Charlotte Rose 04/10/2013

Here is the end of the other Surrogacy!

Things got a bit crazy and I forgot to keep blogging.

After Acupuncture and doing lots of upside down and bum up sitting...little baby girl was still breech!

We had a false alarm where I ended up in the Labour ward on a machine to track contractions, they died down after a while and I was allowed to go home.  We had J and P on the phone this whole time, telling them just to wait and not jump in the car yet.

A c-section date was set.

Due to many crossed wires within the hospital, (this is WHY communication is essential!) the Maternity nurses and hospital somehow got it into their heads that we (IM and I) were fighting and angry at each other!!  Poor IM was literally stopped at the doors of the hospital by the managing directer and told that Social Services may need to be called!! Luckily she is a tough cookie and barged through and up to my room...We were both WTH is going on?!  It was a bit stressful.

Soon the dust settled and my lovely orderlies came in with my gown and cap and explained what was going to happen.

(He had actually come in on his day off to be there!  He was at the very first surrogacy the hospital had many years ago.)

I was taken in and given a Epidural with my sweet husband by my side holding my hand.

Baby Charlie was born.  6lb.  A head of gorgeous dark hair.

I had a Migraine.

Pain meds were great.

That evening I walked/wheelchair with the aid of a nurse from my single room to see her in the nursery. (she needed to stay warm)  

Then I went to see IM in her room.  

Best feeling ever <3

First photo I received from IM when I got home.

I was at a dog show the next weekend! 

Charlie growing up!

Ayla meets "Baby Charlie" <3

Helping out as baby Shusher

Charlotte Turns 1!!!!!

Where are we now? In the last 6 months:

This was our first try.  December 2014, My boys came down and stayed in Melbourne while at my most fertile. (Using Ovulation Predictor sticks) and (Period Tracker)

Sadly it wasn't to be...so we waited for the next month and tried to even the score.

This is my 'kit'.  We have: ClearBlue Advanced Stick, Clearblue Advanced Monitor (Straight from the UK via Amazon), Bulk Ovulation Strips and Bulk Pregnancy Tests. 

 (See my little bag for recipes to keep track of money spent for the Parenting Order.)

I had enough to get me pregnant..with Octuplets!!

Every month we were bang on...all machines and tests looked great.

(Left : ClearBlue Stick Fertility Monitor.  Right: ClearBlue Advanced Fertility Monitor)

http://uk.clearblue.com/clearblue-ovulation-test-range/clearblue-advanced-fertility-monitor 

Computer stick said NO.

Boo.

Put ya legs up in the air! I soon got a 'method' of turkey basting right.  I became a dab hand at it.

But. No Baby.  Seriously.  Ugh.

Things just got serious.

Eggs Ahoy.  Lets get some of them suckers.

Apparently C's sperm and my eggs have 1% comparability rate.  

1. Freaking. %.

So lets up the odds and bring the pain.

Its on like Donkey Kong.

This is the face of determination.  

'My Boys' will be the most AWESOME Daddies ever!!

Welcome back to Take 2!

Just making a note of today.  Sharp twingy/stabbing pains in the left of my lower abdomen.  Hopefully it is the start of implantation, or even ovulation itself.

I flew up to Sydney early Monday morning (my alarm was set at 3am to catch a 6am plane!) and stayed the day at IF's place.  As soon as I arrived we did an insem..to which I think I had far more of an idea of what I was doing. (smaller syringe size to give more control and exactly where my Cervix was...I liken self insemination to trying to hit Ping Pong balls in the dark with a tiny dark.  This time I was trying to HIT the pingpong ball and not the wall around it!!

Chosen donor (I will call him C) had had all his testing when they had looked into egg donation with a dear friend so all relevant testing had been done as well as a quarantine period.  Sadly the start of the roller coaster of emotions for them in a TTC journey as the embryos that were created did not respond well and couldn't be frozen.  

All paperwork, legals and Counselling has been done over that time, it varies slightly from what is required for a gestational surrogacy but not too much.

