Wednesday, November 16, 2005

BFN

That's Big Fat Negative for you who are not yet indoctrinated into the web fertility acronyms. I bought a test this morning as my temps had been rising the past three days, not to the stellar 98.6 temp that has shown up when I'm pregnant, just back up to 98.3 from a low of 97.8 (below coverline). It was so very negative that test, it's the kind that you just keep staring at and hoping that something is going to come from the nothingness but then it stares back at you blankly.

I called my acupuncturist's office and cancelled my last two schedule appointments. I'm now waiting for Aunt Flo and starting my psychological break from trying to conceive. We'll see how I'm feeling in the new year I think, then probably go back in to see the RE.

Monday, November 14, 2005

I hate this time of the cycle

Actually I've gotten to where I hate most times during my cycle, though honestly Amy period is at least old hat at this point (after 21 years in September!). I'm grouchy at ovulation, I'm moody during my luteal phase, even the pre-ovulatory time of month can get my goat. I think that it's always been this way but I didn't know so much about what was going on with my hormonal system -- is it really this good to be so in tune with one's hormonal fluctuations.

At any rate I'm at 11dpo today and yesterday my basel temp dipped below my coverline (how's that for jargon for your non sympto-thermal charters) and then this morning I had a wee little temp rise again but only by a few degrees (97.8 to 98.0 -- actually my temp was 98.1 overnight but then it dropped by 6:30 this morning). So I'm straddling something vaguely interesting again, part of me wanting it to be something and a lot of me knowing that I may well get my period by the end of the week.

I have no home pregnancy tests at home at any rate, my friend told me to wait until I had a couple days of temps after the rise and then to see. I live and work within walking distance of six drugstores so if I want one I can get one any time. By the way, I hate buying pregnancy tests, especially when the checkout person is a guy. They sort of search your face for a moment and try to figure out if you are testing because you hope you are or if you hope you are not. For me though, I feel both things at the same time -- at it all feels incredibly emotionally loaded to me either way. At least when you buy sanitary napkins they will usually look away, not trying to draw attention to the feminine hygiene products.

There's just no winning.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

About Home Pregnancy Tests

These are great to refer to when you are trying to figure out which test to buy, when to test, etc.

Pregnancy Test Sensitivity and Early-Detection Testing

Home Pregnancy Test hCG Levels and FAQ

Peeonastick.com - The Secret of the Digital

Pregancy and Ovulation Testing Tips

Pregnancy Test - Sensitivity Comparison

Home Pregancy Test Information
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About Implantation and Early Pregnancy

Want to know what's going on in there, here are some sites and resources that I've found informative.

Visembryo -- a great site to see pregancy development through all the stages

Life's Greatest Miracle (PBS-NOVA) -- Movie files showing stages of development from conception and embryological development to delivery

MedCalc: Pregnancy Wheel -- interactive pregnancy wheel like those used in doctors offices

Fertilization and Implantation (Very Early Pregnancy)

Pregnancy Diagnosis

Concerns regarding Early Fetal Development

Female reproductive system Implantation and formation of placenta

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation Diagram -- nice

Timing of Intercourse, Ovulation and Conception

Causes of Bleeding in the First Trimester

Researchers Discover How Embryo Attaches to the Uterus

Specialized Ultrasound Screening Can Be Key to Predicting Implantation Odds

IVIg for ART and Implantation Failure Controversy

Pregnancy Week by Week: First Trimester

Pregnant women 'starved of information' (I think this one came from Aliza)

Posting Pregnancy Information Posts

I've thought about posting pregnancy information posts with links I've gathered over the past 3-1/2 years. I was sort of holding out, hoping that I would get to post them in relationship to my own pregnancies or something but I'd rather put them out there so they can help others. So, stay tuned and watch for posts about implantation, post-partum, pre-term labor, breastfeeding, birth plans, cloth diapering, etc. Lots of links I've been bookmarking from all over, and with lots of grateful thanks to those who posted the information to the web so that I could link to them and we all can learn from them.

cheers.