally thereafter. So I am here to tell you have faith, pray, visualize, think positive thoughts, do everything you can to stay calm and healthy and you will have your dreams fulfilled! Oh, I was 30, DH was 43. Feel free to contact me anytim, good luck and God bless! =) A.

Hi K.
My husband & I went thru IVF 6 years ago we have 1 beautiful healthy little man. He came from our 1st & only try at IVF. I am more than willing to discuss any part of my proceedur with you that you would care to hear about.
K. D
____@____.com

Hi K.:

Here is another aspect you may want to consider. Its allergy elimination. I suggest you visit naet.com for more information and to order the book "Say Good-Bye to Illness." When I read the book I was amazed at how many patients trying to conceive had had allergies that blocked/interfered with getting pregnant. It of course may or may not be an issue with you and your husband. I am offering it purely as something to consider.

I have had many allergies cleared and go to Dr. Karaba in Fullerton. If you decide to consult with an naet certified doctor, there is a physician locator service at the website.

Best wishes. Here's the book information:

Say Good-bye to illness, 3rd Edition:
- Devi S. Nambudripad, M.D., D.C., L.Ac., Ph.D.

In this 3rd edition of Say Good-bye to Illness, Dr. Nambudripad, the developer of Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET®), xposes the truth behind the many health problems plaguing people today. In her book, Dr. Nambudripad gives a new definition for allergies and a deeper understanding of how our bodies relate to or retreat from the millions of natural and artificial substances around us.

Patients are encouraged to read “Say good-bye To Illness” prior to starting NAET® treatments with their practitioner. This book will give you some understanding about allergies, allergy related diseases, and how a non-invasive, easy to follow, holistic treatment can give you freedom to live comfortably again. Many case histories of managing various health problems are given in this book. Young infants from day five to older patients as old as 94 have been treated with NAET® with excellent results. Many so-called incurable problems have been traced to food or environmental allergies and treated with great success.

She shares the amazing story of her personal struggle to free herself from lifelong allergies and also explains the theoretical basis for her technique. The book provides hundreds of true testimonials and fascinating case histories of patients who have been treated successfully with NAET® for various allergy-based health disorders and living normally now.

Say Good-bye to illness is recommended reading for anyone who gets frequent acute health problems as well as who suffer from chronic health disorders. Dr. Nambudripad has helped thousands of people with multiple health problems by tracking down and reversing their allergies using NAET® techniques. She has trained over 9,000 practitioners all over the world so that people who suffer from allergies can find help in their local area. Her book is thoroughly researched and supported by many double blind studies

(JNECM, 2005, 2006, 2007). It is also supported by testimonials from practitioners, as well as success stories from hundreds of patients who have suffered and now live allergyfree.

Hi K.,
You have had so many responses which is so great! I found that support and encouragement were KEY in getting us through our IVF process. Unfortunately you have to take the bad stories with the good, but I hear your pain! I remember that "eveyone" had a story and I was so tired of hearing all the bad. Here is some good! We have 2 daughters, both from 1st cycle IVF, one fresh the other frozen. ( I am now 11 weeks pregnant the natural way, totally crazy!) Another key for us was our doctors and their staff...we went to Dr. Buyalos at Fertility and Surgical Associates and he/staff were WONDERFUL. The IVF process: Emotional, stressful, tiring, expensive, OUCH the shots, YUCK the nausea...but alll worth it! I wish you all the luck and love in the world. You can check my family out at www.babyjellybeans.com (type in Tova or Libi) and see the madness from the start. Email me at ____@____.com for more detailed info...I will be happy to share our "play by play". Take care,
S.

Hi K.. I had twins via IVF so I thought I would respond to you. I went this route because I miscarried naturally conceived triplets 3 years into my marriage. We tried for 3 years after that to conceive naturally and when I finally did it ended in an ectopic pregnancy which took one of my tubes (and almost my life) and left us with a lesser chance of conceiving on our own. The doctors recommeded IVF due to the higher risk of having another ectopic pregnancy which would have devastated me. The IVF route is one of ups and downs and took us 3 tries to get it right. The first round a lot of people go through is considered to be a test round (that is what I was told) because the doctor's are trying to get the dosage of medication right. I only produced one egg on the first round so I stopped the drugs and did an insemination. this did not work. The second round I produced 6 eggs (normally want 15-30). All were fertilized but only 4 were good enough to implant. I implanted all 4 but no pregnancy resulted. The third round I again produced 6 eggs (with even more medication) and again only 4 were good enough to implant. I chose to implant all 4 again. The result was the beautiful twins I have now. I had them tie my remaining tube as we are done with our family and I love them with my whole heart. The process of IVF is not easy as it doesn't work for everyone. My friend just went through it and it worked on the second round. I would tell you not to give up if it doesn't work for you the first time around. My opinion is to try at least twice. Most fertility clinics offer a break if you purchase 2 rounds up front. You are ahead of the game if you need both rounds but you do lose the money (extra $2,000 in my case which is a huge price savings) if you only need the one round. I paid the extra because I knew I wouldn't care about the extra $2,000 if it worked the first round and would be glad I did it if it didn't work the first time. Just something you might want to look into. I wish you tons of luck if you go this route and hope you will update me on your success.

Hi K.! I did not have my babies through IVF, but I did have them after over a year of trying with fertility medications and insemination. Our next step would have been IVF, but since my tubes were open and I had gotten pregnant before (which all ended in miscarriage) we decided to stick with the medication. I just had a set of healthy beautiful boys. One of my close friends did do IVF and she was 31 at the time. They put in 2 eggs and both eggs took on the first try. It can happen and I know how hard it is. Stay strong and positive and keep doing what you are doing.

