Ttc second baby. First baby IVF.

[Ficidy]

We conceived our beautiful baby boy via IVF. Unfortunately, we cannot afford another cycle, so our only hope is to conceive naturally, which is virtually impossible for us. I guess I'm just looking to read about successful stories of people who underwent IVF, had a baby and then went on to conceive naturally.

Our son is 6.5 months old (I'm in my late thirties, so time is not on our side). We are only trying properly in the last few weeks, but I got my af today and it brings back all the horrible memories of how this felt for 3 years before we became pregnant.

Positive stories/advice appreciated. Thanks.

[naty1]

I think it depends what if anything was wrong.
We had pcos and very low low sperm count so not much chance of us conceiving naturally. (We had icsi)
Even then lasttime only 2/8 eggs fertilised and we had 2 embryos.
But if you got really high fertilisation with ivf theres a good chance it could work naturally and your body can change after having a baby.
Someone had twins by ivf and then was pg again within a year. Not sure of age though.

[Shellster52]

I don't know if I of am any reassurance as we actually did things the other way around. We had our first naturally (took a year to conceive) and am now in my 35th cycle of TTC #2 with no hint of a BFP. Am about to embark on 5th IVF cycle. But like Nat says, I think it depends on your own circumstances and diagnosis. You say natural is virtually impossible so I assume you know what is hindering you?

I am in Australia. Out of curiosity, can I ask how your NHS works. So if you had your first IVF funded and you get pregnant with embryos left over frozen, would you have to pay for those frozen embryo's to be transferred for your second child? The NHS system seems so unfair; secondary infertility hurts too!

[Ficidy]

Thanks girls. Shellster, I'm actually in Ireland and fertility treatment isn't funded here. We did iui here, but went to Prague for our icsi cycles (beautiful place to make a baby!).

You must be so strong to be on a fifth cycle. We only did 2 IVFs. Luckily, we got pregnant on the second, but even if we hadn't, I don't know if I'd have had the strength to do the third. It's just so draining. I really hope this is the one for you!!

Re our issues, my husband's count (at various tests, anywhere between 14 million to 24 million) is on the low side, motility is only around 34% and morphology is quite bad too. I'm 37 and the last time I had my amh tested, it was 12. This was close to two years ago, so now it's probably a lot lower.

In our last cycle, we got 16 eggs, they were all mature, 9 of them fertilised and they all made it as far as Day 4, but on Day 5, we were only left with two blasts. They were transferred and we became pregnant with twins. Sadly, we lost one of the twins at 9 weeks. So, with those stats, it's not very likely, is it??

I was never hugely maternal before, but now, my god, my heart aches for another baby.

[naty1]

Maybe not but all the drugs can make the eggs worse or different.
Someone i know only had 2 embies left on 1 st icsi day 3 but second try have had 4 good ones left. (With different trigger)
I also had very different experiences 2/8 fert then 3/4 with same drugs etc.
But you did well getting to day 5 with 2 blasts . Could you afford 1 go? (I suppose though u would be older this time.)
Im only having 1 go (only 2 embies) so not much point having another go as the numbers are so low
Would u regret not having a try.
Its hard to stop though if u arent successful

[Gemdar]

Hope my story can offer some hope?

DC1 was IVF after 3 years of trying with 'unexplained' infertility. DC2 was natural - second AF after DC1 and at the ancient age of 38.

Although unfortunately no guarantees it can and does happen!

[moonbug4]

Hi,

Another positive story here - DD1 conceived via ICSI due to male factor fertility issues, we'd also been given low odds of conceiving naturally. However, much to our amazement DD2 was natural, conceived 9 months after AF returned post breast feeding. As Gemdar says it can happen!

[wadi1983]

I woman who.couldn't naturally conceive. and couldn't afford IVF.. She decided to adopt instead, found a expending mum and the adoption process started, instead of a single baby, it was triplets, triplets still in hospital, a couple of weeks old, and she naturally falls pregnant with twins..

Her triplets were 10 months old when.her twins.we're born..

5 children under 1 years old

[Ficidy]

Wow, some positive stories there!!

For those of you who conceived naturally, were you trying? Did you use OPKs or anything? Not sure if using them would put too much pressure on us, but I have very irregular cycles, so wouldn't have a clue when I'm ovulating otherwise.

[Shellster52]

Ficidy, you sound like you are very negative about your test results and IVF outcomes, but from an objective viewpoint, they sound okay.

• Husbands sperm perhaps statistically on the low side of normal, but definitely lots of normal sperm in there (count and motility is easy to improve drastically with supplements)
  
• AMH of 12 is good at 36. Mine was 2.5 at 34 and I had given birth to my first less than a year earlier so it must have been low then too.
  
• You got a whopping 16 eggs, with a whopping 9 make it to day 4 (they would do much better again in your womb rather than the culture)
  

I would think you were in with a great chance of conceiving naturally - if I didn't know that you had previously tried for 3 years and nothing happened!

Were your periods always irregular or is this something that has happened as you got older? Have you had your period back long after DC1. Mine was always irregular before DC1 but much more regular after for some reason.

Sorry, I sound like Dr Shellster here - if only I could solve my own issues! My hubby has 100% abnormal sperm and I can't control his massive junk food habits so that is out of my control. I don't know that I am strong to be about to do my 5th IVF cycle. I just can't accept that we won't have another so I am forced to continue on. They say you are most fertile within the first year of having a baby, so I really hope for you that this is true in your case.

