The science behind it

These are the actual embryos that were transferred! Baby boy A and Baby boy B! 

Step 1) after a ton of preparation and medications the egg donor has her eggs retrieved from her ovary. The egg donor we used had 28 eggs retrieved. 

Step 2) IVF: where the sperm is injected into the egg and the fertilization takes  place. 18 eggs had made it and 13 were fertilized. 

Step 3) embryo grows for a few days, multiplying in cells. By day 5 it is now a blastocyst. 7 of the fertilized eggs made it to the blastocyst stage. 

Step 4) one tiny little cell is removed from the embryo for genetic testing. This determines which embryos are graded highest. They look to see if all chromosomes are normal and which embryos are healthiest for implantation. Of the 7 sent for genetic testing 6 of them came back with a AA grade (perfect little embryos).

Step 5) embryos are frozen until time of transfer! 

Step 6) 2 embryos are thawed for a very short amount of time and are injected into the uterus through a very small catheter. 

Now that the embryos have been transferred I will be on strict bedrest for 2 days while the embryos do there thang! 

At this point we just sit back and pray for the little guys to stick!! I will start taking pregnancy tests on Thursday, but probably won't get a positive test result until Saturday. I will have my first blood test done next Wednesday (9 days post transfer). 

Prayers are much appreciated!! 

Telling the kids momma is going to pregnant

Today we told our kids about this incredible journey we have been on since November. Rather then type much today I will just share this video instead. Enjoy!! 

My uterus is an overachiever

I write to you this evening from the comfort of my bathroom. Between the set up for my injection, the injection it's self, and of course the butt rubbing and heat after, I find myself spending a lot of time in the bathroom these days.

 I am currently at the peak of my medications. I take 2 prenatals, aspirin, Medrol, doxycycline, progesterone, and delestrogen currently. Which is funny since I'm not a fan of medications unless absolutely necessary. I usually like to go the more natural/ holistic route. 

Ok enough about the medications! Let's get to the monitoring appointments!! Since my initial medical clearing in Portland back in April I have had numerous local monitoring appointments. The reason for this is to make sure I'm progressing the way I should without me having to go all the way to Portland just for a few blood draws and ultrasounds.

I had a big appointment 2 weeks ago that was to measure the lining of my uterus. After only two doses of my delestrogen my lining was at 11.2!!! For an ideal transfer it needs to be at a minimum of 8. With 3 weeks left to go until transfer this was incredible news. I knew my body was prime for making babies, but I had no idea my uterus was such an over achiever. 

With everything right on track I will be heading to Portland on Saturday!! It's crazy to think that after having the last 7 months to prepare that the time is finally here!!

Tomorrows blog post will be all about Dave and I telling the kids what's happening! I am going to see if I can post a video on here. 

Now that my butt is toasty warm and the medicine has hopefully spread through the muscle, I'm going to blow this popcicle stand and head downstairs. Pretty sure I just heard Dave come home from the ice cream run I sent him on! These hormones have me craving food more then my pregnancies did!!

The big box of overwhelming medications

With my transfer date right around the corner I figured I should probably take the time to fill everyone in on the last few weeks. Rather then putting it all in one blog I will spread it out. I PROMISE to write a blog everyday until my first beta test (blood draw pregnancy test!) 

This surrogacy thing is a process to say the least! It is a hurry up and wait game. 

After returning from Portland it was a lot of waiting around. I decided to take Cora on a vacation back to Wisconsin while I had the chance. Once I'm pregnant I will not be able to fly for the 1st and 3rd trimester. While we were in Janesville I received my first draft of my legal contract!

Side story: after posting my first blog post on Facebook I had found out that my best friend growing up, his wife was also a surrogate! Small world.!

While home I was able to compare contracts and talk with her a lot about the process as she was a little further into it then I was. She also let me watch as her husband did one of her IM (intramuscular) injections. Through this whole process the IM injections have been my biggest fear. It was very helpful to watch and see that it was really no big deal. 

Legal was quick and easy. I corrected a few things I wanted changed in the contract and sent it back. The intended parents (IP's), Shannon and Steve accepted and we all moved forward. 

When we returned back to Colorado I was greeted with "the big box of overwhelming medications" on my door step. Being the organized person I am I of course opened in right up and organized it. 

I had originally planned for Dave to give me my injections. The first shot I started was called Lupron. Lupron, aka the menopause drug, is administered to basically quite down my ovaries so we can use other hormones to fake my body into thinking its pregnant. After being anxious all day for my 5pm injection, I was all set up and ready to go! I went to the living room to get Dave and he was napping with both kids so clearly I couldn't disturb him. I decided to go give it a shot my self (no pun intended). I rolled my shirt up, cleaned the area, drew up the medication into the needle, and injected it into the little pouch of fat I have on my stomach. Piece. Of. Cake! It was so so easy. I had zero pain at all. My children now fight over who can give me my shot at night.

In the upcoming week i will post about my other medications (including my first IM), my monitoring appointment, meeting Shannon and Steve for the first time, telling Jack and Cora (my children) about what is happening, and my upcoming trip to Portland! At that point I will be all caught up and ready to give you the day by day.