This is what is termed as a 'Traditional Surrogacy Journey' where it is my egg that is used.  IVF clinics won't help out with this legally, so my hubby had to be very ok with me 'self inseminating' with another mans biological material.  I think that is the most PC way I can put it...trust me I could be a lot blunter ;)

Anyway..so here we are today, the TWW.  

30 weeks! Whoo hoooo!

I was dearly looking forward to my afternoon nap today, luckily Miss 3 went down for her sleep easily so as soon as my head hit my pillow I was out!  Some days I can bearly keep my eyes open!  

Dr from Hospital rang...well for about the 5th time according to my phone, put him on speaker on school pickup.  My Thyroid is still crap and my iron levels are bottomed out...figured that already, so no surprises there.  

Still need to do my gestational diabetes testing, but trying to find a spare 3 hours, not so easy at present!

Hit 30 weeks today, yay!  Almost at countdown stage :)

My pelvis is playing up a bit again, I assume because bubs is gaining weight steadily now.  I have to lift my legs mostly in and out of car and to cross them, lol :)  Slow and steady.

Nothing else exciting to report :)

29 weeks

I am a crap blogger..did I mention that already?

So Ive reached 29weeks now, we had a growth scan on wednesday and she is measuring 29+3 days, so bang on the money.  No wonder I feel small...mine were always a week or so ahead! LOL!

I have been stressing lately trying to sort out what happens after the birth and who can babysit my kids...I had forgotten, A) its over school holiday period and B) Hubby begins his "Im so busy I rarely see you" time at work!

I am working on a few options.

Iron levels are so low, they are bottoming out..no surprise, thats pretty standed with my pregnancies.  Mouth Ulcers, heart palpitations, fainting, breathlessness etc...pain in the bum!  I will get stuff done in bursts, then sit down and rest or just mildly pass out for a few seconds, lol!  Got some liquid Iron now so that should sort it out :)

Most evenings I sit there reading or on the laptop with my iphone handy trying to catch her wiggling in my tummy for J and P...shes so naughty..every time I hit record she stops!!  I will catch her out one day!!  I cant wait to show J and P the Alien like movement..its such a cool part of pregnancy!

Before our Ultrasound I met them at Babies r Us and while J distracted Miss 3 I wandered around with P showing her different things and explaining what works, stuff Id used, and just general bits n bobs.
Loved how when I pointed out wash cloths she excitedly grabbed some and said, "Pink of course!"  Made me smile :)

I also spoke to her about if she wanted me to give baby colostrum for the first day.  I am happy to do that as it will kick start her immune system.  She shyly asks, but it wont make you uncomfortable will it?  To which I laughed and said, um, hello? and pointed to my size 18 arse and matching belly! LOL!  I am quite happy to feed Skippy colostrum for  her 'birth' day :)  Then I explained how milk dosnt come in for at least 3 days so it wont make a difference at all to my boobie comfort ;)

Currently from the ultrasound baby is sitting in the frank breech position, she had her knees infront of her face during the 4D so it was hard to get a cute pic! (which I dont have any as my mobile was dead and I didnt want to ask for one..)

Still plenty of time to turn, so not worried about it at all, only it was really amusing to see!

25 weeks today!! WHOO HOO

soooo, thats 15 weeks to go!  OMG where has the time gone!!  

Feeling pretty good :)  Ive gotta quit whinging!!    

I cant get over how small my belly is still, so cute!  (well its small for me, lol!)  Baby Skippy is still a bit of a night owl, especially loves 2am, lol!!  Lucky I have an awesome library with some great books..and theres always FB..ha!

Pelvis is still pretty happy with the steroids as is the asthma.  All well controlled :)  Fairly pain free which is great!  

Ive decided to just take a big deep breath and think 'whatever happens, happens'  no point in worrying over birth etc, it just stresses me out too much.  Have a midwife appointment on Friday, will just smile and nod ;)

I hate winter.  