[Ficidy]

Thanks for your advice, Shellster. I'm sorry to read about your own situation. Has the doctor said anything to your husband about his diet? Does he want a baby as much as you? I often think it's easier for us to be regimented when it comes to taking the vitamins and improving our diets. It's not quite as real to the men for some reason.

Yeah, I guess I am quite negative. I guess it stems from trying for so long without success, so deep down I don't hold out much hope for being successful now. But, like you said, we're more fertile after having a baby, so I won't lose all hope. My periods were always irregular. After having my little boy, they returned around 2 months later. The first cycle was 42 days, but the last few have been 29-30, so maybe, as you said, they are becoming more regular. Hopefully!

I'll buy the OPKs anyway, and we'll keep trying. It's all we can do really...

[Gemdar]

I didn't use opk (as I never got positives despite definitely ov) but I get ov pains so did time the deed accordingly so was the equivalent.

DC2 was planned but I decided not to discuss my cycle with DH as TTC DC1 took its toll and figured I may obsess less and make things more fun than functional.

[Gemdar]

Ps Hope you have the same luck

[Shellster52]

Hubby does want another baby Ficidy, but he just has very different beliefs on the whole thing and thinks if we forget, it will happen. I don't see how that's possible with 100% abnormal sperm! And at 36 with an AMH of 2.5, I don't really have time to spend a year trying the 'forget and see' method.

I totally get your negativity after all you've been through. I guess to me your situation seems okay because it is so much better than mine. I would love an AMH of 12 and for my husband to have at least a few good swimmers. Sounds promising that your cycles are also perhaps more regular after pregnancy. Certainly did something to regulate mine.

It's just a totally different experience for us isn't it? Most enjoy the process, but as soon as we are into TTC#2, all it causes is stress. I hope you have luck with the OPK's. I think to take the stress out, it would be easier not to OPK and to just DTD every second day or so - but not always possible with a little one! I take it you are still not breastfeeding then if your periods are back and regular?

[Proudmummytodc2]

I know a woman who was told she would never get pregnant, probably be able to even carry a baby so Ivf might just make it worse but she decided to try it once didn't work it took a year but she adopted a baby and a week later found out she was : months pregnant she now had2 beautiful babies so try stay positive sorry I can't offer any real advice good luck x

[Ficidy]

Thanks everyone.

Shellster, I'm sorry if I'm coming across as insensitive. I really don't mean to. I know how utterly heartbreaking infertility is, so I can only imagine how much worse it must be for you in that situation.

I only breastfed for 6 weeks. I just couldn't do it any longer. It was honestly the hardest thing I've ever done. Much harder than labour! So, yeah, it took a while, but my period came back after I gave up.

[Shellster52]

You don't come across as insensitive at all Ficidy. I don't even know what you wrote that you could possibly even consider to be slightly insensitive, so don't panic.

I had also planned on breastfeeding but also had no end of trouble and was devastated when I had to give it up at 12 weeks. My issue was due to low supply and my baby losing weight, so I was breastfeeding, expressing, feeding baby the expressed milk and then topping up with formula! Too much. Can I ask what you found difficult - just want to learn from everyone so that I can hopefully get it right next time - if there is a next time!

[radburn75]

Hi there, I just wanted to say keep your hopes up. I'm 38 and had my son (IVF) first attempt in 2012 and I'm not 38 weeks pregnant with second baby conceived naturally. Beleive it our not we weren't even trying as I thought my chances of conceving were so low. I have a very low egg count FSH was 22.1 and on EC I have 4 eggs , 3 were immature on one is now my son.
I really beleive that the fact my body had carried a and delivered a baby and I had a previous mc had something to with with this pregnancy and that my mind was not constantly thinking about ttc. We were moving house at the time and had lots goin on so I guess my mind was elsewhere.
When I had my IVF cycle I attended accunpuncunce fertitiliy specialist and listened to Zita West cds. I wish you all the very best. XX

[Peppapigisnotmyname]

I had DS at 32 through IVF after years of trying on get pregnant. We were told we'd never conceive naturally. I couldn't face going through IVF again so decided to call it a day. When he was one though, I conceived twins naturally. Sadly I lost them at around eight weeks. A year later I got pregnant again naturally. Miscarried this pregnancy too. Three months later, I got pregnant again naturally and this time I had dd, I was 37 when she was born. Never thought it would happen to me, but it did. So it can happen.

[r3dsquirrel]

I had my first child after 3 cycles of icsi (my husband had a very low count with low motility and morphology). Baby number two came as a complete surprise one year later. She was concieved after one AF post breastfeeding without us even trying! We'd been planning to go back to the fertility clinic later that year! Its not uncommon at all from what ive heard. Good luck!

[FortyFacedFuckers]

My best friend went through 5 years of unexplained fertility and 3 goes of IVF to have dc 1 when dc 1 was 4 months old she conceived dc 2. Dc1 is now 6 friend is 39 and currently pregnant with dc4 all conceived naturally except dc 1.

I am in the opposite position dc1 conceived without trying 6 years off TTC dc2.

Good luck op

[Inshock73]

Ficidy my sister had her first two children through IVF at the age of 29 and 33, then thought she was going through an early menopause at 36...she was pregnant! Conceived naturally and delivered a healthy baby girl.