Just wanted to throw out one more positive success story. I had a single and a set of twins through IVF, both on first cycle. I just believed with all my heart that it was going ot happen and I did evey little thing, no matter how small or stupid (burned green candles, ate hormone free meat, did positive visualization while they transfered). Best wishes for our family.

I want to let you know that I got pregnant through IVF in the first cycle when I was 36 years old. I had been to several different specialists that could not find out why I was not getting pregnant, except that I had endometriosis. I went to a specialist that decided to do surgery to remove the endometriosis and he also discovered cysts in my ovaries which he removed along with the endometriosis. He put me on a shot (I forget the name) after the surgery which put my body in a menopause state, and then started in with the IVF shots. It worked for me the first IVF cycle and now I have 8 year old twin girls. I know that when we were trying to get pregnant, (3 years of this), I would get depressed every time my period would come. I just kept hearing miracle stories out there about other couples finally conceiving after years of trying.......so we kept at it. You even have an advantage over me with your younger age.

All the best and never give up.

L. S

K.,

It sounds like you are doing all the right stuff. I am 42 and had my son through IVF and was successful the first cycle. He will be 2 in May. My issue was my egg quality. Like you, I did yoga accupuncture,no caffine etc. I also had zero stress in my life and my doctor put me on bed rest for 72 hours and I did it. Just think positive and there are so many that get pregnant on the first cycle. Do not pay attention to the negative comments about IVF. For me it was a breeze. Good Luck!!!

K., My story was very similiar to yours. I had severe endemetriosis resulting in a surgery to remove one of my fallopian tubes, the other was left in place only because we had not discussed removing it prior to the surgery. I went through one round of IVF and conceived twins. I have a healthy son and daughter who are now five. One year after they were born, I conceived my second son (naturally)who is now 3 1/2 - Miracles do happen.

Good luck to you. Keep positive thoughts and hang in there. It is a tough road, but the tough times now are so worth it when you achieve the family you have always dreamed of!

Hi K.,

I had my daughter, now 5 months old, via IVF in the first cycle. It was a tough experience but so worth it. My doctor was great and my nurses were incredible. My advice to you is to follow the doctors' orders and restrictions very strictly. Hang in there, it will all be worth it when you first see the little heart beat, feel the first movement flutters, and finally see your baby. I wish you the best and feel free to ask me any questions.

-N.

Hi K.,

I had my daughter through IVF...thankfully we were successful on the first cycle. It was emotionally physically and financially draining, but so worth it in the end. I would be lying if I said that it will not test your relationship, but you will be a stronger family for it. The medications can be a pain literally and figuratively. The toughest part will be the waiting...but I would do it again...I would be happy to answer any questions that you have on this...I know that being able to get answers was the most comforting part of the process...good luck,
T. R

we had our first son with through IVF...first try....and 18 mths later, i am pregnant with #2...again IVF on the first try!
the shots arent bad. i did them myself. it all sounds overwhelming but it really isnt once you get started. GOOD LUCK! stay positive...the odds are in your favor!

Hi K.,
I got pregnant on the first round of IVF at age 46 with donor egg due to age issues. It was an amazing experience. In fact, I felt the exact moment the egg implanted. It hit me with a jolt. I was getting up to go to the bathroom and when I was coming back to bed, I almost fell down it hit me so hard. I told my husband that I wondered if the egg just implanted. My story may be unique though, because I've never heard anyone else talk about this type of experience, but it was amazing. It sounds like you're the perfect candidate for in-vitro and you're doing all the right things. Hang in there. Just remember that it's more common to hear the negative stories than the positive ones. I now have a beautiful, healthy little girl that just turned 2.

K.,

I am a mom of beautiful boy/girl twins through IVF. I made 26 eggs, 20 fertilized, and 12 turned into embryos. We implanted 2 and both took the first try of IVF. I had some bad side effects from the drugs, was sick of getting shots in the stomach and legs, and am struggling with what to do with the remaining 10 embryos, but my babies are now almost 11 months old and truly a gift from God. I didn't know I could love someone as much as I love my two babies.

I carried them to 36 and a half weeks, until a scheduled c-section due to my daughter being about a pound smaller than her brother. She was fine and healthy at 4 lbs 11 oz. He had a little trouble with his oxygen levels, but we took them both home from the hospital 6 days after they were born. They are getting into everything and keeping me super busy, but they are wonderful and I would do it all over again.

Hi! Give me a call! ###-###-####. Have twin girls from our first IVF cycle! I would LOVE to help you out!
Love
E.

I tried to get pregnant for several years to no avail. My experience with IVF did not start out as positive as the other responses you have gotten, but in the end, I did end up pregnant with twins who are now 4 1/2 years old. I am currently 45, and my husband is 55, and I went through IVF five times. The first four were with my own eggs, but after no success those four times, I decided to use a donor egg only because a much younger friend came forward to volunteer. Well, the donor egg worked, so obviously my own eggs were no good, which was really sad for me. I went through a lot of upset and sadness to get to the end result, but it was all worth it in the end.

I hope you have success on your first try!!!

We were lucky to have our beautiful boy on our first try too! We tried to get pregnant for about 2 years and finally did IVF. It's not always fun undergoing the stimulation phase and once you get pregnant, those hormones definitely kick into overdrive, but boy, is it worth it! Good luck to you!