I do however enjoy these glorious sunny days we have been having..yup, its cold in the morning, but later, beautiful!  I get far more done on these days, get a bit of pep in my step! lol!  

Haven't been showing lately, cant be bothered really.  I have pups too which i am enjoying :) I have a few enteries ready to go..but thats if I get them in the mail or not!!

I have some photos on my iphone and will upload them when I download them on my big PC...a nice belly shot at 24 weeks :)

24 weeks and Im a Drama Illama!

Where to start...?

I haven't written in a bit as it got a bit emotionally draining for a while.  

Eldest son is being sorted, its looking positive for now.


I am 24 weeks as of yesterday.  But its not been smooth..well the pregnancy has but everything else..sheeeeeesh, add the 'S' word to anything and it just seems to cause confusion and trouble...far out, I was getting so angry, confused and upset..

Ok..I have given birth 4 times...the last 3 were fast, easy and with no drugs or intervention..so you think the 5 would be simple right? Hmmmm, well sure it would be but it has the word "Surrogacy" attached..OMFG!!!!! Someone get me some gas now to deal with people!!!!!

Started off as I had to rearrange my midwife appointment as my girl decided to whelp and I was delivering them and wasn't going to leave...'my' Midwife says, "oh it doesn't matter you've been shifted to Specialist Midwifery Care".  Wait.  What?  No one told me!?  I ask "whhhhyyy?" 
"Um er, um...oh your on anti-depressants, are 35 and have asthma issues..oh and your a surrogate.."
Silence.
Wait.  What?

Did ANYONE look at my records from previous births/pregnancies???  Yes, I had asthma, yes I've always been on Anti-depressants - I am a chemical depressive, so I treat my depression as a Diabetic treats Diabetes. I take my meds, I am ok.
 

Seems my hopes of having an intervention free birth in a calm environment were slipping out of reach.  You see people, the way I see it is THE BIRTH is what I get to take home...take that away from me and what am I left with, shit memories...which should be beautiful.

Got off phone blubbering, emotional wreck, rang IM..she was horrified too!

The I left it.  I had too.  Sometimes I just close off and have to stop processing things until I feel ready to deal with them.  
Hubby was wonderful as he knows how important it is I get the birth I want, once again, poor fella <3

Fast forward to this week..
A Midwife Helen rings to see why I wasn't at an appointment...erm, what appointment?  Seems I had been lost in translation and no one had actually told me!
So I began to have a long chat to her, and was pleasantly surprised.  She was lovely, and explained things to me about Specialist Midwifery.  (Seems in my case it was so we could schedule extra appointments, longer appointments etc, not because of my 'conditions'  
Today I had my OB appointment, Midwife Kate was attending too...sooo relieved.  OB was lovely and unless my 'conditions' play up I wont have to see her again, although she's actually one OB I think would be pretty cool...(whoa, did I really say that?!)
Midwife Kate was also awesome and if the other two attached to SMC are the same it will be totally cool.  I am feeling so RELIEVED for sure!  We also had a meeting with the Social Worker for the Hospital..that my friends is another page I think...I get so mentally fatigued by it all sometimes....the short of it all, she is lovely but there is only so much she can do..

Baby Skippy is getting more vigorous, and measuring well.  Heartbeat great.  The OB did book me into growth ultrasounds at 28 and 34/6 weeks to watch babies growth.

She still seems to be a night owl and I find myself reading/on computer at about 2am every few nights! lol!!

Interesting to write is that Ive been craving asian food like mad...Ive never really been interested in rice and noodles etc..but boy does Skippy say nom nom nom now!!

After appointment yesterday IPs, I and Miss 3 went for Yum Cha, mmmmmmm :)  (I made more mess then the 3 year old!)

I have also taught IPs how to buy second hand, near new baby stuff! (ie source what you are after, note name and product number and then go ebay or gumtree it!! 9/10 someone has had only one baby and ready to sell! ;) )  They have got some super cute clothes and an awesome pram already :)